I was thinking today about the differences between being published vs unpublished. And yes, I know there is the obvious one (book in store vs book on computer). That wasn’t exactly the direction I headed in mentally. I was actually thinking about it in terms of how things changed for me and how the biggest difference is the time I have to write a book.
When I first started writing, my goal was to finish a book. Once I’d done that, then my goal turned toward getting published. Both these things happened relatively quickly for me. I finished by first book at the end of 2001/beginning of 2002, then wrote my second book the summer of 2002 and sold it that same year. I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts how it probably would’ve been better had I taken more time to learn how to write before selling. I know that sounds stupid, but it’s the truth. I would’ve felt more confident as a writer had I had more time to ‘practice’.
The one thing I never realized when I was unpublished was how much of my time would be spent trying to ’stay published’ once I sold. No one tells you about that part of writing. I mean you hear mentions of published authors being rejected, but I never fully grasped how hard it was going to be to sell continuously. You have your whole life to write that first book, but after that, you’d better be fairly productive or you won’t stay published for long. Heck, even if you are productive that doesn’t guarantee you’ll continue to sell.
Another major difference between being published vs unpublished is the amount of time you have to devote to the business side of writing. I have a good agent now, but that still doesn’t stop the amount of work I have to do outside of writing. I never realized that once you got published you’d have to fight for time to write. Weird, eh?
I don’t mean this post to be bitchy because I honestly don’t feel put upon and I’m in no way bummed out. These are just some of the things that have changed since I got published and were on my mind. If you are a published author, what has changed for you that you didn’t expect? If you’re unpublished, what do you expect to happen/change once you sell?
November 1st, 2007
Snort. What’s changed? How shall I count the ways? So many things changed that I never imagined could or would. And I’ve made things worse for myself out of sheer ignorance. Hopefully now that I’m learning it’ll get easier. Or at least I’ll have fewer surprises. *g*
by Charli November 1st, 2007 at 4:56 pmCharli, You should expand on that answer to help the folks who haven’t arrived at your current location.
by Jordan November 1st, 2007 at 5:27 pmHa. Watch me break your comments!
Okay, then, how long it takes to write a book is only one factor; I was way wrong on how many ideas/proposals I’d blow through per book, all of them eating away at time the time and energy required to WRITE the book. On top of that, there has to be time reserved to keep writing new ideas/proposals for future books or you end up Out Of Contract which equals Unemployed which could mean *horror* Day Job.
I think that’s enough for a starter. *g* But yeah, it all comes down to you have to work very hard to stay published, probably harder than you have to work to get published in the first place. This business is not for the faint of heart. Also, nobody tells you the books get harder as time goes on…
by Charli November 1st, 2007 at 5:46 pmAfter reading your blog about changes, titles, word counts, deadlines, publishing dates, agent criteria, and print runs, I’m thinking maybe self publishing ain’t so bad after all.
by BernardL November 1st, 2007 at 6:29 pmCharli, Great comments. Thanks for expanding. You’re absolutely right. Sigh.
by Jordan November 1st, 2007 at 6:32 pmBernard, I’m too damn stubborn to go the self-published route. *ggg* The harder they make it, the more determined I am to show them. Like I said, stubborn.
by Jordan November 1st, 2007 at 6:33 pmoy! I actually think about this one a lot. I had almost this same conversation with a writer friend a week or so ago. For ME, there was no pressure to sell that first book. The pressure was getting that second contract (and subsequent ones) The way I felt about it was when I was still unpublished I was merely “undiscovered” no failure aspect to not selling yet. But when I made that first sell, to me, if I didn’t get a second one, then that was failure. My honest to goodness thought was that I’d rather not have sold yet then to sell one book and not be able to sell another.
by Sharon/Maya November 2nd, 2007 at 6:27 amAs a faithful reader of many authors, I always appreciate the struggle that you all go through to get your ideas and characters out of your head and into the computer and from there to the desk of a publisher/editor. It’s a complicated process made moreso by the number of individuals wanting to write full time. I am always thankful when my favorite authors new books are available because it means that I as the reader can enjoy the simple pleasure of getting lost in the worlds created by such wonderful authors. For a moment in time I can understand their struggle to get their work published and share their passion for their characters and creativity with the rest of us. So thank you for working so hard so the rest of us can enjoy the fruit of your labor. We appreciate it.
