To strengthen my writer’s resolve, I’ve been looking back on 2014, particularly the period since April when I published The Case for Killing. Here are the top ten things I learned as a writer.
Manage expectations. Writing for fun is, well, fun. Expecting to have a broad readership is a recipe for anxiety and depression.
Success starts with great content. A writer who writes an entertaining book will get some readers.
Discoverability is the hard part. However, it is difficult to be discovered by a broad readership. The competition from other books and content is hair-raisingly stiff.
Self-pub writers must invest a lot upfront. See my blog on this. At least at the beginning, for most writers, self-publishing is like an expensive hobby.
Many, many people want to sell stuff to self-pubs. Beware writer.
Perseverance is key. Perseverance doesn’t guarantee a broad readership but it sure raises the odds.
A writer must promote. Speaking for myself, I’m built to look inward but, unfortunately, there’s only one reader there. When you talk up your book to others, good things happen.
Word of mouth is the best promotion.
Blogging doesn’t sell books. So far, I don’t have any proof that blogging sells my book. I now see blogging as a way to establish an online presence and brand.
There’s great fun in meeting people. I have connected or reconnected with many people in 2014. That’s been as satisfying as the praise for my book.
Best wishes for 2015!
Copyright ©2014 Peter Fritze
Where to buy The Case for Killing.
These are all lessons that ring true to me, after I’ve been self-publishing for a little more than a year now. Managing expectations is a big one, since this is a marathon, and not a sprint (one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever read). And I’ve also found that blogging doesn’t lead to a spike in book sales. But it does help get the word out about you, and blog posts last a helluva lot longer than tweets 🙂
Thanks for the comment! Very true about the marathon and how long blog posts last. Good luck in 2015.