This missing step has caused many writers to fail in their publishing projects in the past and I have recognized this problem lately with some of my writer friends. So I was inspired to write this post in the hope that someone will realize it’s all they have to do, to experience the success they are seeking.
Many writers who suffer from this affliction are 95% of the way there. It’s the last 5% though, that may make or break them.
Of course, I would love to be able to say that I have always included this most important step in all of my own projects. Unfortunately, however, procrastination – the arch enemy of the writer, has meant that I, too, have fallen victim to this self-induced failure – at least in the early days of publishing.
I can now proudly state that ALL of my publishing projects have been profitable – some more than others, of course, but I did learn the lesson well all those years ago – luckily, and painfully!
It reminds me of a joke I learnt in the early days of publishing. It goes like this:
Question: “How do you make a small fortune in publishing?”
Answer: “Spend a big one!”
I’d laugh out loud except for the memories of those early days of struggling with it!
The failure occurs as a result of omitting this vital step in the publishing project.
I am referring of course, to the lack of massive action! And I am not talking about the lack of discipline in actually writing. (Although for some, this is an issue too. But more of that in another post.)
What I am talking about occurs when the writing is done: the lack of massive effort in marketing and subsequently selling your work!
It doesn’t matter if you are the best writer in the world, if no one sees your writing, it won’t sell!
It is the writer’s responsibility to expose their writing in as many appropriate places as possible; appropriate to where their potential audience may be found.
Every publisher expects a writer to have a social media platform and noticeable presence or digital footprint. If you are self-published, the onus is even more personal and pressing. You must take massive action to expose your work to your target audience.
Only massive action produces results.
If you wait in your house for approaches to the door, you may just be welcoming tumbleweed approaching. Nothing more.
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If you have ever been in love you will know that the best part about being in a sexual relationship is indeed the build-up and anticipation leading up to the event. New lovers are very conversant with this process.
Aha Moments For Writers…
Some moments reverberate sharply in the chamber of my mind shortly after the event. And others linger even longer. Why? Because they reveal some little irascible or conversely serendipitous aspect of the human condition and vaguely provide a puzzle piece (albeit a microscopic one) in the meaning of life.
Let’s face it, the experiences that we all live through every day of our lives are fodder for writers.
That mildly irritable and totally predictable question asked of any relatively well known author: “Where do you get your ideas?” springs to mind as I write this piece. Predictable answer: “…from real life experiences.”
But we all have real life experiences. What makes it different for writers?
The difference is to do with “attention and focus” and the writer is highly attuned to nuances. In fact, a writer will pick up on things that are not said, more than what is said in a conversation. They will notice the unnoticeable. The senses come into play and then the imagination kicks off….sometimes eradicating the reality of the moment and transporting the unsuspecting victim to another place; the writer drifts from the actual conversation, into another world and sometimes it takes great focus to return to the physical pesence of the original conversation or situation.
Take this morning. I was out with a social group, which I have been a part of for ten years now. The group is a mixture of individuals who take part in activities which are highly social in nature and many of our members have been long time attendees.
Having coffee with several people from this social group this morning, one woman told me that since her husband had died a number of years ago, she felt that this social group had “saved” her.
Another man said, “yes” this group, (which meets weekly), was a very important part of his life. There were more reflections from random individuals along similar lines, but I was already pondering the social implications of this. The Streisand number floated into my consciousness” “People who need people, are the luckiest people in the world…”
On returning home my needle was still stuck in this thought groove and I mentioned the conversation to my partner. He had not been present, but is profoundly astute when it comes to matters of the heart and human relationships. He simply said: “Darling, the world is full of lonely people.”
Now…..several hours later, I am still pondering human need. Mere mortals, myself included, need others in our lives.
This whole experience will now be weaved into the novel I am currently working on. Of course, the names and the context will be changed dramatically, but the nuances will be re-purposed to reveal a very authentic aspect of our lives: our palpable need for social contact!
If you can empathise with this notion of “aha” moments in everyday life, which have influenced or contributed to your writing and you have a recent example, I’d love you to share it with us.
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