Dear O'Abby: how do I ask published authors for advice?

 Dear O'Abby,

I was at a book launch over the weekend and the author who spoke was really lovely and friendly during her Q & A, so I thought I'd approach her later and ask some advice about how to get my own books  published since I'm a complete novice when it comes to the publishing industry.

Well, she was not nearly as nice or friendly when I caught her after her signing and asked her if she'd be willing to talk to me about that.  In fact, she made me feel like a total idiot for even asking.  I cringed out of the bookstore and went home to lick my wounds. With a pint of Rocky Road.

Obviously that was not the right way to approach a published author for advice, but what is?  Any guidance you can give me would be gratefully accepted.  I never want to feel that humiliated again.

Best wishes,

Embarassed

Dear Embarassed,

I'm sorry you had that experience.  Most authors are actually very helpful and willing to help newer writers navigate the rocky path to publishing.  But maybe this was not the right place or time to pursue the answers you're looking for.  A book launch is that author's big day, a celebration of all the hard work they have put in to get that book published and out into the world.  

If you're going to speak to an author at an event like this, it's probably best if you have bought their book before you approach them.  Even better if you've read it, or at least read something they have written.  Then you can ease into the conversation by talking about their work before you bring up your own.

Also, make sure the author you're speaking to writes in a similar genre to you.  There is no point asking a non-fiction writer about their publishing experience if you are writing novels.  The two are very different and advice you get from a non-fiction author will not necessarily apply to you as a novelist.

Have a good sense what you want for your book in terms of publishing.  An author who publishes with a small press or academic press will have very different experiences to speak about that an author published by one of the big 5.  And if they are self-publishing, it's a whole other ballgame.  Make sure what you want aligns with the author you want to approach or the advice you get is not likely to be applicable.

Make sure you have specific questions.  Do some research and learn where the gaps in your knowledge are. The broader the questions you ask, the less specific the answers are likely to be, and you may not learn what you want to learn. Go in with three or four targeted questions and you are more likely to get something you can use than if you go in with something like , "so, how do I get my novel published?"

And know when to walk away.  If an author doesn't want to engage, don't push it.  Just thank them and leave them alone. Or ask if there is a better time for them when they might be more able to speak.  Book launches can be overwhelming, especially if the author is uncomfortable speaking to a crowd.  They might be more willing to meet up with you one on one, or answer your questions by email.

Hopefully that helps!

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: Does this contract clause sound okay to you?

 Dear O'Abby,

A small press has accepted my novel for publication!  I was over the moon to finally be on my way with the writing career I've dreamed about since I was a little kid. But then the contract arrived and now I'm not so sure.

Most of the contract looks pretty standard and nothing stood out to me as being a red flag.  Until I reached the termination clause and found that should I wish to terminate my contract with the publisher, they will charge me a termination fee.  Plus, they will charge me for any editing, cover design, formatting and marketing they have done to date.  And any other "title-related costs".

Is this standard in publishing contracts?  Or is it something I should be wary of and run as far as I can from this publisher?  I'm obviously not planning to terminate my contract early, but you never know what might happen in the future...

Kind regards,

Future Uncertain

Dear Future Uncertain,

A termination fee is not always a red flag.  Sure, it's hard on an author who wants out of their contract, but if a publisher does a good job publishing a book and invests time, money and effort into editing, design and marketing, they probably do have a right to try and make some of that cost back if an author decides to walk before the book has earned back the cost of producing it.

Where termination clauses cause issues, is when publishers use them as a tool to punish authors, or to hold them in house even when they are unhappy with the way the publisher has handled their book(s).  And to me, that very vague "title-related costs" does sound somewhat ominous.  Unless a publisher can outline exactly what costs you will you will be liable for, I'd be uncomfortable.