by Shannon November 2nd, 2007 at 6:59 amJordan you so don’t sound bitchy/whiney. I have to agree w/Sharon here….not getting that second contract was almost worse than not selling that first book for me. I think the thing that gets me is that you’ve always got to be looking ahead so it’s hard to be/live in the moment. As soon as I finish up this book I’ve got to eeke out at least one proposal (plus we’ve got one my agent is out shopping now but just in case that one doesn’t sell–I am the QUEEN of Contingency Planning *ggg* ). So I’d have to say constantly trying to stay five steps ahead (and Char I do have a dayjob *sigh* )
Funny enough it’s harder to find writing time now that the kids were older. I’m not sure if it’s me or them or a combonation but this fall has been especially tough
by Amie Stuart November 2nd, 2007 at 7:39 amYou’re already published. Of course you shouldn’t go anywhere near self publishing. I, on the other hand, have already succumbed to the lure of SP numerous times. I think I let my inner auto repair shop owner bleed into my inner writer wannnabe, as in: this is it, take it or leave it.
by BernardL November 2nd, 2007 at 11:49 amI think Stephen King is the only published author I know of who successfully delved into self publishing for a while. He self published The Green Mile as Christmas gifts for family and friends. Sounds a lot like what I do.
Bernard, I can see the reason. I’m tempted to go the route myself, and I won’t be the only one. Several hist fic writers on my blogroll prefer that route because they write exotic times no publisher is interested in. Now, Romans might even sell, but I’m not sure I want deadlines. Ever. In. My. Life.
On the flip side, self published books don’t get reviews, and sp writers are sneered at a lot. I couldn’t even mention the word in ym writer’s forum.
Thus I’m not sure yet. Maybe if I can find an agent who is willing to work with a writer who won’t pop out a book every year, and who’s socially dyslexic and can’t ‘read’ people - which means no signings and stuff…
by Gabriele November 2nd, 2007 at 12:27 pmDon’t do it, Gabriele. Self publishing is only for us cement-heads with good day jobs, and an attached comic and book store on our shops where we can sell our vanity press treasures.
You get no reviews, and no credential as a writer because we really don’t go through the process. Even mentioning you self-publish, as you’ve found out in your writing forum, gets you treated like a pariah. I’m only kidding around with Jordan. I’m shopping manuscripts all the time to agents and publishers. You’ll find your way in the right way if you stick with it. Like Jordan says: Stubborn does it. 
by BernardL November 2nd, 2007 at 2:08 pmSharon, I understand your way of thinking. I thought the same thing. I didn’t want to be a ‘one hit wonder’.
by Jordan November 2nd, 2007 at 4:33 pmThank you, Shannon! I’m sure all the authors out there appreciate it.
by Jordan November 2nd, 2007 at 4:37 pmAmie, I agree that it’s hard to appreciate the moment when you’re constantly having to look ahead. I think that’s why my ‘celebrations’ last all of couple of hours before I move on. *ggg*
by Jordan November 2nd, 2007 at 4:39 pmBernard, There are a few BIG names who went the self-publishing route for a while. Unfortunately, they can be counted on one hand. Have you tried the epub route? Can’t remember if I asked you this already.
by Jordan November 2nd, 2007 at 4:40 pmUnpublished. And I expect never to have the luxury to hop from one MS to another deciding what to work on “this time.”
by Bailey Stewart November 2nd, 2007 at 5:26 pmYep, I’m working all venues, Jordan. the manuscripts are beginning to pile up though, five completed and two more in production.
