For
those who don’t know me, I write Victorian-set historical romance. When I
posted during last year’s blog-o-versary, I mentioned my goal of being a hybrid
author. I’m still working at that goal. I wrote three more books for Avon Books
in 2016, but I also published a novella on my own.
This year, I have even
bigger plans, and I’m already looking ahead to 2018 and beyond. You see
planning a year ahead is one of the lessons I’ve learned as I continue on the
hybrid path.
I’ve
also learned to juggle. My days have never flown by as quickly as they do now
that I’m a full-time writer. If I don’t tackle many activities (administrative
tasks, marketing, social media), I quickly fall behind. This is true of my
writing too. While working on a manuscript, I’m getting better at scheduling in
planning and plotting time on other projects.
As a hybrid author, I can’t afford
to focus on a single project and forget everything else. It’s a matter of
juggling. I’m still dropping balls occasionally, but I’m getting better at
keeping them in the air. Right now, for instance, I’m waiting for edits on one
book, adding words to a novella that I started months ago, and doing research
for my first historical mystery, which I plan to finish drafting by the end of
the month.
Being
a hybrid author is an adventure with few safety nets, but I’ve learned to
embrace the risks and the opportunities. When I sign a contract with my
publisher, the expectations are clear, from deadlines to word counts. Those
boundaries are comforting. In self-publishing, I’m in charge of every decision,
which can be daunting, yet it’s also a chance to learn.
Since I published my
first story in 2014, I’ve studied formatting, marketing, and how to upload my
book at each retailer. But I’ve learned from my traditional publishing
experience too. Nothing has helped me grow as a writer like the lessons learned
while working with my Avon editor.
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3 comments:
Thanks for sharing your experiences, Christy! Wishing continued success to a talented woman! :)
We're so glad to catch up with you, Christy! A historical mystery - you are branching out again! To publish so many books in a year you definitely have a lot to juggle!
I'm still trying to figure that out. Tweaking my process.
Best of luck in the future with your hybrid career!
Thanks, Reina and Sarah!
I hope you're doing well too, Reina. Wishing you all the best. Always.
Sarah, it is a juggle, isn't it? I'm still learning. And there are days when I fail completely, but I love what I'm doing so that keeps me motivated to keep trying. :)
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