Day 7 - (Motivation) Think About What Comes After Dance...

Think about what comes after dance and start now. Dance careers end earlier than we expect - and most of us aren't prepared. So when the curtain closes... we freeze. Invest in your future. Start building something beyond the stage: a second skill, an education, a path forward. ~ Ayca Anil

This is not so much talking about what happens when no one wants to buy your books, or when your editor says your career is over. This is about forward thinking. 

When I talk to authors before signing them to Greyhaus Literary Agency, one of the questions I often ask them is where they see themselves in the future. This is a standard question we often hear at most interviews. It is a question that really tells us a lot. Are you thinking ahead or are you just thinking about the present? 

Forward thinking is not about deciding that you are writing a three book series about three brothers and you are already planting seeds for book 2 and 3 in the first book. Forward thinking is just making sure that you are just "ahead of the game." Are you ready in case the market shifts? Are you ready if an editor says, I need something sooner than later?

Let me give you an example. 

One of my first authors was pitching to an editor at a conference. I had met with the editor earlier at the conference and talked about her and the editor was interested to talking to her. We had not planned on the author actually pitching because she was not finished with the story. BTW, you should NEVER pitch to an editor or agent if your story is not finished. So, the author met with the editor and she loved the idea. Fortunately, the author had been a 4 time National Impromptu and Extemporaneous Speaker and Debater in college so she was good to go. The editor loved the idea and wanted to see the manuscript. But then she also asked about other books. Was this a series? At which point, (fortunately) the author had been a forward thinker and had already thought about other ideas. These were not ideas for a series but she was able to make the books sound like it, so she pitched the ideas. The editor loved it. 

I met with the author an hour later. Her comment was "I am heading to the hotel room and writing." I have to finish the book. She wants to see the rough draft of book 1 and a rough synopsis of book 2 and 3 in about 2 weeks. 

Now that is forward thinking. 

If you notice though, Anil also talks about having that second skill? What if the market shifts? Can you shift with the market? If all you know how to do, for example, is write Romantic Comedies, and those are now out of fashion, what are you going to do? Can you shift? If not, your career may be over? I always like to remind people of artists like Madonna. If you think about her career? 

She could adapt. Can you?