Hello from Crippled Beagle Publishing and Happy Rainy (East Tennessee) Friday,
The word spooky just came to mind. Obviously, Sunday is Halloween, so the concept is timely. On top of that, I had a conversation with a fellow creative today that rang true. As I coached her, I wished I could go back in time, find a writing and publishing mentor, and ask her to coach ME. I published my first book in 2013. Since then, I've made every marketing mistake possible. The first was NOT building an email list. There were plenty of mistakes after that, which, in many ways, makes me an expert these days! Pay attention to what I share with you, because I can save you a load of time, heartache, and money.
Writers panic. We get spooked. That is N.O.R.M.A.L. My client is a superb storyteller with a beautiful message to share. While her target audience is young and specific, the lessons have broad appeal and her book has enormous potential. She's a gifted, hard-working artist, and a GOOD writer. She simply needs to keep moving forward. And she will. She's done much harder things.
Often, writers (you know the type) have enormous goals, unclear pathways, and personal concerns. The trick is to WRITE, EDIT, PUBLISH, AND MARKET! Drop the doubts and persevere. (And ask for help when you need it.)
Often, clients and prospects ask the following questions (in bold). My answers are below each question:)
Will anyone want to read my book?
YES.
Will people thing I'm an egomaniac?
YES. WHO CARES? MAYBE NOT. WHO CARES?
Am I a decent writer?
YES! I don't work with bad writers.
How many copies can I actually sell?
As many as you like. Marketing is imperative, but you can do it on your schedule and budget.
Here's the good news. Those are big questions, but they can all be answered in time. I can help you. You can do research. Most importantly, you can ACT, WRITE, PUBLISH, BEGIN marketing, and learn on the job. DON'T GET SPOOKED and stop. KEEP WRITING and learning.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN, TOO!
