January 8, 2013

While discussing goals with several writer friends, I found myself becoming depressed. We were analyzing how 2012 had gone. Each person shared their goals for the past year and how they had succeeded or failed.

Until I heard the other reports, I had been happy with most of my year. While I hadn’t yet completed a couple of novels I’d started, I had written a couple of proposals, and one of them got the “nod” from an editor. (Proposals take me a while, with their sample chapters and market plans.) A revision for a book I sold in 2011, which I expected to take about two weeks, took the last three months of 2012 to complete instead.

Check the Numbers

Here’s where the depression part came in. Several friends said something like this: “In 2012 I wrote a six-book series for X Publisher, plus three books in another ongoing series for Publisher Y.”

After hearing that, I didn’t want to share that my completed projects were so meager. And yet, I had put in more writing hours this year than in many years (and I’m not counting the blogging or critique letters for private critiques.) Was I getting slower? Was I burning out? I didn’t feel like it, but I sure wasn’t producing books at the speed these other writers had.

For me—and for many of you—it’s all in the numbers.

Then I remembered something. Several years ago I had what looked like my most productive year. I wrote three books in a series for an educational publisher, then two mysteries for a different educational publisher. A five-book year!

But the whole truth was that the three books were all written in a week and totaled only about 750 words each. The mysteries were early chapter books that were less than 2,000 words each. That’s only about 6,000 words altogether! And it was less than two months’ writing time. Still, I could truthfully say I wrote and sold five books that year.

In Comparison…

In 2012, though, I wrote two proposals. One got nixed fairly early, and one got the go-ahead. I’ve been working on that novel, and each revision has changed it substantially. It will still take months to finish it. And the revision I did this fall and just turned in (for the book sold in 2011) grew into a longer book when I added the additional material my editor wanted. (It’s a much better book now.) But the numbers? The “revision” included major changes to the 36,000 words I had written, plus an additional 21,000 words of original material. This 57,000-word revision took me much longer—and was more challenging—than the five books I wrote several years ago.

Am I knocking educational writing or short books? NO! Not in the slightest. The value of the writing is NOT in the length. I’m just suggesting that you ask about the numbers. Before your writer’s ego shrinks any further when someone talks about their multiple book successes, ask them how long the books were. (While there are a few full-time writers who produce long books several times per year, they are few and far between.)

Part of the Writing Life

And if you like to write long books, get used to this. It will happen throughout your career. I generally sell one or two books per year, depending on length. But except for that one year, I don’t write short material other than this blog.

Writers aren’t telling you they wrote and sold six books last year to put you down or make you feel small. They are telling the truth. (It wasn’t until someone commented to me that I must not have seen my family that whole year that I realized the misperception on their part.)  But if it makes your writer’s self-esteem take a plunge, ask (nicely) how long the books were. Add up the numbers. (Some middle-grade novels are 50,000 words, but many middle-grade series books are 15,000 words or less.) You may realize that despite appearances, you’ve written much more than that last year. So don’t compare apples and oranges.

Better Yet, Don’t Compare At All

We were each given stories and material to write, either fiction or nonfiction. We each have a unique voice and a unique “take” on the world. No one else can write your stories—or my stories. And if the stories you are given to write are longer or take more thought, your “production” quotas will look lower to others. Find a way to be okay with this, or it will plague you throughout your career.

I hope your 2012 was a successful writing year, but be careful how you measure success.

Just curious: how will you measure success in 2013? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

15 Comments »

1. 

   Haha! I wrote six books in 2012 This is why I love short stuff so much — it gives me a great feeling of accomplishment. Now that I’m working on novels, I find that it’s not the same satisfaction as finishing a little book or poem. This is why I still work on short stuff. I need that joy that comes from typing “the end”

   I met my goals for 2012. Midway, I changed direction to accommodate family obligations and I am happy I did so. I’ve set reasonable writing goals for 2013 and I’m sure it will be a success. My secret: seeking first the kingdom of God, and discovering how everything else does falls into place.

   Have a wonderful and blessed year, Kristi.

   Comment by Vijaya — January 8, 2013 @ 7:27 am

2. 

   Vijaya, we are all sure different, aren’t we? I STOPPED writing the short material for the opposite reason–I didn’t feel the satisfaction that I got when working on my novels. However, I was VERY satisfied with the bills that got paid! Your “secret” for success, by the way, is the best one there is for ALL of life.

   Comment by Kristi Holl — January 8, 2013 @ 8:22 am

3. 

