Interview with Author Vivi Anna.
After Harlequin being constantly in the news, I began doing some research - and via LinkedIn.com, I ran into Vivi Anna, a prolific writer of romance. She was kind enough to grant me an interview, and I think everyone will find her story informative no matter what kind of writing you want to do.
Her website is here. (Warning, contains some adult confent)
Her latest book, The Bewitching Hour, is out at http://www.eharlequin.com/.
And now on to the interview!
1) First of all, tell us about yourself, who you are, and what you do.
I’m Vivi Anna. I’m a multi-published author with about ten books to my name in print and several novellas in ebook. I write mostly in the paranormal genre, but am branching out into urban fantasy and young adult. Oh, I also screen write, and have a couple screenplays out being considered. My website addy is http://www.vivianna.net
2) So let's get to the question any aspiring writer has - how do you make writing pay off so you can pay the bills?
If you want to make a living writing you have to learn to diversify. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Right now in today’s publishing industry it’s not always possible to live off what you make on your books. Advances are not that high and from what I’ve been hearing sales are down all around, except in romance, those are up. Authors are losing contracts and popular series are being killed. It’s harder than ever right now to sell a book.
It’s also not a matter of selling one book and being able to be a full time author. The Stephanie Meyers and JK Rowlings are extraordinarily rare. I know writers with several books out, who still have a full time job. It also all depends on your financial needs. If you have a family to support then you’re obviously going to need steady money. If you’re single you may need less to live on.
An author has to diversify now to make it. Ways to diversify are to sell to epublishers. Most epub companies will get your book out faster and also accept lower word count. So if you manage to establish a good relationship with an epub, and depending on how fast you write, you could put out a novella a month, or every other month, and get paid monthly. It won’t be tons of money, but it could be enough to pay some bills. I know some authors who epub that make thousands each month from their ebooks. But its all about output and backlist.
Other ways to make some money, is to write magazine articles. There are all types of magazines, consumer, fiction, trades, which are looking for articles. Cultivate what you know. Monopolize on the skills you have, maybe there’s something you do that’s different and special. Write an article about it. A good friend of mine sells a lot of articles to varying magazines, she even sold an article about diaper rash cream and its may uses. Be creative, think outside the box.
And another way right now, is to self publish. I don’t mean paying a company a bunch of money to print your book; I mean use services like kindle to self publish in ebook form and you collect the profits. You don’t pay anyone.
Or have your book up for free on your website and have a donation or tip jar on the site. You won’t make a killing, but you just don’t realize how generous your readers are.
REMEMBER: Money ALWAYS flows to the author.
Romance readers are the most voracious readers. They read a lot but they also read across the board and other genres. And of course majority are women.
Romance books are selling well, and more than other genres and again that’s thanks to the voracious readers. In times of strife romance always sells better. Because people are looking for ways to escape their hardships and to have a happy ending. Things we can’t always find out in the real world.
It is escapist fiction and it’s uplifting. And to me there is nothing wrong with that.
It was then that I realized I really wanted to write again. I made a pact with myself that I would give it five years and if nothing happened I would move on. That was in 2000.
I wrote and sold a bunch of short stories, even wrote a few for Playgirl, then I got into writing screenplays, got a lot of scripts read but nothing produced, I started a query letter writing company, but it didn’t get off the ground, so I closed that about a year later, then I discovered epublishing. That was in 2003.
I sold a bunch of erotic paranormal novellas to a couple of different epublishers, started a name for myself online, gained readers and fans, wrote more, polishing my craft, then in 2005 I got really serious and queried agents. I signed with one in July of 2005, a week later he sold my first books to a top NY publisher. Then to Harlequin in 2006.
I thought then ‘Hey I finally made it’, I had some steady money, so I quit my part time job at a bookstore, wrote and wrote and wrote, then everything kind of stalled. And I didn’t do well at one of the publishers, so I lose my contract there, and I’ve been looking to start over with another publisher and another series.
I evolved by always working on my craft and keeping an eye on the industry. I advise not to chase trends, but you should be conscious of what’s selling and what isn’t. Also joining various writing groups and going to conferences and being around my peers have helped me evolve.
Major milestones:
1. selling first short story, that was to Playgirl magazine in 2001.
2. attending screenwriting expo in Los Angeles and entering the screenwriting open, placing in the top 10%., 2002.
3. selling first novella to an epublisher, in 2003
4. getting an agent, in 2005
5. selling to first NY publisher, in 2005
6. selling to Harlequin, in 2006
7. firing my first agent, in 2007
8. getting new agent, in 2008
9. winning major publishing award, in 2008
But I have seen changes in those nine years. This past recession has made it more difficult to sell books, even if you’ve already been published several times. Publishers aren’t taking any chances right now. They are looking for near perfect books that they know have a big market.
What I’ve learned over the years is this; don’t miss out on any opportunity. You never know where it’s going to go. It could be the next big thing. Also, and this is a big one, write what you want to write. BE TRUE TO YOURSELF. If you’re not happy doing what you’re doing, then why in hell are you doing it?
