Instititute of Children's Literature

Rx for Writers

Transcripts

"Being Your Own Boss" with Patricia Curtis Pfitsch

Thursday, June 22, 2000

MODERATOR is Kristi Holl, web editor for this site. Kristi has 23 books to her credit, more than l00 stories and articles, and has taught writing for children for l5 years.

Patty is Patricia Curtis Pfitsch. Patty has authored two award-winning juvenile novels, Keeper of the Light and The Deeper Song. Her first picture book, Westward to Oregon, was published in January 2000. She's also been a regular contributor to Children's Writer.

Names color coded in blue are viewers with questions.

Interviews begin promptly at 8 Eastern, 7 Central, 6 Mountain, and 5 Pacific.

MODERATOR: Good evening, everyone! We're happy to welcome you tonight to our interview with Patricia Curtis Pfitsch. Patty "kicked off" our interviews here over a year ago, and I wanted to have her back to talk to you about the critical job of "being your own boss." Patty's been writing for l7 years, producing award-winning books during that time. When you're in the writing business, you have to juggle the dual roles of employer and employee. It's this balancing act--which covers many topics--that Patty is going to discuss with us tonight. Hi, Patty!

Patty: Hi, Kristi, and everyone. It's great to be back in the chat room!

MODERATOR: First, Patty, how did you get started in this writing business?

Patty: I've been a writer all my life, but until my youngest child was born, I didn't do much about submitting. That was 17 years ago--I decided it was time to begin taking myself seriously. I didn't want to get to the end of my life and say, "If only I'd tried, I could have sold a book."

MODERATOR: When you began writing, did you even think about being your own boss or what that meant? If not, how did you realize the importance of being a good boss?

Patty: At first I thought my creative process would be stifled if I worried about mundane things like making money. I wanted to do art. It was actually the course I took for the Institute of Children's Literature that made me realize that 'taking myself seriously' involved thinking about myself as a professional. I realized that in order to feel justified in spending all day writing when my husband was working, I needed to think about my work as a business. One article that was helpful at that time was "On Being a Good Boss" by Katherine Paterson from A SENSE OF WONDER: On Reading and Writing Books for Children. Also, BIRD BY BIRD by Anne Lamott. I hope you all have read BIRD BY BIRD. It's a great look at what it's really like to be a writer.

MODERATOR: What can happen to writers who don't (or won't) deal with the business part of writing?

Patty: Well, what I found was that thinking of writing as a business gave me permission to write a lot--to spend as much of my time as I could writing. My experience is that if you don't think of your writing as a business and deal with the business end, you won't write.

MODERATOR: On a related matter, does it matter where I write? What's wrong with the kitchen table?

Patty: Nothing at all, if that works for you. But I've found--after using the kitchen table, the living room, the bedroom--that I get more done if my office is set apart from the rest of my house, away from distractions. Wherever you decide to write, make your office a delightful place to be, with your favorite things around you. If your office is irresistible, you'll want to be there.

MODERATOR: What was your first office like? (I wrote in a tiny closet painted orange!)

Patty: I started out in a corner of the bedroom. It was so small that a bed and a desk was the only furniture. That room is now our bathroom!

MODERATOR: What would you consider the essentials for setting up a working writer's office?

Patty: Well...I suppose the basic essentials are paper and a pencil. If you can't afford anything more than that, you can still write. I did that for 20 years. But for submitting manuscripts, I find I must have some kind of computer to help me get a clean copy, and a printer. A dictionary is a must. A comfortable chair and some way to get to the library for research.

MODERATOR: How much modern equipment (computers, faxes, Internet, scanners) does a writer really need to get started? Is it worth the expense?

Patty: Each person is different, and I know wonderful writers who do their first draft longhand and finish up on a typewriter. But I find it significant that our family got our first computer 17 years ago, and that's when I began writing in earnest. So I would say that some kind of computer is important. Internet, faxes, scanners--they're nice if you can afford them, but there are other ways to do email, copying and faxing. I do want to say one thing about working conditions. In any business, a good boss pays attention to the working conditions of the employees, and you should do the same for your one employee--yourself. Give yourself the best paper, the most up-to-date equipment, the nicest room you can afford. I'm not saying run up big credit card debt, but taking yourself seriously means treating your employee well. Read "On Being Your Own Boss" by Katherine Paterson--you'll see what I mean!

