Multiple books and enough sales to quit the day job – it sounds good, doesn’t it?
Those are my goals even back when I barely realized that I did secretly dream about such success and wouldn’t admit that writing was more to me than a hobby. Then one day I looked in the mirror and confessed I wanted to be a full time author. And I realized to do that, I had to take it seriously.
Where are you on your writing journey?
Taking writing seriously means a lot of different things. Sure there are the quick list of better covers, professional editors, multiple formats. But it means something far more important to me. It means meeting the expectations of fans. And one of their biggest beyond quality is not waiting around too long for the next book.
Seriously. Want an example: George R.R. Martin. Need I say more? Waiting a year for the next book in a series was acceptable when I was a teenager, which was, ahem, last century. These days… three to four months between books is far more appreciated by fans. Six months is tolerable. Your fans may forgive you if it takes a year, but you’d better keep them updated on progress with a few sneak peaks! Heck, I’m currently beginning a two year wait for the last book in a series I’ve enjoyed. TWO YEARS! I’m glad the author told me, but yipes! I’ll have forgotten everything by then.
But writing while having a full time job isn’t conducive to high output. Unless you are one of those 100 wpm typists. Of course, if you end up deleting pages that went no where or get stuck on an idea, it really doesn’t matter how fast you typed the words!
Can you write multiple books while holding down a full time job and maintaining a family? YES!
I wrote 4 1/2 books in one year. And I kept both the full time job and marriage intact.
It isn’t speed. And it isn’t magic. I even fit in editing so I could publish some of those books. How?
Part of it is mindset and the other part … well I’m thinking of offering a pilot course to share the techniques I evolved to reach my target of four quality novels a year – you know, ones I’m proud of and aren’t just fluff!
Size of this pilot course will be very limited. Right now I’m collecting names of people who may be interested and want to learn more. If that is you, GREAT! Let me know by leaving a comment below (and click the follow comment box so I get your email) or use the contact box below. And tell me what your goals are as a writer!