Ideally a publisher will work with an author if they are unhappy and try to resolve any issues without invoking a termination clause.  Generally speaking, if the contract period is for a reasonable length of time, a clause stating an author can terminate after a certain period is more fair in that it gives the author a way out, yet also gives the publisher time to earn back some of the money they spent on producing the book.  Do check that part of the contract too - a life-of-copyright contract with no clause to terminate once sales drop below a certain level is also a big red flag.

I'm not a lawyer or an expert in publishing contract language, so I would suggest getting someone with real experience in this area to look over the contract if you're worried.  I know it will cost you some money, but potentially less than if you get caught in a bad contract you may want to get out of later.

And for some more information, here's an article I found about publishing contracts and clauses to look out for.  Please check to make sure your contract doesn't have any of these clauses as well. 

Best of luck!  I really hope this isn't a bad contract and that your publishing dreams will come true.

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: What happens next?

 Dear O'Abby,

I just got a publishing contract from a small press.  I'm super excited because this is the first time I've had a novel accepted after querying agents and publishers for over five years and with three different books.  I've signed the contract and sent it back and they've sent me a fully executed one so it's all real!

But what happens next?  I know you have published with a small press, so I'm wondering if you can share the next steps with me?  I hate not knowing what to expect.

Sincerely,

Almost There

Dear Almost There,

Congratulations!  I know how amazing it feels to finally get a yes after years and years of no.  And it will be even more amazing for you once you finally get to hold a copy in your hand!  Assuming, of course, yours is not an e-book only publisher.  But even that's pretty darn exciting!

In terms of next steps, the first one is waiting. Sorry, I know you've probably already done a ton of that, but there's more.  I don't know how quickly your publisher turns things around, but mine is fairly quick and generally I get a first round of edits from the editor assigned to me within 6-8 weeks of having a book accepted. Once I've turned those around, a second round of edits tends to happen fairly quickly afterward.

In terms of edits, don't worry too much about them.  I've published with two small presses now, and neither of them have asked for anything substantial in terms of edits; it's mainly been just fitting things to their style guide.  I've never had to substantially change anything (other than a character's age once, which I rankled at a little).

Once you've turned around your edits, you will likely be told when the book is due to come out.  And not long after that, you should get cover art to look at and approve.  My current publisher is really responsive to feedback on covers and has completely re-done two of mine because I really wasn't happy with the first attempt.  I'm lucky in that sense.  I don't believe all publishers are that collaborative, but if you hate what they send, let them know.  Don't just accept it.

My publisher tends to publish e-book first, followed by print a few weeks later.  So not long after you approve your cover art, you should get e-book files and, if your publisher creates them, some marketing materials.  Once you have these things, you can kickstart your promotional campaign.  Most small presses don't do a whole lot of promo for you, so the bulk of marketing and publicity will fall to you. 

 It's good to make sure you have a decent amount of lead time available once you have your cover art and e-book files because this is the really time consuming part.  You will want to contact reviewers and book bloggers and anyone else who can help you get the word out about your book before it releases.  I've even asked my publisher to hold back the release date in the past, just because I know I need at least 6-8 weeks to get this work done - even with a really good database of people who have reviewed my stuff before.

And then...  You're book is out.  And hopefully reviews start coming in.  And readers respond to it in the way you want them to.  

Best of luck!  And do write back and let us know when the book is available.

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: What does publishing look like in 2023?

 Dear O'Abby,

I'm jumping back into publishing (or trying to publish my books) this year after being away from it for several years (kids, day jobs, caring for elderly parents - all the usual life disruptions) and am noticing that things have changed quite a bit since I last published a novel.  What do I need to know about publishing a novel in 2023?

Faithfully,

Out of Touch

Dear Out of Touch,

Obviously no one has a crystal ball, so please take anything I say here with a grain of salt as any predictions are based on things we've seen in the last few years, and as we all know, life throws curve balls more often than we might expect.

But here are a few things we are likely to see in 2023.

1. Non-fiction outselling fiction - with the world becoming increasingly fractured and baffling, and  looking almost as dystopian as a sci-fi/fantasy novel, people are searching for ways to understand how we got here, how to navigate the place we are in, and what we need to do to make the world a better place or ourselves better as people.  

2. Audiobooks grow in popularity - Audiobooks have seen a huge boost in popularity, especially amongst Millennials and Gen Xers.  The ease of consuming a book audibly, plus increased production values have led to the audiobook becoming the preferred format for many readers. With celebrity narrators and authors narrating their own work and/or sharing podcasts about it, audiobooks should no longer be an afterthought, but an important part of your publishing strategy. I mean, who doesn't want to be able to read while cleaning the toilet or dusting the blinds?

3. AI is not going anywhere - While I think it will be some time before we see novels of any quality being written by AI, 2023 will see this new technology being used across a wide range of publishing and publishing adjacent functions from cover design to audiobook narration to publicity to creating summaries of books to be published online.  In fact, I don't think we can even imagine how much the impact of AI will have on our industry yet.  

4. Diversity remains important - While we've seen an explosion in the representation of previously under-represented groups in recent years, particularly in YA, there is still a long way to go.  The representation of people from different cultures, races, genders, sexualities and abilities in fiction will remain important in 2023, as will supporting authors representing these diverse identities. Sensitivity readers will be an important part of the editing process to ensure representation of specific groups is accurate and non-offensive.

5. Platform is important - Platform has always been critical to those publishing non-fiction, but in 2023 even novelists will need to up their game when it comes to having an online presence and platform.  Book related TikTok has blown up in 2022 and with it, a whole new generation of avid readers has been created.  As the social media landscape evolves and changes, trying out new platforms and experimenting with new ways to reach readers has never been more important.

I'm sure we will see other big changes in the course of the year.  It will be interesting to keep up with them and to see if things actually do swing the way we think they will.

X O'Abby.

 Dear O'Abby,

I have a friend who has written a book.  She's just discovered she has terminal cancer and the one thing she wants more than anything else is to hold a copy of her published book in her hand. The doctors say she has anything between six and eighteen months left.  

My question is, can she get a book published in this timeframe?  How long does it generally take?

Sincerely,

Out of Time

Dear Out of Time,

So sorry to hear about your friend.  That is sad news and not something anyone ever wants to hear.

On a more positive note, yes, your friend can hold her published book in her hand within this timeframe.  Just probably not if she wants to be traditionally published by one of the big publishers.

To get published by a traditional publisher, in most cases you need an agent.  And to get an agent you need to query.  Querying is a time consuming exercise because you need to research which agents might be looking for books like the one you've written, tailor each query to said agent (and they all have slightly different requirements) and then wait for responses.  And once you start getting them, if they are mainly rejections (and I'm afraid they usually are), you may need to tweak your query to make it stronger and more appealing.  The whole querying process can take months, if not years, and there is no guarantee of success.

If you do manage to get an agent, you will likely need to do a round or two of revisions with her before she'll take the book out on submission.  And there is no guarantee that the book will sell in the first round of submissions.  Another round or two of editing may be required based on feedback from this first submission round before the agent will go out again.

And then, even if an editor does love the book and manages to get it through the company's editorial board, the publication date is likely to be at least 18 months away.  Publishing is glacially slow.

So I don't think your friend can realistically expect to be traditionally published and still have the chance to hold the book in her hands.

Luckily, there are other options.  Many small presses have much shorter editing time built into their release schedules and do edits simultaneously with cover design and creating marketing materials.  My publisher tends to get books from signed contract to print within 6 months.  I've actually had to push back my release date a couple of times just to get enough lead-in to set up decent publicity and marketing.

And there is always the option of self-publishing which is the fastest way to get that book into her hands.  She will need to pay for her own editing and cover design in this case, but if holding that book is as important to her as you make out, then she won't resent it.

Hopefully this is helpful.  I wish you all the luck in the world with helping your friend achieve this lifelong dream.

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby - Should I critique my bestie's book?

 Dear O'Abby,

I am a published author with several books to my name, both traditionally and self-pubbed.  My husband has just completed his first novel and asked me to beta read for him. Rather foolishly, I agreed, and am now faced with a dilemma.  

The book is nowhere near ready for publication.  It's a fascinating idea, but the execution is such I can't see it being redeemed without basically starting again with the same core idea, but an entirely different approach.

My question is, do I tell my husband this? I don't want to ruin our relationship, but I feel like I'd be doing him a disservice if I didn't tell him the book isn't ready to send out.  The query trenches are tough enough when you do have a sale-able manuscript!

Do you have any advice for me?

Sincerely,

Divorce Pending

Dear Divorce Pending,

This is such a tough situation to be in and I feel your pain. I have been in a similar situation before, and I now refuse to critique manuscripts for anyone I know in real life.  It's just too hard when the book isn't good!  You've already agreed to read it, so it's too late to tell him you can't do it, so the way I see it, you have two choices.

You can tell him you read it and enjoyed it and give him feedback only on the things you liked about it.  It's not going to help him much, but it might keep your marriage intact.  Once he starts sending it out and inevitably gets rejections, he might be more receptive to hearing your thoughts. But then, he might also be angry that you weren't 100% honest with him to start with.

The other option is to be brutally honest and tell him exactly where the flaws are and what he needs to do to fix them.  You know him best, so are in the best position to understand how he might react to this type of critique.

If you do decide to go the second route, it's probably a good idea to start with the positives and to lead with telling him this is just your personal and professional opinion.  Let him know he doesn't have to take any of your advice if it doesn't feel right to him and that he should definitely get critiques from others as well so he can see if the same things come up for other readers.  You will know all this if you're a writer yourself.

At the end of the day, you need to be honest about your relationship and how your husband responds to criticism.  It's not worth destroying an important relationship over this, so make sure you tread carefully.  Your husband might surprise you.  No doubt he has seen and heard enough of the process through your experiences to know at least a little about it, and you might find he's far more open to your critique than you might imagine.

Good luck!  And do let us know how it goes...

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: Do my previous sales matter?

 Dear O'Abby,

I'm querying again...  Long story so I won't bore you.  What I need to know is, do I need to let the agents I'm querying know that I have been published before?  Both self-published and traditionally.  None of my books have had what you would call significant sales and my new book is in a different genre and I have written them under a pseudonym.

Do I need to tell agents about the lackluster sales performance of previous books?

Best,

No-sale

Dear No-sale,

This is not an enviable position to be in.  Agents and publishers are always interested in previous sales figures and will research this.  Using a pseudonym for your new books is a good idea, but at some stage you will need to reveal your real name to the people who are representing you and that is not the time for your poor sales record to be revealed.

I don't think you need to include your previously published work in your query letter, but it is something you need to reveal to any prospective agent when you are having "the call".   It is something that will influence their decision-making and you need to be upfront about it before you get to the stage of signing an agent contract.  Dishonesty is never the best policy.

I'm going to be perfectly honest here.  Any agent considering representing you will look at your previous sales figures regardless of whether they are for the same genre or not.  And poor sales figures do influence agent decisions.  Remember that agents only get paid when you do, so they need to know that whatever you send them is something they can sell.  And if you have a history of books that don't sell, it's not great for you.

My advice is to be upfront about your previous sales once you have agent interest.  If an agent loves your new work enough, and sees its potential, they will find ways to get around your previous record.  Using a pseudonym is a good idea as it will keep your older work at a distance for a while.

I hope this helps!

Good luck with the querying.

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: How Do I Know Which Agents to Query?

 Dear O'Abby,

I'm a newb to the whole writing and publishing thing, so if this is a stupid question, just ignore me.  I've read enough to know I can't just send my book off to the publisher of my choice and expect to hear anything back.  I know I need to get an agent if I want one of these publishers to take me seriously.

My question is, how do I know which agents to query?  There seem to be so many!  Do you have any advice about which ones I should be targeting?

All the best,

Newbie

Hi Newbie,

Diving into the query trenches can be overwhelming, and without doing a bunch of research before you start, you could end up wasting a whole lot of time.

The first thing to do is to identify where your book fits.  Many agents only represent certain types of books and there's no point querying an agent who doesn't represent your genre or category.

There are a number of websites that can help you narrow down your search.  I like The Official Manuscript Wish List & #MSWL ® Website because not only can you search the agents by genre and category, they list what they are specifically looking for as well.  The information isn't always entirely up to date, so I suggest going to the website and looking at any agent you think is suitable before you send anything.  Guidelines often change and you don't want your query vanishing into limbo because you emailed instead of filing out an online form.

Another good place to start is QueryTracker | Find literary agents and publishers with our free database.  Users leave notes about how quickly agents respond and other useful tidbits here, and again, you can sort agents by genre and category.

Another really helpful tool in narrowing down a potential list of agents is to read the acknowledgements in books you feel are like yours.  Authors often thank their agents in these pages, so this is a way to find out who might be receptive to a story like yours.

Following agents on Twitter is also a good way to get to know what they are looking for and what their pet peeves might be.  You may even find you have something really unique in common you can use to personalise your query - perhaps you both have toy poodles called Toby, or both enjoy crocheting hats for balding alpacas while warbling along to Hamilton... Any way you can forge a connection is valuable.

I hope that helps as you start on your journey.  You may not get an agent with the first book you query, but you will learn a lot and begin to build a network around yourself and your work.

X 

O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: How do my co-writer and I work together?

 Dear O'Abby,

I'm working with another writer on a dual POV novel.  She's writing one POV, and I'm writing the other.  We're just about through editing and starting to think about publishing and realized we have no idea how it works for teams of writers working together.  Do we just query like usual?  What about if one of us already has an agent?

Can you help?

Best,

Bemused

Dear Bemused,

If one of you is agented, I have to assume said agent doesn't rep the genre this particular novel falls into, or you'd be pitching it to her first.

If neither one of you is agented, I suggest you just query as you would on your own.  Make it clear in the query that there are two authors for this book even if you plan to publish it under a single pen name.  It will make things simpler later on and agents like to know this kind of thing, especially since two authors can make twice as much work for the agent.

The most important thing, before you do anything else, is to make sure the pair of you have a really good agreement drawn up regarding the partnership and how it works.  The writing part might have been a dream, but once there's money involved, like all good things, there's potential for things to go south.  To avoid destroying your working relationship, make sure both of you understand how the partnership works and are happy with it.  A tiny detail like whose name goes first on the cover can end up being the thing that ends a fantastic creative partnership.

Don't sign any publishing or agency contracts until this partnership agreement is firmly in place and you are both happy with the terms.

Other than that, go forth and query.  And good luck!

Yours,

O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: What next?

 Dear O'Abby,

I have just about finished the book I started writing for NaNo and was wondering what I do next.  This is the first time I've attempted NaNo and I was pretty surprised at myself for being able to do it.  Not only did I write the 50,000 words, but I've almost finished my book.  I think I'll be done by the end of next week.

I want to get it published now, so was wondering if you had any advice about what to do next.

Thanks,

First-timer

Dear First-Timer,

Let me congratulate you on both finishing NaNo and completing your book.  Both are fantastic achievements and you should be very proud of yourself.  I'm proud of you too!

But talking about publishing right now is jumping the gun a little bit...  There are a lot of steps that need to be taken before you even start thinking about that.

What you've written this month is a first draft, not a finished novel.  In fact, I don't even call my NaNo drafts a first draft; I call them zero-drafts or vomit drafts.  They're a basic idea of a novel which may have moments of beauty and insight, but are definitely not ready for anyone, even my closest critique partners, to read.

The first thing you should do is leave the book alone for a few weeks.  Write something else, or take a nice holiday break from your story.  In three or four weeks you can go back to it with fresh eyes and a level of perspective you won't have right now.

Then the hard work of revising begins.  You will probably find there are parts of the story you need to fill in, character details you figured out as you wrote that need to be woven into the characters earlier in the story, plot points that might not make a lot of sense where they happen in the story and myriad other things.  You will probably find you spend far longer revising and re-writing than you did writing your initial draft.  I usually find it takes me around 6-9 months to get a NaNo draft polished up enough to send out to readers.

Which is the next step.  You need to find people to read for you, people who can give you constructive feedback that you can use.  You might want to join a critique group online (or in person if we're ever allowed to do that again) or you might know some other writers in your area who might be willing to read for you.

You need to be prepared for critique at this stage.  Sometimes feedback from readers is harsh and not at all what you were expecting.  Readers might hate your favorite character or think the plot point you believed was cleverly crafted falls flat.  They might have issues with your character arcs, with the pacing.

Take some time to digest the feedback you get.  Some may resonate while some may not.  But it's important to consider it all and implement what you feel will help make your story stronger.

Then rinse and repeat...  Maybe then you can start thinking about publishing and the steps you can take toward it.

Hope this helps and doesn't discourage you too much. It's a lot of work, but it really is worthwhile and your book will be so much better for it.

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: How do I get more reviews?

Dear O’Abby,

I’m a published author with four books released, but sales are slow and despite working really hard to get reviews on Amazon – which I have been led to believe are the key to good sales – they are really hard to get. The reviews I’ve had have been good, mainly 3-5 stars, but there just aren’t enough of them to have much impact. Do you have any advice on how to get more reviews and therefore more sales?

Best wishes,

Reviewless

Dear Reviewless,

Getting reviews is hard, I know. For my last book, I wrote over 100 emails to book bloggers, sent out numerous review copies, and still only received a handful of reviews in return. It’s a little soul destroying, particularly when you’d rather be working on your next book instead of pumping out email after email with little return.

There are services that offer to help find reviewers for you, but be careful of these and do your due diligence before dropping any cash. It is against Amazon’s rules for you to pay for reviews and some of these services are pay-to-play and you may end up spending a lot of money for reviews that Amazon will remove right after they’re posted. This includes offering any kind of gift or incentive in exchange for reviews, even offering a review to another author in return.

Personally, I have used two different review-finding services, one of which was excellent value for money, the other, less expensive, but also less effective. Predictably, the next time I wanted to use the excellent service, they were booked up over a year in advance, so were not available at the time my book was being released.

There are also a number of free sites where you can offer your book for reviewers. I have had zero success with any of these, but they’re free, so even if they don’t generate any reviews, at least it’s not costing me anything other than the time to fill in the online form.

I have read that targeting the top Amazon reviewers who review similar books to your own is an effective way to generate reviews, but have not tried this myself. I had a look, but so few of the top reviewers had contact information available, it felt like something that would be more time consuming that it was worth. If anyone has tried this, I would be interested to know if it paid off…

Another thing I’ve heard about is adding a page at the end of your book urging readers to leave a review if they enjoyed the book. I’m not self-pubbed, so can’t do this, but if you are, this could be something that helps remind readers to leave a review.

You should also remind your fans to do so. If you have a mailing list (and you should), you will send out regular newsletters to people who have signed up because they already like your work. These people are your strongest allies and it’s important you use them effectively. Offering free review copies to these people is not effective because as your fans, they are likely to buy your new book anyway. But they are the people who will talk about your book and raise awareness of it. Use them to create advance buzz and be your street team in letting people know your book is coming, and that you’re looking for reviewers.

Keep track of who reviews your latest book so you can reach out to them again for your next one. Some reviewers state in their guidelines they are not open to reviewing unless they’ve worked with an author previously, so these relationships are important. So are the relationships you build with other writers. You can ask your beta readers and critique partners to review your book when it is finally published. You can ask your editor and copy editor. You can ask your cover designer.

Long story short, getting reviews is hard. It’s time consuming and there are really no short cuts. You just have to do the work, reach out to as many people as possible, and nurture the relationships you build this way.

If any of our blog readers have come across any great way to get more reviews, please post them in the comments.

Hope this is helpful, and good luck!

X O’Abby

Random Musings from the Funny Girl by Gini Koch

Gini Koch has published a truckload of books under various pen names, including The Alien Series--a great sci-fi/romance romp with aliens that look like supermodels, and a novella called The Happy Acres Haunted Hotel for Active Seniors that made me laugh until my sides hurt. She has truly mastered the art of writing funny.

From Gini, I also learned how important it is to write from your "hindbrain"--in essence, your subconscious mind. When I remember to do this, I can tell my inner editor to go to hell, and my characters and story come more naturally. She offers full sessions on this--and many other workshops that I've found infinitely helpful.

This month, she's released an anthology of some of her shorter works--including both old and never-before-seen pieces--available now from Amazon.com and the other usual places. Here's a glimpse:

Want to know the untold story of Gini Koch? Did Gini really spend time in the Peace Corps? And did she really get arrested for stalking Nathan Fillion? Is she fluent in any language other than sarcasm? And what's the real reason she's banned from Denny's. The answer to these and other burning questions are in this book! So what are you waiting for? Buy this book NOW! It's not getting any younger, you know. Is it fact or fiction? You decide.

Gini Koch lives in Hell’s Orientation Area (aka Phoenix, AZ), works her butt off (sadly, not literally) by day, and writes by night with the rest of the beautiful people. She writes the fast, fresh and funny Alien/Katherine “Kitty” Katt series for DAW Books, the Necropolis Enforcement Files series, and the Martian Alliance Chronicles series for Musa Publishing. As G.J. Koch she writes the Alexander Outland series. She also writes under a variety of other pen names (including Anita Ensal, Jemma Chase, A.E. Stanton, and J.C. Koch), listens to all kinds of music 24/7, and is a proud comics geek-girl willing to discuss at any time why Wolverine is the best superhero ever (even if Deadpool does get all the best lines). She speaks frequently on what it takes to become a successful author and other aspects of writing and the publishing business. She is also the Lead Editor at Raphael’s Village, an online, nonpaying ’zine. Because she wasn’t busy enough, Gini’s added on featured guest columnist, reviewer, and webcaster for Slice of SciFi and It’s Comic Book Day. She can be reached through her website at www.ginikoch.com.

When You Need a New Hobby

Writing used to be a hobby. Now I've realized I need a new one.

Not that I mean to stop writing -- I don't. But writing fiction has changed for me. It's not something I do as a form of escapism from real life, or something that relieves stress and angst. It IS my real life. And it's often a source of stress and angst. I don't think the change came from being published -- it comes from focusing on becoming (and staying) published.

I don't make a living from writing fiction -- not by a long shot. Still, I have acknowledged myself as a writer and it's part of my public persona, but more importantly, it's too big a part of my private identity. It's no longer a no-stakes endeavor. The emotional stakes are high.

So now I need a hobby as relief from my hobby. Before I had children, I used to garden and still do, but my schedule doesn't give me free time during prime gardening hours. It's hard to prune roses at 9:30 p.m.

So I've returned to childhood pursuit that fell by the wayside -- drawing. I was a serious art student in high school, but now I find myself shockingly rusty. Still, it's fun for now. I'm actually trying my hand at illustrating my own stories, just pencil, ink, and brush pen. I'm strictly unprofessional and hope to stay that way -- if I start angsting about developing an illustration career, I'll be back scrambling for another hobby.

Is writing a hobby for you, or is it more? When did it change? What other personal pursuits do you have, and how do they interact with your writing?