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If you’ve been working as a writer for a while, you know how challenging it can be to get discovered. In today’s world, where anyone can self-publish a book and compete for readers’ attention, it takes more than great writing to get noticed. You will need a solid understanding of the business side of writing professionally, as well as a strategic approach to marketing yourself and your work. In this article from, we’ll explore some of the key strategies you can use to get discovered!
General Business Advice for Writers
One of the most important things you can do for your writing career is to treat it as a business. This means establishing a professional image and brand, organizing your writing time effectively, and tracking finances. By treating your writing like the business it is, you’ll start to see it from the perspective of an entrepreneur rather than a hobbyist. As Writer’s Digest explains, this will help you think about the purpose of your book and who it serves, just as an entrepreneur does when developing a new product or service.
Marketing Yourself as a Writer
Your marketing strategies as an author will depend on your goal for your writing. If you build a business around your writing brand, your marketing goals may stretch beyond the sale of books. Perhaps you will leverage your books to sell courses, workbooks, or coaching packages. If, on the other hand, you just want to sell enough books to hit your monthly income goal, you will need to focus solely on book sales.
While digital marketing strategies such as social media, email, and content production are viable and effective methods for building your brand as an author, don’t overlook traditional offline advertising! Handing out flyers or leaflets is a great way to get the word out about new books. Instead of hiring someone to design your flyer for you, an online flyer maker will support your efforts in creating a useful flyer design on your own. Look for an online design tool that provides professionally designed templates that you can customize to meet your specific marketing needs.
Build a Strong Author Platform
Building an online presence and connecting with your readers is important for finding success as an author in today’s digital age. Building a strong author platform is key! Your Writer Platform explains that you can start building your author platform by identifying your target audience and determining exactly who makes up your fan base. Then, work on developing your brand voice, messaging style, and reader engagement through communications across various platforms.
Encourage Reviews from Readers
As an author, reviews are a powerful tool for promoting your book and encouraging others to read. How can you get more readers to leave reviews? The simplest method is to ask, sending out an email or social media message to readers after they’ve had a chance to read your book. You may also want to provide incentives, such as a giveaway or discount on future books, to encourage more reviews.
Collaborate with Other Writers
One of the best ways to market yourself as an author is to collaborate with other creatives. Consider working on a project with another author you admire whose work aligns with your own. Just be sure to come up with a project agreement so you’re both on the same page before you begin writing. You’ll have to agree on marketing ideas, deadlines, budget, compensation arrangements, and ownership percentages. Remember to also define goals for the project and try to treat this like a business partnership rather than a creative collaboration alone.
Building a successful writing career requires not only great writing skills but also a strategic approach to marketing and business management. Treating your writing like a business, embracing both online and offline marketing strategies, and collaborating with other writers can help you get eyes on your work. While it might feel like a slow process, keep working, and you’ll achieve your writing goals!
Are you looking for inspiration from a fellow author? Check out the Carol McKibben website for a variety of fiction and nonfiction books!
About the Author:
Mary Shannon is a content writer. She may be reached via mary@SeniorsMeet.org.
General Business Advice for Writers
One of the most important things you can do for your writing career is to treat it as a business. This means establishing a professional image and brand, organizing your writing time effectively, and tracking finances. By treating your writing like the business it is, you’ll start to see it from the perspective of an entrepreneur rather than a hobbyist. As Writer’s Digest explains, this will help you think about the purpose of your book and who it serves, just as an entrepreneur does when developing a new product or service.
Marketing Yourself as a Writer
Your marketing strategies as an author will depend on your goal for your writing. If you build a business around your writing brand, your marketing goals may stretch beyond the sale of books. Perhaps you will leverage your books to sell courses, workbooks, or coaching packages. If, on the other hand, you just want to sell enough books to hit your monthly income goal, you will need to focus solely on book sales.
While digital marketing strategies such as social media, email, and content production are viable and effective methods for building your brand as an author, don’t overlook traditional offline advertising! Handing out flyers or leaflets is a great way to get the word out about new books. Instead of hiring someone to design your flyer for you, an online flyer maker will support your efforts in creating a useful flyer design on your own. Look for an online design tool that provides professionally designed templates that you can customize to meet your specific marketing needs.
Build a Strong Author Platform
Building an online presence and connecting with your readers is important for finding success as an author in today’s digital age. Building a strong author platform is key! Your Writer Platform explains that you can start building your author platform by identifying your target audience and determining exactly who makes up your fan base. Then, work on developing your brand voice, messaging style, and reader engagement through communications across various platforms.
Encourage Reviews from Readers
As an author, reviews are a powerful tool for promoting your book and encouraging others to read. How can you get more readers to leave reviews? The simplest method is to ask, sending out an email or social media message to readers after they’ve had a chance to read your book. You may also want to provide incentives, such as a giveaway or discount on future books, to encourage more reviews.
Collaborate with Other Writers
One of the best ways to market yourself as an author is to collaborate with other creatives. Consider working on a project with another author you admire whose work aligns with your own. Just be sure to come up with a project agreement so you’re both on the same page before you begin writing. You’ll have to agree on marketing ideas, deadlines, budget, compensation arrangements, and ownership percentages. Remember to also define goals for the project and try to treat this like a business partnership rather than a creative collaboration alone.
Building a successful writing career requires not only great writing skills but also a strategic approach to marketing and business management. Treating your writing like a business, embracing both online and offline marketing strategies, and collaborating with other writers can help you get eyes on your work. While it might feel like a slow process, keep working, and you’ll achieve your writing goals!
Are you looking for inspiration from a fellow author? Check out the Carol McKibben website for a variety of fiction and nonfiction books!
About the Author:
Mary Shannon is a content writer. She may be reached via mary@SeniorsMeet.org.
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