After watching another online writing conference and listening to yet another literary agent panel, my publishing dream almost died. Set in an unusual time and place, my story world won’t slide into an existing group of readers. My books are probably best categorized as historical romance with magical realism. Nevertheless, I’ve written 5000 words since that conference, and the characters haven’t fallen silent. I will fall silent on social media for the next year, however, since it is primarily a marketing platform and I have nothing to market yet.
I’ve read that historical romance is losing popularity with publishers and moving to the indie-only market. Now that I have heard actual sales numbers from clean historical romance novelists, I know I would lose money initially trying to independently publish, to the tune of thousands per book if I were to hire proper editors, and likely never recoup my costs.
I’ve been hanging out in a few fantasy groups online this year to explore the genre, particularly the writing organization Realm Makers. I wrote fantasy elements into my stories to add whimsy and to lighten the weight of them. The boring Bergen goat farm in my books is no longer boring now that it has a mischievous, matchmaking fjøsnisse, or barn elf, whom no one has ever actually seen. I also don’t have to drown my fictional fisherman sage in the sea now that he is a shapeshifter.
I will continue to update my blog with research, since I’m fascinated by Scandinavia three hundred years ago. The writings of Just Knud Qvigstad, the great-great-uncle I wish I could have known, will appear on my blog with regularity. The Great Northern War, an often ignored but important turning point in the balance of world powers in the North, will also feature. My website is a DIY project and only costs twenty dollars a month to maintain. I will always list my sources so you can study them for yourself.