What Are The Secrets Of A Successful Writer?

Sometimes this whole writing business seems a little unfair. We do our best and yet time and time again we hear about another unheard of an indie author whose book suddenly started snowballing and has now landed a major publishing deal.

Now I don’t want to sound bitter, we should support our fellow authors after all, but when you feel as though you are putting your heart and soul into your writing work, it can feel more than a little disheartening when things only ever seem to move slowly.

So what is it that successful writers do that unsuccessful ones don’t? We can’t deny that sometimes it feels as though it’s just a case of luck, or about writing the right book at the right time, or perhaps having enough spare cash to really create a great marketing campaign. But that’s just not always the case. There are certain things we can all do to give our books the best chance of success, and if we really ask ourselves truthfully, we know that we probably could do more.

So what is it that makes a writer more likely to be successful?

They build a platform

If you want to be a successful writer you have to build a following, you need fans, you need loyal customers who will buy your books, who will talk about them, who will share them with others and write you great reviews. You need to invest so much time and energy into doing this - and often it’s boring and daunting and not what you thought would be part of your ‘author’ role. But if you can build followers and a reputation, you are so much more likely to get somewhere with your book.

They try everything

There is so so much you can do to market your book. Successful authors try it all, and each time they try something new they give it their all. They write blogs, the keep up to date on social media, the build email lists, they write to bloggers asking for reviews, they keep sending their book to publishers, the approach libraries and local radio, they do giveaways and book tours and so much more, and then they do it all again.

They evolve.

Successful writers never think they know it all. They keep improving with every piece that they write. They are always on the lookout for new ways to learn and get better at their craft, they study and experiment and respect that fact that there is always more to do.

They don’t cut corners

Be it the editing stage, book cover design or any piece of marketing they must do, successful writers will never take a short cut. If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right after all. It’s so easy to get impatient and just want to get our books out there, but if we aren’t willing to make them the best they can be then we are doing ourselves and our readers a disservice.

They know their readers

Great writers bother to get to know their readers. They delve in deep. They want to know everything about what makes them tick, why they like to read what they do, what will make them react emotionally and engage with a book. Knowing your readers is so important and shows that they are important to you. Without readers, a writer cannot be successful.

They make sacrifices

Successful writers understand that writing is a tough business and they make sacrifices because of it. They are willing to sacrifice that fun night out with their friends to stay in and finish that chapter. They are willing to not buy that new pair of shoes to keep saving for a professional editor to look at their work. They make writing their priority.

They write

Successful writers write. They don’t give up. They keep writing because they believe that one day it will all be worth it because they have to. Successful writers don’t just write a page and then forget about it for three months, they push themselves, they stick to their schedules and even after being rejected 42 times they still keep writing because, after all, they know that’s what they were born to do.

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

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