Ever since I can remember, I’ve wanted to write for a living. To seek out the profession of a novelist. At the age of nine, I just knew it. I realize I’m lucky, that not many people can say with absolutely certainty at an early age which is the right career for their life. Most of us entertain different options, until something finally clicks. Our parents, other relatives, some teachers, and even our friends tell us to aim high. The sky’s the limit, and so on, and so forth. To pursue that dream which might seem out of reach. Young writers are often encouraged to keep going. 

It’s only later on when reality sets in. We aren’t warned about everything involved in a writer’s success…the fact that writing skill and even some talent are only part of the process (cue all the rejections), and a little business savvy couldn’t hurt. That promotion is half the battle, and so many different steps feed into the final product. Most writers learn that the hard way. My father often looked on with disappointment as I pursued what he termed an ‘unmarketable career’, rather than going into the engineering industry or becoming a computer analyst as my siblings did. 

Despite the obstacles, I moved forward, determined to have a book published. After college, I decided to try the new self-publishing craze. Why not? So I prepared some stories and poems for a collection. It was such a proud moment to see the paperback copy, and notice there was a purchase page for the book on Amazon! Upon reflection, now knowing I’ve made my share of mistakes – and wishing somewhat that I’d done more research on how it works before being impulsive – it’s been a learning process, for sure, and none of it was easy. Then again, the most rewarding experiences never are…

I still held out hope that I would find a traditional publisher. I took my time perfecting the big manuscript, and enjoyed being an indie author too. I’d put out a novella now and then in various genres, but most were contemporary romance or romantic suspense. One hard lesson I faced was coming up with the right pen name. I quickly discovered that having multiple pseudonyms was more trouble than it was worth. I’m still working on shifting my backlist so all the books are under this pen name.

In 2011, after my novel-length book was finished – and edited to the best of my ability with the help of critique partners – I began submitting the manuscript to literary agents and publishers. Oh, I had plenty of rejections! Yet, I tried to adopt an outlook of what I call ‘persistence and perseverance’. I kept going despite the letdowns, and the only way to approach it (at least for me) was to submit a query to a new agent or publishing company right after I received a rejection. It’s impossible to overlook that initial stab in the heart when someone sends a form letter that this book you’ve spent so much time laboring over ‘just isn’t the right fit’ for them. But I figured if I didn’t dwell on it too much, and I tried to be a little optimistic by trying one more name on the list, then in the end, I had a better chance of achieving my ultimate goal – publication.

This took time, of course, but I think the method panned out. By August of 2012, I’d received a contract for my first historical romance, and the book was released on February 13^th. Much of my journey with the mid-sized publisher was spent on learning the process of being under contract. I released other books with them too, in various subgenres of romance. As my projects evolved, I grew more accustomed to the idea of occasionally publishing my own work on the side. 

Having a publisher is a challenge at times, but it can also be nice to fall back on that community of authors and editors. Policies change, though, and what was once the case might not be so again. Whereas with indie publishing, every aspect of the process falls on you as the author (writing, editing, cover art, formatting/uploading to booksellers, marketing/promotion, advertising, and book launches, among other things), unless you’re lucky enough to be able to delegate certain duties or pay for help. Some writers have PAs or assistants who handle the development of their author brand, and investing in book tour services isn’t a bad idea either. But if your budget is on the smaller side, you must do a lot of it yourself. When your book is under contract, that publishing company usually handles the editing, the book cover, and the formatting involved. Some will cover marketing. Each publisher is different, though, and they all have separate expectations. Read your contract thoroughly before you agree to or sign anything, and make sure it lines up well with typical contracts in the industry.

During my time with that publisher, I learned a lot. I evolved as a writer, author, and blogger. I grew more open-minded about different types of marketing, even did radio interviews now and then. Numerous accolades (book and author awards) dotted my portfolio. 

However, six years later – last June, in fact – I found myself in a difficult situation. I’d taken for granted that my career would steadily grow as it always had. Instead, those book contracts I’d celebrated weren’t renewed again, as they were before. All nine of them! Grr. The publisher was headed in a different direction, even dropping certain genres from their repertoire. It was a fact that boggled my mind, yet I was forced to adapt to additional rejections as the returned book contracts piled up. It seemed my author career was all about acclimating to constant changes.

That was when I decided to start self-publishing more books. Still, once the rights to my historical series were reverted back to me, I knew I wanted to try submitting to a traditional publisher again. The trilogy was close to my heart – and despite being wary of falling into the same situation – I wasn’t yet willing to send it out into the world without a good representative. I hoped to get a literary agent during this round of submissions, but that sometimes eludes the best of us. I tried, though. 

And just when I imagined I might have to resort to publishing the Victorian maritime romance series on my own, I stumbled across a different type of publisher. One claiming to ‘put the author first’. Gears started to turn in my head, and I thought…Hey, why not? What could it hurt to at least try? 

