Writers in the Storm

by Jaime Buckley

New writers often have questions. We want to understand the path to walk so we can find success.

Thing is, ‘success’ has various definitions, depending upon who you ask. You and I are motivated by different things, and this complicates conversations between writers.

YouTube and Facebook ads offer ‘secrets’ to success in nearly every aspect of the writing and publishing industry. Each ad pulls at newcomers, offering solutions to implied problems at a seemingly reasonable price, guaranteed or your money back.

Many would-be authors give up their future before they get a running start.

It’s sad.

I’ve personally watched people fall by the wayside due to the wrong information. People crippled by a fear of failure they probably didn’t have until the ad took hold! People who, in my honest opinion, probably have more talent for storytelling than I do — and I’ve made a living writing and drawing for decades.

But there’s good news here, and I’d like to share it with you. Hard won wisdom that’s kept me going in my own career, despite the odds, the crashes, and the setbacks. Two success factors the writing community doesn’t seem to talk about. 

Luck and time.

Do You Believe In Luck?

My personal belief is that God determines the results in my life, but it’s up to me to do the work first. The more things I do right, the more He accelerates and multiplies the results. It’s the way I live, and it works for me.

When I talk with others, I call it luck, good fortune, or chance.

Whatever title you’d like to attach to the event, I define this as something that happens that you cannot directly control. You can influence it, by being in the right place at the right time, doing the right things for the right reasons...but you cannot make the results happen.

It’s the unknown factor.

The easiest example I can think of is the internet. Web guru’s and marketing companies often make claims that they can ‘guarantee’ results — like getting a first page ranking on Google.

Well, yes and no.

Considerations for ranking

• What is the definition being used, and what are the parameters?
• Even if you can get keywords to the front page of Google, how long will it last? An hour? A day?
• Will it be a local listing?
• What size demographics will actually see this top Google ranking?
• Will the marketing company charge you for satisfying the technical definition, or truly satisfy you the client with actual, profitable results?

Results are manipulated. Rankings can be fudged. Reviews can be bought, forged, traded, and challenged. If someone has a bigger wallet, they will buy the position ahead of you. Yet none of this worries me. You know why?

Because I’m starting to believe you can’t measure your influence using the internet.

Stop laughing at me.

Seriously, it’s rude.

Oh, you can measure a portion of your influence, sure. You can also track internet sales. Yet the true measure and effect of your progress cannot be fully seen through Google Analytics or any other software. Let me show you why I think this.

Just Consider

You write a book. Everything is done as best you know how. It’s listed with Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Draft2Digital, Smashwords, an armload of other platforms, Ingram Spark for hardback, and on your own website. Each service, including your own site, has some form of analysis/tracking program to show sales. You can track sales, visits, pinpoint countries, cities, even IP addresses around the globe. You have everything covered.

Or do you?

What happens when a reader talks about your book around the dinner table with friends? When the topic gets shared with people at work? Phone conversations with family out of state, maybe even out of the country. A chain of interactions you never saw and likely never will.

It was personal. Real. It was something you could not control, and I’m bringing this up because that’s how I’ve made a living since 2004. Over 90% of my success has come exclusively through word of mouth.

When Hard Work Looks Like Luck

There is a tipping point when we reach a certain stage in our progress. It’s when a connector — someone who knows and has influence with others — enjoys, supports and recommends your work, often causing a ripple effect. The influence of one turns the heads of the many.

The ‘luck’ part is that we never know when or where that tipping point will happen. It might happen in the first week...it might not happen for years...or at all. You may never have a landslide of readers, but perhaps a steady trickle that builds.

I’ve literally had a burst of sales, more than 9000 copies in a 72-hour period, which happened again months later, never to happen again. I didn’t know why, and I didn’t do a thing. It wasn’t a launch, it wasn’t a promo. There was no data to track, follow, or study.

There was a time I walked into a library in another city and found my books on display. I was flabbergasted, excited…and confused. When I asked the librarian, she said the books were requested by the mayor.

Yeah, I’ll let that one sink in, ‘cause I didn’t get it either.

