Revamping: strategies for success in a changing world

 

It’s been fourteen months since our world slammed into a brick wall.

Ouch!  

I don’t know about you, but for me the past year and a little more has been a lesson in digging deep into my character and finding out what I’m really made of.

There’s nothing like social and political upheaval to bring out the best…and worst…in us.

Sometimes I was appalled by what came out of my heart. Terrible things. I yelled at people (while I was in the shower,) and stomped my foot hard (when I was alone,) and even committed murder (okay, characters, not people, but the killing part was quirkily satisfying.)

But once I got past the idea that two weeks would bring us back to normal (about four months into our current situation,) I started pulling out the good stuff. Digging deep into my heart and tapping into the creative part of me that needed to pull up my big-girl panties and get on with life and my career.

 
So, what did I do?

First of all, I took a fresh look at my writing. In January and February 2020, I had two proposals rejected. It was time to reevaluate what I was doing.

Since I am in that miniscule minority that sold the first book I ever wrote and had steady contracts for the next nine years, I had never taken the time to explore different genres and different writing styles. So, I decided to write a mystery.

What did I know about writing a mystery? Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero.

So in May 2020 I started learning. I read every cozy mystery I could get my hands on. I searched the internet for blog posts on writing mysteries. I sat down with that information and outlined a course of study. I spent three months developing my story, my characters, and a series idea.

In the summer I started writing. Fits and spurts. Do you remember the stereotype of the author typing a few words, ripping the paper from the typewriter in disgust, only to do the same thing with the next sheet of paper? That was me. So many false starts.

But slowly and surely the pieces fell into place, and now the story is almost finished.

Will I write another cozy mystery? I plan to, Lord willing. But I also want to continue writing historical romance (my first love!)

The biggest take-away from this experience is that I love writing again. Love it. It is no longer work, but a joy.

 
The other thing I’ve done to revamp my career is to analyze what was working and not working in my marketing strategies.

When I first started writing, everyone needed to have a blog. Remember those days?

And a website.

And then everyone had to have an author page on Facebook.

But time moves on. Facebook has changed (again – they’re always changing!) And Amazon changed (again!) And my new, big-girl-panties-wearing-self decided I had had enough.

After doing more research, I decided that I needed to quit relying on Mark Zuckerberg or Jeff Bezos to do my marketing for me. It was too expensive – not in cash, but in my sanity. Those two don’t know me, and they wouldn’t care if they did. They are looking out for their best interests, not mine.

I knew I needed to control my own marketing rather than relying on someone else.

So, I revamped my website, which is something I actually own and have control over (unlike social media,) and I started putting more content on my blog to make a visit to www.JanDrexler.com  worthwhile.

Instead of being the dog whose tail was being wagged by tech giants, I’m in control.

Now I use Facebook, MeWe, and my soon-to-be-revamped newsletter to market my website and books and to bring people to fresh and (hopefully!) entertaining content. Instead of being at the mercy of big tech companies, I’m using them to my advantage. It feels good.


All in all, the past year has been a hard one, but a good one. I will be reaping the benefits of my revamping strategies for years to come. Or at least until it is time to revamp again!



What changes have you made in your writing or in your life in the past year? Tell us about them!

One commenter will win a e-book copy of “A Home for His Family,” an historical romance set in the gold rush days of Deadwood.

About the story:

Nate Colby came to the Dakota Territory to start over, not to look for a wife. He'll raise his orphaned nieces and nephew on his own, even if pretty schoolteacher Sarah MacFarland's help is a blessing. But Nate resists getting too close—Sarah deserves better than a man who only brings trouble to those around him.

 
Sarah can't deny she cares for the children, but she can't let herself fall for Nate. Her childhood as an orphan taught her that opening her heart to love only ends in hurt. Yet helping this ready-made family set up their ranch only makes her long to be a part of it—whatever the risk.