So you want to be a professional writer...
Yep, time for the year in review writer/editorly angst and assessment post, brought on by doing two readings in row this weekend.
How I spent 2008, apart from day job, vestiges of social life, etc.:
February - presentation and talk on Crave to the local kinky book club.
March - Marscon 10 (local sf/f con) - panels and a Broad Universe reading (of my sf/f, I don't usually read smut at cons)
May - WisCon, everyone's favorite feminist sf/f/h convention in Madison, WI. 2 readings from Hearths, a panel and a release party for Haunted Hearths and Periphery
June - this was a fun month - Sexy Spring V (local sex-related conference) - one erotica writing workshop, one reading at the Fairy Tales Cabaret at Intermedia Arts; Fourth Street Fantasy (Minneapolis) - 2 panels; 1 publication reading from Haunted Hearths at DreamHaven Books and Comics
July - CONvergence (local sf/f/h con) - panels, Broad Universe Reading
August - Golden Crown Literary Conference, Phoenix, AZ - 2 panels, one reading; 1 reading - Smitten Kitten, opening act for Rachel K. Bussel; 1 book signing at True Colors
September - True Colors Bookstore (formerly Amazon) Grand Opening Reading
October - Broad Universe Radio Free Bliss podcast; Gaylaxicon 2008 (Washington, D.C.)- reading, panels; Halloween reading at True Colors
December - 2 nights of readings (with other performers) at Patrick's Cabaret
Plus interviews at Circlet Press, GCLS newsletter, The Wry Writer and Lesbian Fiction Readers Choice mailing list.
Largest crowd - Fairy Tales Cabaret at Intermedia Art - 60-70 or so in attendance
Smallest crowd - 1, not including partners dragged in to pad things out
Most books sold at one time - 8-9 at WisCon
Fewest sold - 1, several venues
What it all accomplished (not necessarily related to list above): sales of several hundred books; presumably creation/growth of fan base; 1 2008 Goldie Award for Erotica, 1 Lesbian Fiction Readers Choice Award, 1 story finalist for 2008 Gaylactic Spectrum Award and getting completely passed over for 2 other awards; feeling of great and remarkable crispiness.
Actual writing:
Saw release of first edited antho; finished a novelette, 3 short stories, 1 article and work on several novels in progress.
Was it worth it? Maybe. Jury's still out on that but I'm told my reading presentation style is quite impressive now, what with all the practice. :-)
How I spent 2008, apart from day job, vestiges of social life, etc.:
February - presentation and talk on Crave to the local kinky book club.
March - Marscon 10 (local sf/f con) - panels and a Broad Universe reading (of my sf/f, I don't usually read smut at cons)
May - WisCon, everyone's favorite feminist sf/f/h convention in Madison, WI. 2 readings from Hearths, a panel and a release party for Haunted Hearths and Periphery
June - this was a fun month - Sexy Spring V (local sex-related conference) - one erotica writing workshop, one reading at the Fairy Tales Cabaret at Intermedia Arts; Fourth Street Fantasy (Minneapolis) - 2 panels; 1 publication reading from Haunted Hearths at DreamHaven Books and Comics
July - CONvergence (local sf/f/h con) - panels, Broad Universe Reading
August - Golden Crown Literary Conference, Phoenix, AZ - 2 panels, one reading; 1 reading - Smitten Kitten, opening act for Rachel K. Bussel; 1 book signing at True Colors
September - True Colors Bookstore (formerly Amazon) Grand Opening Reading
October - Broad Universe Radio Free Bliss podcast; Gaylaxicon 2008 (Washington, D.C.)- reading, panels; Halloween reading at True Colors
December - 2 nights of readings (with other performers) at Patrick's Cabaret
Plus interviews at Circlet Press, GCLS newsletter, The Wry Writer and Lesbian Fiction Readers Choice mailing list.
Largest crowd - Fairy Tales Cabaret at Intermedia Art - 60-70 or so in attendance
Smallest crowd - 1, not including partners dragged in to pad things out
Most books sold at one time - 8-9 at WisCon
Fewest sold - 1, several venues
What it all accomplished (not necessarily related to list above): sales of several hundred books; presumably creation/growth of fan base; 1 2008 Goldie Award for Erotica, 1 Lesbian Fiction Readers Choice Award, 1 story finalist for 2008 Gaylactic Spectrum Award and getting completely passed over for 2 other awards; feeling of great and remarkable crispiness.
Actual writing:
Saw release of first edited antho; finished a novelette, 3 short stories, 1 article and work on several novels in progress.
Was it worth it? Maybe. Jury's still out on that but I'm told my reading presentation style is quite impressive now, what with all the practice. :-)