I met an Indie Author so happy to finally be making $1,000 to $1,500 a month with his books. He explained that the income had grown every 90 days or so. After cheering for him (which I love to do), I asked how many books he’d published?

“I’ve written 40 stories so far.”

He’d been at this for years. Many told him it wouldn’t work, but he didn’t listen. Now he had a steady, monthly income that continues to grow to this day.

As Time Goes By

People, specifically Americans, tend to want everything yesterday. Patience falls by the wayside and many forget the journey, focusing instead on the destination. Many miss hidden opportunities along the way…a wealth of growth offered to those looking for it.

Life rarely turns out the way we think it will, and that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. You simply have to accept the reality that there are no shortcuts in this venture. Yes, there are stories you will find online, talking about riches and overnight success — but if you dig deeper — you’ll likely reveal years of labor to get there.

Yes, I said years.

This is one aspect many marketers try to hide.

To sell the books and programs, there must be ease, shortcuts, and again let’s not forget the famous ‘secrets’ promise. All backed by a ‘guarantee’ to wipe away any hesitation or fear of spending money, or worse, money you don’t have.

What gets me, is what’s wrong with working hard on a worthwhile project until you succeed?

Oh, that’s right...nothing at all. 

This is a good time to think deeply on how important being a writer is to you.

• How committed are you?
• What price are you willing to pay?
• What sacrifices are you willing to make to achieve your goals?

Admit the hard truth…

It isn’t about if you can do this, but will you do this.

Only you know the answer.

Amanda Hocking became one of the first self-published Indie Author millionaires in America. She got rich in less than 12 months after publishing to Kindle. Yet most don’t recall the painful nine years previous to that point. The hard work and determination she exuded until the tipping point.

It was like…luck.

Hmmm.

Overnight Success?

Amanda wrote 17 novels and had every book rejected by traditional publishers. She did all her own editing. She did all her own formatting for Smashwords and Kindle, as well as marketing on Twitter, Facebook, and her own blog.

I understand her pain and frustration, trying to get everything ‘just right.’ Having people pick out flaws in her work, no matter how much editing she did. Amanda dealt with technical issues, answered countless emails, and created her own book covers. No wonder she got burned out! 

Despite all the hardships, she sold more than a million copies of her books, finally catching the attention of the New York publishing houses. A bidding war started between them to get her contract. In the end, Amanda saw her dream realized.

Unlike many of her fans, I applauded when she signed that traditional contract. That was what she wanted…the freedom to write and entertain people for a living. The money and fame were secondary. The publishing house offered a professional staff to do all the frustrating work for her.

The point here, my friend, is that it took over nine years for Amanda to become an ‘overnight’ success. Time was something she accepted and was patient about. She focused on doing what she loved, committed for the long haul, not the short sprint.

Look For Anchors

In 2009 I sat down with a famous author to discuss my first book, a meeting arranged by a mutual friend. I was nervous. He had told my wife and I the day before that it took an average of seven years to get published. He then added that it took another seven to get onto the NYTimes Bestseller list.

All I could see was fourteen years of struggle ahead of me.

He’d taken my script, agreed to skim it over that night, his intent to provide some advice. Instead, he’d read it in its entirety, then asked us the following day to take us to lunch. For what seemed like an eternity, he just sat across from me…staring.

Then he said something I never expected.

“You could send his out, right now, without changing a thing and you’ll get picked up. You’ll find a publisher and make a living.” He paused. “But with a little work to get your skill level up, I think this is New York Times Bestselling material.”

Kathi cried.

I think I might have also.

Manly tears, of course.

Encouraging comments from a veteran in the industry was a historical marker in my journey. An anchor that helped me shun the unsolicited opinions of those who didn’t care for my future. An anchor that caused me to look at myself, my circumstances, and then chart a course I was determined to follow.

I’ve published many works since then and made a living doing what I love. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment.

I’d just do it better.

