Packing and Publishing: They're So Much the Same!

I am packing for a move to a new home, 250 miles away. I've got a month or two to get packed, and I've already begun the Big Weed-Out, so I'm not too stressed about getting packed. But I figured I'd get a jump on it over Memorial Day weekend. My move will be bookended by holidays: start packing on Memorial Day and hopefully finish unpacking and be settled by Labor Day.

The best laid plans ... well, we can hope.

As I've been getting rid of Stuff and packing things away, I've discovered that the true test of whether or not to keep an item is when I ask myself, "Do I want to unpack this? Do I know where it will go?" If the answer is "yes" then it gets packed. If I don't know where I'll put it, I set the item aside and consider it for later. If I ask the question a second time and the answer is still 'no', then it goes in the Giveaway Pile.

Writing is like that, too, isn't it? If you write a scene or chapter and it just doesn't feel right, ask yourself: does the book need this scene? Can my book continue on quite happily without it? Do I want to add it to my book and 'unpack it' -- find a place for it? If the answer is "yes" then keep the scene. If the answer is no, tuck that chapter or scene into a file and save it for later. It may come in handy some other day.

Another thing I've discovered has to do with padding. I'm a sparse packer. I don't use a lot packing peanuts or paper. I tend to wrap fragile items in sweaters or clothing and hope for the best. I don't have a lot of really Prized Possessions. I have affection for many things, but if something gets broken, well, I'll probably be peeved then I'll figure out a replacement or do without.

Sort of like in writing, right? If you find yourself padding a scene or a chapter because it's not quite long enough or not 'right', then look at it and see what you can do without. Do you have a lot of peanuts surrounding the action ("peanuts", not ... well, you know!)? Are you treating your characters as though they're so precious they can't be allowed to stand on their own? Knock them down a bit, bounce them around, force them to act without your text holding them up. See who survives and who doesn't. They'll come out stronger for it, I can guarantee.

And lastly, pacing. I've moved a lot in my life (at last count, about 25 times in 40 years). I like to dig in and get a bunch of packing done 'ahead of time' because I know as we approach our move date something will go wrong -- or right -- and those best laid plans will go awry. Maybe our closing date will move up a few days. Maybe I'll have a new deadline at work (yes, I am still working full-time while writing and packing). Maybe the movers will need to accelerate the loading date. Maybe ... so I started a bit early, knowing that if I pack 2-4 boxes a day, I'll probably have a nice cushion of time in which I can 'relax' (yeah, right. Relax during a move to a new state? Dream on!)

Pacing is important in your writing life, too. There are times when you need to write and times when it's best to just take a bit of a break. Pace yourself. Dig in, work a bit on it every day (even if it's just some editing or a few tweaks here and there, the packing equivalent of 'I'll pack the coat closet today'). If you give it some of your effort every day, it will get done and you won't have that panicked feeling as you look at the calendar and realize how much time has passed. Set a goal and aim for it.

And hope that the best laid plans do not go awry!

The 7 year itch

I think there's something to that idea, that every 7 years we need a change. It seems like every time I take up something new, I spend about 7 years going at it very intensively.

Needlework: I spent quite a few years learning, perfecting, and entering contests. Then when I won enough ribbons, I quit.

Gardening: I spent about 7 years getting a college degree in horticulture, and about that long doing some intensive landscaping. Then I slacked off.

Writing: I've been at it now since 2003, and it's starting to lose its appeal. I'm in my 5th year of publishing, and the enthusiasm is starting to wane.

What will be the next Thing? Where will I put my energy in the next decade?

I can't wait to find out ... I'll probably still write, still do some needlepoint, do a bit of gardening. But what will be that New Thing that will fire me with enthusiasm?

Stay tuned as we all find out.

A consequence of relaxation

An unintended consequence of taking a bit of time away from my writing has been that I'm wondering if I want to continue writing.

Let me hasten to say I suspect I *will* continue to pursue publication. I just may do it on a different timeline and in a different manner. I'm finding that the goals I once had are no longer valid for me. I don't have interest in those things: finding an agent or a bigger venue for my books. They just don't interest me. I don't want to promote hither-and-yon about new releases. I want to do some quiet blogging, chatting, and talking about them.

So I'm setting about creating a new set of goals. I'm hoping to have a new idea in mind of where I want to go within a week or two. I'll give myself 2 years to reach the milestones on the list. At the end of 2 years, I'll check again where I am and see if I'm close, if I care, etc.

It's all so very interesting, this publishing ride of mine....

Why are we here?

It seems like whenever I have time away from thinking about publishing, whenever I come back to it, I wonder why the heck I'm doing this.

I had a hectic but fun weekend with my family last weekend, and publishing was on the periphery of my mind. Now I'm back to my routine and I find myself asking why I do this -- why do I write? why do I attempt to be published? Why do I read reviews, and industry blogs, and author blogs?