MODERATOR: Excellent point! Patty, most of us started out with no money for office stuff. Any tips for setting up an office on a shoestring budget?

Patty: You can get a used computer very inexpensively...likewise for a printer. If you can afford to buy paper and supplies in bulk, do it, because it will cost less in the end. You don't have to buy books and magazines--the library is a great free resource, and with interlibrary loan you can borrow almost any book or magazine you want.

MODERATOR: Let me take three viewer questions now, all of them dealing with time management...I'll post all three, then you can answer them together.

DebO: Patty, do you have specific time frames for doing different types of work? When do you fit in the administrative and marketing sides of the job?

AnneKelly: If you can concentrate full-time on writing, how should the time be broken down? I know time is needed for researching the market, writing, doing research for that writing, handling finances, etc.

JAMES55CLINTON: How do you divide your workday/week? (Reading, writing, research, selling, etc.)

Patty: First--I try to think of research and writing as two sides of the same coin. When I'm researching, it counts as writing time. I try to start out the day writing...two or three good hours if I can because my employee (me) is happiest when she writes every day. My work day is (ideally) six or seven hours, so after three hours writing, I stop and work on marketing, planning appearances, work with my writers' organization--writing related stuff. If there are no pressing marketing deadlines or if I can't bear to stop--I allow my employee to write the rest of the day.

MODERATOR: I'm going to give a plug for two of my favorite books on time management too: TIME MANAGEMENT FOR THE CREATIVE PERSON by Lee Silbur, and TIME MANAGEMENT FOR WRITERS by Ted Schwarz.

Patty: Another good book is THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFULL PEOPLE. It's not just for writers, but it has good organizing principles.

MODERATOR: Why are goals important? Why can't I just write and see what happens?

Patty: Of course you can just write and see what happens, but you may already have dreams about where you want to go with your writing. If you do, admitting this by setting concrete goals will help you see your dreams come true.

MODERATOR: Are there good goals and bad goals?

Patty: Goals aren't good or bad. But some kinds of goals are more helpful than others. Most important--be sure your goal is something YOU have control over. Most people's goals sound like this: "I will be published in five years." But unfortunately you don't have control over that because you're not buying the manuscripts. It's the editors. Better goals would be: "I'll finish my novel by the end of November." "I'll spend two hours a week researching markets." "I'll mail it off to my first choice market by February." Nobody can stop you from doing these things.

MODERATOR: Should I keep my goals secret--in case I don't make them?

Patty: Whatever works for you is what you should do. But I've found that verbalizing my goals makes me work harder to achieve them. I had told all my friends that I was writing a book about the woman who wrote the Bible (that's THE DEEPER SONG). But I found the research so difficult that I almost gave up. But because I'd told everyone, I had to keep working and finish the novel. So I did!

MODERATOR: Do you set goals yourself at this point in your career? If so, what kind?

Patty: Absolutely--my goals are just the kinds I've been talking about. I want to finish the research on my new novel by the end of September. And finish rewriting a novel that hasn't sold by the end of the year.

MODERATOR: Once we've written down our goals, how can we motivate ourselves to meet those goals?

Patty: I think writing goals down does motivate us to achieve them. But I also schedule things on the calendar--I make dates with myself to write, to go to the library, to go to museums. When they're on my calendar, they become deadlines and then I'm really motivated to make them. I love deadlines!

Weaver: I am a stay-at-home mom with a child on whom I need to keep tabs. I find it hard to concentrate in this situation. Any suggestions?

Dorothy: I have a similar problem with a retired husband who is underfoot.

Patty: Weaver--I know just how you're feeling. And Dorothy, too, since my husband is home in the summer--he's a teacher. When my kids were small I wrote during their naps and I hired 'baby players' to watch the kids while I was home, but writing. My husband is actually more difficult because he loves to talk. But I've learned to set boundaries. When he pops in with a good story, I say, "Jack, I'm writing now...can you wait 15 minutes, or thirty or whatever...?" Then I try really hard to come out when I promised and listen. He was hurt at first, but he caught on. Now he says, "Guess what?.... Oh, I guess you're writing. I'll tell you later."

DebO: Do you keep your goals visible in your work area so they don't get lost amongst the clutter?

Patty: I used to. They were printed in large letters above my computer, next to my command to SHOW, DON'T TELL. But now I just have specific deadlines in my calendar.