   This gives me food for thought, Kristi. I had a “five book six months” in the last half of 2012, which sounds unbelievable. Truth is that while they were all books,three were short leveled readers and the other two were 6000 word nonfiction educational books. The nonfiction books take many hours of research and the readers require getting acquainted with Lexile measurement but I’m still talking about less than 20,000 words. Numbers can be deceiving. I plan to up my words considerably in 2013. Maybe it can be a ten book year. Wouldn’t that drive my writing friends crazy?

   Comment by Bonnie Hinman — January 8, 2013 @ 11:20 am

4. 

   Bonnie, that is so true about the research. Of the three nonfiction books I did WFH, I bet 80% or more of the time was research. And I’m not belittling that–truly! And those leveled readers are HARD, I think. Last year I had to finally break the first contract of my whole writing career when I just COULDN’T get a second grade play to adhere to the regulations they gave me. Those leveled readers look deceptively easy to write!

   Comment by Kristi Holl — January 8, 2013 @ 12:05 pm

5. 

   Hello,
   Writing success in 2013: daily writing, completing my writing course, reviving my blog and posting consistently, and entering 3 writing contests this year.
   Ally

   Comment by AllyM — January 8, 2013 @ 12:25 pm

6. 

   Ally, you have a great year mapped out. It has similarities to my own list! I’m doing pretty well so far on the daily writing, mostly because I joined the “31 Minutes for 31 Days Challenge.” Good luck to you finishing your course work, and those writing contests have good built-in deadlines (and great prizes!)

   Comment by Kristi Holl — January 8, 2013 @ 3:28 pm

7. 

   First Kristi, I just have to say-

   DO NOT FEEL ANY SHAME FOR BEING ABLE TO WRITE SHORT CHAPTER BOOKS!

   Sorry for the all caps comment, but it’s meant to cheer you up, really…

   Okay, so they(Books from several years ago) were shorter books than your usual–but seriously, Kristi, be proud.

   Do you know how many writers (Including me) would LOVE to be able to diversify the LENGTH of their books as much as varying the storytelling of the actual books themselves?

   It feels like now more than ever, the more versitle you are as a writer, the more chances you have to push your career forward and build a larger readership. Even taking account all the drafting and whatnot any book needs, having more areas to work in does still give you an edge.

   Sure, novels on average take a long time to draft, edit, and rewrite before they sell and get published, but I know too many writers who can draft and polish at a faster rate than me to be born yesterday, if you know what I mean.

   They still had to work no harder than me, but their process is just overall faster than mine, and that’s okay since we all are different. Still, it would be nice NOT to take years for EVERY book, and I’m speaking solely from a drafting perspective.

   Remember the 10+ years MG novel I mentioned a few posts ago? That was intially drafted in six months, but of course getting it to where it is now took much longer, and I can’t even use the “First book” defense. That was my third book.

   That’s part of why moving on to a new book’s (Which I’ve finally been able to do now) so hard for me. You want to get better with every book, not just the technical stuff like grammar and plot, you want to evlove as a storyteller, and I’ve learned the HARD way that being a great storyteller isn’t always as one-to-one with the level of professional and technical aspects of being a writer.

   That’s what I feel separates authors who win over readers with story and voice over technically stellar writing, as much we get told how vital it is we only submit our best work, etc.

   It’s just hard not to stress when those on the other side of the desk are drilling the “Be close to perfection” so harshly into our scalps, when at the same time they’ll say “We get no one’s perfect, but try to be, anyway, but don’t stress now.”

   How can you NOT stress? It sounds like a freaking mixed message “fortune cookie” saying to me. Even if some writers I know don’t see at that way. (I’ll stop there, lasping too far into neagative zone…)

   I’d KILL (Not really, being melodramatic for effect…) to be able to write short chapter books like that. Maybe not as short as “Junie B. Jones” (That girl’s books [paperback] can SLIDE UNDER A DOOR they’re so short), but something smaller than say an MG novel on the high end of word counts (under 40,000, but maybe NOT 1,000+)

   As for me, while I try not to get obsessive with the comparison thing, I do think once you go from writing to selling your writing, it’s just not always escapable, and while thinking “like a editor/reader” is hard for most writers, I do feel some struggle FAR more than others, and I’m one of the others.

   I’m not making excuses here, but I do feel some writers access the business aspacts of writing easier than others, but that doesn mean I let it stop me trying either, is that not a fair point to make?

   That said, I will define success differently in 2013.

   To me, success as a writer means not letting my weaknesses (which I do have to work through) blind me of my strengths.

   Just because my query letters don’t always do what I need/want them to, it doesn’t mean the actual story isn’t worth writing, or others reading, even though I get why I have to write query letters.

