A Dash of Words with Loleta Abi Romance Author

The Writer’s Wheel 9/29/19: Do You Want to be a One Hit Wonder or Here for the Long Haul?

Loleta Abi

Some authors have one hit and fade from the limelight, others make a career of things. Which one do you hope to be? Let’s take a look at the options.

The One Hit Wonder.

This could also be a series not just one book. The author finds fame and fortune in one book. For some reason, they disappear from the publishing world. Could it be that that’s all they hand in them? Maybe they soured on fame. Maybe social media proved too much to handle. It could also be that they reached their bucket list goal: to be published and then stepped back, satisfied.

Do you hope to get one book out there? You probably won’t need an agent in that case as they’re looking for authors in it for the long haul. They want more than one book, one brief splash of fame by a writer. It’s all well and good that you took the world by storm. Maybe you’re afraid you can’t do it again. Sometimes the stress of attempting a second book makes us not want to risk it.

A Little More.

Okay, so maybe you have a second book in you. Possibly a third as well. You push a little more, make more of an effort but in the end, don’t go anywhere. There’s little interest in your books, sales are way down. Even a ninety-nine-cent sale seems to go nowhere. What do you do at this point? Think things over? Decide to call it the end? No point in dragging things out. Do you give up? Or keep on? The decision is yours, of course. Publishing is hard. There’s more rejection out there than anyone deserves. Still, we carry on. With hope that down the road, it will pay off.

But will it? It’s hard to say. I’ve heard back and forth, from Indie to traditional published authors who say: There’s no money in writing. Others, say there is. Who do you believe? Which way do you turn? Another decision you will have to own. There can only be one name-your-favorite-famous-author here. They faced rejections, they had bad contracts, suffered from social media attack dogs. They either kept on or retreated.

The Career-minded.

Do you keep on if you’re just not getting much out of publishing? The biggest decision you will ever make. Everybody wants to write a book. Someday. Some do; some don’t. It’s harder and easier than it looks. Harder in the crafting and editing and polishing to perfection stage. And heck, sometimes even getting that first page, that first draft down. Easier to publish in that it only takes a button now.

But are you ready? Is your prose worth reading? That’s the question. Think long and hard before you hit “publish.” It might save you some embarrassment. If what your writing is a memoir, you could publish it only for you. It could be a glorified diary you keep to yourself. But if it’s a story, consider an editor. They might be able to make your book shine. Yes, it’s costly but better than falling-on-your-face.

Those beta readers and critique group have a place in your advancement of your story but an editor has a good eye for what works and what doesn’t. They can help you take your WIP to the next level. I’m working with an editor on my own book right now. I like her viewpoint and the way she challenges me to go the extra way to the finish line. What are your thoughts? Do you only have one novel in you or is this meant to be a career?

Have a great week, take care, and God bless!