tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post5665199879585126568..comments2024-03-20T02:49:17.606-07:00Comments on Between Fact and Fiction: Life On The MidlistNatalie Whipplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-70109322477244052042014-03-02T04:56:32.261-08:002014-03-02T04:56:32.261-08:00Thx for your honesty Natalie. I'm beginning th...Thx for your honesty Natalie. I'm beginning the journey but am realistic about the outcome. There's still a kernel of hope there that my book will SELL! But truthfully I love writing, it is what I am/what I do, and I will continue writing until my last breath. SD<br />http://www.sandradanby.com/<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13450498868536375248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-39618990272303649162014-02-17T08:52:36.611-08:002014-02-17T08:52:36.611-08:00Love this, Natalie. Your honesty, the truth of the...Love this, Natalie. Your honesty, the truth of the business, the whys, and the fight you have to still stick with it. That resonates with me, as it has with so many commenters here. To the death! (Yikes. I hope not.)Kathryn Purdiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18337488365098780737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-74295985848210674522014-02-17T07:37:40.998-08:002014-02-17T07:37:40.998-08:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.syed alihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12261812348661994458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-23336507560878941272014-02-13T17:20:34.411-08:002014-02-13T17:20:34.411-08:00Mark me down as a writer struggling with anxiety a...Mark me down as a writer struggling with anxiety and depression. Writing is hard! And lonely! Loved this post, Natalie. Jenn Rushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01134171215051580507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-30318963321894674552014-02-12T15:36:01.942-08:002014-02-12T15:36:01.942-08:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05124696791436609760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-33167236202940481762014-02-09T22:15:43.246-08:002014-02-09T22:15:43.246-08:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Brendonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06796112376397533803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-68256319534970901322014-02-07T07:33:53.393-08:002014-02-07T07:33:53.393-08:00Natalie, as always, your honesty, humor and perspe...Natalie, as always, your honesty, humor and perspective are an inspiration. <br /><br />I'm proud to be midlist & fighting out there with you! <br /><br />p.s. I also don't usually drink - for metabolic reasons (I'm Asian). But you're right... sometimes...I.W. Gregoriohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07716146233542353352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-11647680381850168622014-02-07T06:27:23.978-08:002014-02-07T06:27:23.978-08:00Thank you for another fantastic, honest post. The ...Thank you for another fantastic, honest post. The business side of writing can be so brutal and heartbreaking, but you're absolutely right that it doesn't change my love of writing itself!ELAdamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11390894357209056149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-29107872515869557872014-02-07T04:36:35.536-08:002014-02-07T04:36:35.536-08:00I love this post. Thank you so much for writing it...I love this post. Thank you so much for writing it - I really needed to read it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-9608631677440099502014-02-07T04:34:31.928-08:002014-02-07T04:34:31.928-08:00Best blog post ending EVER.
This sounds like a po...Best blog post ending EVER.<br /><br />This sounds like a post I would've written 3-4 years ago, pre-agent. Some things never change. You gotta write cuz you love it.<br /><br />Or you love the fight :-)Adam Heinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02225813532455467868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-7150571182456335012014-02-06T19:28:06.794-08:002014-02-06T19:28:06.794-08:00Oh man, I absolutely love how honest you are. Thes...Oh man, I absolutely love how honest you are. These are the conversations that usually only happen behind closed doors with writer friends and it's great to get some reality out there.<br /><br />And I will join you in admitting that this was exactly me: "you feel a bit deflated...because you have all the potential in the world when you're querying and on sub. You COULD sell big." And feeling oddly deflated made me feel worse because I thought it made me ungrateful - but then I talked to a writer friend and she said the exact same thing :) We all have those big dreams, even if we know they're probably just dreams and the reality will be far more low-key.<br /><br />The only part I'd disagree with, in my limited experience, is that books have to get high six figures to be a lead title and any decent marketing. I'd certainly say this isn't true for medium to smaller publishers, who may not be able to afford to buy a book for a big advance, but then will put a lot of love and effort into pushing it.<br /><br />Anyway, thank you again for such a great post and all the luck with your books :)Tatum Flynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00074228011847976820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-89792617310391477742014-02-06T19:25:55.152-08:002014-02-06T19:25:55.152-08:00Publishing is tough. Really tough. I've learne...Publishing is tough. Really tough. I've learned that just from two years in the query trenches (with minimal success). You can work your butt off for years, even decades, and still not get back what you put into it. You really have to look for validation in places other than tangible/visible success -- I'm still working on that one! But what keeps me going is that I am madly, passionately, ridiculously in love with writing. Whenever I even think about never doing it again, I can't stand the idea because my life without writing would be dreadful.Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06940487957045564029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-7166526565162316892014-02-06T17:37:32.919-08:002014-02-06T17:37:32.919-08:00Love your honesty, Natalie. And I can so relate to...Love your honesty, Natalie. And I can so relate to it all even though I haven't even queried. I've seen many friends on midlist, not sell another series, lose agents, etc. To be honest, if I ever get an agent or a book contract, I'll be happy but realistic that it'll still be a brutal experience possibly and not make much money. I have to support my family so am glad I have another well-paying job that is my career that doesn't say "no" so much. And when I get laid off when my company closes, I'll be focusing on a new job and do like I am now, squeeze in the writing.Natalie Aguirrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756087804171246660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-37131276773473009752014-02-06T17:28:22.100-08:002014-02-06T17:28:22.100-08:00An excellent and honest post, Natalie. Like you sa...An excellent and honest post, Natalie. Like you say, you write because you love it.William Kendallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00331324250821836822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-56741084452505066152014-02-06T13:52:49.274-08:002014-02-06T13:52:49.274-08:00I reeeally love how you do posts like these. It...I reeeally love how you do posts like these. It's like a bit of a reality check, as well as letting us (newbies :) know some more of the inside-scoop. CG @ Paper Furyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14954615708675952085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-34523651898941170602014-02-06T13:44:31.168-08:002014-02-06T13:44:31.168-08:00Thanks for the honesty, Natalie! I was one of thos...Thanks for the honesty, Natalie! I was one of those people at first that thought 'author' was synonymous with 'big bucks'. I've since learned better! Sometimes I've wondered if even trying to get published is worth it. B/c if I can't afford to quit my day job to write, then I've just put even more on my plate w/deadlines and such. But I guess dreams aren't always a walk in the park! Instead of pixie dust and rides on unicorns, sometimes they seem to be more like gritty alleys and bare knuckle fights. =)Leandra Wallacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00381034024025750992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-13601676801671175422014-02-06T13:22:20.129-08:002014-02-06T13:22:20.129-08:00This is a big struggle for SO many of us. Separati...This is a big struggle for SO many of us. Separation from work is hard when almost your entire life is spent on said work. I think that, if we're writing to receive approval and/or acceptance, we're in it for the wrong reasons. (There. I said it.) So much emphasis is put first on being good enough to be offered representation and then, secondly, to be "sold", that by the time books come out (whether in the traditional sense or the indie version), all that we know is that 1) we've worked our tails off, 2) we lost a LOT of well, *everything* time in spending it all ON that work, and 3) we are now just wait wait waiting for responses and hope hope hoping for acceptance/people to like it. <br /><br />Granted, our work needs to be "accepted" on some level or it's not readable, but at the same time, that defeat arrives and grows (and can take over) from a basic misunderstanding that response to our work = who we are as people. We have to remember WHOSE we are, and, much like, say, cleaning our house (for example), yet not expecting how well it has been cleaned to be considered a representation of who we are as people, our books are a reflection of our work and not a representation of who we are, either. You know? At the end of the day, our work is our work and who we are is still... who we are. They are both intertwined, yes, but work is a small, small part of us, and the reaction/response to it cannot change that fact unless we let it. <br /><br />(After all of that, did I even get my point across? Basically: If we look to publishing as our sign that we're accepted or considered "good enough", chances are we will never be satisfied.)Jessica L. Brooks (coffeelvnmom)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17524862571932528710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-56387730494803567652014-02-06T13:08:13.762-08:002014-02-06T13:08:13.762-08:00Haha, thanks! Haha, thanks! Natalie Whipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-74998948587534292782014-02-06T13:07:59.044-08:002014-02-06T13:07:59.044-08:00Dreaming is the best part. I've found that if ...Dreaming is the best part. I've found that if I just keep doing that, it's not so bad:)Natalie Whipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-83922050939660026412014-02-06T13:07:03.847-08:002014-02-06T13:07:03.847-08:00It's true, Nancy, that this isn't just a &...It's true, Nancy, that this isn't just a "traditional" publishing issue. Every author asks themselves why they aren't the big, popular one. Sometimes it's hard to face the answer, but I've come to accept my own answers and am happier for it.Natalie Whipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-86571991078482674572014-02-06T13:05:23.432-08:002014-02-06T13:05:23.432-08:00I wouldn't say any type of publishing is a was...I wouldn't say any type of publishing is a waste of time. I have indie friends who also feel they are on the indie "midlist" and can't seem to improve their sales no matter what they try. And I wouldn't be surprised if when I publish RELAX, I'M A NINJA on my own that my sales stay in an average range. Sometimes it's not about type of publishing, but more about not writing commercial-type stories.Natalie Whipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-11151890951349688512014-02-06T12:37:01.111-08:002014-02-06T12:37:01.111-08:00that's because you still waste your time with ...that's because you still waste your time with traditional publishing. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09827069435401350390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-37665973287765724252014-02-06T12:23:32.749-08:002014-02-06T12:23:32.749-08:00I'm one of three close friends who self-publis...I'm one of three close friends who self-publish. Success-wise, I'm in the middle. Some of what you mention about comparisons are true even for indie authors. I look at our A author and wonder how she got her lucky break, and why her methods don't work for me. (Different genre for one.) My friend with more modest sales will ask me the same. <br /><br />Publishing might not ever be worth it. You're right; it's a brutal business. So instead, let's focus on writing. Is that worth it? Set aside the business--do we get enough pleasure out of the process of creating a book to keep doing it?Nancy Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00209727822644631003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-78959620049568536492014-02-06T12:22:04.772-08:002014-02-06T12:22:04.772-08:00Edit alert meant to say honesty. =)Edit alert meant to say honesty. =)Keisha Martin Romance Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04075320694648296594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-54257015746565218002014-02-06T12:20:58.776-08:002014-02-06T12:20:58.776-08:00You are truly an author Ninja and yes it took me f...You are truly an author Ninja and yes it took me few minutes to convince myself to write that and tell myself how lame I am lol seriously I adore you simply because you are so honest and that honest has helped me although it didn't take long to toughen the ole skin its a brutal world but your right writing has to bring so much joy to balance out the other stuff that is out of a writers control.Keisha Martin Romance Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04075320694648296594noreply@blogger.com