The effort was worthwhile. Several weeks later, I reached out to the CEO on Facebook. I’d met her once years before, and just started chatting her up about current events, and wished her good health. We talked about writing too. But I didn’t want to be a pain in the butt either, one of those writers who never leave a prospective publisher or editor alone. I hate to lose a good opportunity, though. People get busy, and I figured it couldn’t hurt anything to remind them of the submission. I had read in numerous articles that it’s okay to check on your submission status. The lack of response was killing me, and really, I just wanted to prepare for a rejection upfront instead of going through the initial shock. In any case, I casually mentioned I’d submitted one of my manuscripts recently. She was shocked, wasn’t aware I had. After searching for the book, she forwarded the story to their acquisitions editor to take a good look. I like that she appreciated my professionalism – mainly submitting the manuscript under my real name instead of the author brand I’d developed. Whoa…people do that? And before I knew it, two hours later, she had emailed me, offering a contract for the book, stating the acquisitions editor loved the story, and noticed the writing was tight and well-edited. She stated they’d be pleased to take on the book, and any follow-up titles for the series.

I was ecstatic! I guess my tenacity paid off, huh? 

In summation, do not lose hope if you’re holding out for a traditional publisher. Just make sure you do your homework on each one, and thoroughly read every contract you’re offered. This one was different from my former publisher, but I’m cool with that. I am so excited to see all the new book covers, and what the second editions of those historical romances will look like. I’m hoping to see the Heiresses in Love Series come out soon!

Still, I would recommend the hybrid approach, at least if you ask me. Be just as open to indie publishing alongside the traditional route. 

Another reason I chose to self-publish my recently released romantic comedy series, The Misfits Series, is that I knew I would embark on a new-to-me genre with book six in the set. Chasing Ginger, a steamy romantic comedy about a plus-sized heroine, just came out in March.

Every respective book covers the romantic misadventures of each friend in their special group of ‘Misfits’. The final book in the series is a LGBT romantic comedy, actually a lesbian romance. And even though I have evolved considerably as an author, adopting the multi-genre mindset, I can’t be sure some readers will be open to my leaning in that direction. But all I can do is follow the vision of each book, and the characters therein. Nicole is a unique one, and her story should be told, and I’ll do so to the best of my ability. 

Years ago, I discovered that my publisher then was no longer taking on children’s books. So, when the idea for a kid’s fantasy story materialized in my head, I knew I’d need to take special steps to put it out on my own. I even designed the cover for A Little Magick. This story is part of a series, yet it can also be read as a standalone. The first book in the series, Magick & Moonlight, covers the tale of Rosie’s parents. It is a contemporary romantic fantasy. The second edition came out in April, complete with extra material and an all-new book cover. 

Book three of the trilogy will probably get released sometime next year, after I finish writing that story. Though M&M was originally published with my former publisher, the full Magick Series will now be self-published. 

Things do change, don’t they? But I also know this is right, as I have far more control over how the series develops using this method. The same goes for the other books and series – Eternal Hearts, Code of Endhivar, and the Blood at First Sight Series – which are set to be indie released.

As for any different books in the works? How they get published will solely be dependent upon each project.

The publishing journey for a writer is challenging, no matter whether you decide to go traditional or publish a book on your own – or a bit of both. But in the end, the winding roads still take you right back where you’re meant to be. Pursuing your dream, and following the stories as they come to you. 

Why else would you want to be a writer, after all?

GUEST BLOGGER BIO

Multi-genre author of Victorian maritime romance/family saga, Heiresses in Love, and 18 other books. Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and two cats. She has been writing for a little over twenty-five years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands. Since 2010, Marie has published 21 books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, romantic comedy, dramatic fiction, fantasy, science fiction, mystery/thriller, literary fiction and poetry. An avid blogger on the side, she writes adult fiction, as well as occasional stories for children, and has recently started some young adult fiction. She also contributed to several anthologies. Though Marie has standalone titles on the market, her current published series are The Eternal Hearts Series, The Magick Series, The Code of Endhivar Series, The Misfits Series and The Blood at First Sight Series, but she has many others planned. Her Victorian maritime romance series is returning, and the second editions of the trilogy will be released soon under her new publisher, Foundations Books. Discover more about her and her work at the following links.

Official Website: http://marielavender.com/

Blogs: http://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com/
http://marielavender.blogspot.com/ http://marielavenderbooks.blogspot.com/

Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/marie.lavender.58
https://www.facebook.com/MarieAnnLavender
https://twitter.com/marielavender1
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/marie-lavender/27/187/10a https://www.instagram.com/marielavender1/

Amazon author page: http://bit.ly/MarieLavender
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938764.Marie_Lavender
Follow her on BookBub for new release updates: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marie-lavender

Universal Reading List link: https://books2read.com/rl/marielavendersbooks

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Fan mail email: writeme.marielavender@gmail.com