How to be a career author
10 Things I've Learned Over the Past 10 Years
It's hard for me to believe, but my first novel, The Art of Forgetting, was published ten years ago today. I thought I'd mark the occasion by sharing what I've learned along the way.
1. Publishing is a long game. It took me seven years to make fiction my “main” job. Some of those years (especially when my kids were young and childcare cost as much as a double mortgage) were tough; if I’d been focused on short-term payoffs, I have no doubt I would’ve given up. But I’ve always believed I’d write dozens of books well into my eighties—and that long-term focus led to success.
2. Your path won’t look like anyone else’s. Play the comparison game and you’ll always lose. Sure, it’s smart to find inspiration in writers with similar circumstances or backgrounds as your own. But don’t be discouraged when you see another writer vault ahead, or worse, hear them complain about how many rejections they've received, how they've toiled in vain for twenty-five years, etc. Expect to succeed—but know that the way that you do it will be unique.
3. Having a plan makes a big difference. There’s a lot you won’t know when you begin writing—or even in the middle of your career. But you can and should: choose and stick to a genre (and understand its conventions) for at least several books to grow your readership; commit to publishing as regularly as you’re able; determine how you’re similar to—and different from—other authors who have careers you aspire to, and position yourself accordingly; and consistently build your brand by mastering one new skill at a time.
4. The money doesn’t usually come from where you think it will. When I look back at my fiction income, the revenue sources still surprise me. There was the book that sold for low five figures, then brought in multiple six figures in sales. There was the unexpected audio deal and the foreign language bestseller that I never saw coming, and so on. Instead of focusing on any one avenue for making money, be open to all opportunities that come your way.
5. But if you want to make more money, figure out what you’re good at and double down on that. I think life is funny and kind of sad and ultimately only what we make of it—so it’s no surprise that I'm good at writing witty, life-affirming stories of transformation, which usually have a central love story and are heavy on dialogue. The more I lean into my natural talents and interests, the more my readership grows. When I lean away from them or focus on my deficits, I find myself with a manuscript that doesn't sell or a book that doesn’t perform well. That’s no coincidence.
6. No work is wasted. I have four unpublished novels sitting in a digital drawer, and I’m deeply grateful for each one of them. Not only did they make me a better writer, they built up my resilience and taught me to listen most closely to myself, rather than any industry insider.
7. Investing in your career is always a good idea. People often ask me which conference/book/professional organization/subscription/coach they should pick. My answer: as many of them as you can. For years, I took on extra freelance work to cover the cost of investing in my dream of being a full-time novelist. Ten years later, I see how all of that information and inspiration helped me create a lasting, sustainable career.
8. Readers matter far more than any sales number, deal, or professional accolade. I save every reader email that says something along the lines of, “I needed to read your novel,” or “I felt like you were writing just for me.” Why? Because they're fuel that money and success will never be. In fact, whenever I’m feeling burned out or blah about writing, I open my inbox and read those messages.
9. Knowing why you’re doing this will keep you motivated. It’s never too early to ID your mission as an author. (Mine is to inspire other people to live their best lives. I don’t care how Oprah-esque that sounds; it’s true.) Then, when you’re in the middle of drafting the hardest book ever (or any other difficult situation), you’ll know exactly why you’re staying the course. And that's key, because …
10. The only way to succeed is to keep going. There are no shortcuts. Do the work, keep showing up, and believe that it will happen for you—and then it will.