I’ve agreed to write a How To Write Erotic Romance book for a UK publisher?  No?  Ah, well, I did and I am.  I wasn’t going to do it.  I have no time, I told myself as well as my agent and the publisher, who, btw, contacted me, not the other way around. Not the editor but the publisher. I was flattered of course.  I’ve never had an editor much less a publisher come to me. It’s always been the other way around. So, yeah, I was surprised.

My agent politely told the publisher I was too pressed as it was and could not deliver the book within their deadline schedule.  It was hard to say, thank you for asking, but no.

Truth be told, while the deadline was impossible to meet, I was scared.  While I’m a blabber mouth when someone asks me for advice, I’ve never written non-fiction, or a how to anything.

I was relieved that I would not have to write the book.  But—the publisher came back and said she was, ‘very keen on working with Karin’ and would push the deadline out to accommodate my schedule.

Yeah, she had me at keen. I knew then I was going to do it.  I’m embarrassed to say, I had a Sally Field moment.  How sad is that?  I mean I’m a confident person.  I’m confident in my work in so much that I know some readers love it and others don’t.  I’m ok with those that don’t.  I’m comfortable writing fiction, but a How To book on writing?  Yikes, I’m getting nervous just thinking about it because for me, when it comes to writing a romance, my weakest skill is the actual writing i.e. the words.  My strength lies in my characters and the emotionality of their love story.  Not the words.  But I’ve agreed to write a book on how to freakin write!  The words!!

I said, yes. For many reasons.  I think the biggest reason of all was to get out of my comfort zone.  To spread my writer wings.  To prove to myself that I could. But before we could ink the deal, I had to write a forward and an outline for the publisher to submit to the acquisitions committee.  I did it in two days. Pulled my hair out, but I did it. I sent it to my agent who loved it, who then sent to the publisher, then held my breath.  I turned blue, and nearly passed out from lack of oxygen.  It took forever! (a week for God’s sake) for us to hear back.   Two thumbs up.  The publisher loved my voice.  Who knew there was voice in an outline of a table of contents?

Suffice it to say, I’m nervous.  I’m excited.  I’m scared to death, and praying I can pull this off.  I don’t want to disappoint my publisher who had the confidence in me to ask me to do this project.  And I certainly don’t want to disappoint a budding author by steering them wrong.

So, despite the craziness that has become my life since I began the reboot of my business last month, I’m working on a non-fiction How To book!  Who knew?

What about you?  What have you done that pushed you completely outside of your comfort zone?  And were you successful?Â