The World of the Pros - Janice Thompson, Author

If you’re like most freelance writers, you long for the day when you’re seen as a professional in the industry. Whether you achieve that status through magazine articles, non-fiction books, novels or editing, there’s nothing greater than being known among your peers as someone who has something to offer.

In this lesson, we’re going to be talking about the transition from amateur to pro status. We’re crossing over that invisible line, so that you can experience a taste of what life in the writing industry is like.

To many, the idea of being a professional writer means a huge paycheck – a hefty book advance, or maybe a magazine assignment that brings in enough money to pay for a month’s living. To others, success as a freelancer means selling a couple of devotions for pay, or seeing your name in print, even if no money changed hands.

What, then, defines success? Is it money? Fame? Notoriety? Before we get too far into this lesson, I want you to think about that question for a moment. You’re striving for success, but. . .do you even know what it looks like? Will you recognize it when it’s here?

Truthfully, no one can answer those questions but you. Most of us would agree, however, that you’ve “arrived” when you start to feel like a pro, and that usually doesn’t happen until you’re well-acquainted with the industry.

With that in mind, let’s talk about some things that professionals in the industry face day in and day out. We’re going to start by talking about finding and working with an agent.

Maybe you’re not seeking book sales. If that’s the case, you probably won’t need an agent. However, many of you are hopeful novelists and non-fiction book writers and could benefit from the expertise of a good agent. He or she will do the very thing you don’t care to do: pitch your manuscript. And not just to any editor, either. Your agent has the inside track on who’s buying and during which seasons. This is a seasonal industry, after all. Historical fiction might be out this spring, but back in by fall. Only a savvy agent will be able to guide you on what to submit when.

So, do you need an agent?

You’re probably ready for an agent if:

You have completed a full-length manuscript and it has been carefully edited by a critique group or professional editor
You have multiple projects and need direction
You feel led to write in a specific genre and have a strong speaking platform
You’ve been published previously, but are having trouble getting your new manuscripts into publishing houses
You have trouble figuring out contracts and legal jargon

If you’re ready to work with an agent, you’ll have to shop for one in much the same way you’d shop for a new car. And be aware of this: Just because you choose an agent doesn’t mean the agent will “choose” you. You can submit your manuscript for consideration, but agents – like editors – have a process by which they choose clients. You’ll stand a far better chance if you have a clean, well-written manuscript, a speaking platform and a sense of where you want to go, writing and publishing-wise. To locate literary agents, visit www.writersmarket.com or purchase the writers market guide. If you write for the Christian market, purchase Sally Stuart’s Christian Writers Market Guide and look in the section marked agents.

Author-Editor Relationships

Another thing that professionals in the industry have to face is that inevitable relationship with an editor. If you’re unfamiliar with author/editor etiquette, just know that it’s firmly in place, and you don’t want to buck the system. Not if you want to get published, that is. And not if you want that editor to pick up a second book deal – or third.

Let’s talk about the author’s role

The turn in the best written manuscript he/she possibly can
To study the market and understand his/her role in P.R. work
To be willing to make changes, as necessary (and to remain flexible about things like the book’s title or cover)
To communicate with the editor in a reasonable way (not inundating the editor with phone calls and emails)
To deal with feelings of rejection in a professional way.

Now let’s talk about the editor’s role

To carry his/her enthusiasm for a project all the way through, from contract to marketing
To offer a fair dollar amount to the author, keeping the needs of the publishing house in mind
To be honest (and speak up) when the author needs improvement
To respond to the author in a timely fashion
To walk the author through the editing process and any changes in title/cover, etc.
To present a fair picture to the author (If things aren’t working out, this needs to be spoken instead of just allowing things to “fizzle out.”)

Author editor relationships can be wonderful. . .or terrible.

Much of that depends on, well, both of you. But mostly you. After all, you can choose your agent, but you can’t always choose your editor. Most are chosen for you. Learn to work well together and the book will be amazing. Take on a more stubborn role and you might just find that your book is back-listed pretty quickly.

Now, let’s shift gears and talking branding and taglines. One sign that you’ve transitioned over into the world of the pros is that you have a clear understanding of what it means to be branded as an author, and you’ve come up with a tagline for your business cards, website and brochures.

Maybe you’re wondering:

BRANDING? WHAT’S THAT?

About seven or eight years ago I started hearing a lot of buzz about branding. Convinced I didn’t need to be “branded” (the whole idea basically reminding me of cattle), I shunned the idea. Told my agent that I’d prefer not to be branded, thank you very much.

THAT WAS THEN. . .THIS IS NOW.

Someone recently asked me if I had any regrets regarding my writing career. I responded with, “Just one. I wish I’d come up with my Love, Laughter and Happily Ever Afters… brand much, much sooner. (Yep, I finally conceded and let the powers that be put the hot iron to my backside.) Why? Because I needed readers to know that when they read a book by Janice Thompson, they’d walk away smiling because of the happy ending. I also knew that the tagline would let them know that most of my writing was light-hearted. Most of my novels are wedding-themed or have some kind of wedding element in them, and that works with the brand/tagline, as well.

What do you think of when you hear the words, “It’s the Real Thing.” Coke, right? And what about, “Have it Your Way.” (Any guesses? That’s right. . .it’s Burger King.) What about “Finger Lickin’ Good!” (Kentucky Fried Chicken).

Now you see the power of a few short words. You hear them and. . .bam! You think of the product. In this case YOU are the product. (Well, you and your books.) And you want people to think of you when they hear your tagline.

So, if branding is such a great thing, why do people balk at the idea?

A lot of writers dislike the idea of branding because they’re writing in multiple genres. They feel a brand (or tagline) will limit them. That doesn’t have to be the case. I write both fiction and non-fiction. In fact, I had two non-fiction devotionals release last summer (one for brides to be and one for moms to be).

Can you see how the Love, Laughter and Happily Ever Afters tagline works with those books, as well as my inspirational romances? Now I have several contemporary romantic comedies releasing from Revell Publishing. All of these things fall under my same light-hearted romantic “brand.” And here’s the kicker. . .my “brand” has to shine through—in my headshot, my bio, my website, my facebook site, my speaking gigs, my posts to writing loops, and even my business cards. (To see how far I took this idea, visit my site at: www.janiceathompson.com.)

Let’s shift gears once again and talk about something else that professionals understanding: It’s the word all writers hate: REJECTION. Pros recognize the fact that a rejection doesn’t have to be a knife in the heart. In fact, a rejection at one house often means a better opportunity awaits you at another house. It’s important not to let those “no’s” get you down. A pro smiles in the face of rejection and settles the issue in his heart. “They’re not rejecting me. My manuscript simply wasn’t a good for that particular house.” The possibilities for a sale are out there. . .if you don’t give up. I’ve known too many great writers who gave up before their time or grew weary with the process. Know going in that this is a tough business. Thicken your skin. If you’ll hang in there, you might just find your book on a shelf at Barnes and Noble instead of gathering dust on your mother’s coffee table.

We will eventually share a host of other lessons with you on subjects that all professionals need to know. You’ll find complete teachings on query letters, proposals, the submission process, tax tips, self-publishing, self-editing, and more. In the meantime, the best thing you can possibly do for your career is to go to a conference. At writers conferences you will do two things: get to know others in the business and further develop your craft. Both of those things are critical to the survival of a freelancer.

That’s it for our lesson on The World of the Pros. I hope you’ve enjoyed this teaching. Crossing over from the world of the wannabe to the world of the published author can be a bit daunting, but once you’ve landed on the other side of that invisible line, you will never look back!