Anyone who follows my blog knows this year has been one of introspection and evaluation for me. Lately, I find myself in the position of having to answer some tough questions and most of them have an impact on my writing, or at least my availability to write.
The simple fact is I can’t afford to spend as much time writing as I have the past four years. This is not me giving up. This is me adapting. I have walked a particular path for some time and it’s not getting me to my destination. The only correct assumption is I’m not on the right path.
I have devoted almost every free moment I have to crafting my romances. If I haven’t had a shift at my library job or commitments with family, I have been writing. I’ve given it my all. Although I’ve received some terrific reviews and even a couple of accolades, sadly sales are not where I need them to be in order to continue at this pace.
As I said, this does not mean I am putting a period on my writing career. I need to write. It is by far the most rewarding thing I have ever done as far as my work goes. However, I do need to provide for my family as well. Considering the many changes taking place in this industry, I need to think hard about what comes next. Publishers are closing. Self-publication is a factor. Pirating runs rampant. All these factors play a part in my next move, as they no doubt do for so many of us.
What does this mean for my fans? You will continue getting books from me but perhaps not as often. I will still take as long as I need in order to create the best stories I can. I will not short change you on this. If I bother to publish a book, you’d better believe it’ll be the best book I can manage. I will never “call it in.”
Will I finish my Gemini Island Shifters series? You bet. I will write Predator’s Salvation as soon as I can. I have almost finished book one of my new contemporary series as well and hope to find a home for it soon. That being said, I will be very careful which home I choose. This has to be a time of change for me. Every decision counts and I owe it to myself to make the best decisions possible.
You may not see me online as often as before. I will still endeavor to be as available to my readers as possible but, again, I may just need to be more careful with my time.
They say “a writer writes.” I know that is accurate. I will keep writing but will I be as prolific as before? That, I can’t answer. I have no clue what the future has in store. You might not see books from me as often as you have over the past few years, but you will see them. And when you do, you will know they came straight from my heart.
That’s all I’ve ever offered my readers. I will never offer anything less.
Thank you,
Rosanna
Rosanna Leo 
Great blog post and one I totally relate to. I love writing and I gave stories that will probably never be put out to the world as they are stories for me. Writing is a joy. So whether I publish stories or not, I will always write, as I know you will as well. 🙂
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Thank you, Selena. It has to be about joy, doesn’t it? For me, writing is a joy as well. As long as it provides that sentiment, I will do it however and whenever I can. Hugs!
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As long as you promise never to leave us I am okay with getting what I can. Besides it will finally give me a chance to get caught up on your books! lol
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Thank you, Heather! There you go. Catching up is always good. LOL Things happen for a reason. I do believe that. Thanks for reading, my friend.
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IDK what to say Rosanna but I understand what you are saying. I think it is sad though, but you need to do what is right for you.
Big HUG!
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Thank you Camilla, for all your support. I appreciate you commenting and appreciate that hug more than you know. Big hugs back.
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Thank you for sharing your “going forward” thoughts, Rosanna. Looks like big open, bright spaces ahead in the pic. Happy writing!
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Hi Joni. I definitely chose that pic for a reason. I always try to look forward. Onward and upward, right? Thanks for your kind support.
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Ditto on what Heather said! As long as you keep in touch (whenever you can) I’m perfectly happy to wait longer between books if that’s what you need to do to be able to balance family, work and writing time. 🙂 I think you are an amazing author and I’m glad that you’re not giving that up. *hugs*
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Thank you, Amy. No, not giving up. It means too much to me. I appreciate all your support over the years and look forward to staying in touch with you. Hugs.
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I have to say that I know exactly where you are coming from. I have contemplated writing full time for months now, but eventually came to the conclusion that I cannot afford to do so. I am still working full time and writing as much as I can when time allows for it. You have not made an easy decision, but may I wish you all the best in your new career and in your writing.
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Thank you, Linze. It is such a tough decision, isn’t it? I hear of so many of our peers writing full-time and I wish I could bottle their formulas. I can only hope that the path I walk is the one I’m meant to walk. All the best to you!
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So sorry to hear your sales are down. I would think they would be going up. I am relatively new to your writing and love what I have read so far. I will keep getting your book as long as you out them out there to get.
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Thank you so much, Fran. I would think they’d be going up too. LOL Perhaps one of these days… Hugs.
