Mmmk, it’s time for a little tough-love talk, Wise Inkers.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Being an author is not for the faint of heart. The book business is a tough business. Because of the close relationship writers have to their writing, the competition in the market, and the challenges of book marketing in an ever-changing e-world, publishing a book can be a disheartening experience for many authors. These are challenges we can’t control.
Fortunately, there are some challenges we can control, and they all relate to attitude. Here are a few ways you can avoid sabotaging your book before you even publish:
1) Don’t take your vision too personally.
We often feel that our books are an extension of who we are. But guess what? Your book is not you; it’s a book. And before it’s a book, it’s just an idea. You know what’s cool about ideas? Ideas change and evolve. You know what’s even cooler about ideas? Ideas, when shared with other people (like editors, publishers, etc.) usually become better! This is because other people will help you separate your book from YOU and help bring your book to its AUDIENCE. And if you’re not writing for an audience, you’re writing a diary. Unless you’re Anne Frank, keep that diary to yourself.
2) Don’t publish your book to be validated.
Publishing to be validated is like posting a selfie on Facebook with a caption fishing for compliments. People know when you’re publishing for attention rather than for an audience. And guess what? If you care about yourself more than you care about your audience, you’re not going to HAVE an audience. It’s pretty simple.
3) When the team you hire gives you feedback, LISTEN.
It might not always be the absolute right advice, but when your team members have a suggestion to change something, it’s usually because something needs to be changed. Take it with a grain of salt, of course—they’re human, after all—but listen. If you don’t, why are you hiring professionals to help you in the first place?
Wise Inkers, what advice do you have about avoiding the challenges of publishing?
I would say to define what success means. If it means selling a billion copies, you’re setting up for failure. But if it means making a dream come true, chances are you’ll be successful (with the right attitude). Great post.
Regarding points #1 and #3, I feel there is a difficult line an author – or any creative – must straddle. Have you read “The Dog Stars” by Peter Heller? Not only is it an amazing, poetic and beautiful book, but he pretty much throws the typical rules of literature out the window.
Heller doesn’t even use quotation marks around his dialogue. I’m sure he encountered plenty of “publishing professionals” who told him he was crazy to consider this, but he stuck to his guns and the result was a truly unique and distinctive work of art.
Steve Jobs comes to mind here, too. He was brutally opinionated, and usually – but not always – right. I don’t know anyone who would dare tell him not to take his vision personally. I know that additional opinions can often improve a product. They can also dilute it. I’m don’t necessarily disagree with the aforementioned points. However, I do think it’s very difficult to know when to follow your heart, and when to follow the scads of advice your publishing company will surely heap upon you as a new (i.e., unproven) author.