Job Description: Author/Marketeer by Jeannie Lin

I haven’t written a word in seven days.

It sounds like confession when I say it like that.

For the six months after The Call, I stayed really busy. Butterfly Swords required two rounds of extensive edits before being accepted. I then wrote and sold a related short story to Harlequin Undone. I had completed three manuscripts before selling. My editor wanted to see the other two so I polished the follow-up novel, The Dragon and the Pearl, and also completely re-wrote the first book in the series. After I sent both manuscripts to my agent, I finally had a moment to catch my breath.

Now what? Do I try something new? Maybe something in  a more popular genre? Or do I expect my agent to peddle my hard sell manuscripts forever? I couldn’t decide.

Fortunately, my editor dangled a possible release date for Butterfly Swords in front of me. The perfect distraction. So here’s my new job description, one which I’ll have to execute alongside my writing tasks.

Marketeer Extraordinaire

Responsibilities:

• Assign and procure marketing budget
• Research marketing options – ads, bookmarks, giveaways, flyers, etc.
• Create marketing plan
• Identify venues for ads
• Design promotional materials
• Schedule opportunities to network, blog, and go to conferences
• Negotiate time with Author Extraordinaire for PR activities such as networking, blogging, and going to conferences

When I first started writing, I thought a great book would sell itself. I’m sure that’s still true to some extent. But a book is a product. How are people going to know to buy it if they’re not aware it’s out there? Ay, there’s the rub.

I went full steam for about two days before reality set in. Already the marketing budget is edging on the entire amount of my first advance. I had dreams of advertisements in multiple languages and bookmarks and little customized charms.

There’s so much to do! It’s a fast and furious marketing strategy for what will amount to about a two month window of opportunity. The task is shiny new and challenging. Most importantly, I’m getting excited all over again about the book and, in turn, it’s making me more excited about starting the next writing project.

Which brings me back to the beginning.

Author Extraordinaire is what I set out to be. Without her, Marketeer has nothing to sell. On the other hand, I can see Marketeer robbing Author of her precious writing time by justifying that this could be their one and only book if sales tank.

They say the best way to increase your sales is to write the next book. And then I suppose I should write one after that and another one after that. When’s the right time to focus on marketing? And how much is too much? Do debut authors make the rookie mistake of spending too much time on promotion or not enough?

Marketeer Extraordinaire wants to know. She’s quite new at this and it took Author over four years to just begin to figure out writing. Marketeer doesn’t have that much time to learn, so she’s going to need a little help. And soon, very soon, Author is going to want her stage back.

Job Posting: Unpublished Writer by Tami Moore

About The Company

Interested in joining us at Writer’s Block L.L.C? We are the fastest growing pre-professional writing company in the publishing industry. We’ve been providing agents, editors, and publishers with new voices and fresh manuscripts since the first artist scrawled a lopsided buffalo on a cave wall.

About the Position

Writer’s Block is constantly in search of Unpublished Writers. This unpaid and relatively thankless position represents a massive time commitment on the candidate’s part. Pastime and hobby sacrifices may be required. Candidates need to have the energy and ability to move forward in multiple directions without losing focus.

Opportunities for advancement exist, but are not guaranteed and are typically earned via results rather than awarded for tenure.

Requirements Include:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills are a must.
• Ability to be creative is imperative, as is the ability to be analytical.
• Strong organizational skills a must.
• No degree or experience required, although a working knowledge of grammar and spelling is strongly advised.
• Self-pacing and self-motivation are critical to success. With no direct manager, all progress will need to be monitored and measured by the applicant.
• Candidates must know or learn how to ruthlessly and objectively review their own work.
• Candidates must fully understand the concepts and implementation of plot, characterization, and pacing. No additional time or resources will be provided by Writer’s Block L.L.C for this recommended education.
• Candidates will ideally be capable of professionally responding to both critiques and rejections.
• A positive, networked web presence is a plus, although not a requirement.

How To Apply

Think you’ve got what it takes to be an Unpublished Writer? Can you handle the nonexistent pay, poor working conditions, and high demands of the position? Work space is unlimited but competition for advancement roles is fierce. We here at Writer’s Block L.L.C. would love to be your springboard into the higher echelons of the publishing industry. We are here for you, night or day, so long as you do all the work.

To apply, sit down at the nearest desk or computer and begin writing! It’s that simple! All applicants are welcome at any time. Writer’s Block L.L.C is an equal opportunity employer.

Bria’s Job Description: Take One

      As you grow in any career, your job description is *obviously* going to change. This month, I’m talking about what that means for writers. We’ll have some guests sharing their thoughts as well.

      I’ve broken my job description into several key pieces: Writing. Editing/Revising. Learning. Promoting. Networking.

