In 1988, American writer Robert Fulghum came out with a collection of essays entitled, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. One piece inside is a short, simple essay about—you guessed it—the important life lessons learned in kindergarten.
Many people strive to live these lessons, but have you ever thought about applying them to your life as an author?
Here are our top ten things we all learned in kindergarten that will make us all better authors and entrepreneurs:
1. Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
It’s easy to forget some citations here and there when you’re writing—after all, this isn’t college! But as tempting as it is to ignore citations, be sure to take some extra time to acknowledge where your information came from. You’re not only helping the original author by giving them the credit that’s due to them, but you’re also providing a way for your readers to learn more about your subject by helping them discover some new experts.
2. Don’t hit people.
No matter how hurt you are by a bad review, it’s never a good idea to lash out. Saying something mean to someone else won’t make you feel better. Better to take a deep breath, shake it off, and work harder on reaching the audience who will give you positive reviews.
3. Hold hands, stick together.
Publishing isn’t a solitary process, or at least it shouldn’t be. Find some people who are going for it as well, and do all you can to support one another, from brainstorming sessions to beta reading to spreading word on social media of a book release.
4. Share.
Everyone has moments of trial-and-error, and once you learn some tips and tricks, share them with others. Everyone will do better if information on how to be a good authorpreneurs is continuously shared and improved upon.
5. Live a balanced life.
As an authorpreneur, it’s easy to get lost in the weeds and to obsess about one thing, but to be successful you need to branch out. Spend parts of each day writing, marketing, being on social media, and reaching out to media outlets.
6. Take a nap every afternoon.
Getting burnt out as an author is a real concern. Give yourself permission to take a break whenever you need, and recharge. You’ll return happier and more focused!
7. Listen.
There are resources everywhere to make your life as an indie author easier. Thank those that came before, jump off of their successes, and learn from their mistakes.
8. Treat everyone the way you want to be treated.
You don’t want to be spammed all the time about buying someone’s book, right? No. Well, if you wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of a marketing tactic, don’t use it to sell your book!
9. Things change and come to an end.
One day, the life of your book will come to an end. Now, we’re not saying that one day no one will ever want to buy it or read it, but you’ll reach the end of your ability to get your book out there in a way that reasonably reflects your efforts, the same way you eventually reached the end of the writing process when you couldn’t make your book any better without an editor. It’s scary to take the next step, but be okay with shifting your focus to one book to the next. You’ll never stop being a writer if you don’t want to be.
10. Be aware of wonder.
Books are magical things, You were able to write one. You built something you love out of nothing but air. That is wonderful, and you should celebrate it. You’re awesome!
Great advice! I have spoken out about a bas review but not in a lashing out sort of way. One review it was clear that the person never read my book– in fact he put the same review on another book. I wrote Amazon and they were kind enough to have the review removed. Another was a reviewer that reviewed many, many things for the status. It was clear he also never read the book an only wanted to see how much fun he could have at the expense of the writer.
I also comment on every review, good or bad, by thanking them for the review and their honesty
Awesome article! I loved the insight you shared and the fun spin you put on it. High five for creativity, Wise Ink 😛
Love it! Especially that nap every day part!
Ditto. Great post ladies!
Great list — for writers and for life in general. About sharing: I’ve been delighted at how so many authors are eager to share what they’ve learned. Pay it forward!