Yeah, but what have you done lately?

[puppetmaker]

Being a professional writer is a little bit like being a shark. You have to keep moving. Even thought you might have quite a wide fan base and written some really cool stuff, here in the publishing industry it is, "Well that's neat. But what have you done lately?" Peter is an expert on keeping things moving. Not everything iron he has in the fire is shaped into a fine piece of writing. Some of the possibilities or potential gigs just vanish without explanation. Other gigs are DOA. Then there are a couple that we really hope turn into something because it would be good for his career and good for his family. He works in an industry where a phone call or an email can change your life either way.

Visual artists have the same condition. They have to continue to create to keep on top of the pile of artists that are breathing down their necks just waiting for the job that they have illustrating a comic or painting book covers or even Magic the Gathering Cards. You have to keep re-inventing yourself or at least challenging yourself. It can be rather nerve racking.

Recently I came to the conclusion that I don't do realistic very well. My dolls are taking on their own "look". I'll never do pretty little fairies. My stuff has been called primitive (in a good way) and raw (again as a compliment). That seems to be my style and, while I will continue to work towards being able to make pretty little fairies, I plan to explore this sort of art that seems to come out of my head and onto the clay. I just need to find my niche and find my audience that I can sell my dolls to. And a lot of that is self-promotion, which I really stink at. I can promote other people but I have a hard time pushing myself on the market or in the market.

Writing is something I have enjoyed doing over the years. I have admitted before that I use to write a lot of fanfic. Some of it I showed to fellow fans and other pieces have languished on the hard drives of my former computers. Now I am working on some original stuff. Peter and I discuss a lot of ideas for stories. Some of them he has used in his work and some of it are things that I am suppose to get around to writing. Well I think I am going to start getting around to them. Or at least trying to outline them (which I hate doing with the fiery passion of a thousand suns). I know I can write and I know I can write well. So may be it is time for me to jump into the shark tank and start swimming.

I am grateful for quiet moments early in the morning when I have some time to think.

Comments

[amarafox.livejournal.com]

I have the same problem with my art. Try as I might I can't pull off a serious superhero to save myself. There is something about my art that is just cute.

I'm running with it for a while.

It is VERY had to find a market, though. I think what I need to do is find a writer to work with and do some kind of serious story that completely contrasts the cute art. Not on the trite, face value level as things like happy tree friends. Something a little more sinister. Like a hitchcock suspense thriller where the characters are guinea pigs.

[budgie-uk.livejournal.com]

Being a professional writer is a little bit like being a shark. You have to keep moving.

I learned that to my cost about three years ago; I was incredibly lucky to get the opportunity to have a story in X-Men Unlimited. Every working pro I knew told me that I had to have something else I was working on, apart from anything else, to answer the question "So, what's next?" when interviewed about it.

Of course, I didn't and blew all the good publicity opportunities...

[e-cunningham.livejournal.com]

Being a professional writer is a little bit like being a shark. You have to keep moving. Even thought you might have quite a wide fan base and written some really cool stuff, here in the publishing industry it is, "Well that's neat. But what have you done lately?"

Too true. :)

[lupagreenwolf.livejournal.com]

I have a little more leeway in my genre (pagan/occult nonfiction). Since the books I write tend to be ones that people go back to numerous times for practical purposes (rather than the joys of relaxing with a good story), and since there are ideas for exercises and other things that can take a while to really work with, the books have more of a shelf life, as it were. I think that's a major difference between fiction and nonfiction, and one of the reasons I prefer the latter.

Of course, there's no resting on laurels. I may not *have* to write a book a year to stay...well...as popular as I am (or am not) at this point, but I do a lot of workshops and book signings and other promotional events to make up for it. So there is the matter of keeping my name fresh in people's minds, just in different manners.

[thenodrin.livejournal.com]

When my first role playing game was published, the first question I was asked by the players was, "What's next?"

I made something up on the spot and said, "Mind Flayers in the West Virginia coal mines." To which everyone laughed and said that Claire (my editor) would never allow it.

Two years later, their characters met Mind Flayers in the WV coal mines.

In Stephen King's memoirs he said that his story ideas come from the thought of "wouldn't it be funny if ..." I asked myself, "I wonder if I could talk Claire into ..."

Now, I'm the main writer and editor for the Fellowship of the White Star RPG campaign. And, I "know" that I'll be here for 10 years (barring emergencies like the company going bankrupt or such). So, I have the temptation to ease back and stop worrying about what I'm going to work on next.

But, you are right. Worrying about what is next is the only way to keep my writing fresh and thoughful.

Are you thinking of partipating in NaNoWriMo next month? I haven't decided yet, but your post is making me think that it could be a good exercise for me. A good "next" for what I'm doing right now.

Theno

[jeff-morris.livejournal.com]

Peter is the reason I gave up any thoughts of eventually going pro. After reading about all his travails over the years,I realized that sadly, I like the comfort of steady work and benefits.

[paigemom.livejournal.com]

I got a great deal of benefit as a writer from nanowrimo.

Sadly, I don't have TIME to do it this year.

If you ever want a beta reader that you're not married to, I'd be honored if you'd consider me.

[papillon-enrage.livejournal.com]

"Being a professional writer is a little bit like being a shark. You have to keep moving. Even thought you might have quite a wide fan base and written some really cool stuff, here in the publishing industry it is, "Well that's neat. But what have you done lately?" '

Yeah. Mea culpa. I apologize on behalf of Buyers. We are the ones who tell publishers that they can't expect similar sales on a author who's previous book is several years old. But in our defense, the market and reading tastes have changed so radically between 2004 and 2007, that comparison really is unfair. I was mightily disappointed at how poorly the newest book by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor performed, for example. I wanted it to sell like Shiloh. But it didn't, and I hate making returns more than I hate disappointing a publisher on initial buy-in. We learn from our mistakes.

And we are secretly happy that sales patterns are not completely cut-and-dry. :-)