Writing is a Business

Writing is a business, but most often lay persons and wannabes have no clue what this involves. They believe that we authors just sit at the computer all day, write our stories, and send them off to our editor or agent. Sometimes we collect rejection letters. Sometimes we make a sale. Then we get royalties along with accolades and starred reviews. Right?

Wrong. Writing is only one part of the process. It's the creative part, where we slave over our desks and face the blank page day after day, fighting the self-doubt demons that plague our artistry. Once the rough draft is done, revisions come next. We stare at the monitor so much that our eyes dry out. So let's say our work gets accepted. Then we have editorial revisions, copy edits, and page proofs. At the same time, we are writing the next book and starting research for the third book down the line. How do we keep all these details straight? Through the use of software programs, notebooks, and charts. But amidst the clutter of our writing projects, we have to clear space in our home offices for the next stage in the process.

As in any other small business, we must engage in marketing and promotion. This consumes all the rest of our free time. We cannot allow ourselves the luxury of sitting back and hoping readers will discover us. The hardest work comes at the business end of this career. Don't like public speaking? Get used to it. Don't like talking about yourself? Learn the meaning of Blatant Self-Promotion without being obnoxious. Lacking support from your publisher? Create your own bookmarks, flyers, and posters. Set up your own appearances. Offer contests and giveaways. Oh, and did I mention the important tools of website, blog, and social networks?

Speaking of contests, I have just set up giveaways for signed ARCs of Shear Murder on Goodreads and LibraryThing. I will also be sending out an email newsletter soon with more chances to win free books, so if you're not a subscriber yet, please look for the newsletter form on my Website sidebar and sign up now.

Learning a new career is challenging, and writing isn't any different in this regard from other professions. Why are people are so surprised by the level of dedication we show and by the hard work we do?