I’m surprised there were more writers than just Stephen King who went the self publishing route. He was the only one I’d heard of.
by BernardL November 2nd, 2007 at 5:43 pmFor me the hardest thing to adjust to was the waiting. I spent so much time “waiting” unpublished, I guess part of me just assumed the waiting would be a lot less post NY purchase and a lot easier to deal with, but sigh no. It didn’t bother me so much after I handed in the first couple manuscripts, but the “another one into the black hole” feeling hit me when I handed in the third and it still had two years before publication. At this point I have 8 manuscripts written and completed floating around in the “waiting for their release date” black hole. Caine’s Reckoning just tumbled out, but it’s been so long it’s almost anti-climatic. For me, it’s surprisingly draining to keep writing when there’s nothing to show for it. Kind of interesting as I just never saw that aspect of the process being more than an annoyance.
by Sarah McCarty November 2nd, 2007 at 6:26 pmBailey, That’s probably a good mindset to have since it’ll depend upon what you publish first.
by Jordan November 2nd, 2007 at 10:10 pmBernard, There are a few authors who self-published (M.J. Rose, Stephen King, etc.), but I don’t believe they remained self-published for long.
by Jordan November 2nd, 2007 at 10:17 pmSarah, That’s kind of the point I’m at now. And yes, it’s incredibly draining to keep writing with nothing to ’show’ for it. Nice to know that I’m not the only one who feels that way.
by Jordan November 2nd, 2007 at 10:19 pmAs an unpublished author, I’m taking what you published people are saying to heart. Over the past year I’ve realized that it isn’t going to be fun and games and reading your responses really cements the reality of it for me. One thing that I know I’ve got to shake is the assumption that I will have control over what I write. See, I have one particular series mapped out in my head, and as I’m writing my WIP, I have a connecting book simmering in the back of my head, but what stumps me is that there’s a chance that everything I have planned could be rejected and I’d have to start my (future) second book from scratch. It terrifies me because on one hand I want to be able to say, “I’ve already written the sequels to the book sold” but I’d be mortified at having all these books written and planned and have to shuck them to the side for later because the proposals were turned down.
Am I jumping the gun a bit? That’s the trouble with this industry: you’ve got to always look ahead but stay in the present so as not to be overly presumptuous.
by Camilla Bartley November 2nd, 2007 at 11:26 pmCamille-
It’s not a given you won’t be able to write what you want. Another interesting thing you discover post purchase is that different houses have different styles of working toward a completed manuscript. Some want incredibly detailed proposals ahead of time while others are comfortable with just a rough outline of where the author is headed with the books.
I think, but I’m not sure, that authors tend to fall into and stay with houses whose structure matches their style of writing.
by Sarah McCarty November 3rd, 2007 at 5:44 amJordan- Good to know I’M not alone. I thought I was weird having a problem with the write-and-then-toss-into-the-black-hole syndrome. After all, it doesn’t really make sense. I knew there would be a lag time. *sigh*
by Sarah McCarty November 3rd, 2007 at 5:46 amCamilla…I started out writing a series..it’s still sitting on my hard drive. I sold to NY in erotica first. And I’m still writing erotica while shopping a futuristic and this contemporary cowboy series is just sitting here waiting to be reworked so I can try to sell it to NY (again) but that first book has to be gutted and completely reworked. I’m hoping that’ll be my next project LOL
And Sarah OMG YES on the anti-climactic. I dont have 8 books in the pipeline but i have a book I turned in last January that doens’t come out until next June *g*
by Amie November 3rd, 2007 at 6:41 amI never realized when I got my pub contract the volume of time I’d be spending doing other “required” things aside from writing. Pre-pub, my day went like this: Get up, go to work (day job), come home six thirty-ish, eat dinner, write a little, spend time with hubby. Now it’s something like this: Get up, check my email. Reply to emails/LJ blog comments. Go to work (day job). Come home six thirty-ish. Check email again, reply to LJ blog comments/other emails. Write new posts. Read friend’s journals. Update MySpace page friend requests/messages/comments. Eat something. Pay attention to hubby. Sneak and check email/answer replies/etc before bed. Working on new books is now regulated to the weekends, unless I have edits/revisions due for a purchased book, wherein I will squeeze that during the week and weekends. My reading time has been slashed in half, too, and I think it’s very important for writers to read, so I try to make sure I get time for that. Basically the online stuff - which I’m told to do, and I do enjoy, because I’ve met great people - eats at almost all my Mon-Fri writing time. Throw in the usual OMG-am-I-ever-gonna-sell-again worries, and I’m chewing Pepcid from a Pez dispenser
This is not to say that I dont feel extremely lucky/blessed to be in a position to have deadlines and promotional requirements. Thats still a dream come true. Its just that doing everything that needs to be done can be a bit of a juggling act. I dont want to get caught with all my balls falling down 
by Jeaniene Frost November 3rd, 2007 at 7:35 amJeaniene-
Non writing stuff. I hear you! So time consuming. I decided against a myspace page because I don’t have time to add one more thing to maintain and Myspace takes time.
