Bossy People (sort of)

I’ve been meaning to post a blog for a while now. But between working full time as a paralegal, revising my second novel, writing guest blogs for other blogger’s websites, dating someone new, judging a writing contest, trying to maintain a social life, eating, sleeping and general personal hygiene, I just didn’t have the time. Calgon – take me away!!!

Besides being too busy to blog, I couldn’t think of anything to write about.  But I was determined to start blogging again, especially since my mom told me she checks my website regularly and really misses my blogs. I threw a question out to the folks on the JFWB Facebook page asking for suggestions. I wasn’t really expecting any feedback but a few people did respond. (Thank you to Doug, Amy and Marian.)  Marian suggested I write about bossy people-  I’m guessing she was having a bad day.  Marian, I hope you told that bossy person (people) to shove it, but in any event, thanks for the idea.   I’m not going to write about bossy people, but I realized something about myself. I’m not a good boss. Presently, I am not anyone’s boss, but there was a time not too long ago when I was the head paralegal in my department and entrusted with delegating work assignments and general supervision of the junior paralegals. I didn’t like it one bit, probably because I wasn’t very good at it. I was good at my job and I liked doing it, but I didn’t like telling others to do their jobs, how to do their jobs and that they weren’t doing a good job. And I’m sort of a control freak and didn’t like seeing the work I delegated get done poorly or in some cases, just not get done.  Just put me in an office, give me work and let me do it. (And then praise me at the end of the year with a fat bonus check.) But don’t make it my business how others do their jobs.  I’m just not interested.

So, yeah, I don’t like telling other people what to do. But I can take very good direction. If someone tells me what to do, I’ll do it and I’ll probably do it well. (As long as it doesn’t involve hopping on one foot, cooking, singing or cursive writing.) At the same time, I like some freedom in how things get done. I like my voice and opinions to be heard and I don’t like being micro-managed. 

This brings me to the status of my second novel. (Amy suggested I write about that so, thanks Amy!) My second novel is finished and it’s time to decide what I want to do with it. (Besides publish it and sell the movie rights to Nora Ephron.) Do I publish with a small publisher again, try to secure an agent and a sale to one of the big NYC publishers or do I go Indy?

Although I’ve read some great books in my genre that were self-published recently and see the potential to make a lot of money that way, I’m just not ready to be my own boss. I like the idea of someone else setting deadlines for me as well as doing the legwork for editing and cover art and formatting. Either way, I know I’m on my own for promotion, but I don’t want to deal with setting the price, uploading etc.  So, at least for this book, going Indy is out.  I think my preference towards lower maintenance bosses suggests that I go with a smaller publisher again since I liked having a say in the cover art, title and a right to veto certain editing suggestions. I assume with a big NYC publisher, I’d have zero control or say, not to mention how long it might take to a) get an agent, b) have said agent sell the book and c) ultimately publish. Things move quicker with smaller publishers and I don’t want to wait 5 years to get my second book out there.  Of course, there are benefits to going that route like an advance, wider distribution, perhaps a bit more help with promotion and just knowing that I published with the Big Six. 

I have a big decision to make soon, along with my full time job as a paralegal, writing a third novel, continuing to promote JFWB, hopefully continuing to explore a relationship, seeing friends, eating, sleeping, general personal hygiene… damn, I can really use that bubble bath right now!!  Too bad my low maintenance boss is calling… Be right there… 

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