(and why procrastination sometimes is my middle name…)

Meant to have this up two weeks ago but, ah, life happens.

Congratulations! Your novel is a relative success! People know your name, your work, and it seems that everyone is a fan and you’ve received that random 1-star review from somewhere. You’ve officially made it. This is the best of times!

There comes a moment as a professional writer where it seems that everyone and anyone wants you for their short stories (or to write books in their universe). These are awesome moments when they occur, and because you know you need to jump on every opportunity presented, you agree to write whenever asked.

But…then comes to pressure of suddenly realizing you’ve promised a dozen short stories to various editors, all of which are due in six weeks.

Oh, and the publisher wants a sequel or two. Like, soon.

How soon?

Very. Here’s the contract.

This says in two months.

Yes. Can you?

Uh, sure?

This is the point in your career where you start to wonder if you made a mistake or not, whether you bit off more than you can chew. Yes, probably, but that’s okay. It’s a steep learning curve in publishing that every author hits at one point or the other.

Want to know a little secret? It’s a dirty secret, one that only smart authors will admit to. Lean closer so people won’t scream at you about missed opportunities and whatnot.

Ready?

You’re allowed to say “No.”

Seriously.

You see, one thing that authors never take into account is what their time is worth. Especially new authors. Newer authors don’t think of what they’re “writing” time is being paid as. It’s a strange thing, shifting from what you do in your spare time to actually making certain you have time to continue to get paid for this strange new hobby that actually pays you and not the other way around. Your time as an author is valuable, and sometimes it comes at the expense of other things.

My coauthor Melissa has a husband, two kids, a full-time job, and a velociraptor masquerading as a puppy. Her time for writing is valuable, but she prioritizes kids and hubby first (as one should). Because of this, she has to prioritize what is under contract and what is not. So if an anthology editor comes to her now and asks if she can do a short story, instead of immediately saying “Yes” as we all would have not too long ago, she has to carefully consider her copious amount of free time (which is none because, you know, aforementioned hubby, kids, house, job, murderpuppy…) and if she can fit it into her schedule.

We all do this, which means on occasion we have to say “no” when an invite comes in.

…and saying “no” is hard.

Reader, you don’t understand how much we writers want to write for everything. Cool series of books and the universe creator wants you to write in it? Anthology about aliens and demigods? A sweet gig writing books for established TV series? Oh, man, that would be hard to turn down… but if you’re looking at that looming deadline for your new series with your publisher and there simply is no way to do it (minus lots of illicit drugs and zero sleep), then it’s perfectly okay to decline the offer. Or ask if they don’t mind a different deadline the one they proposed.

Because at the end of the day, it’s an opportunity for them as much as it is for you.

As an author, you create something that people want to read. Editors and publishers alike watch your numbers and reviews, so when they’re asking you to write in an anthology or an established series, it’s not because you’re a great friend of their (usually…nepotism is a thing for a reason) but because they believe that you can bring fans (i.e., paying customers) to their brand. They want you to write for them.

So if you’re swamped, can’t find the open time in your schedule, you politely say “Not at this time, thank you. I’m completely booked, but I would love to in the future.” If they throw a fit, well, did you really want to write for someone like that anyway?

Conversely, if they really do want you, they’ll say “Yes, definitely future stuff. When you have the opening in your schedule, let me know and we can work on something.”

That is called being a professional and it’ll take you far.

Your time is valuable. Know your worth. Believe it when I say that you’re allowed to say “no.”

You have to. If anything, for that thin strand of sanity to which you cling.

…and now, a word from our sponsor…

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