Most aspiring authors make mistakes that undermine their project. Let’s look at 10 fundamental mistakes that can be avoided.
- Compromising your unique gift: Every author’s gift is unique. Rather than comparing your work to others’, develop your own style so that readers identify with you and not a version of someone else.
- Choosing perfection rather than excellence: Believe in what you bring to the project; your passion, talent, and expertise. Then produce something that is reflective of your best work. If you choose perfection, you will never finish the project. Choose excellence over perfection.
- Failing to build relationships: Writing is solitary work and the author who gets lost in solitude never makes it to the outside world. Cultivate relationships of support, mutual interest, and business expertise. Give more than you take from others and make it a practice to stay in touch personally and through social media. Your relationships will sustain you and your work for years to come.
- Refusing to leave your comfort zone: Growth doesn’t happen in the status quo. Meet new people, try different foods, go somewhere else, see another’s point of view. If you are a little uncomfortable, learn from it. Even failure is a growth opportunity.
- Denying yourself and your abilities: Stop believing in others more than in yourself. Trust your talent and work. You can’t expect others to believe in you and your abilities if you don’t believe in yourself.
- Procrastinating: This is a major stumbling block for writers. Curtail the excuses and start writing. Time waits for no one. Take the first step and the writing will unfold. Start!
- Ignoring your personal growth: Successful living is consistently moving forward. Learn from others, from new experiences, from reading, from mentors, even from your mistakes. Invest in yourself first and foremost. Seriously consider finding a coach, mentor, or therapist to help you grow into the person and writer you envision.
- Neglecting professional growth: Keep abreast of developments in your field of expertise by attending seminars, lectures or classes. Subscribe to periodicals and blogs that will keep you informed. Cultivate relationships with teachers, business leaders, or other professionals and learn from them. Never stop learning or teaching others.
- Thinking writing is not business: Writing is the product; business is the engine that gets it to the outside world. Learn from others about contracts, publishing processes, marketing strategies, and legal implications. Sign nothing without thoroughly understanding the terms of the contract. Decide up front how you are going to deal with the business end of things. If you get a business partner, make sure it is an equitable trust arrangement. Writing and business must co-exist.
- Hoping your book will sell itself: Promoting your book is your responsibility. Engage your publisher in a marketing strategy. Use your friends to help you get your message out on social media. Find organizations in your field that are looking for speakers. Advertise. Have a web page. Blog. Offer to speak at book clubs. Creatively get your message out. People are waiting to hear from you.