Example: An author has their first e-book out with a publisher. Odds are that it means now the author is rearranging or revamping a website, writing weekly blog posts, checking in on Twitter to promote the book, and updating Facebook to let people know they're alive.
That doesn't even cover the tip of the promo iceberg--and that's only working on that first book. As you get more titles to promo and work with promotion, edits, blurbs, cover info sheets, etc. Suddenly, what you used to be able to produce in page count before you had a contract isn't going to happen anymore.You're too busy juggling.
And for me, personally, that creates a lot of pressure. Mostly because I'm a perfectionist and something of a workaholic and I tend to want my writing to be like little ducks all in a row. I hold myself up to this high, almost unachievable workload and then get really pissy with myself when it doesn't happen. Mainly because I'm still operating on "pre-published" mentality. Because I'm crazy.
For the love of Christian Bale, don't do that! It mean's right now I'm juggling two sets of edits, a WIP, an outline for the next WIP, and all the promo stuff--plus a submission that's been in with my editor for about a week and a half. Again, I'm insane.
2) Publisher's go under, have a contingency plan for everything that you write. That includes where you'll market a story if your normal publisher doesn't bite and where you'll market it if your pub goes under and you get the rights back to it. Always. Make. Extra. Plans. Can't stress that enough because it's saved my butt more than once and kept me on track.
Example: I think by now we all know what happened with Dorchester. But a majority of authors were able to get out okay with their names intact because they had contingency plans to put their work out there through other means. Whether that was self-pub or re-releasing the manuscript under another publisher, they made it work. Of course, they're still getting screwed...but that's veering off topic.
With so many new e-publishers popping up a good author will have what I like to call a "tier plan". Kinda like when people apply for college and they tell you to pick easy schools, middle schools, and reach schools. Do that, but with pubs. That way if the pub your with doesn't work out for some reason, it doesn't put a single kink in your plan. Because you've all ready done the research for the next pub, and the next pub, etc.
3) You don't have to say yes to EVERYTHING! Part of the writing process is meeting some kick ass people and networking your ass off in the writing community. I mean, come on, we all know I'm addicted to all my author friends on Twitter. But when your helping people out and doing tons of promo for yourself and other people with a click of a button on social networking sites--it's hard to say no to anything. And that's how you get sucked in to doing too many things for too many people that aren't you.
Example: I'm all for liberal use of the retweet button and every now and than I'm a "like" slut--but authors can get completely engrossed in the helping, networking aspect of these sites. Until you look at your blog one day and realize you've had 30 guest posts in a single month because someone--you--agreed to help everyone. Not only is that not good as an author because people want to see you on your blog eventually, but it's really draining, period.
There's a difference between support and procrastinating your own work by piggybacking off of someone else's and I've certainly fallen into the "I can't say no trap." But, like everything else, cliche alert, it's a balancing act. Don't be afraid to say no, especially if you've all ready helped them out two or three times and your on heavy deadline.
Don't add to the stress, roll with it.
Of course, also, colorful oompa loumpa's bringing chocolate also works. They're very highly trained in marketing tactics and bursting into song randomly,
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