Comments on: Best of the Blog 2009: Kiss of Death: The Renaissance Writer

By: Madison Woods

Madison Woods — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:31:34 +0000

Hi Wendy,

Your blog post made me feel better. I’d always thought of myself as too focused and worried I needed to broaden my reach. Now I’m just going to quit worrying about it and just write. LOL. No matter what I’ve tried to write in the past, it always turns out to be in the same strange neighborhood anyway. Perfectly normal characters always insist on becoming something…else. Never fails.

Thank you.

By: KC Frantzen

KC Frantzen — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:35:25 +0000

These blogs are so helpful.
I’m yet to be published but already know my passion so I’ll attempt to stick with it.
Having owned, managed and sold 2 successful businesses, your comments/analogies scored.
Thanks for making it crystal clear.
Hopefully I’ll avoid that pitfall. There’s many others from which to choose as it is!
Y’all are appreciated!
Keep ‘em coming!

By: Ann H. Gabhart

Ann H. Gabhart — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:05:33 +0000

Guess my mama should have named me Willena. But I never switched brands until editors stopped buying that brand. Sometimes a writer has to re-invent herself. Great advice as always, Wendy.

By: Linda Rue

Linda Rue — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:19:08 +0000

Wendy, love this post. I am very happy to be a Christian Romance and adventure writer. That doesn’t mean that I haven’t penned a childrens book or two, after all, I own a daycare and write and read my stories to my kids every week. (there’s something to be said for a captive audience)but it’s not my love. It’s not where my brain goes when I try to sleep.

By: Joyce Scott

Joyce Scott — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:38:55 +0000

Well, slap me silly and call me Will. Wendy, you’re the first person whose ever made sense about this issue. Thank you! I will take your advice/wisdom/knowledge to heart. Thank you.

By: Jeanette Levellie

Jeanette Levellie — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:22:15 +0000

Wow, Wendy. Thanks!

Since my husband is a pastor, the comment about two congregations really hit home.

It would be like having to run back and forth from one house to another, diapering, cleaning messes and cooking. PLEASE, NO!!!

I have had some success at devotional writing, but am discovering a humor voice as well. Is this okay? Just integrate my humor into the devos?

Blessings, Jen

By: cherylp

cherylp — Wed, 20 May 2009 04:35:05 +0000

Just one name. Isaac Asimov. That said, I think he was more the exception than the rule. I think your advice holds true for 99% of writers.

By: Irene Martin

Irene Martin — Wed, 20 May 2009 01:48:57 +0000

Ok,

You’re right. Now I just have to figure out where my passion is. Hmmm.

Thank you Janet and Wendy.

Irene

By: Valerie C.

Valerie C. — Mon, 18 May 2009 22:07:45 +0000

And I was hoping for an easy answer …

It’s good advice and you’ve confirmed what I’ve been suspecting for awhile. Time to get on it. Thanks, Wendy!

By: Wendy Lawton

Wendy Lawton — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:35:45 +0000

Valerie, you’re caught in a dilemma. You need to figure out how to run two businesses and develop and maintain two different brands if you are going to promote both.

If you work with an agent, it’s even more complicated. For an agent, managing a dual-focus client is like managing two different writers– double the work with the probability of half the income. And few agents work with both children’s picture books and adult nonfiction.

About looking like an unfocused writer, there’s no help for it. You do have two distinct focuses. You run the risk of dividing your effectiveness.

The alternative? You build the brand on your primary focus– for you it would be children– and leave the other to fend for itself.

On the plus side: you are right in that most children’s authors these days have a need for a second job and if you love to write, then you’ve solved that problem. And, if you have the energy and resources to build two different careers simultaneously, you have twice the chance of success.

No easy answers.