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As a writer, I get rejected… a lot. Seriously.

And I was wondering how the rejections I get would sound if I did something other than writing. Let’s say I was a painter and I was trying to sell my paintings. Here is what those rejections would sound like:

I love your use of blue. Sadly, we’ve not accepting anything with blue.

We don’t buy square paintings.

This is the most beautiful watercolor I’ve ever seen. Can you do it in acrylic?

I love your painting, except it has too many strokes.

This is genius, but we don’t believe in charcoal.

The list goes on and on.

Most people consider writing just a matter of writing. But writers know there’s much more to it than that. It’s a matter of predicting exactly what a publisher will want on any given day and then giving it to them exactly how they want it before a hundred other people do.

For now… back to work…

When I think of June, I think of one word: Halftime.

Halftime is literally that; it’s the middle of a long year. It’s the hump-day of my year.

As a self-employed artist trying to make it as a writer, I have to play a long game. I have to think in terms of years, not in terms of months or even weeks. The concept of Halftime helps me with this because it helps get me ready for the coming year: 2014.

A couple of years ago, this was all Greek to me. I couldn’t conceptualize what I would be doing next month, let alone next year. But as I get more and more comfortable with the long game, I have grown into this. And I look forward to it.

So then, what does 2014 mean and what will I be doing next year? My game plan is to create at least three books each year, which include at least two new fiction properties and one new non-fiction property. This might seem like a lot but when you consider my personal style it really isn’t. The fact is I can write a lot. Three books is probably only half a year of real work.

On top of that, I consider the possibility of sequels to existing properties. Right now, Jeanie is representing an IP that has the potential for multiple sequels. If she sells it, I can be looking at writing a sequel as early as next year. On the other hand, Stacey is reading another IP that I’m hoping she will represent that kicks off a long series. Right there, I could be looking at two sequels.

(Jeanie and Stacey, for those of you who do not know, are my agents.)

But it’s the new work that has me excited, along with the fact that I already have them lined up and ready to go. So, what are they going to be? Here’s a taste:

Non-fiction book: NMW. NMW (catchy codename, yes?) will be another mix of philosophy, history, and pop-culture. Another fun way of looking at new ideas. I think I’ve come to realize that this is a good niche for me: exploring ideas with my own spin.

Novel #1. I have two novels lined up that I am very excited about because neither is a genre book. Both are a bit more serious in terms of style and work, if not in content. I say this because the first novel I’m looking forward to writing next year is the kind of comedy I’m known for: weird situations with heart. And it’s a concept that has so far escaped enough minds to still be unique.

Novel #2. While my first novel in 2014 will be a comedy, the second novel I’m looking forward to writing will be more of a serious story. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a couple of years but I’ve been waiting for the right idea to come along. Now, it has and I can’t wait to set it to paper.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve reached a point in my career where I don’t need to write quite as much. My focus in the coming year, therefore, will be more on audience development: getting myself out there. You’ll see much more of this before 2014 but, by the time the new year comes around, I think you’ll see a shift from previous years.

Sometime in the last few years, writing has shifted from a dream to a career and I find that incredibly exciting. Now… to make some money at it!

Many years ago… well, about 20 to be kind of exact… many years ago, I wrote a column called My Side.

It was an opinion piece… in a way. But it was also a showpiece for my strange imagination, for quirky observations and wit and just about anything that entered my head at the time.

It shouldn’t have worked… but sometimes it worked very well.

After a couple of decades away from writing My Side, I’ve wondered how I might bring it back. I’d already started a blog, but that was never the old My Side. That was another beast unto itself.

When considering how to bring back My Side, I thought specifically about many of the book trailers I’d been putting together and the fit felt perfect.

My Side is coming back on August 1, 2013. It’s coming to YouTube as a monthly video series you won’t want to miss.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel to have My Side delivered to you every month. (And we’ll see how long I can keep that up!)

The title of this blog is ironic because, you see, I’m having a difficult time writing something today. My plan is to write other things to try and distract my way to getting the project done (see: The ShowerPrinciple) but I don’t know if that’ll work.

The reason I’m talking about writing too much is because, well, that’s been on my mind.

