5 Practical Ways to Keep Moving Forward as an Author

Just going back in my mind and thinking of the years I spent trying to become traditionally published, and I know some of you have just entered this stage of your writing careers. The querying and waiting. Signing your agency contract…and waiting. Submitting your book…and waiting.

There will be times when you’re tempted to quit. When the agents don’t bite for months. When the first rejections come in. When someone tells you to gut your story and totally rewrite it to fit what they had in mind. When you check your email, sure you’ll hear a yes, and you hear a no instead.

I can’t tell you how many stellar unpublished authors I’ve read over the years, authors who’ve written novels that will make the world a better place. Important stories. Well-written stories. And yet sometimes, those stories fall through the cracks. And if that novel is yours, you’ll be tempted to throw in the towel and you might think you aren’t good enough.

As authors, we all seek validation. We’re not writing these novels solely for ourselves (although we generally write what we want to read). If we’re honest, we’re writing for the world at large. And when our books don’t zoom out into that world to be met with glorious kudos and reviews, we feel deflated.

I just want to encourage every author today who might be struggling with these thoughts and give you five solid ways to keep pushing forward in your career. I’ll elaborate on those below.

I have sat where you sat, so to speak. I have felt those lows you can’t even explain to your family, when you’re told your book doesn’t fit, doesn’t meet expectations in some way, and you wind up spending every moment checking email in hopes of some good news.

I recently watched an older vlog I did when I started platform-building. My voice was full of pep, of the surety that my book was on its way! I was enthusiastic and undaunted. My books would amaze agents (most authors secretly feel this way–our books are the exception to the rule)!

And then doubts start to creep in while we’re in that endless loop of waiting. Maybe we aren’t as exceptional as we thought. Maybe we should totally rewrite our novel…or just scrap it. Maybe being an author was a bad idea.

I want to share a video of my author life when that moment of realization finally came–that moment when I decided in myself that my novel was worth publishing. When I stopped watching how fast all the other authors seemed to be moving ahead and started to focus on how I could move ahead, which led me right into indie publishing. It wasn’t a decision I arrived at lightly, believe me, and I know it’s not for everyone.  Some authors need to stay the course and wait for traditional publishing. Some need to go ahead and submit to small publishers. Some need to do the research and independently publish. The key is that as an author, you always need to be moving forward. Below is the video about why I decided to publish my Viking novel, God’s Daughter.

 

I want to share five ways to move forward in your writing career:

1) Never put all your eggs in one basket.

–Query multiple agents at once; don’t just target one. I’m talking batches of 10 queries at a time. It will save you time, believe me. It can take months to hear back.

–Write the second book while you wait. And maybe the third. Or another series. Don’t pin all your hopes on one book. I can’t tell you how often editors will say “I enjoyed this novel, but does the author have something else?” For some reason, that genre/topic/setting might not be selling, so you need to be ready to keep it moving with something else.

2) Get that platform built.

-As a novel writer, it’s hard to know what topics to blog about. Years ago, the big advice was to blog often–3 times a week or more. When I was building my blog, I enjoyed highlighting other authors, and I still do. But blogging is less important than it used to be for fiction authors (please note–for nonfiction, you really need to be blogging about your topic, and very regularly!).

But there are so many other easy venues these days to connect with future readers. Have you tried tweeting helpful information, like writing tips/posts? Have you connected with other authors in your genre? Do you have a Goodreads profile? Have you setup an author Facebook page? Is your website easy to use so when you do have books to sell, you can highlight them easily? Pinterest is another way to connect to readers who will be interested in your setting/topic.

You don’t have to do every social media venue. I believe in being active on the social media you personally enjoy, because chances are your future readers think a lot like you and are similar to your demographic. Sometimes it helps to try something and see if you like it–that’s how I got hooked on Twitter and Pinterest.

But there are some musts–a website and a Facebook author page. Make sure those are in place, because eventually, your readers will come to find you. Don’t hide from them.

3) Find beta readers and endorsers in your genre.

-It’s never too early (once you have that polished near-final draft) to ask your author friends if they’d be willing to read/endorse your novel. My philosophy has always been Leave no stone unturned. That means if you get a “no” from one big-time author, you can’t hesitate to ask the next one. Don’t suffer from shrinking violet syndrome here. Do you believe in your novel? Then gather your courage and ask those authors you admire if they will beta read. Many will say no, because authors are generally incredibly busy, but some will probably say yes. Those endorsements will help your proposal…and if you decide to indie publish, you’ll have them ready to go. Also, those authors will probably give shout-outs when your book releases.

4) Shift your perspective.

-Were you determined your book would be picked up by a Big 5 Publisher? It’s time to readjust your focus. These days, it’s hard for debut authors to get picked up (especially in Christian book circles). Have you considered small publishers? They have launched many a debut author and provide quite a bit of support. Have you ruled out independent publishing? Some feel they have no time to do it, and that’s understandable. But if you’re willing to commit to quality from the get-go, willing to put in the hours to be relentless about marketing, you should consider going indie and read up on that. Shameless plug–if you want the basics on indie publishing–what you’ll have to handle as an indie author–check out my 99c book, Indie Publishing Handbook: Four Key Elements for the Self-Publisher.

5) You are an author. So act like one.

–Don’t hedge when you tell people. You’re an author. That means you have to carve time for writing and editing–not just one book, but several. You have to believe in your writing more than anyone else, even your mother. 😉 You have to be your own biggest fan. You have to both learn to take critiques, yet draw the line on elements you cannot change in your books. You have to accept that not everyone will like your writing, and that’s okay.

Being an author isn’t easy. But the ones who get published are the ones who don’t give up. Hang in there. Be proactive. Give it your all.

Someday, you may have to say it’s enough. You’re not cut out for it. And that’s okay. But you have to know in your heart it’s true. Until then, move forward, author.