Backlist's Back (ALRIGHT)

Introducing Nellie Wilson's Backlist Bonanza with a pop song from 1997

Am I original? Yeaaaaaah. (translation: damn, I hope so, because my goal is to write stories that I have never seen before and want to read).

Am I the only one? Yeaaaaah. (I’m a bisexual, mentally ill, neurodiverse White millennial woman writing romance - I am not the only one of my kind, but there is a giant gap in romance novels that are written about and for millennials, who are still a widely misunderstood generation)

Am I sexual? Yeaaaaaah. (My books are open door because I love to show the progression of emotional and physical relationships and expand the types of sex that is shown as hot and sexy in romance novels and I think we should approach the craft of writing sex the same way we approach all aspects of our craft)

Am I everything you need? (Wow, I hope not, that’s a lot of pressure and there are so many good books out there right now, but I do bring a unique perspective to writing romance novels and want to share that with people!)

You better rock your body now! (I’d like to invite you on a seven month deep dive into my backlist!)

For $5/month (17¢ a day!) you’ll get all the behind the scenes and craft information about each book, insight into plot choices and abandoned ideas, playlists, and a bonus chapter featuring those characters each month. Think of it as the Director’s Commentary/Bonus Features for each book (which is something that I miss in this era of streaming, but that’s a conversation for a later date).

The fun begins February 1st, and for the shortest month of the year, I’ll be focusing on my shortest book, Storm Warning. The novella will go on sale near the end of January (I’ll post about it on Substack and Instagram), and the first Substack will post on February 2nd (and I promise it won’t just be about when you’re from PA, Groundhog’s Day is a big damn deal). For those of you who like to know a schedule, here’s the plan for the next seven months:

As for now, my general essays and update posts will remain free and available to anyone.

The “Why” Behind This

If you’ve been reading these Substacks or chatting with me over the past few months, one of the biggest things I’ve been working on is slowing down and resisting the panic and anxiety with comes from being left behind. While there are certain things about how this shows up in my life that are likely specific to my particular brain wiring and the chemical cocktail of dopamine and serotonin that my brain struggles to make without help, I think it’s something that is a bit universal to two groups that I’m well acquainted with — millennials and authors.

This thread pretty much sums up a conversation I’ve had with other millennials better than any long, rambling paragraph I could come up with:

As for author world, I think we’ve all read articles bemoaning the fast fashion-ification of publishing, but I don’t think a lot of readers realize how taxing it is to publish a book. As authors, we put a lot of our souls on the page, even if the book we’re are writing is completely disconnected from any of our own lived experience. It is truly an experience that involves blood, sweat, and tears (so many tears). There are a lot of costs associated with publishing a book, and I don’t just mean paying for a cover or an editor, but how much we pay in time — the cost of the time you spend plotting and researching, the time ideas need to marinate and develop, the time that you spend drafting plots and sentences that may be cut in a future draft, the time you spend letting a draft sit before you edit and approach it, the time to edit a book, to format, to write the blurb and marketing materials, to market…

It’s so much time, especially if you work full time (check), have a family or other caregiving responsibilities (not for me), or do this independently (check).

My first book Need S’more Time published in August of 2022, and in the subsequent 28 months (just under two and a half years), I’ve published a backlist of seven total books — five full-length novels, one novelette, and a novella. I don’t think I’ve really looked back and celebrated those seven books, instead moving straight on to the next WIP. Not only has this led to me not giving each of these books their true time in the spotlight, but I also have so much about these books that’s in my head that I haven’t shared.

As someone who is also learning how to embrace my neurodiversity (AuDHD) and find approaches to life that help my brain, instead of forcing my brain and body into structures and approaches that are meant for neurotypical brains, having a business plan for the next seven months calms the part of my brain that shrieks like a feral tomcat when there’s no plan or schedule. Which allows the tiny gnomes who help me draft to emerge from hiding. I have two WIPs that I’m incredibly excited about, and knowing what I’m doing marketing-wise will let me dedicate my full attention there.

I hope you’ll join me on this journey. I look forward to sharing it with you.

Questions? Drop them in the comments or email me at nelliewilsonwrites@gmail.com.

I also realize that this is a very difficult time financially for many people. If the subscription cost is too much, but you want to participate in the Backlist Bonanza, please email me and we can work something out. In addition, any amount pledged above $5/month will be used to sponsor other subscriptions.

Much love,

Nellie