You may be wondering what that means. Is it possible to write too much?

Yes. In my case, it is.

Listen: I have two wonderful agents who work very hard on my behalf and I am grateful for everything they do. Unfortunately, they’re human. They’re not machines. One of them is currently representing two of my books and is reading three more books to determine if she wants to represent them. My other agent is currently representing one of my books and is reading two more books to determine if she wants to represent them.

That may already sound like a lot of work but on top of that they also have many other authors they represent plus they’re reading new manuscripts for existing clients and potential clients and then there’s all the work I cannot even begin to fathom.

These are two very hard-working ladies, let me tell you.

But there’s more.

You see, I have one agent for my non-fiction writing and another agent for my fiction. And they haven’t begun to see everything I can submit to them.

My non-fiction agent is already reading three of my books and I have another book on the way later this year. My fiction agent is reading two of my books and I have five more waiting in the wings! I could go six months without writing a single word and keep them plenty busy – heck, that could probably go a year!

I have begun to realize that I may have written… well, too much.

Agents have what is called “right of first refusal”, which means they get to decide if they want to turn down my work before I can do anything else with it. So, I have to wait before I can do anything.

(This has led me to the obvious decision not to seek out a third agent!)

But… what do I do? This question has become clear to me. Now that I’ve realized I have written too much… what do I do now? I’m a writer. Writing is what I do.

Some options present themselves immediately:

Write something my agents don’t represent. Sure. I’ve done this. I’ve written plays. The problem there, however, is finding something to do with the plays. And I already have several dozen that just sit there… that’s clearly not the answer.
Write something they won’t even want to read. This may sound obvious but I think it’s also obviously a bad idea. I want to write things my agents will like; that’s why I have agents!
Do something different. Ah ha! Now, here’s… something… um, different.

Little did I realize, at the beginning of the year, that I already started just that. My podcast, So Dream Something, is different and it certainly takes up some of my time. My next big project will come down the pipe in August. Both projects focus on my biggest weakness as a writer: Nobody knows who I am. Both projects will help get my name out in the world or, at least, that’s my intention.

And yet, still, I am left with too many books and an aching need to write more books. I’ve already outlined several books that just sit in a dusty corner of my mind, waiting for some of my inventory to move.

… and I wait.

This being a writer thing… it’s kind of a bitch sometimes.

Key similarity between Christ and Superman is that they’re both made-up, say experts http://t.co/441pY6EV4J 20th June @ 01:26
A new trailer for Blue Food, "Jesus & the Soothsayers," is on its way! http://t.co/MxGqKVrJpc 19th June @ 22:06
Very excited! I just penciled in my final So Dream Something interview of the year with John Ary of Ain't It Cool News! Coming in August! 19th June @ 19:36
A peak at my hike up to Bedford Peak... http://t.co/FMg098r2bR 19th June @ 18:58
@SoCalVicky Vic! My phone is not working! Every time I try to call, I get redirected to Sprint Customer Finance Services. What's going on? 19th June @ 16:35
@KenLaSalle As an asexual, as long as your reaction isn't hate or ignorance, that's just fine. 19th June @ 16:02
Obama: NSA has made you safer from pesky liberties! (Sometimes, you just admit you were wrong and move on, sir.) 19th June @ 15:51
Now that the asexual movement has begun in earnest, I thought I'd weigh in with my opinion... I don't care one way or the other. 19th June @ 15:13
@John_Ary That's terrific. Shoot me an email at ken@kenlasalle.com. I can let you know what's involved and we can set it up. And thanks! 19th June @ 14:53
@KenLaSalle Thanks for the invite Ken. I would enjoy that. 19th June @ 13:44

Ken La Salle

COOL THINGS YOU

WON'T WANT TO MISS

AND MORE COOL THINGS

YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS

I am lining up readings and signings for Climbing Maya just as soon as it is published on May 1st, 2012 and for as long as I can keep it going. If you would like me to bring Climbing Maya for a reading or signing, or if you have a blog or podcast you would like me to appear on, please get in touch!

Ken La Salle

So Dream Something welcomes Married to a Chef

What if writing was like…

Halftime is coming…

Bringing My Side to 2013...

What happens when you write too much…