AUTHOR'S CORNER
PLANNING TO BE FAMOUS
I am constantly planning my biggest book launch! I am imagining my biggest sales ever! I am telling myself that one day I will have a book on a shelf in every Waterstones, WhSmith and Foyles! One day I will find it difficult to step out of my house without being stalked by a handful of reporters trying to get a mugshot of me! Yeah, right, one day!
So how does an aspiring writer go about planning their fame? How can a writer make sure that she has a million faithful followers and a barrage of publishers knocking down the front door to get her to sign a publishing deal? One thing for sure, unless you're into voodoo, or have made a pact with The Prince of Darkness, or have an uncle in publishing, or extremely lucky and happen to be in the right place at the right time; it won't happen overnight!
The sad truth is that most very good writers face years if not decades of hardship whilst trying to make a name for themselves. It is a long road to success and often a lonely one. worse, in today's current environment, with internet publishing, self publishing, vanity publishing and all other in between, not to mention the mainstream big boys and the not so far behind independent publishers; the competition is enormous! Which brings us to the harsh reality that unless you have a multi-million pound contract, or a film producer is knocking at your door, most writers have to resort to treating their 'art' as a business!
So for a brief moment let us explore....creative hats off, business hats on....
1. If you had a business idea, the first thing you will do is put it out there and get known.
Unless you have limitless funds to splash out on advertising, your best bet is to use the internet; create a blog, that way people get to know you. Hype your work, paint a pretty picture around it and make it appeal. Use social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, you will quickly make friends, and there friends will befriend you etc.
2. Market your stuff, don't be afraid to talk about your book, it may sound big headed, but think about it, most people go for designer labels simply because of the hype around them, not because they actually know what the product actually is!
3. The best way to get people to be interested in you, is for you to show them interest. Don't just advertise your book to Twitter/Facebook friends, engage them and talk to them about their interest; common ground creates common interest!
4. Push your work forward; don't be afraid to contact shops and offer to do book signings. Remember, most bookshops will welcome an author signing in their shop as it will bring in customers. Also if you do a book signing it is one way of making sure they order your books into their shops.
5. Don't be frightened! Nobody likes knock backs, especially if it is something of your own creation, it feels like judgement! However, a good business person knows that knock backs are a norm when trying to push forward a product...and your work is a product!
6. Keep good relations with book shops; if a manager declines to give you a book signing, be polite and thank them for their time; people have long memories and you may need them in future.
7. Don't despair, persistence pays off.
8. Keep writing; don't get stuck on trying to push forward one book and forget about your writing, otherwise you might waste years!
9. Behave like a writer and people will think you are a writer! It is simple people will perceive you as you perceive yourself.
10. Lastly, never take your eye off the ball; take yourself seriously, push ahead with your chosen profession and never doubt yourself or despair!
So how does an aspiring writer go about planning their fame? How can a writer make sure that she has a million faithful followers and a barrage of publishers knocking down the front door to get her to sign a publishing deal? One thing for sure, unless you're into voodoo, or have made a pact with The Prince of Darkness, or have an uncle in publishing, or extremely lucky and happen to be in the right place at the right time; it won't happen overnight!
The sad truth is that most very good writers face years if not decades of hardship whilst trying to make a name for themselves. It is a long road to success and often a lonely one. worse, in today's current environment, with internet publishing, self publishing, vanity publishing and all other in between, not to mention the mainstream big boys and the not so far behind independent publishers; the competition is enormous! Which brings us to the harsh reality that unless you have a multi-million pound contract, or a film producer is knocking at your door, most writers have to resort to treating their 'art' as a business!
So for a brief moment let us explore....creative hats off, business hats on....
1. If you had a business idea, the first thing you will do is put it out there and get known.
Unless you have limitless funds to splash out on advertising, your best bet is to use the internet; create a blog, that way people get to know you. Hype your work, paint a pretty picture around it and make it appeal. Use social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, you will quickly make friends, and there friends will befriend you etc.
2. Market your stuff, don't be afraid to talk about your book, it may sound big headed, but think about it, most people go for designer labels simply because of the hype around them, not because they actually know what the product actually is!
3. The best way to get people to be interested in you, is for you to show them interest. Don't just advertise your book to Twitter/Facebook friends, engage them and talk to them about their interest; common ground creates common interest!
4. Push your work forward; don't be afraid to contact shops and offer to do book signings. Remember, most bookshops will welcome an author signing in their shop as it will bring in customers. Also if you do a book signing it is one way of making sure they order your books into their shops.
5. Don't be frightened! Nobody likes knock backs, especially if it is something of your own creation, it feels like judgement! However, a good business person knows that knock backs are a norm when trying to push forward a product...and your work is a product!
6. Keep good relations with book shops; if a manager declines to give you a book signing, be polite and thank them for their time; people have long memories and you may need them in future.
7. Don't despair, persistence pays off.
8. Keep writing; don't get stuck on trying to push forward one book and forget about your writing, otherwise you might waste years!
9. Behave like a writer and people will think you are a writer! It is simple people will perceive you as you perceive yourself.
10. Lastly, never take your eye off the ball; take yourself seriously, push ahead with your chosen profession and never doubt yourself or despair!
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