A Writer’s Terrible Trio
When it comes to writing, there are three areas where an author can be severely lacking. I have labeled them “The Terrible Trio.”
I’m not talking about DC Comic’s millionaire thieves or the age when your offspring annoys you the most. These super villains can be far more destructive.
They are:
- Lack of an audience
- Lack of time
- Lack of basics.
These formidable opponents come in no particular order and none of them are more powerful than the other. But each can stop publication and sales as dead as dead can be.
Lack of an Audience
It’s a misconception that publishing a book will gain you an audience. Authors have been known to harbor the idea that people will magically know their novel is awesome, read it and flock to their Facebook page or website begging for more. Or that a publisher will hand over all the sales receipts for your book so you can let your fans know you’ve written another one.
Sadly, neither of these concepts are true. Of course there are exceptions. There will always be exceptions, but the lack of an audience (one that is under the writer’s control) is still a super villain ready to attack. Having an audience or fans is your armor and weapon against criticism and failure. Not only can you ask what they want but also offer it for an exchange. In other words, you lack control without fans.
Do publishers hate authors? A publisher has a list of buyers carefully cultivated and categorized for their own profit. They know their market and can make a fairly accurate guess about how many of your books will sell. Nevertheless, a publisher expects you to attend book signings, make radio appearances, join book clubs, etc. And they will never give you any of their precious mailing list.
Michael Levine wrote an article on HuffPost about the animosity between publisher and writer entitled, “Why Book Publishers Hate Authors.” It’s quite enlightening. It also, to my mind, explains why so many authors have turned to self-publishing — whether that’s a good move or not.
Even if you plan to traditionally publish, you should know a publisher is going to ask and check for your audience. How many followers do you have on social networks? Do you have a well-attended blog? Have you published anything else and how did it do?
So here’s the kicker. Whether you plan to self-publish or seek a publisher, you have to do what a publisher would do before you finish your book. That includes building a list of readers for that genre and, in particular, a list of potential buyers for your book. You have to know something about marketing and press releases or, at the very least, have a connection to someone who does.
Lack of Time
To find evidence of authors struggling with time to write a novel, one need go no further than Twitter. Search “no time to write a book” and see how long the list is (if you can find the bottom).
The reason this super villain won’t go away is because he’s a lie. A writer has exactly the same amount of time in a day as anyone else. It’s what you do with time that makes all the difference. Writing one page a day will result in 365 pages.
It also matters what you do with your brain. That’s right, I said “brain.” In my free course, “Productivity and Efficiency,” time management habits are taught. Exercising the creative part of the brain during a regular time slot, establishes a routine.
For example, if you choose a 30-minute slot in your schedule and do nothing but “writing prompt” exercises, your brain will respond accordingly. Instead of tackling the task of an entire book, you build a routine chore of writing at a specific time of the day in the same location. Eventually, the stimulation of creativity at that time and location will turn into a habit that gets your book written.
Lack of Basics
Writer’s block, endless editing, re-writing and switching projects often have the same underlying cause — lack of basic style and writing protocol. A lack of certainty on basics causes stress.
Stress destroys creativity. That’s not an opinion. It’s a fact based on brain research. When a person is under stress, the body goes into “fight or flight” mode and sends the energy supply where it’s needed and away from the creativity areas of the brain. It’s as if your brain is saying, “This is no time for daydreams!”
Most artists have experienced some sort of stress. Their art may be cathartic or have some heart-felt purpose, but all art is form of communication. It’s individual and personal. The musical performer’s knees may quiver as he or she walks onto the stage. The fine artist may balk at sharing a portfolio. And if they do, they either lack confidence in their creation or lack confidence in their audience’s reaction. All of this disappears at the sound of applause or the sale of the painting.
A handling for thin skin (over sensitivity), is a firm grasp of the basics. A performer cannot wonder if he’s off-key. The painter cannot waiver in his technique. An architect should know his structure is sound. Likewise, a writer should not wonder about grammar, vocabulary, spelling, character development and plot. When an artist lacks confidence, it breeds stress. Then, when he or she fails, it is stress to blame, not the artist.
When a writer considers himself a failure, stress moves in and creates a block. A simple question can throw him into a tizzy like, “Did you ever publish that book you were writing?” To make matters worse, some people judge books by how well it sells. They also judge the writer. A writer cannot fall prey to this misunderstanding of what makes a book “good” without inviting more stress.
Summary
All heroes know the best way to defeat a super villain is to approach the situation with confidence. You should gain an audience as your first action. Don’t wait until the book is written.
Tackle time by adopting a few time management habits while writing. You can defeat the entire Terrible Trio by taking free courses on those subjects.
This is why the free courses I offer are categorized into these three topics – Find Your Audience, Productivity and Efficiency, and Writing Basics. It is my heart’s desire to help writers write.