AnneKelly: When you first started writing 17 years ago, did you work at it full-time right away? Also, how long did it take you to get published and was it an article or a book?

Patty: I didn't have another job, but I did have a young baby. So I didn't get much writing done at first. As Jane--my daughter--grew, I got more time--especially when she started school. How long did it take to get published? Well, I sold the first article I submitted, but it was two long years later before the next piece sold, and it took twelve years for me to sell a novel...it was a long time!

MODERATOR: What do you mean by "finding your niche"?

Patty: To me, finding your niche means looking at yourself, your likes, dislikes, books you read, shows you watch...and find out where your passions lie.

MODERATOR: Why can finding your special niche be important?

Patty: I think this is one of the most important parts of the business of writing. There are hundreds, millions of possible writing projects. We need ways of making decisions--to say "I'll write this and not that...." For example, I love history so I focus on historical fiction. It's a big relief to realize I don't have to write contemporary fiction and historical and science fiction and horror. See what I mean?

MODERATOR: Is your niche what you like or what you can sell?

Patty: That's a very good question. For the most part, your niche should be what you like. Don't think about whether it will sell, and don't try to follow fads. If it happens that your interest coincides with a fad, great. If you love soccer, there are some great markets for soccer pieces and sports fiction. But don't try to write about soccer just because there's a market out there. You have to love it first.

MODERATOR: Can you make more money in niche writing? Why or why not?

Patty: I think 'niche writing' here is a little different than what I've been talking about. In publishng these days, there's a magazine out there for every possible interest and books written for every interest too. This is called niche publishing. If your interest coincides with one of these niches, then you can definitely make money writing for that market. But if you're not interested then it's just work. Your writing will likely be flat and you won't be able to sell it. Write what you're passionate about and don't be afraid to say no to something you don't really want to write.

imhopeful: I like lots of areas: nonfiction, fiction, devotions, mystery, the list goes on. How do I find a niche?

Patty: My advice would be don't worry about officially finding a niche. Just write what you feel like writing at the time. I didn't decide beforehand to write historical fiction, but after a while I realized that all my stories were historical. So I realized that my niche was historical fiction.

MODERATOR: Changing course a bit now . . . If there is one universal job that writers hate, it's self-promotion. Does promotion really make that much difference?

Patty: You probably won't like hearing this--but I do think it does make a difference because publishers have such small promotion budgets, so they aren't able to do much promotion. If you don't promote your book, then who will? And think about this--you have the most interest in your own work, so it makes sense that you will be the best promoter.

MODERATOR: How much time should a writer spend on promotion?

Patty: Until you have a book published, I think you should focus all your time on honing your skills, researching the markets and submitting your work. But after you have a book out, you need to think about promotion (without forgetting to research, and hone your craft, of course.) I've heard some editors say they'd like to see authors spend 50% of their time on promotion! Because, if your first book sells well, then the editor is more likely to buy the next manuscript from you.

Ducky: Are we talking about flying all over the country for promotion, or just local promotion?

Patty: I'm mostly talking about local promotion. Visiting your local bookstore, speaking in nearby schools and libraries. There's a great book on what authors can do called HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK: A Survival Guide by Evelyn Gallardo.

MODERATOR: What kind of promotion can authors do?

Patty: One thing you should do is make up a nice looking flyer for your book and take it to your local bookstore. Work with your local bookstore owner (independent bookstore if possible!) to set up a signing and invite your friends. You can also contact your local paper and ask if they'd like to do a short feature. Once you get one article, copy it and send it to other papers with your flyer and bio, asking them if they'd be interested in a feature. You can build a PR file that you can send to people who are interested in having you speak or sign books.

AnneKelly: It sounds like promotion and budgets are different for children's book publishers than the adult book publishers. I know I've heard about "book tours" from city to city, all at the publisher's expense, for the "big" publishers. Unless maybe it just used to be that way.

Patty: I can't really speak for adult publishers, but in children's, the big publishers sometimes sent their big name people--like Gary Paulsen--on tour. But for relatively unknown authors like me, they don't set up tours. Sometimes I'm able to set up my own mini-tour. If I get one speaking engagement in a town, I'll try for another in a nearby town.

AnneKelly: What should be on your flyer?

Patty: The name and cover of your book, the publishing and ordering information, and the contact information--your name, address, phone, etc. I also put a summary of the plot, a bio on me, and information about speaking. It's pretty simple.

