Uncertainty is The Worst (and The Best) Thing About Being an Author

The most common piece of advice I've heard since the point I decided to become an author (around age 13 or 14, I think it was), is that I need to have a reliable, steady source of income while I do that on the side. It's not that they didn't think I had the chops or determination to crank out books till the day I died, but rather that there's no telling what the market is going to do when it comes to a writer's trade. You might write one book, hit the lottery, and explode! You might spend a decade or two writing shelves worth of novels, only to become an "overnight success" when someone with a big following tells their fans your work is amazing.

And while most advice you get from people with no experience being a writer is basically garbage, there is a lot of truth to this one. Because writers are self-employed now more than ever before in the age of the gig economy, and your income is going to depend almost entirely on the fickle finger of fate. And I'll be the first to tell you that can be both infuriating, and exhilarating.

Pay your fee, take your shot, and hope for the best!

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Reliability is an Illusion (Unfortunately)

One of the hardest truths there is about being an author is that your entire profession is largely a matter of luck. Talent helps, developing your skill and craft is necessary, networking is good, and gumption goes a long way, but everything you achieve (or don't) basically turns on the fulcrum of luck.

And this is a door that swings both ways.

Sometimes opportunity doesn't bother knocking.

As an example, take the current pandemic. I had spent several years building up a rather large pile of completed work as a ghost blogger, and it was slowly getting approved, ensuring I had a "regular" check to help bolster all the work I do writing novels, RPG supplements, blogs, and all that other nonsense. Then when the plague crashed across the economy, many of my clients put a freeze on approving any more work. Others cancelled projects (some of which I'd turned in weeks or months before), and still others just ghosted entirely, cancelling their orders and vanishing.

So practically overnight I went from a ghost writer who is hoping to one day quit that job to write novels and RPGs full time, to suddenly relying very much on my body of creative work to make up the difference from the "safe" clients who'd left me hanging.

You know, just like any other job where you're considered an expendable worker, or where the company suddenly takes a nose dive into concrete.

That same zeitgeist can go the other way, as well, putting a surprising amount of good fortune in my pocket when I didn't expect it to be there. For example, a few months back my article Partners and Polycules: Polyamorous Designations Based Off Dungeons and Dragons Dice was randomly shared on a pretty wide scale thanks to a single mention on a subreddit. It picked up several thousand reads, and quickly rocketed up to the front page of my most-read pieces ever on Vocal, suddenly easing my difficulties covering bills that month. In the early summer of 2020 Drive Thru RPG had a big sale on a huge number of World of Darkness game supplements, and overnight my entire 100 Kinfolk project that I'd written for Werewolf: The Apocalypse jumped in sales, pushing my earnings in royalties over $200 for the first (and so far only) time since I started getting a cut of my RPG earnings. I haven't gotten my first check for my noir mystery novel Marked Territory yet, but it's entirely possible that a mystery with a Maine Coon alley cat trying to figure out why a pack of stray dogs is putting the squeeze on a church mouse and her community sold far better than I expected it to.

And one of the hard truths of this job is that while you can tell the story, talk about the story, and try to spread the word, so much of whether or not you succeed is actually out of your hands.

You Can Only Do What You Can Do

Hitting the jackpot as a writer is basically being a professional gambler. You need to read the trends in fiction, understand your audience, learn to recognize interest, figure out what the social media algorithm wants to see from you, and do what you can to gather support from the community. But even if you crunch all the numbers, put your links in the right place, show up to interviews, do readings for your audience, at the end of the day you're basically just gambling. Every book, every blog, every supplement, every article is just one more roll of the dice.

As Captain Picard says, it's possible to do everything right and still fail, when all is said and done.

Even if the odds are on your side, there's no guaranteeing you're going to win. And even if the odds are against you, there's no guaranteeing you're going to lose. The best you can do is put the words on the page in the most compelling way you can, do everything to get it in front of the audience's eyes you can think of, and hope for the best.

Never depend on luck to see you through. At the same time, understand that it is often pure, unadulterated chance that happens to be what makes a book, blog, video, etc. popular. And getting struck by lightning ain't an easy thing to do.

Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned!

That's all for this week's Business of Writing! If you'd like to see more of my work, take a look at my Vocal archive, or at My Amazon Author Page where you can find books like my noir thriller Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife as well as my recent collection The Rejects!

If you'd like to help support my work, then consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page! Lastly, to keep up with my latest, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well!

