As writers, we'd all like to make a big sale with a fantastic advance and find oursleves on the Best Seller list. Is that goal achievable? Perhaps. Perhaps not.
But to prepare ourselves, I think we need to see how we've grown as writers in 2011. Then evaluate how we can grow stronger as writers in 2012. How can we improve at our craft?
I'm going through the first round of edits with my agent, so improving is at the forefront of my mind right now. Gee, and I thought I'd licked that bad habit of using passive language. I can't seem to get it through my head that to write "was smiling" is passive. I've got my characters "was ______ing" all over the place. Oy! So before I can dream about a big sale and making any kind of best seller list, I've got a lot of work to do.
Obviously, as a new writer, I need to take stock of areas of craft in which I need to improve. I need to keep growing. Someone once said the learning curve of a writer is continual. So true. To be easy on myself, I'm tackling two weak areas this year: passive language use and character development.
That's not to say I won't also make goals. I loved Jill's list from yesterday. We need goals--realistic goals--to keep our writing careers on track. I want to get a contract for the book I'm editing now. I also want to write at least two more books and a novella/short story. Then there's the social media to utilize more effectively. Boy, do I need someone to hold my hand through that fast-moving maze.
Reflect a little before you make your goals' list for 2012. And good luck to you all in achieving them.
9 comments:
Hi, Vonnie. Enjoyed reading your post. Best of luck in the New Year!
Best of luck to you, too, Dawn. I love that romance writers support romance writers, don't you?
No resolutions, no goals. But a lot of wishes that I listed in a comment on Jill's post. Here is another wish: I'd like to reach 100 followers on my blog. So please follow me.
Yes, ladies, please follow Mona. She blogs about some very informative topics.
I was so thrilled last year to get a contract for Tempting Adam. Seeing my lifelong dreams come true threw me off my stride for awhile. It was like 'my dreams came true, now what?' LOL So I self-published last year too and sold 4 times the amount of books my first book did. That was super-exciting.
This year I want to write MORE. Spend more time writing and not as much networking and emailing. I want this to be a job. One I enjoy tremendously, but a job nonetheless.
Wow. Four times as much earnings by self-publishing? Your royalty percentages would be higher. We the number of sales also higher? Do readers not seem to care anymore when a book is self-published? I suppose attitudes are changing which is a good thing in our industry.
Vonnie, it was double the earnings but four times the books because the self-pub was only 99cents. It is a short story, 18,000 words, give or take. I'm doing two more in the series this year and bundling them together as a set once the third one is done.
Good for you! Wishing you continued great sales. This is a win-win for you; royalty monies AND building your fan base for future longer books. Yay you!
Vonnie,
That's interesting, and oh-so-true, that the learning curve of a writer is continual. I think that would be a true statement for any of the arts--music, dance, theater, etc.
Well-said!
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