Ten Things I've Learned in Seventeen Years

Erica here. 

Seventeen Years! That’s how long it’s been since I first sat down to write a story with the aim of publication. There have been some ups and downs, with far more ups than downs. I’ve learned so many things, and met so many wonderful people in Seventeen Years! I thought I’d give a list of a few of the ‘learnings’ I’ve gathered.

 



1. One person’s success is not necessarily my loss. Knowing that God is in control of who gets what published means I can celebrate another writer’s success, whether it’s a contract, a glowing review, a contest win, or a best-seller list, without feeling as if I’ve somehow missed out. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to achieve these things, but it does mean I don’t have to be jealous or pining that I missed my shot.

2. When you sign with an agent who belongs to a multi-agent firm, you’re really signing with the AGENCY rather than the agent. If your agent decides to decamp to another firm, you are still signed with the AGENCY and must go through the proper severance if you wish to follow your agent, or be assigned to another agent within the AGENCY.

3. The writing community is quite helpful. If you’re looking for an answer to a research question, or for information about a particular contest, or need some grammar help, there is a writer out there who will help you out.

4. Writing is a solitary pursuit, but nobody does it alone. If you are traditionally published, you have a team of people helping you get your story into the hands of readers. Editors, Marketers, Publicists, Sales Team, and so many more.

5. Edits aren’t personal. Every manuscript benefits from editing. Your editor is on your team, and you have the same goal: to create the best product possible.

6. You do what you can, but ultimately, sales are in God’s control. Be willing to put yourself out there in blog posts, social media, radio interviews, etc. but it does little good to obsess over book sales.

7. Cross-marketing makes life easier. Doing everything yourself is hard. Joining with other authors to blog (Hello, Seekerville!) run a FB Group (Like the Inspirational Regency Reader Group) or have a contest/giveaway (Like the Fall Fiction Scavenger Hunt) means you can reach readers beyond your own circle and introduce your readers to the work of some fabulous authors! Mary, Ruthy, Debby, and yours truly at theChristian Fiction Readers Retreat in 2019.
8. Publishing changes quickly and moves slowly. In a nanosecond we saw an ebook explosion, and genres come and go in a flash. My first ACFW Conference, every editor and agent said “Don’t send me historical fiction. It’s dead. I want Chick-lit.” Fast forward twelve months, those same agents and editors said, “Lit is gone. Send me all your historical fiction.” And yet, it can take forever to get through the publishing process. It’s not unusual to sign a contract for a book that won’t release for 18-24 months.
9. Reviews are for readers not writers. Reviews do not exist to stroke the egos of writers…or demolish those same egos, though both can happen. Reviews are for readers, to tell other readers whether or not they may like a book. Some of my author friends refuse to read reviews, because they either soar with the eagles or crawl with the worms afterwards. If reviews knock you off balance as an author, just skip them altogether.

10. You will make lifelong friends. Just like the Seeker Ladies, where we all know about each other’s struggles, triumphs, prayer requests, inside jokes, sorrows, joys, and more. We share those things because writing brought us together. I have made dear friends, been supported in hard things by them, been lifted up in joy when something great happens, and the whole writing experience is better because of these writers in my life.
 
Me and Mary back in the day, with Mary holding herCarol Award and me with my Genesis Award.


11. Bonus: I thought once I finally got a peek behind that curtain called “Publication” that my life would change dramatically. In one sense, it did. That tremendous accomplishment of “There. I did it. I worked hard and my dream came true.” However, most of my life didn’t change a bit. Except that I now had to work harder at things I never imagined, like marketing. The dishes are still there, the kids still needed to be homeschooled, laundry didn’t magically do itself…and there was no paparazzi lingering outside my house to see the famous author. I am grateful for the books I’ve been able to write, and that they found homes with publishers, but at my core, I’m the same Erica that I’ve always been…just busier!



 

Questions for you:

How long have you been seriously writing with a goal of publication?

What is one thing that surprised you along the way?

If you’re published, what changed for you once you held your book in your hands?

If you’re not yet published, did any of the items on my list particularly resonate with you, or was anything on the list startlingly new?

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Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. She’s a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota, and she is married to her total opposite and soul mate! When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time!