MODERATOR: MUST a writer also become a public speaker in order to "make it" as an author?

Patty: If you'd rather be hit by a train than speak in public, then don't do it! But...and I say this from personal experience... speaking at schools and libraries is one of the best ways to promote your book. And you sometimes get paid more for speaking than you make from royalties! There's a great book that gives excellent ideas for school visits. It's called TERRIFIC CONNECTIONS by Jane Kurtz and Toni Buzzeo--a book on putting together school visits.

MODERATOR: A note: a book by Paul and Sarah Edwards called SECRETS OF SELF-EMPLOYMENT has a nice section on promotion doing only those things you really like to do.

Patty: When I started speaking, I felt I was doing a good job if I made it through the talk without fainting. Now I'm even beginning to enjoy it. So speaking in public is something you can learn!

AnneKelly: When you speak at libraries and schools, do you make it fancy with viewgraphs and charts, or do you simply stand and speak?

Patty: I took slides of the places where my books take place, and I do a slide show about how I got my ideas. I show the books I used in researching, and I show my many drafts of my first novel to talk about revision. So, yes--I do have visual aids. I need something besides me up there!

MODERATOR: What non-speaking things besides flyers--if any--can a writer do to promote her books and shorter material?

Patty: If you have a book out--keeping in contact with your local bookstore is a must. If your book can fit any kind of niche, it's good to visit niche gift shops or mail flyers. My first novel, KEEPER OF THE LIGHT, is about a lighthouse keeper, and I've sent flyers to all the lighthouses I can find addresses for. My new novel is set in California, so now I'm thinking of California markets. Sending postcards to people you think might be interested in the book is a good idea. You can have a postcard made with the cover of your book on one side and ordering info on the other. I think 500 postcards cost me $30. A web page is a good idea. Mine is www.pfitsch.com and I got the assignment for my picture book because the editor was surfing and looking for someone to do a book on the westward expansion. She'd never read any of my other books!

MODERATOR: Here are some additional sites to check out: Web Site for HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK http://www.eveglardo.com. And Children's Literature Web Guide--internet resources about books for children and young adults at http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/

MODERATOR: Can you give us some examples of "good visibility" so we can envision this goal?

Patty: Well, getting your book listed on web sites--like the Children's Literature Web Guide is a good idea. Any time you can get someone to link to your page or mention your book on their site helps. If you have a book out, doing related magazine articles is a good idea. For example, I could write an article on women lighthouse keepers for a children's magazine, or a piece on historical fiction for a teacher's magazine. Participating in children's literature listservs is also a good idea. Local weekly papers are often hungry for features. This would be another good place to start getting publicity. Anything that gets your name out there will help.

MODERATOR: All excellent ideas! Changing directions again here... What kinds of taxes do writers pay?

Patty: It depends, of course, on how much money you make. Unless you're selling lots and lots, you probably spend more in deductible expenses than you make on your writing. There are a lot of deductible expenses: books, travel, research, office supplies, phone calls. Be sure to keep track of all of these.

AnneKelly: How do you handle those taxes? Do you let an accountant handle it?

Patty: Yes--we have an accountant--he's also helped me define myself as a business person.

MODERATOR: If you don't make much money from your writing, do you still need to file taxes?

Patty: Yes! Just because you're not making a profit doesn't mean you don't have to file. In fact, my accountant has encouraged me to actually show a small profit every few years, even if it means not taking all the deductions I'm entitled to. This keeps your work qualified as a business in the eyes of the government.

joyous: My husband and I filed jointly. Our accountant wouldn't touch my expenses because I didn't make ANY profit - thought it would raise a red flag to the IRS. What do you think?

Patty: Well...I've heard that, too. My husband and I together don't make much money, so our accountant has told us not to worry about it. I've been declaring my expenses for at least eight years with no problem, though.

MODERATOR: Another part of being your boss is the dreaded selling/marketing your work. What is the secret to selling/marketing books and magazine manuscripts?

Patty: There is a secret, and here it is. Research!!! Become familiar with what the book publisher or magazine publishes. Know their slant. What kinds of things are they looking for? Don't...I repeat...DON'T send a publisher a manuscript unless you know they publish the kind of thing you send. I've talked to hundreds of editors over the years I was writing for CHILDREN'S WRITER and they all say the same thing: Most of their submissions are inappropriately targeted. KNOW the publisher before you submit!

