What it means to be a writer.

Do you know that being a writer is a tough job? You wouldn’t think so, right? Yet, the basics of

being a writer are like a well-kept secret that no one knows about until they start to venture into the field. Even now, ten years later, I still struggle with a lot of things. Finding your footing in this field is subjective and challenging. I keep hearing all the time that there are too many authors and the field is saturated. Yet, I also know that for every author, there are readers. You won’t get every reader to like your work- no. Because everyone has different opinions as to what they like/don’t like. However, being a writer can be very rewarding and every time a reader tells me they enjoy my books or even give me the occasional rave about certain scenes in a book that they thoroughly enjoyed, I get the warm fuzzies inside.

Still, if one hopes to be a writer, here is what you will encounter. You will be tasked with:

1. Writing a story- this will take the least amount of your time but also the most of your

creativity.

2. Coming up with fresh new ideas/concepts for further stories/books (yes, it has all been

written before but you can give it a fresh take with your own perspective)

3. Advertising/Marketing- this will probably take up 80-90% of your time even after the

book is published.

4. Networking among authors. Do not ignore this one. Authors are readers, too. They can

also be a great way to get your book out there. But- and I say this with kindness- please

do not be greedy. If you are asking them to post something for you to help, get the word

out about your book, offer them the same in return. This builds trust and reliability. It

also makes you look nice. Even if you only have four readers, do this for the other

author. You don’t know how many times I post something happily for an author but get

nothing in return. I do not post hoping that the kindness will be returned but it is always

nice to have it returned. Be that person.

5. Building a Fan group- this can be done in several ways. I have a street team and a

Newsletter to reach my fans. You don’t have to have both but make sure you are always

connecting with readers in some way. Social media is key, so you want to make sure you

have a social media presence and that you post, regularly.

6. Attend conventions/signing opportunities. I confess I did not know that book signing

conventions existed when I started. I applaud those authors who wrote one book and are

already out there, meeting with readers. It was three years later that I realized they

existed and that’s when I started researching and attending the ones I wanted to.

Attending at least one to two of these per year will keep you connected with your fans

and also help you gain new readers. It is important to have a presence among your

readers (always remember this).

7. Creating an author website. You don’t have to go big, like I did, and go with big

companies like Wix or even Go Daddy. I started out with WordPress, and I loved it. I

kept that site for many, many years. Go with what is best for your budget and always,

always, go with your gut.