Comments on: “Middling” Through

By: David B. Coe

David B. Coe — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:19:23 +0000

Phil, you do basically what you outline in your comment. You keep on writing the best books you can write and try to build your readership through word of mouth and whatever self-promotion you can manage. Blogs, conventions, writing workshops, signings, website stuff — every little bit helps. Sure, it’s also possible to write that break-out novel, but that’s pretty rare. Hard work and perseverence. That’s the more likely path.

By: Phil

Phil — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:00:48 +0000

So what can you do? I mean, how does one break out once you’ve had a couple of books out, have established yourself as midlist, and don’t have the extra support from your publisher to break out into the next bracket? Slowly accrete readers till you wake up one day and find yourself in the upper echelons of SF, or hope that one of your books will smash the world to pieces through sheer brilliance, or..?

I guess I’m basically asking–given your situation, what can you do to change it?

By: David B. Coe

David B. Coe — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:26:33 +0000

Yeah, Di, I suppose there is a pejorative sense to the word “midlist” and I use it as a pejorative in this post. Sorry for that. As I’ve said already, I really am grateful for what I have. I love writing and if I have to spend the rest of my career just where I am now . . . well, things could be a lot worse. But I won’t deny being ambitious and wanting more.

Nathaniel, thanks for the comment. I admit that it’s a melancholy post — weary (as you say) is probably a better word. I’m glad you appreciated the honesty. Writing really is a great way to make a living. But it’s not easy. There’s the uncertainty of wondering whether your next book will be your last, there’s the low pay, particularly when figured on a per hour basis, and there’s lots of competition for shelf space and book release slots. Those who aspire to be authors should go into this with their eyes wide open.

By: Nathaniel

Nathaniel — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:43:32 +0000

Hey, David. Nathaniel here from the pingback at Nerdflood.

Maybe “painfully dreadful” wasn’t the right phrase, but I have to admit that it did have a tone draped in what felt like a certain reflective sadness. You did mention that you enjoyed what success you have received, but the longing glances towards a future that *could* be just gave the whole post a decidedly weary mood.

But don’t take that as negative criticism! More than anything, what I loved about the post was how raw and honest it was. It’s good to hear these kinds of things from authors. If nothing else, it helps to serve as a gentle reminder that when one finally achieves one’s dream of becoming an author, all is not roses and rainbows for the rest of eternity. That’s what I took away from it. Not depression or darkness, but honesty and reality.

By: Diana Pharaoh Francis

Diana Pharaoh Francis — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:30:22 +0000

It’s funny how many people use the word midlister like it’s an insult. That’s where I am too, and the fact is, I’ve got it better than a lot of people. Like you, I’m striving for bigger and better, but I’m really grateful. But I do think it’s funny the way people dance around the world midlist.

By: David B. Coe

David B. Coe — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:57:04 +0000

Tiarella — I do know that I’ve had good success getting into libraries. Thanks for bringing the site to my attention. I like the post topic and will think about that for next week on magicalwords.net. Thanks.

Sam — I agree. I don’t think my post was dark and depressing. I was just addressing the reality that so many of us face. I’m not depressed — I’m just not content with where I’ve gotten thus far.

By: S.C. Butler

S.C. Butler — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:44:16 +0000

Regarding the pingback, what’s dark and depressing about being lucky enough to do something you like? Working in a coal mine, now that’s dark and depressing. Though it probably pays better than midlist writing, and has benefits too,

By: tiarella

tiarella — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:49:21 +0000

Check worldcat.org to see how many libraries own each of your books, and you will feel more pride than a mid-lister. Keep getting yourself reviewed in the library journals, and more readers will discover you in their local library.

I have a suggested topic for one of your blogs - how to choose a direction in a chapter when you have 3-4 different ideas. There isn’t a “right” direction since it’s your unique creation. Do you write a little of each idea or ….?

By: David B. Coe

David B. Coe — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:53:50 +0000

My response to the pingback: I actually didn’t think it was that depressing — certainly not “painfully dreadful”. But I’m grateful to you for saying it took guts to write. I love being an author, but as you say here it is indeed a job. Sometimes it’s the best job in the world — better than anything else I can imagine. Sometimes — like today — it’s more routine than exciting, more slog than inspiration. I make no apology for wanting more, for being ambitious. Did my post today come off as whiny? Maybe, though that wasn’t my intention. Did it make me sound greedy and spoiled? Perhaps to some. But it was honest. I want to accomplish more than I have. I suppose that makes me human.

John Z.: I hope that what I wrote didn’t put you off in any way. I think it’s great that you’re striving for the midlist, and I hope you get there soon. I also hope that once you’re there you won’t stop striving for even more.

By: Is this what Monday mornings are like for scifi writers? « nerdflood

Is this what Monday mornings are like for scifi writers? « nerdflood — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:29:40 +0000

[…] with the disappointing scifi discussion I started last week, my feed updated this morning with a painfully dreadful post on the scifi/fantasy novelists blog from David B. Coe. In it, Coe talks about what it’s like […]