Midlist Writer: Between Books

Friday 7 March 2008

Between Books

Things are getting anxious over here in Midlist Land. For the first time since 2000, when I signed on to do my first book, the third edition of the Insiders' Guide to Phoenix, I am without a book contract. I sent in the final manuscript for Outlaw Tales of Missouri last month, and now I don't have a book to work on.

That's scary. I've had an incredible run of luck up to this point, seamlessly going from beginner to midlister by being able to get a contract for my next book while working on the current one, but now all I have is two publishers saying they are interested.

I don't need interest, I need a contract, and they've been interested for quite a long time.

Of course, there's plenty of work to be done. I have a slew of articles to write, a book proposal to fix up before sending out, another one I'm just beginning, and I need to do final edits on a novel that an editor wants to see. So I'm busy, just not a busy as I'd like to be. Or as financially stable as I'd like to be.

This was bound to happen sooner or later. All writers go through dry periods; I was just hoping to be the exception. Ah well.

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The Case of the Purloined Pyramid

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