I love beginnings, whether they’re big, like Januarys, or small, like Mondays. Science has confirmed why we’re obsessed with fresh starts. “The first day of the year is what social scientists call a ‘temporal landmark,’” Daniel Pink writes in his bestselling book When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing. “Just as human beings rely on landmarks to navigate space—‘To get to my house, turn left at the Shell station’—we also use landmarks to navigate time.” These temporal landmarks allow us to turn a corner and put past mistakes behind us, boosting our confidence and renewing our energy to strive for our goals. They also give us better perspectives on the road ahead. Researchers Hengchen Dai, Katherine Milkman, and Jason Riis explain, “Temporal landmarks interrupt attention to day-to-day minutiae, causing people to take a big picture view of their lives and thus focus on achieving their goals.” That perspective allows us to make better decisions.
As we chart our writing waypoints, it can be hard to decipher what’s worth the expenditure of time, attention, and money. Here are three tips I’ve picked up while working with authors who’ve wisely built their careers as award-winning independent authors, New York Times bestsellers, and an authorpreneur who turned his Newbery-winning novel into an Emmy-winning television show. (Congratulations, Kwame!)
Invest in yourself through education.
The more you know about writing craft, the publishing industry, and entrepreneurship, the better positioned you’ll be to guide your career and attract partners, like agents and editors, who’ll share your goals. I recommend the free or low-cost tutorials from James River Writers, the Authors Guild, the Book Industry Study Group, IngramSpark, and articles by Publishers Weekly, Eric Smith, Joanna Penn, and Jane Friedman. For marketing training, view the free courses from Ingram Content Group and Meta.
Invest in your book.
Successful authors build their careers on a well-written book, and they form a team to make it happen. The most successful authors I know worked with experienced freelance editors and book coaches early in the process, even if they were pursuing traditional publishing.
Indie authors have the added responsibility of professionally packaging their works of art. Invest in a cover design that fits the market. Format your book’s interior to make the content attractive and easy to read. (For the cost-conscious indie author, don’t overlook your local public library for resources, such as software, that you can use to publish your book and build your platform.) Create accurate metadata, which is the information about a book that allows retailers and catalogs to deliver a book to the readers who want it. Purchase an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) through Bowker because authors can have the same names, books can have the same titles, but a unique ISBN sets your book apart. Get an ISBN for each format to facilitate sales through bookstores and libraries.
Invest in your audience by building relationships with readers.
It can take years to connect with an audience, but it’s crucial to building a long-term career. Connie Lapallo, who writes historical fiction, spent years speaking to Jamestown Societies, building trust and loyalty with their members. Now they are a volunteer salesforce for her books. “They want to help you because they believe in what you’re doing,” she said during a recent phone call.
Sadeqa Johnson, author of the New York Times bestseller The House of Eve and JRW member, took a similar approach to building her career. “I’ve pretty much said yes to everything asked of me. Every book club I could attend virtually or in person, every interview request, even if it was from a small press or interviewer who was just getting started. I’m kind to everyone and try to be as accommodating as possible because you never know who is going to connect you to something big.”
When you meet your audience, get permission to stay in touch with them. Build an email or SMS marketing list. Direct communication when done right results in stronger relationships with readers and better book sales. An agent can use a large list of target readers as a negotiation tactic for a better book deal.
About the Author
Kristi Tuck Austin helps authors increase their books’ discoverability, build their platforms, and turn new readers into loyal fans. She’s also worked in TV development for America’s Next Great Author, Can Do Entertainment, and Gum Street Productions. She’s completing a certificate in Film and TV Development from UCLAx.
Amy Lacey is an Emmy award-winning journalist with nearly 30 years of television, digital, radio, and public relations experience. Amy is currently the Director of Local Programming at WTVR-TV CBS6, a role that includes co-hosting the talk and entertainment show Virginia This Morning. Amy received undergraduate degrees in journalism and psychology from Duquesne University and completed a journalism program at American University. She also earned certificates in digital marketing and leadership from the University of Richmond. Amy is a regular guest speaker and emcee in the Richmond area and serves in several volunteer leadership roles including the boards for the Public Relations Society of America-Richmond and March of Dimes-DMV chapters, the Virginia Cancer Conference marketing committee, and Fresh Start. When she isn’t working, Amy enjoys exploring new places with her favorite plus one, her almost seven-year-old daughter Rowan Kate.
Jean Anderson was raised in Maine, began a family in Pennsylvania, studied writing and anthropology in Arizona, and once she landed in Virginia in the early aughts, volunteered for National Novel Writing Month for over fifteen years. She lives in Midlothian with her spouse, two cats, an anxious hound, and a hoard of NaNoWriMo manuscripts. Jean is a JRW volunteer for Thursday Night Writes.
Catie-Reagan King, Ed.D. is the former Membership Director at James River Writers and also is the managing editor of an academic journal. She received a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts from Virginia Tech before completing a master’s degree in Strategic Design and Management at Parsons School of Design. She also completed a doctorate in education from Baylor University. She’s joined by her two writing assistants, Olivia, a tortoiseshell cat, and Junie B. Jones, a calico cutie.