Now most people know that, if you’re going to be selling books, no matter where you’re going to sell them, series do a lot better than single books. It’s because, every time you release a new book, new people will see it and go back and buy up your back catalog. It’s why I very rarely ever do single books, not because I’m just out for money but because I tend to write much larger, sweeping tales.
But this time, I’m doing a stand-alone. Here’s why.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, but I have a friend that I’ve known for close to 40 years now and he’s an author. Sort of. By that I mean he publishes a lot of books on Amazon. Sort of. But if there’s a way to do it wrong, I think he’s found it. And now, I just can’t say silent about it any more.
First, I wanted to apologize for not posting here much lately but I’m 7 writing days and 40k+ into the last book in a trilogy and I just haven’t had the time.
That said, I caught a video from Brandon Sanderson recently about how to motivate yourself to write and really, I don’t do any of the things that he says. I don’t have to. Because where he says that you should trick yourself into doing things and hack your brain, I have no need for any of that.
I’m just in control of it. So this is how I get things done, specifically writing in this context, but you can apply this to absolutely anything in your life.
Amateur writers are an odd bunch. Just listen to them sometime and you’ll see how true that is. Mostly, they don’t understand what it takes to be a writer and a lot of them have some very bizarre ideas about what writing is like.
Therefore, I want to provide what I think are ten characteristics of successful writers, things that you really need to have on your side before you get into this, otherwise you’re just courting disaster. So let’s get started, in no particular order, because none of these are pick-and-choose.
This comes up a lot in writing circles and I’m not sure why people can’t figure it out. It’s fine that you’re writing, but why in the world are you posting your writing, begging for critique, especially where such things are not permitted, where the quality of your writing is obviously sub-standard and you’re getting mad that nobody is bothering.
Of course they’re not! Rent a clue!
Finally, we come to the last part of the advice I give to new writers and this too is one that gets generally ignored to their own detriment.
The simple fact is, a book you never finish is a book that you failed at. You can edit anything but an empty page. This is a problem for a lot of people and a lesson that most need to take to heart. So never give up, never surrender and get your ass back to work.
It you talk to a lot of authors, you’ll know that the biggest problem most have is right at the end of the book. More specifically, at least in my experience, is just before the end of the second act. It’s where a lot of people get into trouble.
I will admit, I’ve had the same problem, especially in the past when I didn’t heavily outline like I do today, but now, it’s a whole lot better. I don’t slow down at the end, I accelerate. Now, I sprint to the ending.
My third piece of advice is the one that most people seem to have the biggest problem with. That is that the world isn’t fair, life may not be what you want, and you have to grow up and deal with it. That’s not cruel, that’s just truth and truth is really all that matters.
So let’s go take a look at the realities of writing life and why most people who try, they fail. That’s just how it is. Deal with it.
This is a question that comes up a lot in writing circles so I thought I’d answer it.
A lot of people say that the very thought of Covid stopped their writing in their tracks due to anxiety or whatever. They were afraid they might get sick, or afraid that their friends and family might die and that screwed with their jive. That never happened to me. My problem was something entirely different and entirely my own fault.
Part two of my advice should be obvious, but you can’t really be a writer unless you write. Yet this seems to be a major problem for a lot of amateur writers and they can’t seem to just sit down and do what they claim they want to do.
That strikes me as odd, sorry. If this is what you want to do, then why do you refuse to do it? Let’s explore that.
