One of the things no one tells writers about becoming a successfully published author is the importance of building your literary community and participating in book culture long before you land an agent or a publishing contract. There are no shortcuts to creating a career as an author. I hate to disillusion you of the idea that you will be “discovered” and become rich and famous as an author. But it doesn’t happen that way. It takes a literary community to make a book great. Read the Acknowledgements of any book you’ve admired. It takes a good idea to get a publishing contract, but it takes more than that. You need to understand how the publishing industry works for the genre you write. That kind of knowledge is gained through participation in professional organizations and associations. There are many and some are essential to a writer’s career. Authors Guild, AWP, Society for Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Romance Writers of America, National Association of Science Writers, National Association of Memoir Writers, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Historical Novel Society, Military Writers Society of America. Join at least one professional writing organization. You learn more about your craft and your profession. Understand what is expected of the author and a manuscript submission. Through literary centers and writing programs, you can find a community of writers. From novice to teaching faculty, you meet others who will help you advance your craft and learn the business of being an author. Those…
A new year begins and it offers authors an opportunity to set calendar goals and prepare a budget for the coming year. Here are 10 things to help you in your business of being an author in 2016. 1) Prepare a list of business expenses you anticipate. Look over last year’s expenditures. Postage, webhosting, submission fees. Consider what new expenses you may require to achieve… [Read More]
Filed Under: Authors Guild, Budget, Calendar, Contact Relations Management, Expenses, Income, Password Protection
No Comments
When writers come in for a massage, they rarely ask the therapist to focus on their legs. Understandably, it is the neck, back, and arms that usually feel the brunt of long hours working. But legs have some of the biggest muscles in our bodies. Most of us depend on them to get around: walking, climbing, playing sports, dancing, and supporting our upper body as… [Read More]
The last week of the year is a book orgy for me. No distractions. No interruptions. It is the time of year when I can indulge in reading works I have set aside because I know I am going to enjoy them. Some of these might have ended on my list to wrap up for 2015 if I hadn’t set them aside for my end-of-year reading… [Read More]
When I was a teenager, I was a little hurt when my mother commented that I was a daydreamer, as in “just a daydreamer.” Apparently I spent more time than my siblings sitting and staring off into space. If I were Catholic, I would carry a bit of guilt for daydreaming, but my mother gave me Buddhism, from which I learned that reflecting on things… [Read More]
This past year had many wonderful new titles and as the year comes to a close you’ll see many Best Books of 2015 lists in your newsfeed. Belarusian writer, Svetlana Alexievich won a Nobel Prize in Literature in 2015 and things are looking up for nonfiction writers. Elizabeth Kohlbert won a Pulitizer for The Sixth Extinction in 2015. There are many award lists of books,… [Read More]