Tag: book publishing

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.

Writing a book vs. selling a book

Posted on | by Julie Schoerke | 7 Comments on Writing a book vs. selling a book

Best Seller Books

With the explosion of indie publishing and self-publishing, there’s a conundrum that was avoided through traditional publishing because there were gate keepers. Now, indie published or self-published authors need to ask themselves the tough questions hopefully before writing, and certainly before releasing.

You have a story to tell and you can’t bear not to tell it. It’s burning inside of you and you’ve always considered yourself a pretty good writer, so why not?!

Writing vs. reading

Well, what some people feel compelled to write many more people do not feel compelled to read. If you don’t want to be encumbered by any “rules” or “gatekeepers” who annoyingly want you to conform to practices that have proven successful for other books and authors, then fine. But, be aware. Be very aware. Just because you write it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll read … and certainly doesn’t mean they’ll buy it.

Recently I’ve had conversations with several authors who are determined to write exactly the book that they want to. And those same people often are determined to sell a lot of copies. Here in lies the problem.

Consider other industries. A self-trained musician who took some music appreciation classes in college may want to write a song, or many songs. That’s fine. But what do you think the chances are that the musician, working alone in her house without the guidance of Quincy Jones or another tried and true producer of hits, making it BIG? What about a kid who plays basketball on his driveway—every day for hours—but never against anyone else on a team and without a coach. What are his chances of making it to the top of the NBA? There are flukes. But I think we all agree that someone working with a mentor who has already made it in the big leagues probably has a better shot of selling more records, or tickets to a basketball game, than someone who is going it totally alone.

Compelled to write

I believe that there are books that people have to write. Are compelled. But, and especially when it comes to writing about personal experiences, determine why you are writing and be honest about what your goal is. If your goal is to make a permanent statement or capture a time gone by, do it! If your goal is to sell as many copies of a book as possible, consider finding a veteran mentor. Surround yourself with other people successful in the business (go to author events at your local bookstore, follow and study your favorite authors and figure out what makes them successful, find a killer editor who has had success in your genre).

Just as parents encourage kids on the basketball court—“Honey, you are really great at shooting that ball!”—recognize that family and friends don’t have a financial stake in your success. They love you, so they’re going to say your book is great. I promise, I’ve seen it literally hundreds of times. I get calls, “Twenty of my friends loved my book! One said it should win a Pulitzer!” I’m much more interested in what someone who doesn’t know the writer, doesn’t care about the writer, thinks of the writing. How can you get an unbiased opinion? I loved the ingenuity of one clever author that told me she gives her manuscripts to family and friends and says, “A friend wrote this and gave this to me to read. Let me know your thoughts.”

Consider competition

Lots of kids play little league baseball. Fewer kids play for their high school team. Really great kids play college or farm team baseball. The minutest number of those terrific baseball players ever makes it to the big leagues. And how many baseball players playing today can you name? My point is that there is a place for everybody on that baseball scale, but very few will become famous.

It’s the same odds for writing a book. There are authors who will delight their family and friends. Some will go on to make an impression in their community or field of work. The really great ones who get some breaks along the way will sell 100,000. And of the millions of people who write books each year, many less than 1 percent will become household names. In baseball, the current players don’t have to play against Babe Ruth and stars of the past. In the book world, you’re still competing for the attention and time of readers against every book ever written as well as all the new stars coming up through the ranks this year.

Set goals

Set realistic goals while reaching for the stars. Understand that if you choose to go it alone, then that doesn’t mean that you also necessarily get to have the luxury of demanding that others purchase and read your book.

Whether you’ve written a book that 2,500 people buy and many hold close to their heart or you become an overnight sensation like JK Rowling (and how many have there been since her?!), celebrate what you have done. You’ve created art that has its place. If you’re determined to rise to the top, make sure you’ve got a coach and team surrounding you that gives you a pretty good chance to showcase your talent on a national stage.