You Really Can't Do Too Much Research For Your Book

One of the major appeals of writing fiction is the idea that if you don't know the answer to something that you can just make it up. Not sure how light is focused into a beam that fires from the tip of your futuristic private eye's laser pistol? Good news, you can just create the mystery element of the Forunex crystal that makes light-based weaponry practical and compact. Unsure of how spontaneous combustion would be possible from a physics and chemistry standpoint? Well, since the Devotees of Fire are granted power by their god, it's magic so you don't have to explain a damn thing!

It can really make your life as a creator easier in a lot of respects.

In other respects, though...

A problem that a lot of writers run into, though, is they get too drunk on their own creative abilities. Just because something is fictional, that doesn't mean you shouldn't at least do a Google search, or crack a book, to make sure you aren't going in the completely wrong direction.

 

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Let's Look at Werewolves For a Second

Oh yeah, we're going to fight about this.

If you've ever read a piece of werewolf fiction, or even played a game like Werewolf: The Apocalypse, you're likely very familiar with the idea of strong alpha leaders, the right hand of the beta, and the shifty omega no one likes. These are terms and ideas that are used to describe the structure of wolf packs, thereby allowing the reader to have one foot in reality, and one foot in a fantasy.

Unless they've read a science article since roughly 1980 or so.

As Knowledge Nuts points out, the idea of violent struggles for dominance is what you see in captive wolf packs. When wolves have no relation to one another, and no existing family structure, which means these wolves were basically in animal prison. In the wild wolves act nothing like this. They're tight-knit family groups that care for one another, and a wolf's age is a far more likely indicator of status than how violent or aggressive they are. So trying to map the social dynamic of a violent prison gang onto all werewolves actually undercuts your attempt to bridge reality with fiction if the reader is aware you're citing debunked, outdated ideas in the story.

This is just a small example of how you need to make sure your research impacts the fiction you're creating. And the more closely tied to reality your fantasy is, the more research you need to do. Because if your central conceit is, "I have giant robots in my story," then you can probably just ask your audience to buy that without going into too many details of the physics or how these huge machines function. But if your story is set in a near-future Moscow, then it would probably help to actually research the culture of the country, the function of the government, and the ranks of the armed forces to make sure you get those things correct. Especially if your robot's pilot would have to complete regular military training, and then meet the standards of that country before being allowed into the heavy armored division.

You Can Never Know Too Much

While it's possible to go overboard on description and detail, and to bog your book down with adverbs or purple prose, you can never do too much research as a creator. Because even if you find a bunch of details that aren't going to be relevant to your story, they're still going to inform your view and your process. Whether it's how many samurai were actually women, to what the code of chivalry actually demanded from knights, to what gender roles were actually held by the Vikings (with men being beautiful and perfumed, and women being the heads of the household's finances), these little factoids can take your book in unexpected directions.

Additionally, a little extra research can often stop you from including debunked facts, outdated worldviews, or offensive stereotypes in your stories... and that's worth a little extra time hitting the books, don't you think?

Like, Follow, and Come Back Again!

That's all for this week's Craft of Writing! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, or at My Amazon Author Page where you can find books like my cat noir novel Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, or my most recent short story collection The Rejects!

 

And to stay on top of all my latest news and releases, collected once a week, make sure you subscribe to The Literary Mercenary's mailing list.

If you'd like to help support my work, then consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page! Lastly, to keep up with my latest, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well!

"You Can Only Be A Writer If You Can Afford It" Tells An Uncomfortable Truth

For those of you who haven't come across the article A Dirty Secret: You Can Only Be A Writer If You Can Afford It by Lynn Steger Strong, go read it. Now. Because this glimpse into the uncomfortable truth about what it means to be a jobbing pen monkey in the world we live in is the barrel of the gun that more aspiring writers will need to stare down before making the decision about whether or not to pursue this career.

Can you get wealthy as a writer? Absolutely. Will you? The odds don't look good. Worse, if you don't already have the money you need to buy the time, space, publicity, and access, then you're often trying to place in a time trial with a broken leg.

Because much as we might wish otherwise, there ain't no magic spell for a bestseller.

Strong Tells It Like It Is

If you haven't read the article, let me sum it up for you. Exploring your talent and refining your process takes time, energy, and room to grow. Those things all require dedication, and money to pay your bills while you perfect your craft. And most of the time the people who have those resources already are either born into privileged lives, or they already have an iron in the fire that's covering their day-to-day expenses that lets them write.

