Wouldn’t it be nice if there was some set formula for author success? You do this list of things and voila, you are a happy prosperous author! Unfortunately, there is no recipe for writing a bestseller, but there are ways to improve your chances. Here’s what you can do:
Find your niche
These days readers are spoilt for choice. The book market is increasingly crowded making it difficult for emerging authors to stand out. Fortunately, there's an easier way to compete. By finding your niche you can ensure that your book doesn’t get lost in the crowd. For some authors this is straightforward but for others, writing across genres, finding your niche can be problematic. Begin by seeking out what differentiates your book from others. Identify what is distinctive about your writing style. Finding your niche is not about fitting in with the current best-selling genres. It’s about identifying what you are passionate about and what makes your writing stand out. It’s about highlighting the differences. Finding your niche will inform your book positioning, pricing, cover, blurb and all the other actions you take to market your work.
Improve your writing
Writing a book is hard. Writing a good book is even harder. Becoming an author means embracing the idea that you will always be learning and improving your writing. Every writer improves with practice. The more you write and read, the more your work will benefit. The only path to growth is to write more and carefully evaluate what you have written. Look at the books you love to see why they ‘work’. Pull apart plot lines and characters and learn as much as possible from your fellow writers.
Dedicate time to writing
If you want to establish yourself as a writer you need to dedicate time to putting pen to paper. It sounds obvious but so many writers fail at this point. They spend time doing everything else except writing. Stop making excuses or letting other things get in the way of writing. If you are serious about your writing get serious about your writing time. If you haven’t already then now is the time to commit to a regular writing routine. Schedule it, guard it and show up ready to write.
Build your following
There are so many ways to build a following, from social media, bookstore appearances, writer events, book clubs and book store placement. Finding your readers can be one of the most frustrating, time consuming parts of becoming an author. Begin by building your author brand to reflect your writing style. Think about ideal reader and where they are likely to be found. A lot of book marketing comes down to trial and error so focus on a few promotional channels then review your efforts and double down on what is working. Building a readership is a long-term game. Chat to other authors about what they are doing, double down on what is working and learn as much as you can about book marketing.
Find a writing mentor
A writing mentor can help you hone your voice, provide honest feedback and advise you on how to take your writing to the next level. A mentor doesn’t necessarily have to be a paid writing coach. They can simply be another writer that you admire or someone in the industry. To find a mentor try writing groups, workshops, retreats and conferences, Professional writers organizations and online groups. Get in touch with your fellow authors. A good mentor will understand where you are currently at with your writing and what you need to develop further. They will be able to provide advice and feedback to direct and support your work.
Treat your writing like a business
If you want to write for a hobby that is great, but if you want to make a living from your writing it’s important to treat it as a business. This doesn’t mean that it can’t be fun and flexible. It just means having a plan for your writing career. Set a dedicated time to write and work consistently towards your writing goals. Hone your writing skills, monitor your progress and grow your readership.
Network with other writers
Collaboration is a powerful tool for growth. Networking with authors in your genre is an invaluable way to reach new readers and build a supportive writer network. Collaboration leverages the benefits of multiple perspectives, problem-solving approaches and combined audiences. Yet many authors fail to actively seek collaborative opportunities, seeing other writers as their competitors. It´s time to change that mindset. Instead of treating your fellow authors as your competition, change them into your allies. Build a writing community based on support and mutual information exchange. Share your knowledge and learn from others. By partnering up and leveraging your strengths as a group, you´ll maximise your writing efforts, and increase your book marketing reach and ultimately sales.
