This is from Jackie Ashenden’s tweet that’s 100% spot on. This is exactly what I needed today after almost giving up on my holiday story again last night. I especially love the one about failure being not just a possibility, but a certainty.
Been thinking about this publishing business of late and have decided to do a quick and very simplistic thread on how to keep going in this tough environment. So here you go, Jackie’s Ten Point Author’s Guide on How To Survive in Publishing.
— Jackie Ashenden (@JackieAshenden) September 6, 2018
1. Most important of all – keep writing and finishing books. You can’t have a career if you don’t write and finish. Obviously.
— Jackie Ashenden (@JackieAshenden) September 6, 2018
2. Know your core story. What are the themes etc you like to write? What fundamentally are your stories about? Redemption? Family? Finding home? Etc
— Jackie Ashenden (@JackieAshenden) September 6, 2018
3. Know your market. And not just your readers or your niche, but the genre as a whole. Why do people read your genre? What are they looking for?
— Jackie Ashenden (@JackieAshenden) September 6, 2018
4. If you know your market and your core story, you can write to that market AND write what you love. The two are NOT mutually exclusive. They just require thought.
— Jackie Ashenden (@JackieAshenden) September 6, 2018
5. However, you will still need to adapt. Be willing to change what you do in response to changes in the market. Knowing your core story will help with this. Also be open to all opportunities. Try anything, even stuff you don’t like.
— Jackie Ashenden (@JackieAshenden) September 6, 2018
6. Define what success means to you. Know it is not a finish line. There is no finish line. Breaking out or hitting lists for example are not end points, only points in a line that will go up and down.
— Jackie Ashenden (@JackieAshenden) September 6, 2018
7. Failure is not a possibility. It is a certainty. Learn how to roll with the punches. Always have a plan for your next move. It’s what you do after you fail that counts.
— Jackie Ashenden (@JackieAshenden) September 6, 2018
8. Have good friends. Note: friends are NOT stepping stones in your career. They are your support network who will be there during success and failure. Don’t be a dick and NEVER burn bridges.
— Jackie Ashenden (@JackieAshenden) September 6, 2018
9. Protect your creativity at all costs. You have to love the writing because when money and sales dry up (and they will) it’s that love that will help you keep going.
— Jackie Ashenden (@JackieAshenden) September 6, 2018
10. THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS. Time – YEARS – will give you a career. Hitting lists will not. Bottom line: the only way to end your career is to stop writing.
— Jackie Ashenden (@JackieAshenden) September 6, 2018
And that’s it. Now I need to get offline and finish that novella! 15k more words to go!
*Yes, I did not go beyond the original 8k words for the past week…
Liz Durano 