My current insecurity revolves around direction. I have written and self-published eight adult works. This is my first young adult release, and I'm very excited to continue working on this series, but I often get anxious and stressed about whether I'm expending my energy in the right place. Should I be focusing solely on adult? Or maybe solely on young adult? I've planned to keep writing for both audiences, but can I do it? Can I keep up with a full time job, a family, and basically two writing gigs?
Completely exasperated with myself, I told my husband, "I need someone to manage me!" But hey, it was me who decided to give up the submission game and do this on my own. So I guess it's time to just pull it together. I know all this worry is just my own insecurity and ability to stress myself out about stuff that really doesn't matter. All that matters is that I keep improving, keep writing and keep putting it out there. But I worry nonetheless.
Are any of you self-published? Do you worry about the same thing? How do you choose a direction for yourself? Do you have a rigid gameplan, or do you tend to wing it?
I think after publishing 8 adult books, you've built your brand up enough where you can branch out. Welcome to the world of YA . . . I published my YA debut with a small publisher in January :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm not self-published yet, but definitely looking into it. I think you could go both ways. I mostly write MG and YA but I have ideas for NA and adult too. :)
ReplyDeleteI am not self-published, but I find surrounding myself with people on the same journey helps me choose successful directions.
ReplyDeleteHi! Welcome to the IWSG.
ReplyDeleteWow. You sound like you have it more together than you think!
I hope you just continue to write whatever feels right to you and not worry about what you should or should not write.
If it makes you happy it can't be that bad, right?
Heather M. Gardner
Heather- thanks. Now I've got that song in my head!!!
DeleteJulianne--if you enjoy both why not do both? We work best with what excites us.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of authors who choose to write both adult and YA. I think it comes down to pacing yourself.
I look at authors who publish 3 series. Part of the choice to write more than one is so the writing remains fresh and the author doesn't get bored with one. But, there is time in between each release. One of the reasons is to do each one justice. It takes time to produce a quality finished product. That's true whether you are published traditionally or self-published.
Sia McKye OVER COFFEE
Susan Kaye Quinn is a fairly successful self-publisher who has done both YA and adult. I like your attitude: all that matters is to keep improving and keep writing and putting it out there!
ReplyDeleteDo you have a trusted critique buddy that can serve as your "manager"? Could they help you set goals, make a work plan, or talk through what direction you want to go? Other self-published authors are amazingly talented people with writing chops as well as business skills. Why not tap their experiences?
ReplyDeleteElizabeth @ Scribbling In the Storage Room
It's a huge job and I've screamed for a manager, too! Didn't get any takers, so I'm back to relying on myself.
ReplyDeleteI'm a traditionally published author with two books, but I went Indie with my third one. Either way is a lot of work, and, actually, I think I've done a better job with book three on my own than with the whole team (editor, publisher and me) on the first two.
Great to meet you.
Wow congrats on the new YA novel and the 8 previous! It sounds like a lot to worry about but I agree that the fact that you are worried kinda means you're pretty on top of things!
ReplyDeleteYou'll do great :) stress seems to come in waves. It'll settle soon and then you can smile and nod till it hits again. Talk about a nasty cycle!
Thanks all! ;)
ReplyDeletei hopped on over from iwsg, a little late. nice to meet another self-published author. best wishes for whatever direction you go.
ReplyDeleteI'm facing some of the same decisions as you, even though I'm still working on my first book. My writing style tends toward the whimsical, much like the humor Rowling used in the Harry Potter books, so I'm trying to decide if I should keep my story middle grade or if I should increase the age of the characters.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're part of the IWSG.