   Overall, I need to learn how to better hold myself accountable, without treating myself worse than I’d treat someone else facing similar struggles to myself, and that I can work through my weaknesses.

   I’m still not flexible with a capital “flex” but I’m trying. Compared to 2011, this area’s improved, but I’m still not at the “Zen Master” level yet.

   I can say I don’t feel the envy of other writers as I used to (Well, I still have some rival angst regarding Brian Jaques to work through, but that’s another issue and I’m already rambling as it is…) but that aside I’m WAY better than even this time last year in this regard.

   I’m still working out my goals for the year, but one thing I know I’ll be doing is drafint a new book as I mentioned eariler, and reading more books for fun, that kind of stalled due to life (writing related or not) being less than congeinal last year to put it nicely.

   2013 will be better. It’s just harder for me to move on from the pain and dissappointment of 2012 than I’d like to admit. But I’m getting there.
   Take care,
   Taurean

   Comment by Taurean Watkins — January 9, 2013 @ 12:27 am

8. 

   Thanks, Taurean. I don’t think I felt shame as much as I was getting a lot of awe for something that was deceptively “awesome.” It wasn’t the whole truth–at least to me. But I was glad to do them, and you’re right, it pays to be versatile (no matter what business you’re in, I suspect.)

   You’re right in thinking that storytelling art isn’t always on a par with a writer’s technical professionalism in various parts of the craft. BUT I’ve made a good discovery this year when I took time to study the books I’ve bought and apply the exercises: you can LEARN to be a good storyteller. It’s not something that the gifted have and the rest of us are short-changed. There are techniques you can learn and apply to your stories. I’d recommend ANATOMY OF STORY and Maass’s new book 21ST CENTURY FICTION and also WRITING FOR EMOTIONAL IMPACT. All very practical books.

   The business aspects might be easier for some writers than others, but it can ALL be learned. I don’t find it fun, but it can be mastered. (And mostly for free, thanks to Internet blogs, free ebooks, etc.)

   You made a good comment where you talked about improvements in various places (envy, flexibility, etc.) That’s all that any of us can hope for: improvement. And that’s a BIG thing since it accumulates over the years. Keep at it!

   Comment by Kristi Holl — January 9, 2013 @ 8:31 am

9. 

   I was already planning on buying the new Donald Maas book you cited above this year.

   So, your edorsement all but assures it will be as soon as possible.

   I bought his ebook version of “Writing the Breakout Novel” and while emotionally it’s hard to get through, it will prove to be worth more than the 1.99 I paid in time.

   Comment by Taurean Watkins — January 9, 2013 @ 2:26 pm

10. 

    Good for you, Taurean! I think you’ll like Maass’ new book even better than the breakout book. (At least, that’s how I feel, and that’s what I’m hearing from some of my friends.) Make it a great year!

    Comment by Kristi Holl — January 9, 2013 @ 8:03 pm

11. 

    Thanks Kristi, my 2012 is good to be gone, with 1 exception (the birth of my second son) I could have skipped it entirely. 2013 is the year to get back on track. So far so good, I’ve reread my assignment & researched for contests. A girlfriend of mine has suggested I try word press & then post from there to my other site & I’m considering it. Here’s to everyone having an awesome 2013.

    Comment by AllyM — January 10, 2013 @ 12:48 am

12. 

    AllyM, congratulations on the birth of your son in 2012! A red letter year for sure! Nothing like a new baby to force a writer to be super flexible.

    WordPress is pretty easy to use, as is Blogspot. And there are good YouTube videos by people giving help over the rough spots. Good luck!

    Comment by Kristi Holl — January 10, 2013 @ 2:36 pm

13. 

    Hey, Kristi!

    I measured last year’s success by improvements. I wrote 3 new mss, revised 5 mss, and submitted several. This year, I’ve already submitted 4 mss to about 12 publishers. Wish me luck! Looking to keep writing new stuff, revising old stuff, and submitting the best stuff. Improvement = success! (Eventually…)

    Comment by Christie Wright Wild — January 10, 2013 @ 4:00 pm

14. 

    Christie, you put me to shame!!! I am in awe at the amount you got done last year–and already this year! I need to get moving a bit faster.

    I heard an agent once say, “It’s all a numbers game.” She meant that you just had to keep submitting and writing and submitting and rewriting…and after you’d persisted long enough, you’d hit the jackpot. I hope 2013 is that year for you! You’re certainly doing your part!

    Comment by Kristi Holl — January 10, 2013 @ 6:39 pm

15. 

    Hi Kristi, I’ll checkiout blogspot too. Thanks

    Comment by AllyM — January 13, 2013 @ 1:36 am

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