I used to attend career days when my children were in middle school. They wanted me to talk about careers in writing. It never failed that the children thought writers made a lot of money. Some do. J.K. Rowling, Tom Clancy, James Patterson and others have made so much money they are set for life. Others make enough to live comfortably. However, most authors struggle and don't go into writing for the paycheck. For me, I became a journalist because I wanted to tell people the information they needed to know. That was true when I was an environmental editor, state government reporter or other editor. It is still true today even though I write for clients. I am still giving people information they need to know. I still offer ways to help my clients market through my writing and editing.
Patience Is a Virtue
Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, you need patience. Success doesn't happen immediately, except for a few. You have so much competition. You have to keep plugging away, keep marketing your books wherever you go and keep trying new ways to find readers. You have to be patient while marketing your books. Do your action plan one step at a time. Don't try to do it all at once. You will burn your energy quickly. Be patient that what you are doing is working. First, people need to know about your book. Second, they have to be willing to buy it. The more you promote your book, the more likely you will get sales. I have been trying to explain this to my cookbook client, The Dressing Table. She wants the money from sales now. She is getting exposure and some sales, but she is expecting to be rich from her cookbook right away. Actually, I have been pleased with her sales so far.
Researching Takes Time
If you are working on a nonfiction book, you need to have patience because researching topics for your book takes time. Don't expect to get all the information you need with your first trip to the library even if that trip is online. You need to have patience to do thorough research. Get as many sources of information as possible. In journalism school, they require reporters and editors to have at least two sources on every story. Many stories need more than two to be balanced completely. For a book, you need at least five, preferably 10, that confirm your thesis. You also can use those as references during the book.
Being Distinct Takes Skills
All books are deposited into the ocean of materials. Most are available through Amazon. Others are available through Barnes and Nobel online or through online databases. To be purchased or read, your book must stand out among the crowd. To become distinct, it takes time and skills. You have to have patience to develop those skills and that distinction. You need to know why people should choose your books over your competition even if you write fiction. My 1776 series of books are fiction, but they are distinct in the romance space because they don't have titles that would automatically make you think romance. People have always asked me whether they are historical. They are set in modern day, another distinction for my novels. I usually can generate some interest in them by talking about them.
Let God Give You Patience
When you begin to write your novel or nonfiction work, ask God for the patience you need to complete the work. Writing the novel and nonfiction books take time and endurance. So many authors quit because they don't have the patience to continue on their journey. Let the Holy Spirit guide you to make the right decision about your writing. He will help you finish your work. He will help you know the words to say. He will help you be patient writing it and marketing it. Say a prayer throughout the day to help you with your major project. Then, congratulate yourself when you complete it with a book launch party.
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