I have this series of posts about Debut Author Lessons.
As a sort of holiday present, I thought I’d do some more this month but… to make them as helpful as possible, I thought I’d see if you have any requests.
Just leave a question down below in comments. I’ll see how many I can answer.
As a trying-to-get-published author, I have been told time and again that making connections with other writers in your genre is one of the most helpful things you can do, as you continue to query. Beyond attending Cons, do you have any advice as to how to do this?
Or even at cons, ways to do this that don’t involve sitting at the bar, for those of us who aren’t as inclined to such activities.
Since there are so many ways to publish and distribute the written word now, to become an author and because of indie book success stories like “Fifty Shades” or whatever, how can people temper their belief that putting an e book up on Amazon or some other platform means “I’m now a millionaire author!”? What do first time authors or aspiring authors need to know now to become successful legitimately and not hope to be an “Overnight” millionaire author?
I often hear how it’s especially helpful for aspiring and neo-pro authors to attend conventions such as WorldCon and World Fantasy or other such cons and gatherings where there’s an opportunity to rub elbows with industry pros and insiders and, especially, agents and editors, etc. But… these things are expensive in terms of both time and money to attend.
How does one of limited means afford such extravagant expenses? Are there other ways for those without the time and/or money to achieve a similar effect? I’m particularly interested in exploring these questions as someone who has a full-time job in a relatively demanding career path as well as a family with young children and the many responsibilities, demands, and expectations that places on an individual (although I realize that these may or may not be limitations that our hostess can directly speak to).
This is one of the two things that consternates me as a writer (the first being finding the time to write given the above-enumerated constraints, but that’s my own problem to deal with). Assuming one has the ability to write regularly and finish stories/novels… I just don’t see how you get from point A (finished draft) to point B (published novel) if the shortest line travels through an expensive convention…
As a follow up to the Con question…what about when someone DOES go to a convention, but is either partially shell-shocked by the experience, or just shy/nervous with first meetings?
How do you recommend aspiring authors handle time management, if we’re not at the stage of having any outside deadlines yet? Personal tastes aside, what do you see as the merits of plugging away at one project at a time, from concept through final edits & submissions, versus juggling multiple things at various stages all at once?
Ooh, here’s another one I don’t think you’ve talked about before: When and how do you go about setting up a spiffy author website? Do you go for a big launch or a gradual accretion of material? What platform(s) do you recommend?
My first novels were published way before the turn of the century, back in the dark ages, when self-promotion was about mailing lists and stuffing envelopes. Now that I’m back in the publishing game gearing up for a new release next spring, I’ve found your Debut Author series to be invaluable as both a refresher and a ‘wow have things changed!’
You’ve hit on things I hadn’t even considered before–like changing the way you sign your name between author and legal. Good catch on that one.
I’ll second advice on conventions. I’ve been to a WorldCon (Reno) and LosCon this past weekend. There’s one in February called Genre-La, which isn’t purely SF, but has a strong SF component, and it appears to be more of a convention for writers rather than being for fans. What are the different types of Cons, and what’s a good approach to them today.
Also of interest, critique groups. I’m having trouble finding one that is SF/F focused in my area, and may need to start one up. What are some effective ways to organize the meetings, ensure we get quality critiques and grow (e.g., find a mid-list pro to come every meeting, pool more money together to get a high-profile pro to come once a year?)
Thanks!
I would like seeing some advice on how to manage your internet presence, particularly if an event (a book, signing, collaboration) pushes you into high visibility quickly.
As my first novel editing process begins in earnest, I’m curious about how far I need to go before I send it out to agents/publishing.
Is there a point of diminishing returns – of spending too much time on something that would get cleaned up later by an editor? Is there something in the vein of “Done if better than perfect”? Should I rely on readers to help me tell or does it make sense to try and get an editor or agent to take a look “for feedback”?
Also, is it considered bad form to send out a novel, get rejected, then resend the manuscript after editing/alterations have been made? Say an agent reads it, rejects it, but makes some suggestions – should I resend after? What about if there was no feedback?
Just some thought/questions I have had as I’m getting started and I’m guessing many of them will be YMMV.
Relationships with fans! How can one become friends with people when the power balance is lopsided, even if that power balance is only a perceived one. Like, I’m sure you and Seanan McGuire and Jim Hines, to pull the three authors I am currently reading out of a hat, do not actually think of yourselves as having power. But to a lot of fans, the prospect of talking on a one-to-one basis to a *~Published Author~* is way scarier than you’d like it to be.
How forward thinking do you have to be if you are just an aspiring author or first time published author when it comes to self promotion or sales? Is it wise to worry about “How Do I Promote Myself?” if you don’t even have quality work published or posted anywhere for anyone to read? How do you avoid the “cart before the horse” mentality as an aspiring or newly published author?