Do your homework. Do not blindly, with your heart in your hands, submit your work to people who do not want it. Read up on agents, and publishers. Find out who you are submitting to and why.
Study the industry; know what you are getting into. Writing is an art, publishing is a business. You have to treat it like one. This could be your career. Have the right tools to succeed.
Get involved with others. Join a writers group; get a critique partner or two. Learn how to take criticism and learn how to give it constructively. BE PROFESSIONAL. This country gives us the right to free speech, but don’t abuse it for your own purpose. Don’t hide behind it as a right to be a rude obnoxious jerk.
8) What kinds of writing seem to be more profitable in the near future? The far future?
I wish I knew. Romance books sell more than others, but romance authors aren’t paid well.
Young adult continues to sell and authors seem to be doing well. Teens right now are the biggest market to sell to. Teens who read are voracious readers as well. And there are always more teens every day. And those teens go on to become adults and then there are a whole lot more books out there for them.
Ebooks are selling more every year, and that market share will only grow especially with the kindle and the nook, and other providers getting into the ereader market. But I honestly have to say I don’t see ebooks becoming as popular or profitable as print books for many years. Maybe in 20 years.
9) What role is networking and/or social media going to play in writing careers?
I think social media is already important in writing careers. I mean a couple of book deals came out of twitter accounts. And there have been book deals from bloggers. So those platforms are already a big part of the industry.
It is a way for writers to stay connected to other writers, people in the industry and readers. And it’s the readers that matter the most. They are the driving force of the publishing industry.
Word of mouth is still and always will be the most effective promotion for anything, whether its books, TV shows, movies, even consumer products. I think about the movie Paranormal Activity. It was word of mouth that got that movie into theatres and watched by millions, and has grossed a lot of money. Harry Potter and Twilight too, are huge successes due to word of mouth.
I’m Vivi Anna. I’m a multi-published author with about ten books to my name in print and several novellas in ebook. I write mostly in the paranormal genre, but am branching out into urban fantasy and young adult. Oh, I also screen write, and have a couple screenplays out being considered. My website addy is http://www.vivianna.net
2) So let's get to the question any aspiring writer has - how do you make writing pay off so you can pay the bills?
If you want to make a living writing you have to learn to diversify. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Right now in today’s publishing industry it’s not always possible to live off what you make on your books. Advances are not that high and from what I’ve been hearing sales are down all around, except in romance, those are up. Authors are losing contracts and popular series are being killed. It’s harder than ever right now to sell a book.
It’s also not a matter of selling one book and being able to be a full time author. The Stephanie Meyers and JK Rowlings are extraordinarily rare. I know writers with several books out, who still have a full time job. It also all depends on your financial needs. If you have a family to support then you’re obviously going to need steady money. If you’re single you may need less to live on.
An author has to diversify now to make it. Ways to diversify are to sell to epublishers. Most epub companies will get your book out faster and also accept lower word count. So if you manage to establish a good relationship with an epub, and depending on how fast you write, you could put out a novella a month, or every other month, and get paid monthly. It won’t be tons of money, but it could be enough to pay some bills. I know some authors who epub that make thousands each month from their ebooks. But its all about output and backlist.
Other ways to make some money, is to write magazine articles. There are all types of magazines, consumer, fiction, trades, which are looking for articles. Cultivate what you know. Monopolize on the skills you have, maybe there’s something you do that’s different and special. Write an article about it. A good friend of mine sells a lot of articles to varying magazines, she even sold an article about diaper rash cream and its may uses. Be creative, think outside the box.
And another way right now, is to self publish. I don’t mean paying a company a bunch of money to print your book; I mean use services like kindle to self publish in ebook form and you collect the profits. You don’t pay anyone.
Or have your book up for free on your website and have a donation or tip jar on the site. You won’t make a killing, but you just don’t realize how generous your readers are.
REMEMBER: Money ALWAYS flows to the author.
3) You also write romance, an area that's got a lot of attention lately. Tell us more what it's like to write in that area.
Writing romance is great. I write for Harlequin’s Silhouette Nocturne line, which are paranormal romances. Vampires, shifters, witches, demons, etc. It’s something I love to write and I’m thankful that I get to write them.Romance readers are the most voracious readers. They read a lot but they also read across the board and other genres. And of course majority are women.
Romance books are selling well, and more than other genres and again that’s thanks to the voracious readers. In times of strife romance always sells better. Because people are looking for ways to escape their hardships and to have a happy ending. Things we can’t always find out in the real world.
It is escapist fiction and it’s uplifting. And to me there is nothing wrong with that.
4) With that done, how did you get into writing?
As a child I liked to write. I started my first book when I was 12. I think I made it to chapter 4 before getting bored and moving on. I always loved it but never thought it could be a way to make a living. So I stopped and went on with my life, doing college, getting in trouble, finding love, getting married, having a baby, then my world changed drastically, and I got a divorce.It was then that I realized I really wanted to write again. I made a pact with myself that I would give it five years and if nothing happened I would move on. That was in 2000.
