It's snowing!

[ksmith]

Why couldn't it have done this when I was on vacation?

Anywhere from 1" of slush to 5" of snae, depending on which weather report I read. I may be shoveling the drive this evening instead of treadmilling.

Talk in lnhammer's group about the downturn seen in the second books of series, and why that might be. My contention, which may not be true in all cases, is that you have no deadline for the first book beyond those you impose upon yourself. No contracts, CEs to ship back, overlaps with the outline that's due for the next book. No marketing to worry about. You were able to take as long as you needed to write it. You were able to fix the things that bugged you.

I have always heard that you need, at least in mmpbs, to kick out a book a year to build an audience. Any longer than two years between books, and you slip off peoples' radar. Dust accumulates. Folks, frankly, forget about you. I don't know if it's the same for genre tp and hc.

Yes, I know all about the authors who write one book every 4 years and whose names are Legend. Well, for every Vinge and Martin, there are a hundred 'whatever happened to...?' It may just be a fact of life, and depending on how you write, it may be something you will always wrestle with. I'm a slow writer with a day job--a book a year is not an option. So I'm left to consider how to construct a winning series, build an audience, and, well, have a life.

The importance of balance--friends, taking care of oneself, getting out of the house occasionally--is being discussed in another writers group. My 0.02 were:

I have a day job, and went through several stretches where I worked,
came home and ate dinner, then...worked. What's aggravating is when
you run into the people who question your commitment if you
complain, because you're supposed to be willing to do whatever is
necessary in order to write or promote your work. I love writing,
but it isn't a hairshirt. If I drive myself into the ground while
doing it, which muse am I feeding, exactly? Masochista, the goddess
of the midlist?

Having a life is so important. *Balance* is important.

So, I'm left to consider, how much can I do? Just because I can do it, does it mean I should? Where do I draw the line with self-promo? Where do I draw the line with schedules? What type of career do I really want, and how do I go about building it?

I am the one who has to live with these choices.

Comments

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

I agree with you that the writer has to decide what manner of career s/he wants. And maybe (this not in reference to you) not criticize writers who are making other choices.

There are so many other issues tucked into these questions.

One, of course, is how the choices a writer makes affect the choices she then has to make. Am I going to work a day job knowing this will slow down my production and mean I'm less likely to be able to support myself writing? Am I going to go for supporting myself writing, knowing I won't have the luxury of taking 4 years to write a book (unless I'm GRRMartin and on the bestseller list)? And so on.

But I don't think it's always a matter of the first novel being 'better' because sometimes writers so clearly improve beyond their first novel. In other cases, a writer produces a beautiful first novel and is faced with the sophomore slump. Myself, I did not fall into the latter category, so in some ways that's a nice thing. No where to go but up!

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I was informed by several folks that I sophomore-slumped. I like RULES as much as my other books, and wonder whether I could have made sufficient changes in the existing story to de-slump it. But I'll never know--that book has flown.

Yes, choices build on choices, which build on choices. Would I be a better writer if I didn't have the day job sucking my energy? OTOH, does the day job provide experiences and material that I wouldn't otherwise have?

And sometimes you need to decide what's best for you, not your writing career. Those are the toughies.

I am currently playing my life by ear.

[torrilin.livejournal.com]

Huh. Rules is the one that hooked me...

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

Thank you, as well.

Some of the scenes in that book are numbered among my favorite scenes.