6 THINGS I LEARNED DURING MY FIRST YEAR AS A PUBLISHED AUTHOR

PART 1


Before I began working on my first novel, I dedicated several years to learning all that I could about the publishing industry. By the time that Killing Red sold, I felt I knew what to expect going forward. As it turned out, I was both right and wrong, and I’ve learned that getting your first book published is like a lot of other important events in life—there are things you simply cannot fully understand until you experience them.
I learned, in fact, many more than six things during my rookie year as a published author. But the ones I will discuss over my next two blog entries cover the most basic and, I believe, the most universal aspects of my experience.



1. BE PREPARED TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF—AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN


Before my first novel was published, I spent a great deal of time at writer’s conferences and book festivals, and was even involved in the running of one. I saw how some authors were prepared to meet and greet readers while others seemed surprised that someone wanted to talk to them. I also noticed which group of writers usually sold the most books.
Part of this is just basic human nature. Some of us are more outgoing than others. But when an author is at a conference or a signing, they’re on the job. And in this case the job involves introducing yourself to potential readers.
Be prepared in advance. Have a brief but compelling description of your book, your “elevator pitch,” ready for when someone asks you what your book is about. If you are fortunate, that’s a question you will answer many times. It’s important to project a genuine enthusiasm about your book and yourself. This may sound pretty basic, but I’ve been amazed by how many authors show up to signings and events and don’t seem to know why they are there.
When you’re a published author, readers will be happy to meet you, even if they don’t buy your book. Don’t disappoint them.




2. YOU HAVE A BOOK, BUT NOT QUITE A CAREER


You may no longer feel like that person who attended countless festivals, conventions, and signings. The one who sat through panel discussions, seminars, and college courses, combed through writer’s guides and trade magazine looking for a way inside. But you’re not who you hope to be someday, either.
I have a long background in sports, where there is always a pecking order—established veterans over rookies, stars over role players, etc.—so I understood exactly where I fit in the world of published authors. I think this helped me keep my expectations grounded in reality.
Enjoy your first success, you’ve certainly earned it, but you still have a long way to go to be more than a new author. Getting that first book deal will open some doors—run, don’t walk, through them. And always keep looking ahead and moving forward. There will be setbacks, but they’ll be easier to overcome if your focus is on the goals that you still have not achieved.




3. NOW YOU HAVE TO WRITE


An author’s first book is something of an indulgence. You have no guarantee that it will ever get published, still you sacrifice time away from family and friends, perhaps even work, to fulfill the desire or need to tell a story. Sure, most of us are fueled to some extent by the hope of a book deal and the dream of seeing our work on a store shelf. But that is such a long shot for anyone starting out, that it has to be considered an indulgence. And that’s okay. It’s a good indulgence.
Most authors write their first book for themselves. Many write all of their books for themselves. But if you’re fortunate enough as I was to land a multi-book deal, the outlook will be quite different when you sit down to write your second book.
No one had to sign off on your first book before you began writing it. You simply sat down with an outline next to you or an idea in your head, and got to work. That’s how it was for me with Killing Red. But before I began writing Mourn the Living I was told that it needed to be at least as good if not better than Killing Red. That makes all the sense in the world, but those thoughts did not enter the picture when I was working on my first book. And though you should always begin a new book with a belief that it will be the best one you’re capable of writing, knowing that expectation was out there was a new experience for me.
Most authors working on a multi-book deal are required to turn in an outline for their editor’s approval before they get the green light to go forward. This too makes sense. Your publisher has made an investment in you, and they want to feel confident that you will deliver a book they can sell.
When I was writing Killing Red I was not planning on it becoming the first book in a series. I approached it as a stand-alone (Which, incidentally, I think was a good thing). After Killing Red sold and I began thinking about my second book, I realized I had to take into account what would make my publisher happy, and balance that with my long term goals. I had a number of ideas that I was excited about, so the choice was not an easy one. One of those ideas eventually became Mourn the Living, and I decided to write a follow-up to Killing Red. I’m thrilled with that decision.

NEXT: 6 THINGS I LEARNED DURING MY FIRST YEAR AS A PUBLISHED AUTHOR PART 2

Conferences

Yeah, I know, this was supposed to be "Getting Started." But I want to discuss my recent experiences at last weekend's Bouchercon and writer's conferences in general.

Bouchercon, for anyone who has never been, is the biggest annual gathering of crime fiction authors, readers, and industry professionals. This year's, held in Baltimore, was the best I have attended. The author lineup was outstanding, the panel discussions covered a wide set of topics, the host hotel was great, and everything ran smoothly.

So what can you get out a huge event like Bouchercon? Well, let's start by getting the key negative out of the way. A national conference like this can be pricey. While the admission price was quite reasonable compared to other cons, by the time you add in transportation costs, hotel for several nights, and all of other usual travel expenses, the total price tag exceeds $1000. And, if you know why you're going and have a clear and reasonable set of goals and expectations, it's well worth it.

This was my fourth Bouchercon, and I've had different reasons for being at each one that I've attended. I began primarily as a reader with hopes of someday writing a crime novel. Back then my writing could be found in newspaper stories and short fiction, but I left my first Bouchercon with a greater sense of what I needed to do to knock out a first novel that might have a chance to get sold.

If you're a reader heading to your first conference, hoping to meet all those great writers whose work you've enjoyed, my best advice is pace yourself. Most of the authors will be around for the entire conference. Usually it's the local authors who tend to show up for their events and signings then go home. The out of towners can often be found in the booksellers' room, in the lobby, or at the hotel bar after hours.

If you're a writer who is just starting out, then many of the panel discussions should prove valuable. You will, however, find that over time most of the panels become less useful. That is not a slam on panel discussions, it's just that the more you learn from writing, the less helpful they tend to be.

Some conferences offer pitch meetings in which the author has a predetermined amount of time to discuss their book with an agent or editor. These can be quite valuable, not because you'll make a sale (you probably won't) but because it will give you the opportunity to see your work through the eyes of a publishing professional. Be prepared to accept criticism, again, and again, and again.

Unless you've registered for a pitch meeting, don't show up with a manuscript, or sample chapters, or anything else like that, nobody is going to want to read it or cart it home with them. This is an opportunity to exchange information, trade business cards, and put faces to names. Be ready to talk about your work, but always be professional, never pushy.

Go where the day---and the night---takes you. In the case of Baltimore, the first night I wound up in a brewpub with Blake Crouch, Scott Phillips, and JA Konrath. The following afternoon I joined a group of fellow writers for lunch at the Inner Harbor. Later that same day I walked to Edgar Allan Poe's grave with a different group of authors. None of these things were on my to-do list, but you've got to be ready to just go with it. The best moments at these conferences are often found in the margins, not on the main agenda.

Be prepared to stay up late, too late, much too late. You'll sleep on the plane or when you get home. If you really need your eight hours you may have chosen the wrong profession.

There a number of outstanding writer's conferences worth checking out. The first weekend in November I'll be at Murder and Mayhem in Muskego, a great one day event in suburban Milwaukee. Then in February I'll be attending Love is Murder, which this year moves to Chicago's North Shore. Over the past several years Love is Murder has emerged as one the very best mystery conferences. And one of these years I'll get to Thrillerfest.

Next year's Bouchercon will be held in Indianapolis. I hope to see some of you there.

NEXT TIME: Getting Started...unless I write about something else.