Is it me or are the television seasons getting shorter. I mean it seems like Supernatural just started and the season is already over. Shows are getting cancelled left and right. I can’t figure out what’s left out there because I’ve been taping everything and not watching it. I am enjoying the mini-series called the Triangle. It’s not great, but it is entertaining. (I should preface this by saying I was strangely obsessed with the Bermuda Triangle when I was a kid.) I still have issues with flying over it. (Remember sanity is optional in a author.) Where am I going with all of this? Nowhere really. 
I was speaking with some writer friends of mine, who allow me to bellyache to them. Once again, I find myself dissatisfied with my career. It’s not only off track, it’s not even on a trail. So I’ve had to ask myself some hard questions like: Where do you want to go? Who do you want to write for? What would you be happy writing? You get the picture.
What brought this up was that I realized I have several books published, but I do not have a writing career per se. Now that might not seem like such a big distinction to some, but it is to me. You can build a career. You can’t build several published books. I am grateful that I’m still able to sell my work, but this ‘method’ of writing will not help me achieve my goals.
I’m not saying I plan to write to market. That’s too much work. BUT, I do need to pick something and stick with it for a while. I’m not bummed out about this discovery, but it is a tad disheartening.
Do you have a burgeoning career or do you have books that you’ve written?
December 7th, 2005
Always the deep questions with you! Don’t you want to have some eggnog and eat some cookies and then think about this on New Year’s? Okay, well, you’re probably right. Now is the time to figure out the plan for the new year.
I started off writing books that I kept simple while I worked out novel mechanics. These are all “straight” romantic comedies. And then I went all fantasy, futuristic, paranormal and erotic with an edge. The former are books I wrote and published. The latter are the building blocks of my career. According to my husband, I’m actually an SFF author. I think I write too much sex and romance to qualify. *g*
by Charlene December 7th, 2005 at 5:19 pmCharlene, Sorry, I tend to get contemplative toward the end of the year. Concentrating on merriment would require balance in my life. *ggg* I’m not a fan of eggnog, but I do hope to have some X-mas cookies eventually.
I definitely prefer to have a plan going into the New Year, rather than waiting until Jan. 2nd.
That’s an interesting take on your career. I never considered a certain type of book to be a building block. Going to have to think about that some more. I definitely consider some of my work to be training. My dh tells me I’m not a romance author either. He says I’m an action/adventure writer. Snort.
by Jordan December 7th, 2005 at 6:26 pmHmm, good question. Actually I think I’m just a newbie no matter how you look at it. *g* But I do have plans. I hope to keep writing Supers for a while. Does that count as a career? It is a niche. And I’d like to someday expand into something else as well, but I’ll do it gradually. Maybe.
by Amy December 7th, 2005 at 7:52 pmAmy, That actually sounds smart, newbie or not.
by Jordan December 7th, 2005 at 7:55 pmWell, no sales as of yet…
Out of eleven books written, I have…
6 traditional romances, one with an editor, 4 rejected, one not subbed
1 mainstream/ST requested
1 mainstream/ST (completely different from other one) requested
3 long contemporaries, one rejected, two not subbed
The ones listed as rejected will probably never again be submitted, but who knows, one of the mainstream books was also in that category and it ended up getting requested based on my running off at tht mouth, so anything is possible.
The point of my list: with the exception of my traditional romances, which clearly don’t have a very good batting average, none of my books are related enough to build a career on. I could really scare you and list the books I’ve started and not finished, and those are even more varied.
So I ask myself the same question you ask yourself. And honestly, while I will try to write more books along the market of whatever I end up selling, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop writing my “other” books. The other night, I came up with this really weird scifi crap book (which in rough terms, it will mean that it will eventually become my obsession) and it’s not a genre I really even care for. I could refuse to write it, but eventually, it would make my head explode, so why fight it?
by Danica December 7th, 2005 at 11:54 pmDo you have a burgeoning career or do you have books that you’ve written?..
This is funny–I was gonna blog on almost exactly this same subject.
I have books that I’ve written. Three of them have been e-pubbed. I’m very grateful for that, and the good reception so far.
But I don’t have a career, and that bothers the crap out of me. So much so that sometimes I’m tempted to just stop. I don’t want a little taste. I want the whole thing. And I’ve seen enough to know that focusing on one thing, writing well, working hard, promo, productivity–none of these things are guaranteed to get you there.