The Takeaway

So, my advice to you, now and forever, is to keep going, no matter what. Things will happen, and that’s okay. Just bob, weave, take a breath, adjust your course when you need to, get back up, laugh it off, or ignore them all and prove them wrong.

Because the longer you walk, the closer you’ll get.

Don’t be afraid of hard work and consistency. You just might achieve what you shoot for…and if you make a habit of paying attention, a whole lot more.

* * * * * *

by Ellen Buikema

There are times when a writer is stuck, not because of a lack of content, but due to fear that their work isn’t good enough for anyone else to read.

Writing, in some ways, is an act of love. Our stories—our children. We craft and care for our stories and our characters—the wonderful as well as the hateful. Sharing your writing with the world is hard. It takes bravery. What if it’s not good enough? What if someone…hates my child?

Handling Rejection

Rejection is part of the writer’s career. At some point you have to get used to it. Don’t give up. Instead, use rejection to better your writing.

Whenever potential publishers or agents turn your story down, it isn’t personal. There’s always a reason. Perhaps:

• Your Title or title/subtitle isn’t grabbing their attention.
• The content isn’t what they are looking for right now.
• They are receiving better writing, and yours needs more work.
• An agent feels the work is good but doesn’t have anyone to pitch it to at the time.

It’s also possible that they not getting your vision. Many wonderful stories have initially been rejected. J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter was rejected many times. She pinned her first rejection letter to her kitchen wall to remind her of what she had in common with some of her favorite writers.

Here’s how to work around rejection:

Steps to take whenever receiving unhappy notifications.

• Breathe and put on your rationality hat: Being distraught is to be expected. Allow that feeling to happen and then let it slide away after processing your emotions. Do not type angry and hit send. Sometimes typing what you really feel in a separate document that will never be sent can be therapeutic, just don’t send it.
• Ask for suggestions for improvement: If after reading through your work as well as the publisher’s or agent’s guidelines you still aren’t sure why your work was not a good fit, ask for suggestions. You may hear crickets, but if you don’t ask, you’ll never know. You might get lucky and receive a response.

Everyone gathers rejection letters. Learn why your work wasn’t a good fit and keep moving forward.

Dealing with Anxiety While Writing

The story is too complicated

Sometimes it feels like a story is so full of twists, turns, characters, and subplots that you’ll never be able to work out the ending. Anxiety creeps in and you freeze.

Complicated books, especially series, take a lot of time to plot out.

Possible Solutions

Look at the story one piece at a time. Start small. Write a story idea with a limited word count, under 1000 words. Divide your story into three parts, beginning, middle, and end. You can expand the story from there.

Try writing prompts for practice and a change of pace. There are many online sites for these prompts. This one is promising.

I can’t get started

Writing a book is a big undertaking, and there’s more than one way to do it. You could spend years pondering all your options.

Possible Solution

Make a roadmap including:

• What your book is about
• Who are your readers
• Problems solved
• Benefits offered (for nonfiction books)
• A basic outline. Even if you don’t usually outline your story, a few points on an outline will help with organization.

Don’t overthink it. These suggestions will get you started.

The story is taking too long to write

Are you a plotter or a pantser? It’s helpful to know what kind of writer you are.

Do you need structure to write your work and feel at sea unless you have step-by-step happenings before you get down to writing in earnest? Then you are a plotter.

If you write as inspiration hits you while figuring out What happens next? as you write, then you are a pantser. One who basically writes by-the-seat-of-one’s-pants.

Many writers are a combination of both.

Still stuck? Try NaNoWriMo

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a non-profit organization that promotes creative writing. In its annual, international event participants attempt to write a 50,000-word manuscript during the month of November. Authors write "pep-talks" to cheers other writers on.

I didn’t think that I could do it, but I tried anyway and managed to write 50,000 words in a month. There’s a lot of encouragement for the participants, and you are only competing with yourself. I found this well worthwhile, and empowering.

Another possible solution

If your story has taken you in too many directions, it’s helpful to use story planners. This one is free for one story plan and there is a membership for more. There are many other options available online.

