Write the story. Publish the story. Sit back and wait for royalties to come pouring in.
Uhm, nope.
Writing the story is the first step. The next is a follow-up of multiple rejections or self-publishing. Let’s go with the first acceptance. This way we don’t have to deal with paying an editor, cover artist, someone to format and upload your book or you having to figure all that out yourself.
So, how does that list go now: write, acceptance, published, wait for royalties to come pouring in?
Uhm, still a big nope.
Keep writing, never stop writing. Fingers crossed that each submission is getting an acceptance. Wait…there’s where the big nope comes in.
You’re a writer. You’re self-employed, but have been published by a publishing house, that’s all you need, right?
Have you not figured it out, yet? You are the writer. It is your story. Your name. Your brand. The publisher is a vehicle to get you out there and they have people and followers and readers who may see you, but you still need to sell yourself to the masses.
If you don’t sit yourself down and look at this writing industry as a business, well, how do you expect to succeed? For every thousand readers there are five times or more that many books for them to search through to find you.
How are they going to find you?
Marketing, marketing, marketing. You have to sell yourself.
You need to grab the reader world by its social media horns and get out there. Whether it’s joining promotional groups or blogging every day and sending it out into the cyber world publicly to anyone and everyone. You need to work your butt off.
But, but, but…but, what? You’re with a publishing house? So? Hey, I don’t mean to sound mean, but I’m not going to leave my business solely in the hands of the company who published me. I need to get out there and let people know about me and my work. I need to talk and chat and share and get others to talk and chat and share me.
But, but, but…but, why then don’t I just self-publish? Sure, I could. Others do. But, I’d rather not. There are aspects of this industry I can’t get in without a publisher. Yes, the profits are split, but the shared work and connections and viewership are more than worth it.
As for print…ugh. I recently learned that the profit from those are stupid-nuts. Stupid-nuts as in so damn low it’s a why bother. Plus, unless I offer a return some places may not want me anyways. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to risk having a box of books I was so proud to call “in print” returned to me with a hefty bill I have to pay back.
Look. Writing is a dream job, but it isn’t going to make you a living unless you treat it as a business. A damn near 24/7 business. If you don’t sit your butt down and work this as seriously as you would any other job, well, writing is also a nice pastime and hobby. Nothing wrong with that.
You want to see a big return on your hard work then gather the best around you, listen to them and learn. And tell your ego to take a hike. This isn’t a business for the ego. Ego will get you in more trouble than you could wish on your worse enemy.
Your success is straight on your shoulders. Everyone else is part of your team…use them wisely.
Wonderful blog entry, Chris. This will become my motivational speech!
Thanks, Chuck.