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Pitfalls of a New Author

Write On!

PITFALLS OF A NEW AUTHOR

by Julia Mozingo

Everyone hears about the pluses, but what about the minuses?

The first time an author sells a novel, she faces numerous decisions that can be pitfalls or stepping-stones in a writing career. Whether negative or positive, the results are learning experiences. They become a foundation which will determine future decisions. Since there is no formula to follow, the author will arrive at decisions unique for each situation.

Here's where selectivity becomes the greatest asset of the author. She can ask for advice from other, more-experienced authors, listen closely to what they have to say, then armed with facts make the choice that's right for her writing career.

Beneath the unbrella of selectivity comes professionalism and cost. Professionalism requires regular work habits and graciousness. Although the two seem unrelated, they are necessities to professionalism. Writing is a business, so one must treat it as such, producing regularly and researching accurately. Any piece of research that might be questioned needs documenting so as to save time when proof is needed. Keep photocopies and cross-references organized for easy retrieval.

Graciousness includes accepting derogatory comments with a smile, yet knowing recallable facts that can turn negatives to positives. Graciousness also helps when an author has a scheduled autographing and finds out the day before that her books have been stripped because an over-zealous employee decided there were too many on hand. Along this same line, one needs graciousness to compensate for poor location, poor visibility, poor advance publicity and lost press kits.

All of this adds up as cost to an author in resources--time, energy, and money. Weigh the pros and cons of book-signings, personal appearances, and speeches against loss of writing time and output. Many times one is asked to write her own press releases. Even then errors find a way of creeping into print, and the author must once again rely on her smile of politeness as she corrects inaccuracies.

In addition, the author may have many roles beside that of writer to fulfill--wife, mother, daughter, sibling, relative, employee, and co-worker. But even as a writer she more than likely has various roles other than being an author--such as leader or guide, chapter officer and or member, critique partner, contest judge, or committee chairperson.

Here she needs to prioritize obligations and trim positions into manageable tasks without overtaxing the resources needed to write. In this way, she alleviates unnecessary stress. Many times simply by learning how to say, "No."

At one time or another, the author will come face to face with the tug-of-war or teeter-totter of success versus fear of success. In this realm, confidence constantly battles with insecurity. "I did it once. Can I do it again?" Or accepting and coping with rejection after previously selling.

Remember the business of writing and publishing is always changing. Accept the fact that you don't know it all, you don't have to know it all, and you can't know it all. Nothing's stagnant in any area of life, even less in book publishing.

So meet reality head-on and carefully weigh the pros and cons, the gains and losses, based upon knowledge, experience, and a realistic view of expectations. Choose what's best for you and your individual situation at this specific time in your life and your writing career. Then have the courage to follow through to the best of your ability in order to avoid the pitfalls and climb the stepping-stones to attain the writing career you desire.

WRITE ON!

by Julia Mozingo

Whenever Dwight Swain autographed books to me, he always included the two words, "Write on!" I never realized how powerful or prophetic those two words until now.

With the advent of the September 11 terrorist bombing of America, I remembered New York Times best-selling author Suzanne Brockmann in an online class talking about Global versus Personal level stories, the world versus the community, the large versus the small. Also around the same time the deaths of two friends touched my life. So now the happenings moved from the global to the neighborhood realm.

Swain's two words, "Write on!" echoed in my head.

Even when two RWA friends related their past battles with breast cancer, I was still an outsider looking in, global versus local.

However, on October 2 of this year when the doctor said, "I'm not going to tell you what you thought I was going to tell you. It's cancer." The happenings became intensely personal. They now affected my life, literally the difference between life and death.

This time both Swain's words, "Write on!" and Jack Bickham's words, "A winner never quits. A quitter never wins." invaded my senses. It was time to choose sides, even though the path to recovery definitely would get worse before it could get better.

Over a period of eight weeks I underwent three surgeries--a lumpectomy, full axillary dissection, and port implant. The lumpectomy removed the mass. The full axillary dissection removed the lymph nodes. The port implant was placed beneath the skin into a major blood vessel in the upper chest because I'm told I have tough skin and rolling veins. This central access device will enable easier insertion of needles for withdrawal and introduction of fluids needed for treatments.

"Write on!" Swain's words continue to haunt me. They confront me at every turn. Just how do I "Write on!" amidst life's adversities, undoubtedly the greatest I've ever faced?

The answer came, "Coach yourself to more productivity." Little did I realize when I signed up for Dr. Eric Maisel's 16-week Creativity Coaching Training in May that I would learn my own prescription for "Write on!" -- two small words, yet packed so full of meaning.

In my training I learned numerous techniques and skills that enable me to continue to write through difficult times. These methods include, but are not limited to, Hushing, Holding, Visualization, Thought Substitution, Affirmations, Self-support, and Writing in the Middle of Chaos.

On the road to recovery I still face twelve weeks of chemotherapy and five to six weeks of radiation treatments, five days a week in a distant town. But have I ever or do I ever ask, "Why me?" Never!

Instead of feeling helpless and hopeless during this dire time, I feel empowered because I can take charge of my writing life and increase my productivity despite life's trials and tribulations.

You may ask what does any of this, or all of this, have to do with you? Know that you, too, can continue writing no matter what life's hardships, especially if you remember Dwight Swain's two simple words, "Write on!"

My advice and gift to you, a legacy from one writer to another, two small words with global meaning personalized through experience, pass it forward, and "Write on!"