If I had to do it all over again (or “Where I Messed Up”)

Ten years ago this week I held my first print book in my hands. I still remember the sense of achievement and joy. The Wrong Bride had been released in December 2001. It was a UK release and the publisher had mailed a copy because I wasn’t able to get it in stores here in the United States.

I’m surprised that it’s been ten years and I’ve learned a lot during that time. I am thankful for having savvy editors, a tenacious agent, and the chance to write the stories I want to read. But if I had to do it all over again, what would I do differently?

Well, here’s my answer. For all aspiring and newbie authors, take note.

The first thing I would do differently is come up with a clear definition of what I  write. I’m not talking about the subgenre of sexy contemporary romance. And I’m not talking about the taglines you often see on websites such as “glamorous, dramatic romance.” That comes later. I’m talking about the themes that often pop up in your work when you’re not even trying. It’s usually the message or moral of the story, although I hate to use those words because you’re not preaching to the reader. The theme can usually boil down into clichés like “love is blind” or “home is where the heart is.”

How do you know what your themes are?

* If you’ve written a lot of manuscripts or synopses, what themes keep popping up?

* If you don’t have a lot of story ideas to compare, look at your favorite books and movies. What themes keep popping up? What is it about those themes that interest you, and does it show up in your story ideas?

Why do you need to know your themes?

It’s helpful when you pitch your story to your editor or agent. If you know your overall theme, you can focus on that and get the message across clearly and quickly.

When I first started pitching stories to my editor, I couldn’t understand why some of them were rejected because they had all my marketable traits. The editor couldn’t explain why they weren’t excited about the idea. The only guide I could get was that “something was missing” or “it’s not like what we’ve bought from you before.” I gradually understood that the stronger my theme was in the story, the easier it was accepted.

When you know your theme, you can sell your work, comparing yourself with some writers, while at the same time setting yourself apart.

Let me put it to you this way: Have you noticed how many cats are in cartoons? There’s Tom from Tom and Jerry. Sylvester from Sylvester and Tweety, and Garfield. I’m sure there are more and the cartoon world would welcome new cat characters because they are popular. Let’s say you draw the Tom and Jerry cartoon. What makes Tom different from Sylvester? What makes Tom different from Garfield? What makes Tom the same, so you can understand how Tom will appeal to Sylvester and Garfield’s audiences?

Now when you are deciding your themes and taglines, think about what you bring to the publisher and reader. What adjectives come to mind when you talk about your work? And which of those adjectives do what to accentuate for your audience?

Once you know your theme, it helps you remain focused and consistent about the stories you’re delivering to your audience. This is going to be important and it brings up my next point:

The second thing I would do, if I could do it all over again, is make a career plan.

It’s difficult to make a career plan when you don’t know when you’re going to make the sale or who is going to be your publisher. That’s the main reason I didn’t make a detailed career plan. There’s so much that is not in your control.

Because I didn’t have a plan, my career was driven by how many books I was contracted to write. I was under the assumption that the more work I got out, the better it was for my career. If I was writing too many books for my publisher’s liking, I wrote for another line under a pen name.

Writing as fast as you can is not a great career plan, although it has worked for some authors. But it’s a lot like building a house of cards. If you get sick or something happens in your personal life, you realize how fragile your career is when you can’t devote all your time to it.

I’ve notice a lot of prolific authors are suddenly sidetracked with health and family issues. They can’t meet one deadline and then another. It can get messy and ugly, and it can take a few years before you can regain your momentum and your professional reputation. So no matter where you are in your career, have a plan.

* Start by deciding how many books you can comfortably write in a year. Most publishers would like a minimum of one book every 9 – 12 months. Harlequin wants three books a year.

* You have the power to decide the deadline unless it’s for an anthology or author series. Add extra time as insurance. Don’t make your deadlines too tight because you want to be available for an unexpected opportunity, or when you looking to jump houses and need time to write a proposal.

*Imagine your ideal work day with the life and commitment you have now. Don’t forget about the work associated with writing (revisions, copyedits, paperwork.) Also, do you want to do a lot of conferences or book tours? Consider these factors in your schedule.

*Define your goals and see if they align with your ideal work schedule. Your goal doesn’t have to be the bestseller lists. It could be that you want to make a certain level of income each year from writing. (Find out if it’s possible by visiting Sabrina Jeffries  or Brenda Hiatt‘s  websites.) Or do you want to receive a special recognition, like a contest win or rise to a level in your publisher’s hierarchy? Or do you want to get more involved with the RWA? Your immediate goal might be to quit your job and write full-time. That could take a while so start planning how you’re going to get there.

Bottom line: I regret not having a career plan, and I regret not understanding my core story. Next Wednesday, I’ll tell you two things I did that made a positive impact during those ten years.