      I know, some of those look like they should be grouped together, but they aren’t…You’ll see why 🙂

      Today I’m going to talk about Writing and how it’s changed.

      Almost 3 Years Ago: You know, I should write these stories down. All the ones running thru my head. My friends would probably appreciate it too so I stop zoning out when I’m with them. Looks into writing and groups. Listens to some workshops. Reads up on the internet. Joins RWA and RD.

      2.75 years ago: Get’s out paper and starts writing. Yup, I did that after looking into writing. I’m a do-or-die kind of girl.

      Writes. Writes a lot. Writes stuff she wants. Writes things that are fun. Writes stuff that amuses her. Writes at work. Writes in the car. Writes ever what if idea that comes to mind down and thinks about writing them …. only criteria: are they fun and interesting and does she want to live there.

      2.5 years ago: edits/writes, edits/writes,  edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes

      2 years ago: Time to send it out! Organize my agent search (check out the side bar for the Agent Hunt & Getting To Yes series) and start mailing. Which brings us to more  edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes (Etc… this phase went one for quite a while)

      1 year ago: Write something light and fun just to get out of my fantasy world… Put it aside for 8 months and ignore it

      8 months ago: Keep working on specific revisions 2 agents asked for…eventually get turned down by both.

      6 months ago: edit Light/Fun Story and query

      5 months ago: sign with an agency and do first round of revisions on Light/Fun Story

LET’S TALK ABOUT NOW

      Things have changed. Sitting down and writing whatever I want isn’t going to work anymore. There needs to be a plan for a couple reasons.

      1. The Agent is currently working on some feed back from SBook 1.   There isn’t any sense in calling the edits on SBook 2 done before seeing what I can learn from The Agent’s comments. Actually, that would be just dumb to ignore the opportunity to learn how to make the next book better. Plus, a waste of everyone’s time.

      2. What’s next: Blurbs. Yeah, I wrote them. I’m sending them today (I’ve been kind of cowardly about this) – but what it comes down to is this –> What do I write next? It’s no longer an option of “what sounds like the most fun to play with” – now it’s “what’s the best business sense thing to write next”. Obviously, the blurbs I’m sending The Agent are all things I could work on. I’m mulling some stuff in that brain of mine, but didn’t blurb it because they aren’t ready to go.

      So, that leaves us with the new Writing Job Description:

• Write as guided by The Agent’s input
• Write a lot
• Write even more
• Keep track of ideas
• Blurb them
• Don’t be a chicken, send the darn blurbs
• Scribble idea’s ideas out while waiting to discuss
• Write more
• Write a little more
• and then Write some more

Not VERY different, but different enough to change the entire timeline of writing life. That’s been the real interesting thing – learning that I’m not the only one in my writing timeline any more.

Okay, I’m off to send those blurbs 🙂

Juggling the Writer’s Job Description

      It’s amazing how changing the game a little, changes it a lot.

     This past fall, I contracted with The Agent (curious? on the sidebar is my little series on the whole agent process start to finish) and I didn’t realize just how much would change. . . Just how much *I* would have to change.

     This weekend it really hit home.

     The Agent is getting notes read of my revised pages to me soon. Plus I owe here stuff. I just wrote the blurbs for my 7 current ideas for books — This is my first run thru of this process. I assume we’ll discuss what is strongest and most viable to work next. I need to get the next books synopsis written for I’m in the first stage of editing (we won’t discuss the pain and humiliation involved in me trying to synopsis). Also, this is usually the time I fast draft the next book so it can sit over in the corner ferment.

     But now, there’s other plans in the game. Another person…a business plan. So, if I get revision notes for book 1, reader notes for book 2 and start writing book 3 — Um, yeah, I think we all see where this is going.

     Let’s add into the mix that between books is where I try to pound thru all the reader responsibilities I have to my CP and beta readers. They’ve been kind… don’t worry, when you get to it… etc…But January has been so crazy that they really do have to come first right now. There isn’t an option.

     And so, with this next step comes the newest part of the writing game: Time Management Part 2.

     Typically Time Management is a fun game for me, but when you’re still not sure of all the rules, of what’s needed when… But that’s part of moving up in the world.

     I’m thinking of getting The Agent like a certain job I had out of college. My boss had…let’s just call it an early midlife crisis (and when I say crisis I mean complete break in reality) and promoted me up two steps with no job description and no guidance… Am I saying The Agent would do that –NO! But, writing is kind of like that: There’s no job description.

     Oh, we think the job description is: Write Books.

     I’m pretty sure anyone trying to get published has already realized it’s more complicated than that. So stick around as I figure out my own Writing Job Description…and wish me luck on Juggling February!