Strategy session II: midcareer damage controlUnfortunately, nothing much has changed. Neither is it likely to
change quickly. The perish trap is bigger than, and beyond the heal-
ing powers of, any single author, agent, or publisher. It has to do
with them, but also with powerful chain bookstores that (until
recently) thrived on glitzy frontlist trash, with the antiquated returns
system, and with many other factors.
So, while we wait for evolution to purge the publishing business
of its inefficiencies, what can we do about crashed careers?
Unfortunately, by the time I receive a call from most drowning
authors it is, in many cases, already too late to rescue them. There
are a few realistic options, though, and they go like this:
- Switch genres.
- Adopt a pseudonym and try again.
- Hunker down and wait. The sting of bad numbers will fade in a
few years.
Unsatisfying options, I agree. In fact, they are downright humili-
ating. But sometimes it truly is better to run away, the better to live
to fight again another day. And there are other possibilities. These,
however, require courage and clear vision on the part of both author
and agent.
One strategy that works is to build a bigger and better mouse-
trap. I do not mean a novel that is just longer; I mean a novel that
is much greater in scope, scale, quality, and ambition. Up and down
the pipeline, this new book can then be presented as a great leap
forward and, with luck and a change of category, the author's previ-
ous numbers may no longer be held against her.
There are pitfalls to this plan, chief of which is that many authors
in crisis are bitter. Bitterness obstructs creativity. (If you do not
believe me, just try to write when you are heat-of-the-moment
angry. It cannot be done, or at least not very well.) Another common
problem is that authors in crisis often cannot see their writing
objectively. If they have developed bad habits or have grown lazy,
they need to improve but the thirst for validation gets in the way.
So, you may not want to attempt an ambitious leap forward until
you are through your crisis and feeling more confident.