Blogger: Wendy Lawton
Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office, CA
Weather: Partly sunny with a high of 82º
Today is my last post in this series answering the question: How do I jumpstart my stalled career? On Monday we talked about how to jumpstart the aspiring writer’s stalled dreams. On Tuesday we addressed the published writer whose lackluster sales have stalled her writing career, and yesterday we talked about how to reinvent ourselves when there’s simply no jumpstarting. But today we’ll tackle a different problem. We’ll take a look at the author who took a hiatus from writing and now wants to come back.
There are many reasons to take a break–the need to make a living, time off to raise a family, the frustration of the whole publishing industry, illness, or even the need to live a bit more before trying to write about life. But if you’ve been called to write, chances are that you are not going to be able to leave it forever. At some point the bug’s going to bite again, and you’re going to dream of giving it another go.
As with any field, however, once you leave, it moves on without you. How do you make a re-entry when no one even remembers your name?
Each returning writer comes with a different history. If you had great success and left at a high point, it will be much easier to make a comeback. You’ll come armed with past sales numbers and a good explanation for your hiatus. You’ll need to have a new book that sparkles–a book that shows that the time away only enhanced your writing. You’ll have done your homework to demonstrate that you know today’s market. And before you even start shopping for a new agent or publisher, you’ll have spent time rebuilding your platform and brand. It’s best to have people talking about you long before you start trying to sell yourself and your work.
If you left while your career was still growing, you’re going to have some work to do. Chances are, you’ve lost the readers you once had. If your numbers were in the mid-range but trending up, you’ll need to communicate this. Then, of course, you’ll need to answer the question as to why you stepped away from a growing career. Just like our successful writer, you’ll have to write a book that demonstrates growth. You’ll have to understand the current market, and you’ll have done the work of networking and rejoining the writing community long before you shop your book.
If you experienced disappointing sales, the time away will be a boon to you. It’s unlikely that bookshop owners will remember books that sat too long on their shelves or that they had to pack them up and return them. Editors will have changed, publishing houses will be different. You will also have to have a superb book, but it will be better to consider yourself an almost-newcomer. When pitching your book, an agent would say, “She published a couple of books about ten or twelve years ago, but the time away has given her a whole new insight. . .” And again, you’ll have to set the stage for your return with networking, blogging, a website, writer’s groups involvement and more. You’ll want to have it all together, using all you learned from your earlier experience to re-enter smarter and better prepared.
The dangers of being away for a time will be much like those in any career. If you worked as an engineer before taking off a decade to raise a family, much of your former network would have changed, you’d have to demonstrate proficiency, and you’d have to convince people that if they are willing to invest money and energy into you, you won’t be taking another break.
But making a successful comeback is far from impossible. It’ll be a challenge, but just think of the story you’ll have to tell.
________________________________
As we’ve talked about career detours this week and as I’ve tried to offer strategies to overcome the obstacles, I hope I’ve encouraged you. There are precious few permanent setbacks. With enough creativity and perseverance, workarounds exist for nearly every challenge you’ll encounter.
Here’s some wise advice from the Bible: “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way” (James 1:2-4, The Message).
Your turn: How has your faith-life been forced into the open by this crazy writing career?
I think the biggest impact has been a greater realization that my validation comes from the Lord. While I take all the wonderful writing advice I can from classes, conferences, books, and blogs, I still need to write for the Audience of One. Sometimes I like to picture a huge auditorium and only one person there: the Lord Himself.
So rejections slips or hard critiques do not slash my validation. There’s only One in the audience. But it takes faith to stay with this perspective.
I think my primary love language is “words of affirmation” so I’m thankful to have a whole “bestseller” of words sent especially to me from the One whose words will never fail.
Wendy, thank you so much for your realism and for your encouraging words! This series was a great reality check.
