Today’s topic from the Marketing for Romance Writers blogging challenge: How getting the call (or acceptance) changes lives. Hoo-boy, that’s a big topic! Want to chime in with your own experiences? Join us here: https://mfrw52week.blogspot.com/

Yeah, yeah—we’ve all heard that writers don’t get rich, that we should write for the love of spinning stories. And I do love that part most of all. But let’s get real: that nod from a gatekeeper catapults a writer into a whole new world.

After scores of query letters to agents, all rejected, I tried a Twitter pitch competition. Long story short, my first nibble led in a circuitous route to my small-press publisher, The Wild Rose Press. What a thrill! I buzzed around the house for days, grinning like an over-caffeinated lunatic. I’ll admit it—I craved external validation of my writing. Don’t we all? And I was delighted to have someone hold my hand through the publishing process.

What I didn’t anticipate was how time-consuming the business end of publishing is. Let me paint you a Before & After picture.

Before:

• Write
• Get feedback from critique partners, beta readers, etc.
• Revise & edit
• Sweat over query letter
• Identify possible agents & publishers
• Send out queries
• Wait
• Write some more

After:

• Network on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bookbub, Goodreads…
• Check in with your publisher
• Promo your published books and your WIP
• Work on your email newsletter
• Create images for promo
• Order swag
• Book author events
• Create blog posts, including hosting other authors—see networking, above
• Peek at your reviews. You got a good one! Do your happy dance and share on social media—see promo. You got a bad one. Feel awful, then shake it off with a walk—which you need, because you’ve been spending so much time at your computer.
• Bookkeeping chores: gotta keep track of those expenses, ROI from promo efforts, budgeting, etc.
• Occasionally remember to shower.
• Oh yeah—try to squeeze in some writing.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m enjoying the challenge. Praise from readers gives me enough juice to keep on truckin’. And I know it’ll get easier as certain aspects of the business end become a smooth reflex. That’s just it, though: I’m no longer just a writer, I’m a businesswoman. Even with just two books out, I’m spending over half my time on writing-adjacent chores. I have a lot to learn about balancing my creative time with promo/networking.

What was your biggest surprise when you got the Golden Ticket? Or did you just seize the reins and indie-pub your work?