Navigating the Unpredictable Sea of Publishing

 with Guest Connie Mann

I’m delighted to be back at Seekerville and hope to offer some encouragement, no matter where you are in your writing career.  (I’m a USCG-licensed boat captain in my non-writing life, so I hope you won’t mind the nautical terms.)

Over the years, whenever I’ve asked publishing veterans about the industry, they’ve all said essentially the same thing: publishing is hard--it’s always been hard.

I don’t doubt it, but it seems today, it’s a different kind of hard.

Publishing used to be more predictable. There was the occasional unexpected squall, of course, but authors sailed down fairly predictable routes.

That seems to have changed. Radically. Now we paddle like crazy on stormy seas of uncertainty, with nary a break on the horizon. It’s enough to make a writer seasick.

With the explosion of indie publishing, authors have more avenues to get their books into the hands of readers than ever before. Which is wonderful and amazing and not to be discounted. But like most good things, there is a tradeoff, as going the indie route has its own challenges.  At the same time, there are less options for traditional publishing. Houses have merged and streamlined and too often, have closed lines entirely, as with the recent announcement from Harlequin. That kind of unexpected wave can toss a writer into icy, uncharted depths, flailing about for solid ground.

If your career and plans have been swamped by a rogue wave, know that you are not alone. Ask any writer who’s been around a while, and they’ll tell you stories. I’ve been there, too, several times. I’ve weathered two line closures and two different contracts that suddenly sank, and it’s scary, discouraging stuff. To make matters worse, while I was struggling to get back into the boat, the doubt gremlins were standing on shore, taunting me with all manner of lies--instead of throwing me a life ring, the dirty rotten scoundrels.

Here are a few of the navigation beacons I cling to when this crazy business tosses me around.

Trust the lighthouse

The Great Creator stands as solid and unmovable as a lighthouse on a rocky cliff. Even when it’s stormy, the lighthouse stands. It doesn’t move, hasn’t stopped lighting our way.

It’s a huge comfort to know that God’s love for us never changes, either, even on days we don’t feel it, or don’t feel anything at all. One of my favorite verses is this one:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Just because things feel out of our control, they are never out of His.

Set a new course if necessary

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing, but expecting different results.

The market is changing faster than most of us can keep up with. What sold last year isn’t selling this year. What worked in promotion six months ago, isn’t working now. It’s enough to make me want to climb into bed and pull the covers over my head.

But that won’t help. Take time to evaluate what you’re doing. If the current path isn’t getting you anything but gray hair, maybe it’s time to try something new, in big and small ways.

Take the helm

As much as I would love it if God sent me an email every day, outlining exactly what I should do, it hasn’t happened yet. So I have to make decisions and choices—and so do you. The harsh reality is that God can’t steer your ship if you’re up on dry land. You have to take action, leave the shore and take risks, try things. And above all, write. You can’t sell what you haven’t written.

Keep an Eye on the Sky

Publishing—and life itself—is all about change. If you’re in a really good place right now, enjoy every single minute to the fullest. Because inevitably, another storm will blow in. That’s life.  

But the good news is that the reverse is also true. When the storm is really bad, hold tight, because it won’t be like this forever, either. Promise.

Grab a life ring

I’m not telling any of you anything new, but sometimes, we need to be reminded of it. And we need connection. I’ve had some unexpected, deep conversations with fellow writers recently, ones that went all the way down to the hard stuff, the scary stuff. It was such a huge relief to know I wasn’t the only one going through these things. Talk to your writer friends. They can understand and encourage in ways no one else can. Feel free to contact me, too. I will be cheering you on.

Stay the course, friends. Together, we’ve got this.

What about you? I’d love to hear how you stay afloat when publishing gets stormy.

GIVEAWAY! Let us know if you'd like to be entered for a print copy of Hidden Threat from Connie. (E-book outside US)

Hidden Threat

She’ll uncover who’s poisoning her hometown—at any cost.

An environmental crisis is the last thing clean-water crusader Eve Jackson expected in her hometown. She’s used to taking on powerful DC politicians in her fight, but when a baby in Safe Harbor, Florida, shows mysterious signs of possible poisoning, the danger hits painfully close to home, stirring memories of her own mother’s death.

Eve’s search leads her to the Sutton Ranch, now run by her high school crush, Cole. Focused on keeping the family ranch afloat as a series of deformed calves are born to his herd, Cole has no time for Eve’s crusade. But as her unwelcome questioning ostracizes her from locals, Cole’s irritation turns to intrigue—not only about the source of the poisoned water but also the tenacious, loyal, and passionate woman determined to help.

As Eve digs deeper into Cole’s operation, she sees her suspicions in Sutton Ranch may be misplaced. Yet she can’t shake the feeling that his ranch, and perhaps his past, hold the answers she seeks. When the sabotage escalates, the two must work together to uncover the culprit—if they can survive the investigation.

Bio:

Connie Mann is a licensed boat captain and the author of romantic suspense novels Tangled Lies, Angel Falls and Trapped. Her latest novel, HiddenThreat, (book 2 of the Safe Harbor series) is now available from Waterfall Press. When she’s not dreaming up plotlines, you’ll find “Captain Connie” on Central Florida’s waterways, introducing boats full of schoolchildren to their first alligator. She’s also passionate about helping women and children in developing countries break the poverty cycle. She and her hubby love traveling and spending time on the water with their grown children and extended family. (Hubby says they are good at fishing, but lousy at catching.) Visit Connie online at www.conniemann.com

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Pinterest

Winning the Creative War

By Guest Connie Mann

In my head, I envision myself as this ethereal creative creature that floats through the mist, scooping up ideas in my pretty basket. The moment I alight at my desk, beautiful, perfect words pour from my fingertips like rain as a story magically appears.