This is not a comforting thought.
by raine December 8th, 2005 at 12:06 amI don’t know what it is, but it definitely is a compulsion (that’s why I’m lost not being able to actually sit down and write until January). I have so many stories just running through my head that, like Danica, if I didn’t write them down I would explode!
by Eve December 8th, 2005 at 6:01 amDo you have a burgeoning career or do you have books that you’ve written?
*sitting in the corner shaking and sucking her thumb*
No clue. And like Raine, I’m tempted to quit, but I’m too freaking stubborn.
by Cece December 8th, 2005 at 7:57 amCrap sorry for the open tag Jordan!
by cece December 8th, 2005 at 7:57 amMy current plan is to write, write, write then submit, submit, submit.
I *think* I have enough ideas in the two genres I’d like to write in to focus on whichever one gets me published first.
One of the genres is fantasy, and I think it’s a good thing I’ve a whole passel of standalone books-to-be (it makes me feel better to call them that when I working on them instead of the current WIP).
by May December 8th, 2005 at 8:17 amWell, I have two books published and Triskelion willing to buy three more to finish up my series. One pubbed in eBook and the other both in print and in e. I’ve been working hard on not only publishing, but getting my name out there and making a foundation for a career. However, I don’t know if I’ve been successful yet or not…lol. I’m still working at the day job, but I’m planning on that not always being the case. So, I guess to answer your question - I hope I’ve got a burgeoning career.
by Tina Gerow December 8th, 2005 at 8:26 amHonestly, at this point in my writing career (which I can summarize in two words - none existant), I’m so disappointed with everything. Totally bummed out. One part of me tells me to quit writing and spend my energies doing something else. The other part tells me to just keep it as a hobby.
by Silma December 8th, 2005 at 9:35 amDanica, That sounds familiar. I have a lot of projects that I’ve started and never finished. It’s frustrating. I went back and completed a few this year just so I’d stop thinking about them.
I didn’t mean to give you the impression that I would stop work completely on my other projects. I wouldn’t, but I will focus on one genre predominantly.
by Jordan December 8th, 2005 at 10:43 amJordan, you said you have several books published but that isn’t building your career. What do you mean, specifically? I ask that because I’m confused by the terms career. Does career define money? Happiness? Fame? I don’t know the answer to that question. And it’s a questions I’ve asked myself until I’m blue in the face. And I still don’t have any answers. Good post.
by Nancy Henderson December 8th, 2005 at 10:46 amRaine, Great minds…*g* I knew I was writing without a specific focus, but I didn’t realize I was missing a career until I took a close look at some of my friends. They are steadily building their writing careers. None are making huge splashes in the market, but they are doing well. This made me analyze my writing and I realized I don’t have a career. I have books.
As for guarantees, I don’t remember there being guarantees in any career. You can work your whole life at a company and then get let go right before you’re set to receive your pension. You can get several college degrees and still not land a job in your field. There are no guarantees. It’s an illusion. That’s why you have to find something that makes you happy and go for it. If you don’t make it, that would suck, but at least you tried. Most people don’t bother.
by Jordan December 8th, 2005 at 10:56 amEve, I currently have a series that’s tickling the back of my mind. I’m sure it’s only doing that because I have four books to edit. LOL!
by Jordan December 8th, 2005 at 10:58 amCece, I seriously considered quitting four months ago. I was frustrating with how things were going. Now I’m back to my typical ’smartass’ attitude. It seems to work for me. (wg) (Also, I realized there wasn’t ANYTHING else I wanted to do with my life.)
by Jordan December 8th, 2005 at 11:01 amMay, That’s wonderful. I will always continue to write in the paranormal genre because it’s my first love. I’m all over the place in it, but I love the genre. I’m also going to try to write contemporaries with a twist. So much depends on what I sell next.
by Jordan December 8th, 2005 at 11:05 amSilma, Only you can make that decision for yourself. I remember an author twisting a quote by Betty Davis. She said, “Writing careers aren’t for sissies.” Now I know EXACTLY what she meant. *ggg*
by Jordan December 8th, 2005 at 11:08 amNancy, Thank you! What I meant by books and not a career is that even though I have eight books published with one on the way, I have no writer identity. People may or may not have heard of me, most of the time it’s the latter. If you asked readers what I write, they probably wouldn’t be able to describe my work. It goes back to branding. I have no brand, beyond my name and it’s not prevalent enough to allow readers to identify me. This has to do with the fact that I’ve written in so many different subgenres. (urban sci-fi/fantasy, historical vampire, time-travel, contemporary) I’m all over the board.
