Prioritize the Right Things in Your Writing Career

As an editor, writing coach, and publishing consultant, I daily answer a variety of questions, from which alternative to Word is the best, and how to create an interesting author bio, to what is a killer TikTok strategy.

I get it. When I was starting, I asked a lot of questions of the older guys. And I try to "pay it forward" and answer each question as fully as I can.

But when it comes down to it, there are only five things that will make or break your book's success.

Don't get hung up on typos in synopses or a lack of short story publications in your author bio—these don't matter as much as you think they do.

Most of your effort should go towards the following five items. Everything else isn't worth stressing over or is out of your hands.

1.    WRITE THE BEST WORK YOU CAN

So many folks starting out seem to think that if they can just find the right Amazon keywords, develop a powerful marketing plan, maximize their social media presence, and write the perfect query letter, they can reach that ultimate level of success.

It is unfortunate so many new writers get sucked into this trap.  It is vitally important to remember this truth:  All those things do not help sell books.

They help sell GOOD books.

In searching for a winning strategy, they pass over the most powerful one. Write a book that people enjoy and want to pass along to others.

This is, without question, the single most important part of the process.

Yes, it is also exceptionally hard. I think that is where the temptation to focus on those other things comes into play.

People ask for my help with all these things every day.  I answer all the questions I get. But it always comes back to this basic truth.

If you want to learn these other aspects of the industry, that is fine. But never forget that you are 95% Writer and 5% everything else (social media expert, publishing entrepreneur, and marketing guru.)

It is because of the way information is so swiftly shared that the quality of your writing is even more critical.

In a very short amount of time, a critical review can reach almost everywhere. Practice your craft.

Remember, did you first get into this profession because of your passion for marketing? Or because you yearned to share ideas with others? Follow your passion.

If you are doing this for fortune and glory, then, in all seriousness, change careers.

Truly. Most bad lawyers still make about five times what most excellent writers make.

How hard can it be to pass the bar, anyway? Heck, it can't be that difficult if lawyers can do it, right? 😉

All cheesy lawyer jokes aside, I guarantee passing the bar is easier than writing a quality novel.

If you take what the average writer earns per book and divide it by the average number of hours spent writing, most writers make about $15 an hour. That is just looking at the time spent writing.

If you factor in all the hours spent on things like keywords, marketing, social media, etc. And you also subtract from your earnings all the money spent on these things... the average writer makes less than minimum wage.

2.    FIND A GOOD EDITOR

This is not a commercial. This is an appeal to all writers for the sake of a profession I hold dear.

Yes, editors can cost $1500 to $2500. I am referring to a quality real editor. There are plenty who prey upon vulnerable writers and charge much more.

Pay two and a half to three and a half cents per word. Period.

Unless that editor is one of the handful of elite editors whose connections to the publishing world justify their five or six cents per word rate... pay something reasonable.

Even the most talented writers need someone to review their work. It is challenging to look at your writing objectively and identify what needs to be improved.

To be clear, I am talking about developmental editing. Anyone can proofread and hunt for minor errors. Agents will forgive a typo or two. And publishers have that service in-house. They all just want a well-written book. Get a Developmental edit.

3.    CREATE AN EFFECTIVE PITCH

When aiming for traditional publishing, writing the two or three-paragraph plot description (for fiction and memoirs) or book description (other nonfiction) that will be included in your query letter is arguably the single most important thing for your project.

Put all your effort into this one part. Everything else that goes in a query letter - personalization, biographical information, publishing credits, comparison titles, loglines, themes, synopses, etc. - is just icing on the cake. Sure, make sure these parts are accurate too, but they won't make or break your letter.

If you want agents and publishers to accept or reject your work, what matters is the two to three-paragraph pitch. If your query exceeds 350 words, either the plot/book description is overly long, or you added useless information.

The same applies to self-publishing authors: your jacket copy should captivate enough so it would entice people to purchase your book.

4.    PROMOTE YOUR BOOK TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY

You'll need some help to get noticed. You need those first few readers and reviewers to get the word out about your work.

Don't think you have to do absolutely everything to market. Building a website is a must; anything else is optional.

Start with people who already know you and are more likely to buy and support your book.

Pick two or three activities that you're good at and enjoy, then forget about the rest. Don't waste time trying to promote on social media if it isn't something you're comfortable with.

Remember, there isn't any secret formula for success in writing books—it takes time, and playing to your strengths is important. Always keep in mind that mastering your writing craft will benefit you more than spending too much energy on marketing.

5.    BE PROFESSIONAL

This tip is something that can sometimes be difficult to grasp. Authors hear the recommendation to "be professional" and they think of ways to spend hours on their emails to make them sound both polite and casual.

It's more important here, however, to focus on the fundamentals:

·       Be honest. This should be self-explanatory: just tell the truth. Lying will eventually get you into trouble in a small industry like this one.

·       Lean towards transparency. Some discretion is okay, but if you're ever unclear about what to say, it's best to provide full transparency, especially when talking about your publication history.

·       Put yourself in someone else's shoes. It's fine if you don't come across as bubbly or overly cheerful (just be yourself) but take a minute before sending an angry or rude response—try to understand what the other person might go through. Just remember that publishing moves much slower than almost anything else out there.

That being said, no one will turn down your work because of a minor misstep; besides, if they do, you probably wouldn't want to work with them, anyway.

Being respectful pays off though-when decisions arise regarding taking on projects, devoting marketing budget, or choosing an author for an event, the choice usually goes towards people who are pleasant to collaborate with.

Focus on these five things... let the rest fall into place.

Would you like a professional editor with thirty years of writing experience to review your work for free?

Send a Sample of 1,000 words or so to:  submissions@warpspeedediting.com