Here’s an article that lists the ten best story planning programs along with their pros and cons. Story Planner is #6 on this list.

Examples of novels that were a long time coming

If you are writing fantasy that requires in-depth worldbuilding, the story will take a goodly amount of time to complete. The research needed for historical fiction may also take more time than anticipated. (Beware of the rabbit holes you may fall down while researching. They are wonderfully distracting and get me every time.)

Consider J.R.R. Tolkien. It took him more than ten years to complete the main narrative of The Lord of the Rings. He wrote between teaching sessions, day-to-day responsibilities, and had to deal with the paper shortages due to the Second World War. Then, there were the many rewrites.

“One writes such a story [The Lord of the Rings] not out of the leaves of trees still to be observed, nor by means of botany and soil-science; but it grows like a seed in the dark out of the leaf-mold of the mind: out of all that has been seen or thought or read, that has long ago been forgotten, descending into the deeps. No doubt there is much personal selection, as with a gardener: what one throws on one's personal compost-heap; and my mold is evidently made largely of linguistic matter.”

Jean Auel’s historical fiction, The Clan of the Cave Bear, began as a short story. That story became a manuscript of nearly 500,000 words. Too long for the publishers. After several rewrites she found a publisher willing to work with her.

“The story led to research, the research fired my imagination, and the wealth of material made me decide to write a novel.”

Obstacles are everywhere, but you can do this! More suggestions can be found in Part 1.

Do you use story maps? What is your favorite one? How do you deal with anxiety when writing?

* * * * * *

About Ellen

Author, speaker, and former teacher, Ellen L. Buikema has written non-fiction for parents, and The Adventures of Charlie Chameleon chapter book series with stories encouraging the development of empathy—sprinkling humor wherever possible. Her Works In Progress are The Hobo Code, YA historical fiction and Crystal Memories, MG Magical Realism/ Sci-Fi.

Find her at https://ellenbuikema.com or on Amazon.

Image by Fabien - Pixabay Ambassador from Pixabay

by Johnny B. Truant

Intro

This post came to my email. I thought it would lead to some fun discussion, so I asked if we could share it here at WITS. With Johnny's permission, here's some (hopefully bloodless) food for thought!

-- Lisa

And now over to Johnny:

The Setup

So here’s a little story about me.

When I wrote my first book, I had no idea what I was doing. I just kind of followed my nose and wrote whatever struck me, but that didn’t get me anywhere productive. For a long time, that first book was just me telling the antics of individual characters, not paying much attention to making it all connect. It wasn’t a story, in other words. It was just a lot of stuff that happened.

I kept at it, though, and soon enough I figured out that stories needed a compass from the beginning. For years, variations on that basic plan refined themselves: I’d start with a beginning (crazy, I know), then STILL would follow my nose … but now I’d keep asking myself throughout the draft how I could move the larger plot forward. That’s how the Fat Vampire books were written, how Unicorn Western was written, how The Beam was written, and a whole lot more. Even when I was co-writing with my constant partner Sean Platt who kept me on the rails, I never really knew where the story would end up. Still, unlike that first book, I finally at least had an idea where it was going.

Learning How to Write

Fast forward almost ten years. Now I’ve got like a hundred books under my belt, writing at a pace of around 1.5 million words (1.5x the full Harry Potter series) every year. You write 15 million words and you figure some things out, such as “what works for you.” So yeah. By then, the wheels were greased. I knew how to tell stories, and because of it I never cared when I got stuck. I knew, from plentiful experience, that the answer was there somewhere … and every single time I hit a wall in a story, the answer absolutely was.

But after years of teaching writing and podcasting about writing and writing books about writing and hosting live events of all sizes for writers, I started to get a lot of other people’s advice and processes in my head. I started paying attention to story structure, because that’s what a lot of people did. I started to think in three acts, knowing exactly where the First, Second, and Third Act needed to start and finish. I heard over and over again about story devices and themes and who knows what else. I’d never cared or thought about those things before. My stories had them, but they had them accidentally. I could dissect my books after the fact and find all that good stuff in them, but it came from my gut, not planning.