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Thanks so much for putting this out there! I quietly made a similar decision not too long ago, and it’s been a huge relief, actually. I’ll always write, I’m sure, but spending every free moment in front of my laptop was kinda making for crappy manuscripts 😛
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Thank you, Tara. I think a lot of us are taking stock. It’s not a bad thing. We need to live and make money. At some point we decide how to do just that. Writing won’t stop but I’m going to be a lot more targeted in my approach, I think. All the best to you!
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Love you, Rosanna. You will do what’s right for you and your career, and I have lots of faith in you and your stories. There is no one true way. There is only what is best for you. ❤
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Thanks so much, Vanessa! Back at ya, sister. We all find our way, don’t we? 🙂 Hugs.
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Totally understand. I’ve been of a similar mindset as of late. Who knows? Maybe it’s the universe giving us a chance to enrich our lives in other ways before pouring it all out into our work.
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I love how you put it, Kat. Thank you. I honestly believe things happen for a reason. Sometimes we really do need to look up from the old laptop.
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❤ We're all in this together!
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We are!
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I feel you. A hard decision to make, but a wise one.
I love writing too, but I need to take care of other obligations as well. I’ll still write and publish, but it will be in my time not someone else’s.
“Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.” – Cyril Connolly
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I love this, Casey. Every single word. Hugs!
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Rosanna a woman’s got to do what a women got to do. Life hard and can change in a brink of an eye. I wish you all the best For the future
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Thank you, Julie. I’ll still be here. They can’t get rid of me that quickly. 😉 Hugs!
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I love this post and your honesty and wise decision. And I even loved reading the comments. I’m going through something quite difficult at the moment with my writing. I basically do write full-time – well, have been for the last year or so but I’m really, really struggling to maintain it from a mental point of view. I’ve started a home business which is completely unrelated partly because it’s a passion and partly because I’ve had writer’s burnout for the last 5-6 months. It’s horrible because I love writing but I can’t seem to sustain it full time. Amazing when I was doing it part-time how passionate I was about it and how the words just flowed. I’ve also had to come to the painful decision to stop striving to make money with it. If it comes, it comes. But if it takes away the enjoyment of writing, it’s not good. So, I’m just taking one difficult day at a time. Some days are good, others aren’t.
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Thanks for sharing this with us, Kathy. I’m sorry to hear you’ve experienced burnout. I’ve been there too and it’s tough. Interesting how doing the writing part-time resulted in a greater sense of fulfillment. I would not have expected that. Your perspective here is greatly appreciated for anyone looking to make the leap to full-time writing. I hope you find a balance that works for you. All we can do is take it one day at a time and savour those good days as much as possible. Thank you.
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Thank you! 🙂
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I get it very, very much what you’re saying! To be both authors and humans. That pesky human part always gets in the way, huh?
You do you. Just don’t take Hades from me. I may have to come up and give you my sour face.
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My dear D.X., Hades sends his love always. He will ever be yours. 😈
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*hugs* I totally understand–I had to make that decision about 18 months back too. I know it has taken you a lot of soul searching and that it was a tough decision not easily made.
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Thank you, Leah. I appreciate the support and look forward to hearing about all your successes. Can’t wait to meet you in May!
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Love your total honesty here, Rosanna. The writing world changes along with the publishing world, but you WILL adapt, as we all will. Just keep writing. Keep the magic flowing 🙂
Sofia x
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Thank you, Sofia. I intend to keep chugging along. You’re right. We will all adapt. Hugs.
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Thank you for posting this! After separating from my husband and getting rid of a well established pen name (Bonnie Bliss). I had to totally reevaluate. I work full time at a dance studio for kids with all abilities, I now home school my daughter, I am in cancer remission (with a major surgery coming in May) , and realized writing full time just wasn’t in my cards anymore. I write were I can at the moment under a new pen name, but realized I wasn’t going to produce a full length novel in 14 days anymore. No matter how hard I try, I just couldn’t do it. Most nights I get home and have to take heavy pain pills that knock me out. For you to be this honest and post this really appeases a lot of the guilt I was feeling. Most authors aren’t honest and make me feel lazy for throwing in the towel on a full time writing career. Thank you so much! It makes me, and I know a lot of others feel better about having to make tough choices!
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Thank you for sharing your story, Eleanor. We do tend to carry around a lot of guilt when we can’t write, but guilt never helps. Your plate has been so full. You need to take care of yourself now. Write for pleasure when you can. I’m telling myself the same thing. I’m sending you lots of virtual hugs and wish you well on the May surgery. I will be thinking of you.
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