Then I wake up and squint at the mess on my desk. I scowl at the big red due date on my wall calendar, slurp more coffee and panic.

For most writers I know, creating new characters, building a story world, and envisioning a juicy plot is the fun stuff of writing, the misty creative part. I can talk stories with you all day long and enjoy every minute of it. But tell me to spend the day at my desk writing? Hmm, I’m pretty sure I need to clean out the guestroom closet—right now. Can’t go another day without new curtains in the living room, either. And really, what was I thinking buying those socks?

In his book, The War of Art, Steven Pressfield says, “It’s not the writing part that’s hard. What’s hard is sitting down to write.”

Pressfield calls what keeps us from doing it “resistance.” I call it a big sweaty battle against inertia. And fear. And insecurity. Whatever name you give it, the moment we set out to do something creative, a force pushes back just as hard to keep us from it. How do we break through? How do we get our stories down on paper?

Here are my best strategies. They may not work for you, but I hope you’ll give them a try.

1—Write early.

I know, I can hear some of you groaning from here. Last fall I sat between two writer friends at lunch and realized both of them had full-time jobs and families and were getting up at 4:00 am (yes, you read that right) every morning to get their writing done. I decided if I was going to take my writing to the next level, I needed to do the same. The next morning, I set my alarm so early I wasn’t sure God was up yet and got to work.

I don’t like 4:00 am much, and realized I can’t keep it up for long, but I can do 5:00 or 5:30. So I’ve been gradually resetting my internal clock to get up at that time, gulp coffee and head to my computer.

The added benefit: my internal editor isn’t awake then, either. Apparently that naggy voice in my head that tells me this is clearly not misty creative material doesn’t get up early. I can simply pour the story out on the page and tell my internal editor she can gripe at me later.

2—Make deadlines your friends

I like to think I’m organized and disciplined and all those lovely things that sound so good, but the reality is that without a deadline, nothing happens. Nada. If I have all day to write 1,000 words, they will get dumped on the page exactly 30 minutes before hubby gets home from work to ask if I got everything done.

If that sounds familiar, try word sprints with friends, set a timer, or whatever makes that deadline panic work for you.

When I write before my day job, I can’t weasel out. The deadline is real and I only have so much time. I am a boat captain (just like the heroine of Tangled Lies) and work out in the sun most days, so by the time I get home from work, my brain is mush. I’ve learned that if my writing doesn’t get done first, it won’t happen that day at all.

Connie Mann at work!

3 – Set small goals

It sounds completely counterintuitive, but it works. I’m an optimist, which means I’m always pretty sure I can write a novel in a month; six weeks, tops. Then reality slaps me upside the head and I notice my gut is clenched and my palms are sweating because I’ve set an impossible goal. I just can’t do it.

I’ve learned to do the opposite and set small goals. Instead of 10,000 words in one day, I’ll tell myself I just need to write 500 words in this one hour. That’s it. No more. Usually, when the timer rings, I’ve written far more than 500 words. But even on days I don’t, I’ve met my goal so I can feel good about my progress.

4 – Keep a record

Speaking of progress, several years ago, I discovered the beauty of a yearly wall calendar, the kind that lets you see the whole year at once. That’s been a huge help in planning projects, setting reasonable goals, and meeting deadlines. But it also lets me record the successes--the days I met my goal, submitted a project and especially those days when good news arrives--like the day I sold Tangled Lies!

Writing is often solitary and kudos are few and far between, so this visual reminder of my progress throughout the year helps me stay the course. And for seasons when life interferes—as it inevitably does—it helps me cut myself some slack when progress is measured in teeny tiny steps.

That’s my battle plan for winning the creative war. It starts with the ‘butt in chair’ adage--and prayer, too--but without goals, deadlines and a set time of day, I never get close to my ‘misty creative’ ideal.

What about you? How do you get the story down on paper? What strategies do you use?

Leave a comment letting us know you’d like to be entered to win a print copy (U.S. address) of the newly-released Tangled Lies, from Waterfall Press. Available now!

Tangled Lies

Some Family secrets are best left buried at sea…

Orphaned as a child in Russia, boat captain Sasha Petrov has spent most of her life adrift, anchored only by her loving foster family. So when they beg her to return to the family marina in Safe Harbor, Florida, for Mama’s sixtieth birthday, Sasha complies, hoping to put the past behind her. But Mama has other plans: she wants her three foster daughters to find Tony, the biological son who disappeared twenty years earlier.

Sasha agrees to try, but that’s easier said than done when bad boy Jesse Claybourne shows up, reigniting an old attraction. Back in Safe Harbor on a quest of his own, Jesse gets tangled up in Sasha’s search, and soon the two are close to uncovering an old town secret that some will stop at nothing to protect.

When Jesse is violently beaten and Sasha’s dog is poisoned, they realize the past is hiding something more sinister than they ever imagined. Can they uncover the truth without destroying Sasha’s family and breaking each other’s hearts, or are they sailing against the wind?

Bio

Connie Mann is a licensed boat captain and the author of romantic suspense novels Tangled Lies (May 2016) Angel Falls and Trapped! When she’s not dreaming up plotlines, you’ll find “Captain Connie” on Central Florida’s waterways, introducing boats full of schoolchildren to their first alligator. She is also passionate about helping women and children in developing countries follow their dreams and break the poverty cycle. You can visit Connie online at www.conniemann.com.