As author and retired Marine Corps Colonel Jonathan P. Brazee said on a panel we were both on recently, "I just put in my time at this easy gig called the U.S. Marine Corps, and when I retired decided to write books in my spare time. It's so easy, I don't know why everybody doesn't do it!"

Once I get out of here, I'm gonna start writing books. See if I don't.

While his statement was clearly a joke, Brazee hits at the core of the issue; if you don't have some way to keep the lights on and food in the pantry, writing a novel is a piss poor way to plan for your future. And he's far from the only person I've met through the convention circuit who tells that story. I've met authors with several series who still depend on a spouse's job for income or insurance. Some authors still live with their parents, or have union jobs during the week to help make sure their books are the potatoes instead of their meat. And so on, and so forth.

All of my income has been from writing in one shape or form for the past decade or so, but I'm not shy about pointing out that were my own situation different there's no way I would be doing what I do now.

My Story

When it comes to jobbing writers, my income puts me squarely in the "successful" category when compared to a lot of my fellows, though it's still low enough to qualify me for most government aid programs. And though I've worn out my share of keyboards to earn that bread, I never would have even had the chance if not for a whole slew of advantages I got out of the gate.

The first was coming from a family well-off enough that they didn't tell me to give up and get a real job.

For example, my family had enough money to get me into good schools, no matter where we had to live (given that my father was in the military while I was a child, so moving around a lot came with the territory). And when I slipped academically, they could afford to get me tutors and extra help, ensuring that I understood the material I was being taught. Books were plentiful when I was younger, and I was allowed to devour whatever sort of material I could get my hands on. When I wrote stories for fun, or for school, they were treated seriously and I was never discouraged from pursuing that path.

As I grew older, and my desire to be an author grew from a childish fancy into an actionable plan, I had a lot of other advantages rise up to support me. I got scholarships that helped me pay for school, and when I needed to go back after dropping out the first time (not a great plan if you can avoid it, for all those considering this course of action), my family could afford to pay out of pocket for me to finish my degree. And as a post-graduate birthday present, my parents even paid the remaining student loan I'd been paying on that was still outstanding.

Because I could go to school without worrying about covering my expenses (I had several part-time jobs, but I didn't pay rent, my parents fed me, and often gave me extra gas money and helped me with car repairs), I had the flexibility to start writing professionally before I'd even graduated. That low-pressure start with places like local newspapers and magazines, as well as online write-for-hire work, meant that once I had my degree in-hand I'd basically reached the point I could work from home without needing to apply for traditional jobs. More importantly, my family kept providing me a place to stay and an environment that helped me stretch as a writer as long as I needed it.

I got my own place a little under a year after graduating, but that extra added time to build my CV, make connections, and pay off debts (owning my own car, improving my credit score, etc.) was a serious boon when I went out on my own.

Hustle Every Day

End of the day, it beat the hell out of robbing banks.

Now, none of that is to say this has been an easy road to walk by any stretch of the imagination. I've had to downsize my living situation more than once when clients changed their rates, or when sales took a tumble. I've got a stack of rejection letters that I could paper my apartment with if I printed them out and dedicated a weekend to the task. Several holiday wish lists have had the rather embarrassing, "Well, I was sort of hoping to get a new work laptop, since my current one is trying to eat any manuscript I open on it," entry on them. I've persevered, built up my client list, and refused to give up.

With that said, I can also attest that it's a lot easier not to give up when I was allowed to build up my savings, when I started out with no debts weighing me down, and when I know that, deep down, I have a safety net that will catch me if something truly terrible happens and I need a place to go. And, as Strong points out, very little of what I earn at the end of the year is from book sales. In fact, running the numbers from last year, they didn't even make up 10 percent of my total, pre-tax earnings (though that number does go up if we include profits from RPG adventures and supplements as well as books).

That's something that often gets lost in the shuffle. For a lot of writers out there, your royalties are going to be the icing, not the cake. And if you're planning on subsisting just off the icing, you are in for a very uncomfortable experience... if you even have the support necessary to reach the starting line. It's not pretty, and it's not fair, but it's often the truth of the situation. And it really is one reason that so many writers have similar voices... because they had to come from similar backgrounds just to be able to afford to do what they do.

That Said, You Should Totally Do It Anyway!

Now, with all of that doom and gloom out of the way, and even acknowledging the position I'm in, I tell you this with all my heart. Write anyway.