I have no wish for fame after living in L.A. for a number of years. Success yes, fame no. Shudder. I’m not looking for happiness though my career. I’d be in trouble if that were the case. *ggg* Contentment would be nice, but to be honest, I doubt I will ever reach that point. I don’t have the type of personality that allows me to be content for long. That’s what keeps me striving to get better, achieve more, succeed. I can live with that.
by Jordan December 8th, 2005 at 11:23 amTina, I think you’re going about building a career in the right way. You’re writing a series that people can classify. You are slowly building your name. You have a goal of quitting the day job. All you have to do is keep at it.
by Jordan December 8th, 2005 at 11:25 amThat’s such an interesting and depressing question Jordan! LOL,
A career, so in essence you mean a name…I think I’m making a name slowly but surely, I’ve only been published since jan of 2004, so in the past couple of years I think I’ve made a little bit of a mark in the erotic/romance industry, and now just starting to break into print. I think it takes a while, and could take several starts, and retries, or reinventing oneself…
Hmm, now I’m going to go ponder this some more…
by Vivi Anna December 8th, 2005 at 2:20 pmWell, I’ll have yet to get a novel finished (and I mean finished, not 120K of suckiness) and published, but I think I’ll stick to Historical Fiction with settings in the Roman Empire (esp. Britain) and Mediaeval (esp. Scotland and Germany) for a career. Provided I can work under the pressure of deadlines and won’t be required to write more than one book a year.br>
I’ve some shorts on the side (even a published one, lol) mostly Horror and recently Paranormal Erotica. Is there a market for a hot bisexual selkie?
by Gabriele December 8th, 2005 at 2:27 pmI guess if the writing were going better (IE didn’t feel like such a chore), I’d probably be less grumpy about it all–that and waiting on those last few rejections to trickle in *tapping foot*
by Cece December 8th, 2005 at 2:53 pmYuck Jordan…why don’tcha just force me to do some hard thinking here? I’m a smelly novice..not even sure I qualify as a writer. Still feel overwhelmingly “fake” when I hear REAL writers speak at meetings, etc. Not sure I’ll ever be published, but somehow am still enjoying the ride. My current WIP scares me, I think the story is better than my writing skills. Okay, I sound totally pathetic and lost now…will wander off. Good topic, though!
by CJ December 8th, 2005 at 2:55 pmAs always, good questions to ponder, Jordan. As a writer and artist I spend my days steeped in imagination and creativity. I am happiest and feel most content and fulfilled when I am creating. I don’t think of what I do as my career or just as writing books and making art, but rather as an expression of who I am. My work is as much a part of me as any of my extremities. Without it Im not whole. As long as I make the effort to listen to my inner voice and follow my gut instincts, rather than trying to please others, I make the right choices that ultimately lead to my personal definition of success.
by Daisy Dexter Dobbs December 8th, 2005 at 6:44 pmVivi Anna, Good point about the stops, starts, and possible reinventions. I should’ve mentioned that.
I didn’t mean to depress you. *g*
by Jordan December 8th, 2005 at 7:09 pmLOL Gabriele! Yes, ‘finishing’ the book would help. As for bisexual selkies, there seems to be a market for everything. (wg)
by Jordan December 8th, 2005 at 7:12 pmCece, I’m waiting for one of those myself. *ggg*
by Jordan December 8th, 2005 at 7:12 pmCJ, I have plenty of stories that I know I’m not able to write at the this time. What keeps me going is knowing that I will be able to write them someday.
by Jordan December 8th, 2005 at 7:20 pmDaisy, It sounds like you know yourself well. I think that’s great. After gluing my fingers together while trying to create art, I decided it was best to stick with my strengths. *ggg*
by Jordan December 8th, 2005 at 7:22 pmThanks Jordan! It’s nice to hear that someone else thinks it’s working (gets rid of my doubts sometimes and lets me re-evalute)
by Tina Gerow December 9th, 2005 at 8:47 amYou’re welcome, Tina.
by Jordan December 9th, 2005 at 11:32 am