I wrote and sold a bunch of short stories, even wrote a few for Playgirl, then I got into writing screenplays, got a lot of scripts read but nothing produced, I started a query letter writing company, but it didn’t get off the ground, so I closed that about a year later, then I discovered epublishing. That was in 2003.
I sold a bunch of erotic paranormal novellas to a couple of different epublishers, started a name for myself online, gained readers and fans, wrote more, polishing my craft, then in 2005 I got really serious and queried agents. I signed with one in July of 2005, a week later he sold my first books to a top NY publisher. Then to Harlequin in 2006.
I thought then ‘Hey I finally made it’, I had some steady money, so I quit my part time job at a bookstore, wrote and wrote and wrote, then everything kind of stalled. And I didn’t do well at one of the publishers, so I lose my contract there, and I’ve been looking to start over with another publisher and another series.
There’s one thing about this industry, it is unpredictable.
5) How did you evolve, over the years, to be the professional writer you are? What were the major milestones?I evolved by always working on my craft and keeping an eye on the industry. I advise not to chase trends, but you should be conscious of what’s selling and what isn’t. Also joining various writing groups and going to conferences and being around my peers have helped me evolve.
Major milestones:
1. selling first short story, that was to Playgirl magazine in 2001.
2. attending screenwriting expo in Los Angeles and entering the screenwriting open, placing in the top 10%., 2002.
3. selling first novella to an epublisher, in 2003
4. getting an agent, in 2005
5. selling to first NY publisher, in 2005
6. selling to Harlequin, in 2006
7. firing my first agent, in 2007
8. getting new agent, in 2008
9. winning major publishing award, in 2008
And I’m hoping for many more milestones to come.
6) With such a long career, how have you seen the profession of writing change, and what did you learn most from these changes?My career is relatively short at nine years compared to a lot of writers I know. A friend of mine’s publishing journey took her 13 years to her first sale. I’d only been seriously writing for a year before I sold something.
But I have seen changes in those nine years. This past recession has made it more difficult to sell books, even if you’ve already been published several times. Publishers aren’t taking any chances right now. They are looking for near perfect books that they know have a big market.
What I’ve learned over the years is this; don’t miss out on any opportunity. You never know where it’s going to go. It could be the next big thing. Also, and this is a big one, write what you want to write. BE TRUE TO YOURSELF. If you’re not happy doing what you’re doing, then why in hell are you doing it?
7) For people who are going into writing now, what lessons can you give them?
The big one is to be patient. This industry is SLOW. I’m still waiting to hear on submissions on a couple of books and it’s been over a year now. Average wait time I find, is 3-4 months on pretty much everything. From hearing from an agent to hearing from editors.Do your homework. Do not blindly, with your heart in your hands, submit your work to people who do not want it. Read up on agents, and publishers. Find out who you are submitting to and why.
Study the industry; know what you are getting into. Writing is an art, publishing is a business. You have to treat it like one. This could be your career. Have the right tools to succeed.
Get involved with others. Join a writers group; get a critique partner or two. Learn how to take criticism and learn how to give it constructively. BE PROFESSIONAL. This country gives us the right to free speech, but don’t abuse it for your own purpose. Don’t hide behind it as a right to be a rude obnoxious jerk.
8) What kinds of writing seem to be more profitable in the near future? The far future?
I wish I knew. Romance books sell more than others, but romance authors aren’t paid well.
Young adult continues to sell and authors seem to be doing well. Teens right now are the biggest market to sell to. Teens who read are voracious readers as well. And there are always more teens every day. And those teens go on to become adults and then there are a whole lot more books out there for them.
Ebooks are selling more every year, and that market share will only grow especially with the kindle and the nook, and other providers getting into the ereader market. But I honestly have to say I don’t see ebooks becoming as popular or profitable as print books for many years. Maybe in 20 years.
9) What role is networking and/or social media going to play in writing careers?
I think social media is already important in writing careers. I mean a couple of book deals came out of twitter accounts. And there have been book deals from bloggers. So those platforms are already a big part of the industry.
It is a way for writers to stay connected to other writers, people in the industry and readers. And it’s the readers that matter the most. They are the driving force of the publishing industry.
Word of mouth is still and always will be the most effective promotion for anything, whether its books, TV shows, movies, even consumer products. I think about the movie Paranormal Activity. It was word of mouth that got that movie into theatres and watched by millions, and has grossed a lot of money. Harry Potter and Twilight too, are huge successes due to word of mouth.
Word of mouth is spread like wildfire now with twitter and facebook. It’s almost scary.
10) Any further thoughts on writing?If you are going into writing as a way to make money, then you are crazy. There are far easier ways to make money. This business can be disheartening and soul-crushing. But when it works, it’s the best thing you could ever do.
Thanks to Vivi for her interview!
- Steven Savage
Hi :)
Thank you for the excellent interview with Vivi Anna and thank you to Vivi for sharing her writing wisdom here. I love the straightforward advice Vivi gives here.
Merry Christmas!
RKCharron
Posted by: RKCharron | December 22, 2009 at 08:59 PM