I recently read an article about a "Vision Map" -- it's a New Age kind of thing where a person is supposed to cut out pictures of things that give her a visceral reaction. Keep those pictures, and eventually you'll come up with a collage of things that reflect your true inner vision.

I'm starting to think my books are my Vision Map. They reflect themes and topics that intrigued me at the time. If that's so, should I care about sales and placement in lists and reader reaction? If my books are written mainly for me, well, why should I care about anyone else?

One more thing to ponder as I resume my writing cloak and settle back into routine.

Reflecting ... as in puddles ?

I've been thinking about an acquaintance of mine who set a goal for herself to be a single-title author within 5 years of selling her first category book ('category' = Harlequin and it's slightly lower on the food chain than a single-title book).

She's writing because she wants to but also as a career. Hence her need to achieve a certain milestone by a certain date. I don't really have such milestones, and I wonder sometimes if I should. Is my lack of milestones laziness on my part or am I truly okay with where I am?

I was pondering this today as I drove home from work in the rain (not snow, thank heavens!) Should I be aspiring to the "Big Time"? Should I go after a contract with a bigger publisher? I periodically consider this idea, but today I wondered if I was actually being lazy or avoiding failure by not striving. I started to visualize it ... waiting 18 months to 2 years for a release; hoping my books sell so I can get another contract; seeing my book on a bookshelf at Barnes & Noble ...

I could visualize it. I'm just not sure it's worth it. I'm enjoying myself immensely right now and I'm not sure I need that validation. Or let me put it this way: if someone comes and offers it to me, I'd be interested. But I'm not sure I want to dread checking the mailbox again ('another rejection letter? Who's it from this time?')

So for now, I'll continue as is. I have a series that I plan to pitch to a bigger publisher and as soon as it's ready, I'll gird my loins for that battle again. I like to revisit this idea now and again, sort of poke it and prod it and think about it. I don't think I'm ready to start setting goals again. For now, I'm just going to enjoy the ride ....

Weeding out and finding out

Yep. It must be spring. Spring cleaning has arrived!

I got a new gadget (those who know me know that I am the Gadget Gidget). I got the Itouch a month or more ago, but it really didn't have a good calendar/todo application. I got a calendar with it, but it was so-so. I bought a ToDo application (these things are dangerously cheap, like $1 or $10 or some ridiculously low price). Then I bought another one because the first one didn't do quite what I wanted. Then I bought another calendar ....

Well, I bought a calendar/todo yesterday that I THINK will do what I want. So I busily sorted through the old calendar, ToDo 1, ToDo2, and the ToDo and Calendar on my old Palm (which had been my default gadget of choice for years).

As I did I found a lot of old memories. A concert, a pet's death, a surgery -- all events of importance. I have new categories on the new calendar, so I had to figure out how to categorize them. Before I just used 'anniversary' as a generic catch-all for 'milestones'. But this time I decided to really sort them. It was fun, really, to go back and look at all those Events.

It made me realize how happy I am that my main publisher releases ebooks and print books on the same day. I used to have to do double promo for a book release: once when it came out in download and another promo 6 months later for print. What a pain! Now I have to do that for my 'second' publisher (the one that I release with once a year). My 'main' publisher (the one I release with 3 times a year) has simultaneous releases. And my third publisher ... well, that print schedule is on a whim, I think.

Setting up a new calendar also made me realize that I need to get busy for the next release -- it's not that far away (April 7). Between now and then I need to organized for that, finish the Oz book, do edits for 2 more books for next year, promo my Eppie winner ...

I'd better get that ToDo list out and start updating!

And so ends my second year ...

I'm finishing up my second year as a published author, and am taking a moment to look back and reflect.

Things I have learned:


1. There is no secret handshake. Publication is a matter of talent, hard work, and luck, just like everybody said. You need talent to write the book, hard work to finish it, and luck to find the right publisher.


2. Promotion is a never-ending story. Because I am published electronically, I can always promote a book. My back list never dies. This is a good thing and a bad thing. Good because it never dies. Bad because I can always do promotion.


3. Some people will love your work and some will go 'hunh? How did you get published?' or words to that effect. It's largely irrelevant. You are published, you are talented, and you are good at what you do. Some people just don't get it.


4. To some publishers, you are expendable. It is not a concern of theirs if you are happy, have good sales, or like your editor. On the other hand, some publishers truly care about you, your happiness as an author, your sales, and your relationship with your editors. Nurture those publishers.


5. Make sure to have fun along the way. Don't take this so seriously. Enjoy the writing, enjoy the process, enjoy the whole schmiel. Be serious about your writing, but also enjoy it. When it becomes like work, take a break. You're in this to make money, yes, but you should also enjoy doing it.


Enough deep thoughts. I need to gird my loins (metaphorically speaking) to head out into the snow and meet friends for lunch. Then I plan to come back, get the fireplace going, and write with a mug of cocoa near at hand. I have stories to tell!