MODERATOR: How can you find out what a specific magazine wants?

Patty: Read the magazine--a year's worth of issues. Look particularly at the topics they cover, the ages of characters, the way they present information. Is it funny? Serious? In small bites or longer essays? If you do this you'll have a much better idea. Write for guidelines. Read Children's Writer and other newsletters that interview editors to see what they're saying about what they publish. Go to conferences and ask editors what they're looking for.

MODERATOR: How can you find out what a specific book publisher wants?

Patty: This is harder, but still possible. Write for guidelines. Check the publisher's web page. The Children's Book Council Page has information about publishers online at http://www.cbcbooks.org/ This page has information on almost all publishers (web sites and other info.) Read newsletters, go to conferences. Go to the bookstore and look at the books--find books that are similar to yours. See what publisher published them. You can find books at the library, too, but be careful to look at recent books. Houses change from time to time, so a book that came out ten years ago may not be representative. Children's Writer has a great yearly guide with lots of publisher information...as well as other great stuff. Also check here: Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators at http://www.scbwi.org. The Purple Crayon at http://www.underdown.org has information for writers and illustrators from children's book editor, Harold Underdown.

MODERATOR: Do you have a special file or notebook where you keep notes on particular markets you're interested in?

Patty: I usually keep notes right in the margins of the entry of my marketing guide. I write things down in my planner and stick signs on my wall. If I write these things down in a file, then I forget about them. I like to keep them out where I can see and remember!

MODERATOR: Do you use marketing software to keep track of your submissions? Should we?

Patty: I've never used software because I'm not a particularly prolific writer. But I think if you're especially prolific, a software program could be really helpful.

MODERATOR: What kind of records do you use to keep track of your submissions?

Patty: I have a notecard for each of my submissions. I record when I sent it out and where--also when their guidelines say they'll get back to me. I record when I get a response and what it was. If the publisher's time limit goes by without a response, I contact the editor and ask what the status of the submission is and that goes on the card. In short--all the correspondence for each time I submit.

MODERATOR: What's the most important thing a writer should know about submitting a manuscript?

Patty: Three things. One--know the publisher. Do your homework. Two--hone your craft. Be sure your submission is the best writing you can do. Three--get the mechanics and spelling right! I've talked to editors who won't even read a submission if there's one mechanical error in the cover letter! The format and mechanics of your manuscript is the first impression an editor gets. It should be a positive one.

MODERATOR: It's hard enough as a writer to have to be both right and left brain (creator and editor). How do we also juggle the necessity of being a boss and an employee?

Patty: This is hard, but also fun when you get the hang of it. I want to take care of my one employee, so she'll be on the job for many useful years. I set up an exercise program for her, and be sure she eats right. I give her time off and try not to scold her when she misses deadlines or spends time with her kids. Think of how you'd want to be treated by your boss, and then treat yourself that way! For more about this, read my favorite books on self-employment: CHILDREN'S WRITER GUIDE TO 1996-2000 and beyond. These books have great business advice for writers! And DO WHAT YOU LOVE, THE MONEY WILL FOLLOW by Marsha Sinetar. And also THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE by Stephen Covey.

Maudy: I have read KEEPER OF THE LIGHT and THE DEEPER SONG, and I've been impressed with your ability to change the speech patterns to add to the sense of a different time in history. What strategies did you use to accomplish this aspect of your books?

Patty: Wow, Maudy, thanks for reading my books. I think my reading has really helped me get my characters sounding like they came from the past. I read all the historical fiction I can find, and journals written by real people in the past are also excellent help. And my critique group reads all my work--they point out phrases that sound too contemporary. That's a huge help, too.

MODERATOR: I'm sorry, but our time is up. We could discuss this topic for many more hours, I think! Thank you, Patty, for sharing your valuable insights into being your own boss. It's something we all have to be in order to succeed as writers, and your input has been invaluable.

Patty: Thanks for asking me. Good luck, everyone!

MODERATOR: Do come back next week, June 29, for another "Open Forum" with me, your moderator, Kristi Holl. I've published over 100 magazine articles and stories, as well as 23 books for the juvenile market, plus taught for fifteen years. I welcome your questions on time management, getting started, writer's block, or anything else you'd like to discuss. Bring your QUESTIONS and OPINIONS to this moderated open forum next Thursday night. And now, good night, everyone. Have a great weekend!

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