Remember those after school specials? They were usually hideously acted, horridly written things with such gems of dialog as: “But Jenny, Christy was smoking. And she’s the most popular girl in school. If I just took one puff, I’m sure I’d be cool, too.” Yeah. And people wonder why so much of the population is in therapy.
But I digress. As bad as those movies were, the point is still valid. Peer pressure is out there.
Especially in epublishing, where e-authors are on top of each other all the time (same publishers, same writing loops, same promotional groups, same blogs… 
) The pressure is intense. I mean, we’ve got the fun of deadlines and contract negotiations and reviews and reader-demands (not to mention the constant yardstick trying to compare ebooks to NY-print-books)…and we’re a stressed out bunch of people a lot of the time.
But a lot of that pressure we never acknowledge.
The fact is, I have two pretty covers and a coming soon on the side-bar here. RG has one coming soon. Lori–I’ve lost count of how many books Lori has out. And sometimes, I internalise that into: I should be writing more, why don’t I have anything finished? When will I sell something? Omg I need to write faster… And frankly, the typical internet-attention span is about the same as that of my 3-year old after a chocolate binge. There’s so much coming out, so often, from so many places…it’s hard not to feel pressured to do MORE.
Then there’s the ‘levels of publishing’. “Ok, I’ve sold to this epub and this epub and this epub…but THIS one is RWA-recognized, so I totally need to sell to them. AND NY, because I’m not worth a lugnut if I’m not published by NY.”
Then there’s the pressure of writing ‘hotter’. They sell better, everyone will tell you.
But don’t write in a different genre: readers hate that.
And yet, no one will ever say to you: “Write more books. You need 12 books a year.” They won’t say “You need to go to THAT publisher, and only that one.” “You need to write erotic vampire threesomes because those are the best sellers right now.” “You need to only write fantasy because that’s what people expect from you.”
Everyone says to write what you love…but there’s still all this unspoken pressure to do all this other stuff.
So I have to wonder…how much of this is just…Shtuff? How many books DOES an author need to release every year (epublishing) for you to remember them? If they only release once a year, are you going to forget them? Or are you going to look forward to each release with bated breath? If they cross genre lines, are you going to stop buying?
And writers: how do you ignore the squeals of happy authors who get a new contract, cover, review, etc. every month and plug away at your own speed, whatever it might be?
A little heavy thinking for today’s post, I guess. No worries, we’re chatting tomorrow at Joyfully Reviewed, and it will be full of our usual mayhem. 
June 1st, 2007 at 10:33 am
Oh, I can’t relate to this at all. (Heavy sarcasm).
What shocks me is when I sit down and realize how many contracts I have. And yet, I still feel I’m not “doing enough”.
My focus gets….skewed. The distraction of “What publisher?” “What “Brand” do I go with?” “What plan do I make?” keeps me from WRITING.
That’s why I have long, drawn out conversations with you that make you sigh heavily.
Good thing you lurrrrve me, eh?
June 1st, 2007 at 11:57 am
Peer pressure? What’s that? I never feel pressure. Nope, I am laid-back, chilled out, and so calm you need to check my pulse to see if I’m among the living.
Not buying that? Okay, fine. Then, YEAH. We all feel the pressure. Vamps and werewolves aren’t selling…but other paranormal is hot right now. And urban fantasy. But don’t jump too far out of your box because then everyone knows you’re just writing to the market and not your voce. OY VAY!
June 1st, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Without a doubt I feel it. I write longer books than most people I know-but I also think I write slower. I dont write dark enough. Dark is huge and my voice just…isnt. I love to read Dark Urban and Steampunk but its not what comes out on my page.
I love writing erotica but I’m kind of a Pollyanna too-and yes sometimes I bemoan my lack of literary angst. lol
I am genuinely happy for those authors who pop out so many books a year and do it so well. Its too early to tell yet what kind of author I’ll be. But I have already learned that I have to follow where my muse takes me-and just cross my fingers that she takes me to the right place.
June 1st, 2007 at 3:03 pm
Lol, I hope you don’t think I know what the hell I’m doing, Dayna. Ask RG. I called her in complete panic last night…she had to talk me off the edge lol.
Poor RG. I’m sure that’s not what she thought she signed on for here lol.
There are some things I feel really comfortable doing (thank gawd paranormal is so hot right now) and some that make me feel really out of my element. Promo anyone? How to articles? I just muddle through it. As for writing faster, longer, shorter, whatever…there will always be something. I wish had answers but I don’t. And yeah, the pressure can get intense, but despite that I don’t want to be doing anything else.
Ok, I’ve written a whole other post here lol. Just ignore my rambling.
June 1st, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Lori-no worries-I love brainstorming and chatting with all of you!
Honestly I’ve been having the best time since you girls invited me to play in your sandbox.
June 1st, 2007 at 3:55 pm
R.G. you and I have the same stuff. I don’t write that dark either. I have to try and get the “mood” down right. Whatever.
And Crystal, NO I’m not buying it.
June 1st, 2007 at 9:36 pm
No worries, Lori. I don’t think you know what you’re doing.
But you also hit the nail on the head. Despite the crazy pressure, this is what we all WANT to be doing.
We just have to take a few steps back sometimes…and question whether that holds true for all the little decisions we’re making. I recently found myself researching agents…I’m not ready for that! But I’m reading about all these people GETTING agents, and I know I want one eventually…so I thought I should try for one. Not just yet, thanks , but I’ll keep the research
Do I need/want to sell 12 books a year? It’d be NICE, sure, but I’d be happy to have three or four. And I’m thrilled with the ONE I have coming out before the end of this year. It’s all a matter of making sure I want what I want, and not because I see what other people are doing…