Decisions, decisions. Who else hates to make them. 🙋🏼‍♀️

Today’s musing is not so much about craft as it is about the business of writing–and publishing. At some point, all writers have to make some decisions about their careers. Waaaay back then, when I first decided I might could maybe write fiction for a living–or at least to supplement my income, I spent some serious time in on my writing. I also did all the usual things to research “How To Get Published™” I tried the conventional route. After a round of rejections from publishers that didn’t require an agent, I quit. I went back to Life and Living It. Things changed during that living and with some familial encouragement, I tried again. I hadn’t quit writing, I’d just quit submitting. So I tried again. This time around, I at least got reasons for the rejections instead of the standard form letter. I even got some nibbles from some agents, who ultimately declined. Then I got an agent. Sadly, she was more non-fiction and we eventually parted ways. The rejections piled up and I wrote oh-so-many different books in different genres. I joined writing groups. I went to writers’ conferences. I got another agent. She was cool and she did work hard to place a couple of my books. Problem was, I was writing “mixed genre” before it became a thing–well, other than the romantic suspense. That’s always been a thing. After a bit, she and I also parted company, on good terms.

Yeah, yeah, this is not a short story so bear with me. Eventually, I met an editor who truly enjoyed my voice and while the book I “submitted” to him was soooo not in his wheelhouse, he still asked for it. And he loved it but yeah…not his nor his publishing house’s “area of expertise.” Later, when I saw him again face-to-face, I asked if I could submit a book that I wrote just for him. He said yes. The result? COWGIRLS DON’T CRY. Now, this is where I mention that it took almost 3 years from submission to publication.

In the meantime, I also sold a book (I did mention that I kept writing, right? So I had a bundle of manuscripts filed away!) to a small publisher. FAERIE FATE was the first of several books and novellas I sold to Wild Rose Press. Also, about this time, Amazon came up with KDP–Kindle Direct Publishing. ANYONE could publish their book on this platform. At that point, I had a decision to make. See? I finally got around to the point of this whole thing. All those other books that were good but agents weren’t sure how to market them and publishers weren’t sure they’d sell now had an outlet, if I wanted to take a chance. I am not an entrepeneur by any description of that word. I suck at marketing. I suck at the fine print. I suck at pretty much everything but writing and editing books. So I figured, why the hell not? And the Moonstruck Wolves hit the ground running. I have over 50 books out there as a hybrid (but more and more as a self-published author) now. And after making the decision to jump into self-publishing, I’ve never looked back. I took the high road, so to speak.

Did you know, Silver, there have been a lot of decisions you've made and followed through on, under the most trying and difficult circumstances, that have actually become textbook examples of taking the "high road" for wannabe rock stars here in the unseen? 
 
We've sold tons of "your book," 
  The Universe 
©www.tut.com  
 
P.S. Our rock stars are slightly different, Silver.

Yeah, too bad the royalties from all those books sold in the Unseen remains…unseen. Ah, well. I didn’t get into this writing and self-publishing gig to get rich. A living wage would be nice but what the heck. I’m clearing all those stories out of my head which will, hopefully, clear out space so I can…you know…remember important stuff! LOLOL And when it comes down to making this decision, I don’t regret it one bit, not so long as people still read and enjoy my books. What decision do you have to make today?

P.S. The book that led to “Cowgirls” and got me the second agent? SEASON OF THE WITCH.

P.S.S. Today is the last day of NaNoWriMo. I hit 50K words back on like November 25. I’m well over 100K on the whole book now and still going. 👀