Doing it Right

After hearing all that advice, though, I began trying to think about a lot of my previously-from-the-gut stuff in advance. I wanted to write better and better books, and that meant growing as a creator. Growth presupposes change. I couldn’t keep doing things the way I’d been doing, could I? No. I needed to keep experimenting, keep changing things up, keep trying new things to get better.

That’s what all the conventional wisdom said, anyway. The way I used to write, I’d decided, was wrong. I just didn’t know better. Moving forward, I started to think about genre — about not mixing genres together, because that was wrong. Certainly I shouldn’t write in several different genres; that right there was especially wrong. I thought about point-of-view and what was “allowed” and “not allowed,” because I’d been doing some of that wrong, too. I shouldn’t meander in my writing: focus was better and meandering was (again) wrong. I needed to think about theme, to make sure theme got in there ahead of time. I hadn’t been doing that, or hitting the proper act markers, or a dozen other things … and all of that, too, was wrong.

Yeah. Well. That was 2020, 2021, and 2022, and most of what I published during those years were books that’d been previously written. The few books I managed to actually write in those years were laborious and tedious. In the end, I think I cleaned those projects up so that by the time they hit the bookstores, they were pretty good … but they were also very difficult. Very not-fun. Very trying-so-hard. All of my writing flow was gone. The FUN was gone. I wrote far, FAR fewer words in those years, and very little of it was enjoyable.

Changing Things Up

I got sick of it. Something had to change.

And so, a few months before 2023 began, Sean convinced me to forget all I’d learned. To just say FUCK IT to the “right” way of doing things and instead let my freak flag fly like I used to. It took some practice to unlearn all the “proper” things I’d learned about writing, and instead write from the gut like I used to, but now I’m right back in my doing-it-wrong, totally-inappropriate groove. And I’m happy to report a few things to you:

The “wrong” way I write is a lot easier and creates much better stories in the end.

The incorrect, seat-of-my-pants, genre-ignoring, convention-ignoring way I used to write is also a hell of a lot more FUN.

Words flow. FAST. I’m currently writing two books at once, putting in more words each day on each of them than most “prolific” writers get on just one project. That was impossible during my “correct” years.

And most importantly, “wrong” feels so right to me. The stories unfold as if they’re already there and I’m just discovering them. The magic is back. Good stuff happens.

Hard Learned Lesson

So, my friends, I’m happy to report that Johnny is back and as incorrect as ever. I’m happy to report that although a lot of well-intentioned learning came my way throughout the course of my career, so far it seems that I was originally right all along.

Maybe the way I work won’t sell as many books as doing it right. Maybe my books are weird, or too long, or refuse too ardently to fit inside a single genre or understandable box. I don’t really care about those things. My books are me, and that’s all that I’ve decided ultimately matters.

And so I’ll leave you with a lesson I learned the hard way: If you happen to be a creator like I am, I’d like to encourage you to learn what you can … but in the end to ultimately trust your gut. It’s smarter than you know.

The Discussion

What do you think? Have you struggled to write "correctly?" What has your experience with writing correctness been? How do you feel about trusting your gut in writing?

-- Lisa Norman

About Johnny

Johnny writes fun, page-turning, layered, and most of all “inquisitive” fiction — stories told in many genres and ways, united by a curiosity about life’s biggest questions.

Whether the tale itself is about invading aliens, overweight vampires, or ordinary people in mindbending situations, Johnny’s stories always live on two levels. The first is the surface, where vivid characters come to life to undertake the most extraordinary adventures. The second level, however, is deeper: diving into the corners of reality itself, or just the shadowland of a fractured mind.

If you like Christopher Nolan’s movies or Michael Crichton’s books, you’ll be right at home in the Truantverse.

Originally from Ohio, Johnny and his family now live in Austin, Texas, where he’s finally surrounded by creative types as weird as he is.

Learn more about Johnny at his website johnnybtruant.com. And check out the first book in the Fat Vampire series, now a TV series on SYFY: Reginald The Vampire.

Top Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay