Major/Minor Leagues in Writing Books

Published on this site: November 17th, 2006 - See more articles from this month

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!

A susan james course in the business of writing for beginning and seasoned writers may be found here: http://sjwritingbusiness.blogspot.com/

Susan James : (Specializing in Business, Lifestyle and Financial Expansion) Author/Consultant Susan James writes of User Friendly Physics Applications. For Info on award winning books and courses along with free e-media please visit these websites:
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