It's RWA National Time Again
Among authors, in general, National brings out some interesting qualities, two of them being bragging and lying. (Not my buddies; we all got the same deal, so there’s no BS-ing.) The closer we get to the end of July, the more inflated sales ranks, print-runs, advances, and egos become. I remember what a high I was on when I landed my first (and thus far only) contract. It was for three books when everyone else had two (whoo-hoo), and while I listened to jaded old-timers talk about how fleeting success is in this business and how piddling Kensington advances were, a secret part of me believed that it would be different for me.
I am so glad that I never said so out loud. How embarrassing that would have been! So I cringe on behalf of a new author on the romance scene who bragged about her books being so fabulous that her publisher (Kensington) “decided to release my book two weeks early!” News flash: Every one of our books was available weeks before the official release date. It costs money for publishers to require that books be held until a particular date (like Harry Potter). They do this because they want the best sales numbers out of the gate possible for the USA Today and other “bestseller lists.” When they know there isn’t a chance in hell you’ll make a list, when, in fact, they know that your print-run alone is so small that it will keep you off of said lists, they aren’t going to spring for bookstores to withhold your book.
The same author brags about her on-line bookseller rankings. Ducky, if I buy three copies of my own book, it will cause me to catapult up in the Amazon rankings by ten thousand. Shhh! Shhh! You may impress non-writers with this stuff, but bragging among authors is not good!
Now, authors are blurting out advances of $40,000 from publishers who never pay so much for a relatively new author. Again, print-runs alone will keep them from being able to earn-out (make enough in royalties to repay their advance—you don’t get to keep any royalties until you earn out). Publishers aren’t going to pay out more than they can recoup in sales.
I guess the thing I think is so sad about authors like this is that they obviously aren’t enjoying the real success they are experiencing. I’ll admit; I’m bummed not to have any more contracts and to learn that editors aren’t interested in buying what I write. But I have three books published (not by a vanity press) and earned a few thousand dollars from them. Over 20,000 people have bought them—not enough to get on any list, but more than I ever imagined. I’d like more, but I am not unhappy. If an author has to inflate her numbers, she must think what she really has sold or made or whatever isn’t good enough, when it’s more than most people accomplish as writers.
Who was it that said, “If you can’t be happy with what you have, you won’t be happy with what you want”? (Within reason, of course.)
UPDATE
So my agent calls a little while ago and says that editors are looking for meatier historicals again. She sent me a few chapters for one she just sold for big bucks and says she thinks I can pull off something similar. Just when I’d come to peace with giving up. Just when I’m going back to work full-time, and the thought of trying to write another book sounds insane. Just when I was planning to enroll in a masters program.
Well, like she said, I’ll read it and see if it inspires me or makes me feel there’s any hope of my being able to write and sell something I’ll really feel passionate about. If it does, it’ll be worth delaying the masters. If not, I’ll get off my butt and get enrolled.
Congrats on the update, here's hoping that--even though it will be lots of
work--it works out for you to do that "meatier historical."
That's great about your update, Paula. So often, that's the way it goes. I
think we're best off following the paths that open before us.
I loved your assessment of your newer colleague. Cracks me up, in fact. I
think it is great your agent has faith in you. If you happen to be
inspired by the chapters, maybe the Masters can incorporate the novel
writing into the curriculum?