Some things never change. As authors, it’s a good thing to know which of those things apply to us.
Look at it this way. It’s a noisy world, with busy people and seven seconds of attention span to spread out among them all. There are new tools, tactics, networks, services and platforms introduced to authors every single day.
How do we keep up?
It’s a question that our community grapples with all the time. I don’t have the answer. But I do have some logic to apply.
The following common practices are set in stone. They will NEVER change. They well ALWAYS help you sell books. And they are immune to hourly fluctuations of writing, publishing and selling stories.
My hypothesis is this: If we memorize, live by and internalize these points then we can personalize them, understand them deeply and intrinsically and then build from there.
Here, for the first time ever as far as I can tell, are The Author’s Creed:
- Have a website for yourself and your work
- Have a great cover for your book
- Craft a strong description for your book
- Craft a strong bio
- Hire a professional editor
- Publish internationally
- Have a way to reach your fans directly. Newsletters and blogs are great ways to control the message.
- Have a way to reach millions of people. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. You know the drill.
- Write well. This one is not so obvious. Today’s trend is to write a lot but that won’t necessarily last. Some people can write well fast. Good on them. For the rest of us, write well.
- Sell locally. Bookstores, schools and libraries are still an author’s best friend, true and faithful ’til the end.
- That which you track, grows. Gather data and do what it tells you to do.
- Find a way to give back and support other authors. A rising tide lifts all ships.
- Learn your Craft. Study your Craft. Practice your Craft.
Let’s get the discussion going. What should be added to the list? We’ll never add stuff like, “Get on Twitter” or “Use text over the image on your Facebook posts.” Those are tactics that shift with the wind. We’re looking for much more fundamental rules. Tried and true. Tried. And. True.
Contributors: Orlando Sanchez
