Major/Minor Leagues In Writing Books

Major/Minor Leagues In Writing Books
(by Susan James)

My Biggest Thrill in my writing livelihood was seeing my first book
in print. I now have 6 in print. I chose to be an independent publisher,
which meant, I would both print and promote my books and other
works.

My other works are articles, essays, course material, which all feed
into the backdrop of my consulting business. It's all my writing
livelihood.

There are two primary ways to look at our writing livelihood or
career.

We can write a book, and go the traditional way of seeking an agent,
hoping to be discovered by a traditional publisher, which, for most
writers, that approach can feel like being the needle in the haystack
than no one has found yet. And or.......

The second way that some of us consider is to self or independently
publish our work, knowing full well, that we also have to promote our
own work if we want readership. We know we have to develop an
audience.

However, many new writers hoping for the traditional route soon
discover that the rules have changed at The Big Houses, and writers
need to promote themselves, and are not able to count on large
advances and big promotional pushes, even if they are signed.

If we are an independent publisher without a large capital backing,
then we might see ourselves similar to the Minor League in baseball.
If we are in the Minor League and swinging pretty well, and making
some noise, then we have a better chance of being picked up by the
Major's than if we weren't on the Minor league team at all.

Cyberspace and Search Engines have helped to level the playing field
a bit, in regards to being discovered; that is unless we still have our
manuscripts tucked neatly away in our desk drawer or on our desk top.

One of the many reasons, many of us write, is because  we would
love to do that for a living. I do that.

However, one of the first questions I had to ask myself was; Did I
choose to write as my livelihood and choose for it to support me,
and if so, was I then willing to realize that I must also look at my
writing as a business?

Therefore, what would be the best choice in beginning, and how
would I go about it, in regard to choosing writing fiction or non-
fiction?

If we are serious about writing as our livelihood, then we first have to
ask ourselves some serious questions. Otherwise, our writing
becomes a hobby. Not that there is anything wrong with that, as
Seinfield would say. The point is, if we want our writing to support us
in livelihood or career,  then we have to take a look at exactly what
that means, and the find ways to mold things our way.

Serious writer or hobby writer? We get to choose. But if we want to
play at all, we have to go out on the playing field, Major or
Minor.....and throw the ball!

Susan James (Copyright 2006)
A Susan James Course In The Business of Writing for Beginning
 and Seasoned Writers May Be Found Here:
http://sjwritingbusiness.blogspot.com/

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Susan James(Specializing in Business, Lifestyle and Financial
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