Amidst the epublishing/RWAChange debates running rampant around romance writer blogs, I’ve noticed people are talking about what it means to be career-focused. This is one of the big reasons RWAChange started — when the RWA definition of the term “career-focused” excluded those who make less than a $1000 advance on their books.
Here’s the kicker: epublishers don’t pay advances. In lieu of that, they pay higher royalties. It’s how they maintain a business, it’s their business model. By the current definition of “career-focused” within RWA, anyone who chooses an epublisher or small press with a different business model is not considered focused on their career. (And truly, I have no idea where this leaves unpublished members who haven’t sold yet.)
Most of us pursuing a career as romance authors (or any sort of author) do it for the love of writing, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a strong business sense that tells us that a successful career can only be had with money. It’s why many authors still have “day jobs.”
In the world of business, companies and individuals often start with very little capital. They can take years to turn a profit, and they spend those years working themselves to death looking for every opportunity that comes their way to further their goals. Are they not career-focused if they aren’t making money for the first years? Does anyone want to go tell them that?
To me, career-focused means you’re focused on a goal. This includes having a business plan, where you’ve laid out how you wish to achieve your goals, and you work every day to meet those goals. When my book SOMETHING ABOUT HER released, I had a plan in place — one I’m still implementing every day, to further the goals I set for that book and for my career. I’m at the baby stages of my career, with my first book and soon to be followed by more. I’m focused. Believe me, I’m focused. Because if I lose that focus for a moment, I also lose my momentum. Truthfully, I think it takes more focus to start your career, than it does to be successful in it. Because when you’re starting, the goals are much farther away.
What does it mean to you to be career-focused? Does it mean mindset? And then, there is the bigger question that people hesitate to get into. If you weren’t going to make a dime on your writing, would you still write?
2 comments
I think being career-focused is a mind set, and has nothing to do with the publisher you sign with, or thousand dollar advances. I’m not getting an advance but I want to be a full time writer some day, so yeah, I’m career-focused. What I’m doing now is going to help me make it to that point.
Would I write if I wasn’t going to make any money, ever? Yes, I can’t possibly stop writing. However, I probably wouldn’t aim to be published. It would be much easier to write in my spare time as a hobby, and never have to do rewrites or worry about marketing.
Now not making money for the time being is fine with me. I’m realistic. I know building a career takes time, and that any money I do make is going to be funneled right back into marketing for the first few years. And even if I end up deciding not to be a writer (can’t imagine that happening, but if) and I make no money, I still wouldn’t give up my experiences in the publishing industry. It’s life experience.
Writing is a part of my life, it’s not who I am and it’s not my life. Ummm, does that mean I’m not career focused. I think back on my other career. I loved the work, I didn’t necessarily like going to work. I didn’t like the politics and bureaucracy. I don’t think anyone ever questioned my being career focused.
And, what about Margaret Mitchell she only wrote one book. I don’t think she’d be considered career focused. But then she didn’t have the technology we have. One book would take as long as xxxx in todays world.
I’m rambling but I think writings an individual thing, you write, you market, you promote… you’re career focused.