Publishing romance seven years later

I began this publishing journey back in 2018 with The Wild Rose Press. After multiple denials, I was overjoyed when my first book was contracted, and here I am, seven years later, still writing.

Has it been easy? Not always. Most of the time, I love what I do; however, I have those moments when I'm ready to throw in the towel so to say, but a good friend gave me great advice early on..."Write because you love to write and for no other reason."

The market is always changing, and I read somewhere that 11,000 books are listed daily. That's a lot of books! It's tough standing out, but I keep plugging along.

If I had to give advice, I'd say this...

*Social media is your friend, but use it wisely. There are times I close my laptop and handwrite.

*Write what you love in any length.

*Edit, edit, edit. Use critique partners. Hire an experienced editor. Listen to those manuscripts before you hit that publish button.

*Learn cover art if you can't afford it. There are tutorials online. Study the market. Less is more.

*Never use AI. I know creators are using them, and I do believe AI will become acceptable at some point, but not yet. I will say this...AI isn't going anywhere, and it does have its uses. Think medical breakthroughs for one example.

*Watch and learn from your peers.

*Start a newsletter.

*Readers love reader magnets or free books or free anything. Consider this part of marketing, and marketing is a must.

*Avoid hot topics like the plague. They divide your audience. It's good to be passionate, but there's two sides to every topic. Some disagree with this, but I've seen more authors get themselves in trouble over their heated opinions than anything.

*Paid ads. Learn what works and what doesn't. Again, there are tutorials online.

*Most of my email is a scam. Don't be afraid to ask your peers.

*Books I wrote seven years ago that fulfilled their contract are not how I write today. They take a tremendous amount of time to edit to today's standards. I learned this the hard way with Dante & Lucas. I'm currently holding five old manuscripts that may never see the light of day again. lol

*Unfinished ideas can be gold. I started House of Unseelie three years before it found a home in the Kings & Queens series.

*Some books don't resonate with readers. It's part of life. I don't know why, but it happens. Look at A Lipstick Valentine. I thought and still think it's a fun, sexy romance, but apparently, I was wrong, and I had to accept that. House of Fae is another, and I've been over that manuscript a thousand times.

*Pennames are fabulous. I write dark romance shorts under a penname. If you like dark romance, send me an email.

*Keywords. Learn how to use them. There's a market for everything, and there are keywords for everything. I purchased Publisher Rocket, and I use it daily.

*You don't need fancy software to format a book. MS Word is fine.

*Brand names are copyrighted. This goes for songs, automobiles, photographs, etc. If you think you can't be sued, especially if you become a best seller, think again.

*The reader doesn't owe anyone anything. If they read your book, be grateful. If they hate it, still be grateful. Their time and money are just as valuable as yours.

*Develop thick skin early. If you can't handle bad reviews, don't look. Does it sting? Yes! Remember, everyone receives them. Never respond because you won't win that argument.

*If you self-publish through Amazon, they don't owe you anything. Respect their rules.

*Read and review. Not only are you supporting your fellow author, but you learn.

*Just because I've published a few books doesn't mean I shouldn't be improving with every manuscript.

I don't claim to be an expert on anything, but these are a few things I've learned along the way. If it helps you, fantastic. If you have something to add, feel free to comment. On that note, I'm off to create my newsletter. Have a great weekend!