I was an excited, wet-behind-the-ears old broad when I signed my first publishing contract with The Wild Rose Press on November 16, 2011. The contract was for Storm's Interlude, the third book I'd managed to finish. The first two? I'd long since deleted them from my computer. It seems agents, nor editors like stories written in twelve points of view...or with a heroine so bitchy even the dog hated her. Oh, the lessons I've learned along the way, I could write a book about how to write a book.But The Wild Rose Press was good to me. There's no other way to put it. They took a no-name writer and published her book, one that won several awards, by the way. At their writers' retreat in Asheville in 2012, Rhonda Penders, one of the owners of the press, gave me some wise advice. "Write two 'shorts' for every 'long'." I didn't think much of it at the time. I was all about writing books, not novellas. But I am smart enough to try the opinion of someone who knows more about an industry than I do. So, when Stacy, an editor, laid out her Honky Tonk Hearts series, I wondered if I could write short. I took an online class on "Writing the Sensual Novella."
I began writing more novellas, enjoying the process and seeing their worth.
While my novellas remain at Wild Rose Press, my books are in my hands now, no longer for sale. When I hit a rough patch in my current WIP, I'll zip over and read one of those books, correct the errors and breathe some life into it. Or maybe I'll realize they, too, need deleted. It's all a learning process, isn't it?
11 comments:
What did your husband think when Win and his motorcycle breezed into your bedroom (smile!)? Great post, my friend.
Thank goodness he takes his hearing aid out. He misses out on all the men who visit. But, he writes, too, and I hear him mumble about his characters too.
Sometimes we have to make hard decisions. Best of luck with those books, Vonnie. I'm sure you'll make them shine again.
It hurts when something doesn't have great sales, especially when they're close to your heart. But Jannine's right--you'll get them shining!
I hope so, Jannine. I have two more books I'd like to add to Storm to make a series. But as for the ones set in Paris? Gee, I loved those books. They were such fun to write.
You're so right, Liz, it's bothersome when books that are dear to us don't sell. You want to grab people on the street and hand them a copy. "Here, read this!" LOL Because you think everyone else just has to love it as much as you do. Then again, you have to ask yourself if you're just being delusional and they're really crapola books.
Not crapola, Vonnie, if they came from your heart. I have great respect for TWRP too, but a series of three I wrote are much like your Paris books. Decision time for me too.
Vonnie, I loved Storm's Interlude and would love to read the yet-to-be-written follow-ups to that book. I'm sure something great will happen with your novels!
We put so much time and heart into our books to allow them to go unread, Margo. I hope I can breathe new life into them one day.
Nona, I have some ideas in mind for book two of a series. As for book three, I'm kind of wafeling on what I'll do with it. I'm thrilled you liked Storm's Interlude. It rolled out of me in less than 3 months, so I was sure it was no good. Until an agent fell in love with it.
Vonnie, how many books have you written vs novellas? So what you're saying is that some of your books are selling well and others aren't (even if you promo for all of them). Hmmm. So far, what I see is that my new releases sell...the others sit there. You must have other evidence of the need to pull some books out of the mix. Inquiring minds yearn to know. Great topic!
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