I’m stalled after one novel published in 2005. Faith-wise, I continually hold my fiction writing in an open hand. If God makes it clear I should quit, I will; so far, I’ve still got the desire. Singers sing and writers write, all for His Glory. I press on…working to refine my craft and doggedly pursuing Him. You’ve given me some more ideas…thank you.
Linda J. White
Bloody Point, River Oak
Great posts. And to your question about faith-life, it’s been interesting. This crazy writing industry has actually increased my faith.
Yep.
First, trying to always write for Him–the audience of One. That’s helped strengthen my trust in Him and His timing/plan.
Second, the people who have read my work have seen deep into my faith in Christ’s ability to redeem anyone, despite his/her transgressions.
Oh, and I love that verse in James! One of my favs.
Hey Wendy —
At least twice a week I consider jumping back in. Your post gave me something to reflect on — and if I ever get around to actually producting something, I may come calling. It’ll give me an excuse to come out to CA! (It’s 60 and rainy here in Chicago.)
No ICRS this year …
Betsey
My two children’s books came out the same year my fifth child was born. An experienced author told me that producing a book a year is a sound like to do in this business. When that didn’t happen, I felt went through a sort of faith crisis, as well as identity crisis, wondering if I should have ever embarked on the writing journey in the first place if I couldn’t follow through. It took getting on my knees before God, as well as listening to some older and wiser writer friends, to realize that I was being called by God to tend to my family’s needs, and that the writing would still be there when my children were older. I continued writing through all of it, but was less focused on that next book. I know that God has called me to the writing life, but not at the expense of my family. Moving through the process helped me draw nearer to the God who gave me both my talent and my children. My children are growing and as they do, I am returning more fully to my writing. But I never again want to be tempted to wish away their childhoods in order to be a productive writer. God was calling me to re-order my priorities. I’m glad I listened.
Writing for publication can be such a siren call, but you are right, we’re called to live a balanced life. My life verse is Mark 12:30– talking about balancing the emotional, the physical, the spiritual and the intellectual. Thank you for the comments that address balance. (You’re preaching to the one who needs it–moi.)
If it takes a break from writing to achieve that balance, then God will honor that, right?
Hey Betsey! No ICRS? I’ll miss you.
As to jumping back into writing, when you’re working every day in the publishing industry I don’t think anyone would consider it taking a hiatus. You are immersed. When the time comes for you to take up the pen again, you’ll be able to call on all that market knowledge and all that suppressed writer-hunger.
Hi Wendy, I’m one of the people you describe, making a comeback after some years off. I thought people would have forgotten me, but I’m pleasantly surprised. A good reception from publishers, readers, and others in the indsutry. Being on Facebook and Twitter–plus a new website–has helped former readers and me to find one another. Also blogging. One aspect of the “comeback” is learning the new expectations and technology and marketing. So I’m working hard on that, long before the book is released. Too early to tell if this all works, but I’m encouraged by your post.
http://www.judithcouchman.com
http://www.judithcouchman.blogspot.com
http://www.startingover-judithcouchman.blogspot.com
Thank you, Wendy, I’ve enjoyed this series as I have those before it.
It is sometimes discouraging trying to break into the writer’s market. The thing that keeps me going is that I do feel God called me to write and the knowledge that He controls all things. When the time is right He will publish my books. I am to continue to write, trust in Him, and live my life centered on Him(Proverbs 3:5).
Thanks, Judith, for confirming that it can be done. (And done successfully.)
Thank you for this great series. I feel very inspired and informed.
I had a book a year for three years early in this millennium and then skipped a year before the next. Since then I have only had one story published although I have two YA fiction manuscripts out there and several picture book submissions. Etta tells me they are good, but Christian publishers don’t seem to be interested in the things I am passionate about like HIV/AIDS in Africa and artistic boys who are straight. I don’t regret writing those manuscripts, but I have to remind myself that God is ultimately my agent. He will connect those stories with the right readers in his time. But sometimes I forget that I’m not wasting my time if I am where he wants me to be.
I thought I wasnt going to like this blog but more I read the more I liked it.