Tuesday, March 11, 2014

A Tangible Reward

Writing a novel takes time. Sometimes, getting a contract for that novel can take longer than writing the book. Today an author can also self-publish. With all my books, I first tried to get a contract with a publisher. I appreciate having someone else edit the book because I know the end result will be a better product. It's easier to have someone else make the cover for the book, too. Advertising is a major part of marketing. Worthy publishers advertise. Even though authors are expected to be involved in social media to spread the word about their books, a publisher's efforts can make a bigger difference in sales.

Finding the right publisher for a book can be a challenge and dealing with rejections is disheartening. It took me a while to toughen up when I first decided to publish my stories--but I did learn to persevere and continue to submit despite being turned down over and over again.

Publishing can be a crazy business with very little compensation.

I found buying myself a small reward when I finished a book helped me to deal with all the ups and downs of submission and rejection. To me, the reward was tangible proof of my efforts. In the photo above is a punched-tin lantern. I bought it because such a lantern is used by the ghost in The Company You Keep. It's an integral part of the plot. I figured if I didn't get a publisher for the book, I would publish it myself and use the lantern as part of the design for the cover. I did get a contract for the book eventually, but I still have the lantern. :-)

Hubby bought a Celtic cross for me after I finished Irons in the Fire. In that book, the heroine has a Celtic cross as a talisman.

When I finished The Pirate's Wraith, one of my daughters bought a necklace for me with an old-fashioned sailing ship made of pewter.

These are inexpensive items, but each of them mean a lot to me. Finishing a book is a huge hurdle. For me, it's nice to have a tangible reward.

2 comments:

The Prude said...

What a great idea! Your books sound so wonderful Penelope, I am going to put them on my list. You are so wise to choose fun things as the center of your novels, instead of stuff like dead cats or slimy tennis balls or rickety porch swings ;)

Penelope Marzec said...

Prude,

LOL! No dead cats or slimy tennis balls in any of my novels.

But that rickety porch swing sounds interesting...