How many times can one writer reinvent herself? Is there a limit?
I’m doing it again. The day before Halloween I sold a book to Harlequin SuperRomance, my first for this line.
I couldn’t be more pleased. For one thing, I am returning to my first love, romantic suspense. But, let’s face it, my career is all over the place. This is the seventh category romance line I’ve written for. I’ve written fifty-plus books under two names, for more than a dozen editors in two countries. (I swear I don’t have A.D.D. … oh, look, a squirrel.)
You might be thinking, Jeez, settle down already. If you’d stuck with one thing all these years you’ve been writing, you might be a household name by now. That might be true. But I do get bored if I don’t try new things with my writing. And many of the changes have not been my choice. When you are in publishing for the long haul and your survival depends on your writing income, you have to go with the flow. Sometimes that means moving to a line that is hungry for manuscripts so that you can have more books out, or following a beloved editor to a new house.
This time, pursuing a new line was my choice. I wanted an outlet for my romantic suspense. But regardless of how I get there, a fresh start is appealing to me. It’s kind of like having a new boyfriend. It’s the honeymoon period, a clean slate. High hopes reign. No baggage. This could be THE one–the guy who cooks, cleans, sends me flowers and is good in bed. The publisher that lets me write books I love, hit the bestseller list, make loads of money and win critical acclaim.
The newly re-invented me is filled with optimism, and that’s quite a nice place to be for anyone who’s been in publishing as long as I have.
No related posts.
Not a squirrel! It’s a Tribble! A Tribble, I tell you. Look, there it goes!
Did you say something?
::snort!::
The ability to reinvent yourself means you choose to be a survivor rather than a victim. The world doesn’t need more victims.
I think your fans will follow you and you will gather new readers from the leap between venues.
Good luck!
ty Mary Anne. Hope you’re right.
I think it’s encouraging for those who have been in publishing as short a time as I have too! I’m still at the ‘inventing’ myself phase, although I’ve just taken the plunge and tried a new genre.
Good for you, Terry. I do think it’s vital to continually challenge yourself. If you’re not excited to get to the keyboard, then it becomes drudgery and you might as well be selling shoes or something.
New beginnings are exciting! And you’re a great example of how versatility and perseverance can keep you going in this business. Congrats on the new sale!
ty, Louisa. I’ve threatened to quit a number of times, but somehow I can’t seem to. I have no other choice but to mutate and adapt.
Congratulations, Kara. I read a short that you did for eharlequin, The Forgetful Fiancee. I loved how you took things that would otherwise seem totally unbelievable and made them believable. Look for to your SR release.
Awww, I loved that story. Amnesia, you gotta love it! It’s one of my favorite devices, along with twins.
Sounds great – we’re all different and some of us just have to write all over the place.
Yeah, but sometimes I wish I could be like Barbara Cartland or Betty Neels. Similar books over and over and over by the hundreds and a devoted, huge readership.
Congratulations on the new contract, Kara.
Although I have a question, if I may. When you do swap over to a new line, or a new publisher or a new sub-genre, do you find there’s a significant drop in sales and readers that you have to build back up again?
I’ve always had it pounded into me that changing imprints, lines, publishers, or god-forbid, genres, is a great way to kill off your readership and wipe out back-list sales, so you only do it at your peril, and only if you really, really have to.
Thanks for your time!
Tracy
Tracy, that’s a really good question. How much money you make with a category romance book has more to do with which line it’s published with than your name recognition. Sometimes a brand-new author will make as much or more than an established one for any given line in any given month.
So if you change lines, you might make more or you might make less. for me, sometimes I made the change deliberately seeking a line that had a bigger pay out; sometimes it was a question of, which line wants me?
In the single-title world, the rules are different. A mildly successful historical author might start writing paranormals under a new name and become wildly successful. Or, a writer could dilute herself, writing for two genres and unable to produce enough books to satisfy either readership. Often when an author switches genre, it is because she anticipates being able to publish more titles, or have a bigger print run, or just be writing in a genre that’s “hot.”
Needless to say, it doesn’t always work as planned. It’s a risk, making a big change like that. But sometimes the pay-off is huge–just ask Jayne Ann Krentz about her decision to write as Amanda Quick.
I love working in different genres under different names. I’ve always loved reading romance and one of my high school teachers made us read The Hobbit and I’ve been addicted to fantasy since then. How exciting for you to have another new avenue open.
Susan, I just was looking at your website. You’ve done a fabulous job of integrating your two genres into one site, yet differentiating them, too. You probably get a lot of cross-over readers.
And, wow, you have some beautiful covers! congrats!
I’d go nuts if I had to pick one “brand” — contemporary cowboy m/m, vampire hunter paranormal/urban fantasy het, mystery/suspense polyamorous menage — and stick to it forever and ever.
I don’t really care what the Common Wisdom says on this matter; I write what I want to write because that’s why I’m here, that’s what keeps me going. I see too many writers cranking out cookie-cutter books. Even some of my favorite, buy-on-site writers finally sank so far into the rut that I eventually wandered away and stopped buying them all together. That’s really sad, you know? A brand is great, but when it becomes a cage and starts to smother you, then it’s time to ignore the marketing wisdom and go try something fresh.
Angie
Angie, couldn’t agree with you more. If you don’t enjoy what you’re writing, what’s the point?
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Reinvention can be a revolution. I bet it gets tedious on one had, but on the other hand, you are vital and staying vital rather than growing stale. You have a chance to wrangle new readers too! In category, sometimes folks won’t cross those line boundaries. Super romance is a great line, too, with a long history of satisfying titles and loyal readership. Growth is always good, and it’s nice to know that you’re able to be a steap ahead and still be able to do what you love. Great post!
ty, Ursula.
I tend to thrive on change so I’m a happy camper even though my whole life is in upheaval at the moment!