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Okay, so who has followed the steps I outlined in the first post and has a completed resume package? Raise your hand. (I’m hoping you are all doing this at home—and not feeling silly about raising your hand in the house by yourself)
Have you sent your resume package out yet? The answer is hopefully a resounding YES. As they say, You can’t win if you don’t “play”. No editor will come knocking on your door asking you to write for them. (It would be cool if they did, though, wouldn’t it?)
After you send out your resume package – via snail mail or email, then you get to do what every good author does. Wait! (cue the song “Waiting is the hardest part…”)
The email comes. You are HIRED! You go through the process of learning how to work with an editor, writing to specific guidelines, and turning everything in on time. Whew! And YAY!
You have written your first book and someone PAID you to do it!!
Now comes the hard part, how do you keep this going? You’re fresh off your first manuscript and anxious to do more. How do you find another contract?
Have you heard the saying “Beat the pavement” That’s what you do. Keep sending out resume packages. I try to do it in batches of 5’s every 4 months or more. Make sure to update your resume to reflect what you’ve done.
*Important Note: Be sure to check your contract for rules about how you can talk about your books. Typically, you can’t give the name of the books you’ve written until they’ve been released. Sometimes you can’t even refer to the company you wrote for until then. *
The most important tip I can give you about this WFH business is: NEVER SAY NEVER!!
What does that mean? It means if an editor reads your resume package and sends you an email asking you to write a book about a topic you know nothing about, SAY YES!
You get one shot with some companies/editors. My response is always: “Why yes, I’ve always wanted to write a book about how pigs fly. Thank you for asking.”
Of course, after you get the contract, you may be seized by a “WHAT did I just do? Aaahhh! I can’t possibly write a book about how pigs fly.” But you know what, you can. You just figure it out.
The more YES’s you give editors, the more likely you are to keep getting contracts and making money. Putting restrictions on what you are willing to write is a sure way to end up on the bottom of the editor’s list. Remember, you are going against hundreds of other writers who are out trying to get the same WFH jobs. Your motto is “NEVER SAY NEVER!”
Now go out there and Start Submitting!! Good luck and Happy Writing!
Jennifer Swanson is the author of over 20 fiction and nonfiction books for children. When she is not writing, she loves to read, walk on the beach with her family, and play with her two dogs. You can learn more about her at www.JenniferSwansonBooks.com
