Write for yourself, not the market
If you're like me, it can take years to get published. During that time, it's important to write what you love, or in my case, what I wanted to read but couldn't find. If you write a Young Adult novel because they're hot sellers right now, but you don't really like YA, it will show in your pages. Not to mention, by the time your book hits the shelves, YA probably won't be so hot anymore. Write for your passion, not for market popularity.
That love for what you're writing, the fun, the passion, the "I can't wait to get back and visit with my characters" will all have to be strong enough to keep you going day after day, week after week, month after month -- you get the picture. And when your book is in your local Barnes & Noble, your readers will sense the passion you had while writing it.
Your passion has to be strong enough that you want to write every day -- that you have to write every day. The difference between a writer and someone who likes to talk about being a writer is that you're compelled to write, they're compelled to talk. Your day isn't complete unless you write. It's like an obsession. Writing isn't something you do; a writer is what you are. And published or unpublished, nothing will change that.
If MLTF hadn't been published, I'd still be writing Raine stories for myself -- or that Urban Fantasy that's clawing for my attention. ; ) I wouldn't have stopped trying to get published, but not getting that contract wouldn't have stopped me from writing.
Fun News: After my booksigning last week at the Barnes & Noble at The Streets of Southpoint in Durham, NC, they graciously offered to host a Book Release Party for Armed & Magical on April 29 (the day it hits the shelves) at 7:00 p.m. There will be cake, balloons, reading, signing, talking, mingling, and lots of fun. It's my first Book Release Party, so I'm really excited. So. . .if you live in central North Carolina, or will be in the area on April 29, come to my party and buy your copy of A&M there. I'll sign it for you and we'll chat and eat cake. ; )
Tomorrow is Friday and that means another "Recipe for feeding your family while you're on deadline." I'll post my recipe for Vegetable Beef Stew.
And for the Saturday Fun Pic, I'll be posting my own Leaning Tower of Unpublishable Manuscripts.
Have a good one!
Lisa
That love for what you're writing, the fun, the passion, the "I can't wait to get back and visit with my characters" will all have to be strong enough to keep you going day after day, week after week, month after month -- you get the picture. And when your book is in your local Barnes & Noble, your readers will sense the passion you had while writing it.
Your passion has to be strong enough that you want to write every day -- that you have to write every day. The difference between a writer and someone who likes to talk about being a writer is that you're compelled to write, they're compelled to talk. Your day isn't complete unless you write. It's like an obsession. Writing isn't something you do; a writer is what you are. And published or unpublished, nothing will change that.
If MLTF hadn't been published, I'd still be writing Raine stories for myself -- or that Urban Fantasy that's clawing for my attention. ; ) I wouldn't have stopped trying to get published, but not getting that contract wouldn't have stopped me from writing.
Fun News: After my booksigning last week at the Barnes & Noble at The Streets of Southpoint in Durham, NC, they graciously offered to host a Book Release Party for Armed & Magical on April 29 (the day it hits the shelves) at 7:00 p.m. There will be cake, balloons, reading, signing, talking, mingling, and lots of fun. It's my first Book Release Party, so I'm really excited. So. . .if you live in central North Carolina, or will be in the area on April 29, come to my party and buy your copy of A&M there. I'll sign it for you and we'll chat and eat cake. ; )
Tomorrow is Friday and that means another "Recipe for feeding your family while you're on deadline." I'll post my recipe for Vegetable Beef Stew.
And for the Saturday Fun Pic, I'll be posting my own Leaning Tower of Unpublishable Manuscripts.
Have a good one!
Lisa
posted by Lisa Shearin at
8:01 AM
8 Comments:
Oh, I can't wait to see your leaning tower! The only thing I forgot to do for mine was put a ruler beside the stack. I think it would have been 8 or 9 inches tall.
Darn! Too bad April 29 is on a Tuesday! Tuesday is not very overnighter friendly, especially with a kid in school.
Your blog posting time seems to coincide nicely with my 9:00 (ish) morning break.
Thanks for reminding me to put a ruler beside my stack. ; )
Yep, most new books come out on a Tuesday for some reason. I'd like for my sister to be able to come, but it being in the middle of the week like that and with my niece in school. . . I'll make sure there are plenty of pics taken, and I'll post them for you all.
A Book Release Party! Way to go.
;)
Wish I could be there! And the "Leaning Tower" should be very interesting to see! :)
With cake too, how cool is that! ; )
And I will be getting another world-famous Kimber An Cyber-Launch Book Party, right???
we get a real party and a cyber launch party? seriously? AWESOME!!! the twenty ninth is now on my asking days off ofwork list. i'm so not missing this for the world!
Well, okay, Lisa, but first you've got to send over some goblins to scrub the zombie doo-doo out of the carpet from Linnea Sinclair's party. It's been two months now and I'm afraid I'll never get it out. It's ruined. Maybe I should put in tile instead.
Yikes, zombie doo-doo! : (
I think tile would be the way to go. Armed & Magical has goblins and elves and mages who definitely don't like each other. If your carpets haven't already been ruined by zombie poop, blood would definitely do it.
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