Seriously. Because we have more tools available to us now than ever before. We have greater abilities to find our audience, and to make our mark, than previous generations could ever fathom. And while finding time for your craft is hard, especially if you have to do it after class or between shifts, there are resources out there to help you. It won't be easy... but it is something you can do if you're willing to pick up the knife.

And even if you miss, what do you gain by not taking a stab?

Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned!

That's all for this week's Business of Writing! If you'd like to see more of my work, take a look at my Vocal archive, or at My Amazon Author Page where you can find books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife as well as my recent collection The Rejects!

If you'd like to help support my work, then consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page! Lastly, to keep up with my latest, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well!

The Tiffany Problem (When People Think They Know History, But Don't)

The figure in blackened armor rode through the muck of the street, light rain beading on his helm like sweat. His horse snorted, blowing steam from its nostrils. The wind snapped the pennant on the rider's lance, showing the colors of his house; a red dragon rampant on a field of black. One of the Drakes, then, no doubt looking to cause trouble as the "noble" lords so often were.

"You there," the figure called, pointing at a butcher standing beneath the awning over his door. "I seek the Lady Tiffany Valis. Where shall I find her?"

And be quick! She and I have business to discuss.

For those who snickered or rolled their eyes at the intro, it's there to make a point. Because, though most folks don't know it, the name Tiffany was actually in common use as far back as the 12th century. It was short for Theophania, in case you wondered. We associate it with modern culture and wealth thanks to its repopularization in the 1960s, and it's significantly more common usage in the 1980s and 1990s, but it's an old damn name.

The problem is that most of your readers won't know that, and there's a name for this weird phenomenon: The Tiffany Problem.

Most People Actually Know Dick About History

According to MamaMia, this term was coined by author Jo Walton. To paraphrase her explanation, it's about the tension between actual, historical facts and people's common perception of what history was like. Or, put another way, the facts of what happened in history versus someone's beliefs about what history was like.

And this rabbit hole gets WEIRD!

If you're looking for a few examples, don't worry, I've got you covered. One of my personal favorites, detailed in 6 Ridiculous Myths About The Middle Ages Everyone Believes is that medieval people were not, in fact, filthy. Washing your hands before and after a meal was customary, and communal bathing was a daily occurrence for many workmen (a tradition carried on from the Romans). It was such a common practice that soap manufacture and sale was on an almost industrialized scale by the 13th century in Europe.

There was supposed to be a scene in the film Gladiator where our protagonist became the celebrity face of a brand of olive oil, according to 5 True Stories Cut From Movies For Being Too Realistic. And in case the title of that article didn't give it away, that was totally a thing that famous gladiators did in ancient Rome. There were even billboards advertising their products, and some of them had frigging action figures! And as I pointed out in the post Introduce Some "Period" Technology In Your Game over on my sister blog Improved Initiative, there are dozens of other things we assume belong solely in the modern day that have been around for centuries.

As a quick for instance; Ancient Rome had shopping malls, complete with food courts. The Persian Empire engineered air conditioning and cold houses where they could store chilled food and ice in the middle of the desert. Over 2000 years ago Hero of Alexandria invented a vending machine that dispensed holy water when you put a coin into a slot. The Vikings had arrest warrants, child support, and welfare systems.

History is a weird damn place, folks.

Embrace The Bizarre Facts (It Makes Your Work Stand Out)

On the one hand, it's entirely possible to just embrace convention when you're writing. Whether you're writing historical fiction, or just using real history as a foundation for a fantasy setting, nothing says you must adhere to all the facts, or confuse your audience with unwilling education.

But wouldn't your work be a lot more interesting if you did?

And you get to be smug that you did the research as a bonus!

This goes beyond naming conventions and cultural quirks, as well; it also applies to the norms that so many people think were common, but in fact weren't. Like how modern borders are just imaginary lines on maps, given that Charles Mann mentioned there were ex-samurai working as mercenaries for the Spanish to protect their shipments in Caribbean in the late 1500s and early 1600s. Or how most traditional cowboys in the old West tended to be either Mexican or black, and that the white cowhand is largely a Hollywood invention. Or about how one of the most feared pirates in history was both a woman, and Chinese.

History is a strange place. And if your work is going to draw criticism from readers for "being inaccurate," there's nothing more satisfying than being able to cite the source. Because then you can start a whole second conversation about your work, and that's always good for drawing in new, interested readers.

Like, Follow, and Come Back Again!

That's all for this week's Craft of Writing! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, or at My Amazon Author Page where you can find books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife!

If you'd like to help support my work, then consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page! Lastly, to keep up with my latest, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well!