Author: Chelsea Apple

What does author success look like?

Posted on | by Chelsea Apple

Most authors forget to ask the one question that determines how their literary publicity campaign — and by extension, their book launch — will take shape.

What does author success look like to you?

Seriously, pause for a moment and ask yourself this question. What does success look like for you? Is it seeing “New York Times Bestseller” splashed across your name? Watching your book sales spike into the thousands — or tens of thousands? Landing a movie deal, or embarking on a flashy speaking tour?

Or, maybe your goals are more personal. Perhaps “author success” means spreading an important message, sharing a meaningful life experience, connecting with readers, or helping them connect with some part of themselves. For many, success simply means completing and publishing a book at all — that’s a huge accomplishment in itself.

The answer is usually layered. Most authors begin writing because of a personal catalyst: a desire to process, create, and connect. And it’s only natural to want your art recognized: to see your book in readers’ hands (and, yes, maybe even on a bestseller list).

Regardless, defining what author success means to you personally is crucial as you embark on your publishing journey. Here’s why:

You can’t reach a goal you haven’t defined

If you’re not sure what author success looks like to you, it’s difficult to know how to get there — or even recognize it when you do.

For example, an author may dream of hitting the No. 1 spot on The New York Times list, but realizes they’re more likely to appear on a regional or local bestseller list first. Measuring success only by the Times list can (statistically) lead to disappointment.

But if they takes strategic steps to hit a local bestseller list, they have a higher chance of achieving their goal, and becoming a bestselling author in the process.

You might miss success when it happens 

If you’re not clear on what author success means to you personally, you might not recognize it once you achieve it.

We’ve seen authors become so focused on the “big” goals — the coveted “Today Show” interview or glowing Publishers Weekly review — that meaningful moments along the way feel small. The enthusiastic write-up from a respected blogger with an engaged online following, the standing-room-only event at a local bookstore, the heartfelt reader email — these are all indicators of real, growing success.

When you celebrate these milestones, you not only boost your motivation, but also sustain your long-term career momentum. So what’s the solution?

Define and celebrate your own personal version of author success

Take a moment and write it out: What does success look like to you?

  • What are your big, top-shelf ambitions?
  • What are realistic, achievable goals?
  • What personal benchmarks will you celebrate?
  • What specific steps will you take to get there?

As you figure out what success means to you personally, you may realize you’ve already achieved more than you thought.

Defining our personal definition of success early — and revisiting it often — helps you stay grounded and inspired through every stage of your publishing journey. “Making it” as an author is closer than you think.

Finding the right niche for your book

Posted on | by Chelsea Apple

There are three cringe-worthy statements when authors explain “who” will read their book:

“My book will appeal to both men and women, ages 10—100. Everyone will love it!”

“It’s the next [insert mega-selling international franchise here].”

“My book is completely unique. There’s absolutely nothing like it out there, there never has been, and there never will be.”

The fact is, the book that “everyone” loves does not exist, and never will. The only book that ages 10-100 are even potentially cracking open in the United States is the Bible (if that) — not exactly a great comp title for a new thriller. The misconception that everyone will love a book can actually damage how authors understand and approach readers, and ultimately it can damage their sales.

The good news is that you do have a niche readership out there. And you can reach them if you identify them correctly. Here are some steps authors can take to understand and reach their real readers:

Identify your target demographic — really identify them

When I worked as an editor and wanted to acquire a book for my publishing house, I had to be very specific in identifying the book’s readership if I wanted to “sell” it to our team. For example, if I wanted to acquire a book about healthy living, explaining to the team that it will appeal to “women aged 18-50” isn’t realistic or useful. Saying it’s perfect for women aged 22-35, urban, physically active, interested in fitness and healthy eating habits, who probably shop organic is more accurate; we can research what these women read, and strategize how best to reach them. Your readers are out there, and the more you understand them, the better you’ll be able to approach them.

Choose niche — and realistic — comp titles

Comparative or “comp” titles can do a lot of the heavy lifting when you’re pitching your book to an agent or publisher, writing a synopsis, or just trying to explain the premise to a friend. Publishers writes sales copy like this all the time. “Fans of The Lunar Chronicles will love [this new book]” and “It’s the next read for fans of Eleanor and Park and The Spectacular Now.”

Be realistic when choosing three or four comp titles. Just because your novel has magic in it doesn’t mean it’s the next Harry Potter. Just because it’s a nonfiction memoir about a teen with cancer doesn’t mean it will appeal to fans of The Fault in Our Stars. While it would be amazing if your book really was the next literary phenomenon, picking comp titles just because they’re popular or have a thin connection to your book isn’t realistic — and can actually lead you to overlook books that are truly similar to yours, and are already garnering fans who would pick up your book when it hits shelves.

The comp title or franchise is outdate if it’s older than three years

With over three million books coming out every year, there’s always something new on the market. Once you’ve successfully identified your demographic, do some research and find out what they’re reading right now, and choose titles that accurately compare to yours.

With a little brainstorming and research, authors can more accurately identify and approach their niche target market. That truly make all the difference in how a book is sold, read, and enjoyed!

How do I keep writing? Writing advice from an editor

Posted on | by Chelsea Apple

We’ve all been there: The sentence won’t work the way you want, you read over something you’ve written and somehow the magic just isn’t there anymore, or worst of the worst — the blank page stares at you, mute and judging. You stare it down; you write, scribble out, rewrite, delete, stare some more.

When I worked as an assistant editor at Hachette Book Group, our community of authors would sometimes hit the inevitable snag. Here’s some writing advice we would share with our authors — and aspiring authors we met along the way — to help with writing woes:

Get it all down

Some writers can happily and effortlessly churn their stories out on paper. But for perfectionists, this step is the worst. “Vomiting” on the page feels messy, and the end result can feel frustrating because it’s not necessarily “your best” work. Try to push through; you will feel more productive with 10 rough pages than with two perfectly pruned paragraphs. Better still, freeing the story from your mind helps you better understand the direction in which it needs to flow.

Watch your language (but not too much)

Maybe word-vomiting is really not your style. That’s ok! As you push to get your entire piece on paper, a little self-editing can encourage you by reassuring that what you’re writing is “good”

Take a break

Close your laptop. Take a walk. Call a friend. Do something that gets you up and away from your project. But you’ve barely gotten started! But you still have so much to do! I promise: It will still be there when you get back. If you’re in the zone, stay in the zone. But cut yourself some slack during lull periods. Choose intentional, set amounts of break time while writing, so you can stay loose, relaxed, and creative.

Share

Share your work with a trusted friend, family member, mentor, and/or fellow writer. If asking for feedback, try to ask someone who could reasonably understand where you’re coming from (i.e. if you want a critique of your 250-page science fiction novel, share it with someone who enjoys or could enjoy science fiction). Outside readers will be able to lend perspective.

Let it go

This might be our most important piece of writing advice. When is a piece of creative work truly finished? Simple answer: When you decide it’s done. Sometimes a piece feels perfectly finished, ready-to-print. Sometimes you depart with the lingering sensation that it still “needs work,” but you’re not sure how. Put it down for a while. See how it snags your mind. The line you keep repeating and rewording in your head, the new character that seems to spontaneously appear while you’re eating dinner. Finish things you start writing, share them, release them. Then move on to the next project!