A Basic 3-Pronged Approach to Being a Working Author

Writing, publishing logistics, marketing

Photo by Daniel Kudela on Unsplash.

Many aspiring and new authors think about becoming an author and the publishing process sequentially and organize their activities and goals along such a linear timeline: 1) Write the book. 2) Find a publisher or choose a publishing route (as in self-publishing or hybrid publishing). 3) Create an author platform and begin marketing.

No.

Yes, these are the three main pillars of author life. But the order is wrong. The thinking is wrong.

It is the thinking and approach of a wannabe author. But you don’t wanna be a wannabe. You want to be a working author. And a working author manages and works all three pillars at the same time.

You don’t have to wait to be published to be a working author. And you shouldn’t wait. Declare that you are a working author and begin acting like it and you immediately put yourself on firmer ground and in a more productive headspace. It’s as if you’re an author!

You are.

Think about the timing and identity implications of this contemporary reality: while you may be waiting to be an author, waiting for industry gatekeepers — an agent and/or publisher — to ordain you an author and publish your book, countless…