When the stakes are so low
Aug 9th, 2006 by Sandra
So I was chatting with a writing buddy the other day and talking about professional jealousy, and she said something along the lines of, “Do you suppose that’s why the envy is so great and the arguments so loud? Because the stakes are so low?”
And that got me thinking.
When I decided I’d like to write for Harlequin/Silhouette (a.k.a., The Machine), I pretty much knew what I was getting into. I knew I wouldn’t be seeing huge advances any time soon (if at all), but the flipside of that was the distribution. Who else besides H/S is in not only all bookstores but Wal-Marts, K-Marts, and Targets from sea to shining sea?
I pretty much accepted that H/S doesn’t tell its authors what their print runs are going to be. I understand that the royalty statements aren’t really instructional. I know that a climb to the midlist is going to take time.
But what really puzzles me is why we romance authors fight so hard to be published in the first place. I mean, I’ll slave for months to complete a manuscript, revise it, polish it, and then sell it for an advance that’s less than a month’s wages at my old nine-to-five job. I’ll also pay a small fortune in postage, spend precious writing time to set up and maintain a web site as well as have a presence on various writing bulletin boards, and spend both time and money on industry dues and publications.
That means my “real wage” on that book is about -$1.23 an hour.
Is this why we work so hard at it? Somebody asked me yesterday why we authors don’t clamor for changes in the admittedly Victorian system of publishing, and I pointed out that there are about 8,000+ writers clamoring to take my publishing slot. If I miss or screw up, I’m out and one of those folks will be in.
Now, that’s not to say that those 8,000+ writers aren’t talented or don’t work as hard or are less deserving — they are just as talented and work just as hard and are equally deserving. I just happened to have gotten there first.
So should I continue to write my ass off to keep myself on the bottom rung of the publishing industry? Or is it time to put this career (which is a term I hesitate to use because I’m not actually making any money at it) to one side and actually get a nine-to-five job so I can earn a living wage?
What would you do?
5 Responses to “When the stakes are so low”
My son is procrastinating about getting his college degree. He actually makes more money now than he would in most ‘professional jobs’ coming out of college. My comment to you is the same as it is to him: do you want a job that pays the bills or do want to build a career doing something you enjoy, with lots of potential for growth both profesionally and financially? You can go back to 9 to 5, and make money - but if you were happy doing that before, why are you here now? Your writing career already has a solid foundation in place, and I believe that, unless you opt out, your books will go far beyond the ‘mid-list’ - In fact, I predict furture headlines that read:
SANDRA K. MOORE, NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING AUTHOR!
Terri said it so much better than I could. (Although, at the moment, I have no choice but to go for the job that pays the bills. *sigh* )
But you see, I don’t really mind what I do. I gave myself five years to write books and try to get published. Okay, I did that, but then my goal was to become self-supporting, which looks like is not going to happen unless I write 14 hours a day for the next three years….
The hard reality is that, in my current situation and assuming nothing changes, I’d have to write 3-4 books a year to support myself even in the spartan lifestyle I have now. I’m not capable of writing that many books and still producing work I don’t have to feel ashamed of.
That means that in order for my “career” to be viable, I have to do something different. I have plans to do that, but I’m not going to hold my breath over the new project.
In the meantime, it’ll be back to the trenches with me — probably technical writing.
Keep your chin up, Sandra!
You are an inspiration to many of us! I think you’ll find your niche with single-title, and that’ll mean bigger advances, better availabililty (in terms of shelf-time), more visibility, and a faster growing fan ban.
I have total confidence in you.
Thanks for the encouragement, ladies. I really appreciate it!
The problem I’m seeing is around business issues. Much of the industry seems designed — whether the industry knows it or not — to keep authors off-balance.
I can’t project my future earnings because I’m not allowed to know what my print run was. In what other business would this be acceptable? More than one author has complained about how difficult it can be to complete a family budget when we can’t even ballpark our income.
I’m looking at the writing as a business issue. And a huge Thank You to Nora Roberts for being so matter-of-fact about it in your RWR interview!