by Sarah McCarty November 3rd, 2007 at 8:02 amI think the biggest one for me is adjusting to NOT having all the time in the world to write my books. While in some ways the writing moves much smoother now that it did when I first started writing, in others the process is much harder. For instance, getting edits on the first book coming in on top of having to write to deadline on the next book can make you want to pull your hair out, especially if the edits are extensive. Sure we do it and move on, but that was a eye-opener and something I’ve had to learn to adjust to.
by Patrice Michelle November 3rd, 2007 at 2:34 pmOh my god, are you totally speaking to ME OR WHAT????!!
I didn’t think this was bitchy at all. And to be honest, I’m right there with you. I never gave it more than a brief thought as to what all I’d be doing once I got a contract.
Now between marketing my book, writing the sequels, keeping my name out there, and all the other good stuff, I have to come up with new ideas! Shiny ideas! Original, better ideas! But oh yes, they must all sort of fit into the same mold as my original idea, so I don’t lose my audience by skipping around.
It has totally fried my brain.
Thank god I’m not alone in all this!
by Jill Myles November 3rd, 2007 at 4:09 pmthank you received books and cards
by kim November 3rd, 2007 at 9:14 pmCamilla, Sorry it’s taken me so long to comment. I spent yesterday packing for the upcoming move.
A few things to keep in mind, I think it’s important to have as many books written ahead of time as you can get. Yes, there’s a chance that your series won’t be bought, but the exercise of writing them won’t be wasted. Christine Feehan had the first three or four books written of her Dark series before she sold to Dorchester. It ended up helping her. You could always write a few, then work on something else so that you have several projects available. As for writing what you want, you can write what you want. I fell into the trap of thinking that you couldn’t for a while. I’m so glad I dug my way out of that mindset. It’s made me a much happier writer.
The thing that you can’t control is whether a publisher will buy your work. But if you believe in these books, then write a few and put them in a drawer. You never know when an editor/agent will ask to see your other projects.
by Jordan November 4th, 2007 at 11:01 amSarah, You’re definitely not alone. We all knew that there would be a lag time, but I don’t think any of us could’ve imagined how LONG that lag time would actually turn out to be. For example, my book for Tor was bought last Halloween (06) and it won’t be out until next November (08). I submitted the partial in 05. Talk about a lag time. :-O
by Jordan November 4th, 2007 at 11:05 amJeaniene, Yes, the busy work is quite surprising. I can’t believe how much time it eats up. That said, I know a lot of friends who keep up with their blogs, but don’t allow much else to interfere with their writing. My goal is to eventually follow in their footsteps.
Otherwise it just becomes too much.
by Jordan November 4th, 2007 at 11:13 amPatrice, I wish that my writing was getting smoother. If anything, it’s getting much harder. Maybe I’m making it harder than it needs to be, but the last few books have taken me far longer to write than previous novels. I totally understand the swamped feeling of having edits arrive in the middle of trying to write the ‘next’ book. Ugh!
by Jordan November 4th, 2007 at 11:15 amJill, LOL! Nope, you’re not alone. Sounds very familiar, including the part about only giving it a brief thought. I think the bottom line is that you can listen to published authors talk before you’ve sold, but there is no way you can anticipate ALL the changes that take place after that phone rings with the blessed news.
by Jordan November 4th, 2007 at 11:19 amYou’re welcome, Kim.
by Jordan November 4th, 2007 at 11:19 amAmie, I think that you brought up a good point. Once you sell, you never know what direction your career will move in. That’s why so many authors at conferences tell you to make sure that you LOVE whatever you’ve submitted because you may end up writing in that genre for YEARS.
by Jordan November 4th, 2007 at 11:22 am