Friday 5 September 2014

Let's Get These Stories Written!

During the past four years I have been on an exciting journey as I became a wife, a mother, and a published author. It has taken me until now to realise exactly where my writing career is likely to advance. I hadn't really considered the possibilities of how to earn a regular income and how to make my business viable. I am still figuring that out. True to my creative nature, I try not to think about facts and figures unless I need them in a story. I much prefer the freedom to follow my heart and go where my spirit takes me.

But, needs must, and we live in a society that is reliant on monetary income. It is time I returned to the land of paid employment. At the moment I am still working out how to do that as a self-employed businesswoman. My business is writing. I just have to establish which forms of writing I want to focus on. I had tried a little freelancing, and I secured a few jobs writing blogs for obscure websites in countries I have never visited. The pay was low, and after almost a year I decided it wasn't really worth my time and effort.


I have four published novels, and three published short stories that are all widely available for sale both online and in bookstores. My problem is advertising them effectively when I have literally no budget and no means of marketing beyond what I can manage for myself. It is very hard to rely on word-of-mouth sales when my friends and family rarely talk about books. I am still trying to get the word out, but I am not what you would call a vocal person, and I find it quite difficult to confidently sell myself to strangers without feeling nervous and self conscious.


Anyway, aside from that, I need a regular income. My book sales barely cover the cost of a pad of paper at the moment, and the freelance article writing I had considered just doesn't sit right with me. Now I have decided to start entering story competitions. I have entered a few in the past; indeed that is how I got my very first short story published, in the teen anthology Devils, Demons and Werewolves. But then I trailed off. I entered a few more competitions without success, but then allowed myself to be distracted. Now I need to get back on it, so to speak. My stories must be written, and I will earn some money from them so I can promote my novels and support my family. Let's do it!

4 comments:

  1. I know exactly what you mean - there is a friction between be creatively free and needing to pay the electric bill. I find it hard when things are financially tough, to just sit down and write - massive guilt trip about 'wasting' time when I should be 'working'. I'm lucky in that, being quite a bit older, I have more time to myself and can be flexible about when I write. Also, freelance proofreading and editing is working really well for me - like you I gave up the blogging for other people. I now allow myself about £10 per month for promotions - hardly a massive amount, but it means I can boost my 'visibility' on Facebook, and hopefully one day, that will boost my sales. I would be very happy to carry an ad for your books on my Wordpress blog, and a link to here - but I only have 212 followers at the moment - however that's gone up by 50 in the last week, so it could grow more... If there's anything I can do, just ask. Hang in there.

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  2. That is very kind of you, thanks Caron! Perhaps we could do a few guest author features as well, promote each other?

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  3. I'm sort of in the same boat as you ladies... Caron and Catherine. But, fortunately for me, I'm in no danger of being homeless or not having my bills paid. I am in the same boat where my marketing efforts for my book are concerned. Ugh. Remind me again why we are writers!? LOL *but crying inside* ;)

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  4. I know, Lorraine, why do we do this to ourselves?! Aw, but I do love the writerly life though... ; )

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