Recently I spoke with a new-ish writer and their enthusiasm made me nostalgic for a simpler time. A time when the words “THE END” provided a warm, blissful sense of accomplishment, instead of heralding the beginning of the strapping on my work boots and getting dirty with the “real” work of a writer.
I see you, you veterans of the written word, and your nods as you sip your lukewarm java. You know what’s coming, don’t you? That’s okay, feel free to add your five cents in for all those shiny faces getting ready to join our ranks. They need all the help support they can get it, because this isn’t the path for the faint of heart.
When I first started out, I believed typing “THE END” meant my job was done. Little did I know what lay in wait, and if I had, I wonder if I would have kept the faith to keep going. Maybe, considering I’m still here, fighting in the trenches thirteen books later and wading my way through number fourteen. I don’t want to scare those just starting out, but please, PLEASE, realize that when your book is done, you are just getting started.
No matter if you’re with a publisher or mastering your own fate, you definitely need to know this industry, if for no other reason than so you can make a solid, informed decision on what you want to do. I’ve been published for eight years, and during the last year and three months, I made the choice to brave the indie route. This was a choice I battled with for quite some time (close to three years). I enjoyed my time with smaller publishers, but I used that time to learn the industry. I had to learn what all went into the book once I handed it off. It took a LONG time to get all the pieces together, probably longer than it would take others, but hey, I’m a cautious sort. Once I thought I had a grasp on it, I held my breath and dove in. The water was deeper than I expected, but I think I’m getting the hang of it.
There is a ton of advice being thrown at you, no matter if you’re a shiny newbie or a grizzled veteran, working with a publisher or doing it indie style. Writers are constantly told you must be able to wear the following hats, and do it with style.
- Web Developer – because you need a website, blog, and know what the hell SEO is and how it works
- Social media guru – to cultivate a “personalize” following via (pick your poison – Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc.)
- Master of Marketing – because you must find the secret formula for ads, especially Amazon and Facebook, not to mention your Newsletter (which is a whole other can of wiggly worms), or all the Media Kits for each book
- A keen Data Analyst – to ensure you know you’re getting a return on the money you’re tossing towards your world-dominating marketing plan
- Brilliant Business Operations Manager – you’ll need a business plan, which should include a writing schedule, a release schedule, a profits/loss statement, a mission statement, a five year plan. Know your distribution channels – wide vs Kindle Unlimited, Ingram Spark vs KDP, ACX vs other audible routes – royalty rates, rights, copyrights, formatting, editing, proofreaders, beta readers, etc.
- Whimsical Writer Hat – because your fabulous first book demands a follow-up. This means you must have a writing schedule to ensure you get those books out. Plus, if you can’t wear this hat, none of the others will fit.
And that’s not including an even bigger hat, one I wear more than my writer variations – Family and Day Job. That’s right, because the truth is most writers can’t afford to write and pay the bills, so we have to juggle a day job. Not to mention most of us are also part of a family, be it by blood or by choice, the point is we have a group of people we need to connect with or we’ll go nuts. (Okay, sometimes they help drive us nuts, but for the most part we like them.)
*grabs sleeve of fleeing writer* Hang on there, newbie. Don’t bail now, because here’s where my advice comes in. Pick your battles.
Pick what works best for you and your life without sending you to the nearest hospital.
Your hat collection will take time to build, so don’t try to wear them all at the same time. Start with your strengths. You like blogging? Work that. Feel better chatting out on Social Media? Dominate that platform. Newsletters bring you joy? Own it, babe! Just don’t forget these two important things:
- Keep your Muse happy so you can give your readers the fix they deserve
- Treat this like the business it is, because at the end of the day, new hand or old hat, writing is a business and you are a small business owner
Alright voices of experience, chime in. Share your best pieces of advice, because we all started somewhere.