Feb. 8, 2006
Back when I was young and foolish I started writing for The Armchair Detective, which is where I came into contact with Kate Stine. Kate is now editor and publisher of Mystery Scene Magazine. Kate earlier had been an editor at Mysterious Books--I'm not sure if that was before or after they were bought by Warner.

Somewhere during our correspondence I remember e-mailing her and saying something along the lines of, hope to run into you someday at a conference when I'm an award-winning mystery author.

Kate, in her wisdom, e-mailed back--how about just published mystery author.

You see, Kate was smart. Kate was experienced. Kate knew that of the few who even get published, even fewer win awards. And even fewer make it to the bestseller lists. Few, for that matter, make a living writing fiction.

There's a gentleman whose blog I visit who is unpublished and talks about how passionate he is about becoming published and becoming a bestseller. I want to tell him that becoming a bestseller is out of his control. Becoming published is, to some extent, within his control.

I'm older, but probably no less foolish. I still write with the hopes of a large book advance, a movie deal, hard/soft deals, foreign rights sales, audiobooks, the whole enchillada. And sure, bestseller lists. Do I expect to?

I don't know. Like I said, it seems to be out of my control.

Here's what is in my control.

Writing the very best book I am capable of writing. Marketing it to the full extent possible so it has the best chance of being published. Once published, marketing it with all the time and energy and funds and resources available. That's an important qualification, too. I'm a fulltime writer, but not a fulltime novelist. I can't afford to spend 60 hours a week and $40,000 a year on book marketing. Period. There's no argument there. There may be writers out there who would say, that's a choice you make. Wrong, it's not a choice. I can't spend $40,000 and continue to make mortgage and car payments or heat my house or, I'm sure, stay married. Some choice. And since I spend most of my time running a writing business, and if I don't spend a considerable amount of time doing that, I won't have any income at all except that meager amount made off writing fiction.

But still, you do what you can. I do mailings. I have a website. I do book signings and talks and a blog and go to a con or two. I'm not award winning (yet) and I'm not a bestseller (yet). Maybe I never will be. But I am a writer and I make a living doing what I love. In many ways, that's plenty

Best,
Mark Terry