NOTHING IS FOREVER…INCLUDING PUBLISHING CONTRACTS

By Richard L. Mabry, M.D.

I was associated with traditional publishers since 2010 when my first novel, Code Blue, was released. I’d had a good relationship with them, but—like many other authors—the contracts I was given were for a limited number of books each time. There was no lifetime guarantee, but with all the awards and honors my writing received, I wasn’t worried. But perhaps I should have been.

I’d signed (after a long period of nail-biting) with a new publishing house run by experienced and respected people. We were all excited about it, but when my publication date was pushed back a couple of times I began to worry a bit. That unease was validated when I received news from the publisher that there were problems with their financing. My agent negotiated a reversion of rights for the novel the publisher held, but where did I go from here? After several other publishers declined to give me an offer, I reached the conclusion I’d been avoiding: I’d go with self-publication.

Actually, I’d dipped my toe—er, my pen—into these waters earlier, publishing three novellas using agent-assisted publication. And for this novel I used the lessons I’d learned. For the novellas, as well as the novel I was about to release, I made certain that the cover design was a good one. How? I didn’t try to do it myself, but paid a professional. The same with editing, even though I’d read all the books on self-editing and gone through the manuscript several times. Another pair of eyes, especially a good one, never hurt. And, because I was still new at this “indie” thing, I turned to agent-assisted publication for this endeavor.

The agency furnished a coordinator (one with whom I’d worked on publication of my novellas), and she helped walk me through the process. She assisted in pricing the book. She answered my questions and even had some suggestions along the way. And I tried to learn from the experience.

I didn’t have a publisher’s marketing department behind me, but every author will agree that the best way to advertise is to write good books and have readers look forward to your next one. I lined up a few blog appearances, recruited a dozen or so people to help get the word out after I sent them a print copy of the book, and let things take their course. So far, the results have been good.

Would I use a traditional publisher in the future if I am offered a contract, or am I an “indie” (actually a hybrid) author for the foreseeable future? Only time will tell. But this experience has shown me yet another means of getting my novels to readers. And for that I am grateful.

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Richard L. Mabry is a retired physician, now writing “medical mysteries with heart.” He is the author of one non-fiction book (TheTender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse), three novellas, and eleven published novels, the latest of which is Cardiac Event. His novels have been a semifinalist for International Thriller Writers’ debut novel, finalists for the ACFW Carol Award, Inspirational Reader’s Choice, and Romantic Times’ Reader’s Choice and Reviewer’s Choice Awards, as well as winner of the Selah Award and the 2017 Christian Retailers Best.

TIME CHANGES EVERYTHING

By Dr. Richard Mabry

Tommy Duncan was the vocalist with the Bob Wills Band (and if you never heard of the King of Western Swing, I feel sorry for you). Tommy wrote and recorded a song titled, “Time Changes Everything.” As I prepared for the release of my tenth novel of medical suspense, Medical Judgment, I thought back to my first novel and realized that in this case, as in the romance Tommy Duncan sang about, time indeed does change everything.

When my first novel, Code Blue released just six short years ago, I arranged a “launch party” at a bookstore in the area. I even had a cake with CODE BLUE on top in blue frosting. I invited all my friends (and some people I barely knew). And when it was time to start, although I expected maybe a hundred people to be there, in actuality the area set aside for my talk contained perhaps a fifth that many persons. When I talked with management afterward, they told me that a New York Times best-selling author had been there to speak just a month earlier, and drew an even smaller crowd than mine.

After that experience, I soon stopped doing launch parties. Now I see some of my colleagues celebrating the release of their books in different ways, while others choose to stick with getting the word out via social media. For a while, it was popular to recruit a group of “influencers,” who would post reviews and tell others about the book. Now I see that groups called “street teams” are being formed. Some authors even have closed Facebook groups to which these special individuals are named. Truly, “time changes everything.”

My tenth book, Medical Judgment, released this month. I didn’t schedule a launch party. I did recruit about a dozen influencers, giving them a suggested list of things they can do to help. I set up a number of blog appearances (each one associated with giving a free copy of the book to a randomly selected commenter). I’m not sure what I’ll do to get the word out for my next novel after this one. After all, as Bob Dylan said, “The times they are a-changing.”

Yes, time changes everything. But the one thing in book publication that remains unchanged is the knowledge that the best tool for getting folks to read your books and come back for more is to write the best novel you can. That’s an immutable truth, and time hasn’t changed it.

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Dr. Richard Mabry is a retired physician, now writing “medical suspense with heart.” His previous novels have garnered critical acclaim and been recognized by programs including the ACFW’s Carol Award, the Romantic Times’ Inspirational Book of the Year, the Inspirational Readers Choice, and the Selah Award. He is a proud member of the ACFW, the International Thriller Writers, and the FHL chapter of the RWA. Medical Judgment is his tenth published novel. He can be found on most aspects of social media: website, blog, Twitter, and Facebook, to name just a few.

CONQUER YOUR WRITING FEARS

By Richard Mabry

Writers are subject to lots of fears, and I’m no exception. But now, with seven published novels and a non-fiction book under my belt, I have learned to get past some of those fears. Here are my suggestions about handling a couple of them.

Running out of ideas: The question a writer is most frequently asked is, “Where do you get your ideas?” Since ideas are our stock in trade, a common fear of a writer, especially a novice, is that they will run out of ideas. My answer is quite truthful: ideas are all around us. We just have to keep our eyes and our minds open. And once we have an idea, we don’t have to guard it zealously, lest another writer steal it. The way a writer handles a concept is much more important than the idea itself.

Here’s a helpful hint. Learn to ask “What if?” For example, I read Robert Frost’s poem about home being the place where they have to take you in. I asked myself, “What if a doctor fled to her home town, only to find that someone there wanted to kill her?” The result was my first novel, Code Blue. The idea sprang from a classic poem and my asking “What if?”

Reviews: After the publication of my first novel, I checked my Amazon rankings almost every hour. I set Google alerts to notify me every time the book was mentioned on the Internet. I exulted in good reviews, descended into the depths of depression with the bad ones. But eventually I got tired of it all, so I stopped checking. I once heard a talk about success, and one line stuck with me: “I cannot expect to be universally loved and respected.” I still read reviews from time to time, but I’m careful not to get too high or too low as a result.

Some people wonder if they should respond to poor reviews. I encourage you not to do that, with one exception. If you have an email address for the reviewer, send them a private message indicating that you’re sorry your writing disappointed them. Don’t justify, don’t defend, simply acknowledge. Other than that, though, keep silent.

Final thoughts: Whatever fears you may have, remember that others have been there before you. Share your concerns with other writers, and take comfort in their counsel. And above all, don’t let them force you to quit. You may only have a slim chance to succeed, but you have none if you don’t try.

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Richard Mabry is a retired physician and author of seven novels of  “medical suspense with heart.” His books have been a semifinalist for International Thriller Writers’ debut novel, finalists for the Carol Award and Romantic Times’ Reader’s Choice Award, and winner of the Selah Award.  His latest is Critical Condition and released April 15, 2014. He also authored Heart Failure. You can follow Richard on his blog, on Twitter, and his Facebook fan page.