It’s hard to believe that nearly a decade has gone by since I self-published my first novel, a political thriller titled Unforeseen Fury. If only I had known back then what I know now, I would have avoided so many mistakes as well as wasting time and money.
At the time, I was heavy into writing articles for a local newspaper and working on my screenplays on the side. Not knowing any better, I commissioned the services of a vanity publishing outfit who overcharged me over $1,000 U.S. to print my first foray into the world of novel writing.
Here I am nine years and 16 published novels later (all except one were published on Kindle Direct Publishing for free). If you have a passion for writing (and doesn’t hurt to have some natural talent as well) writing a novel can be a very rewarding and exciting journey. But before you sit down with a drink in hand to pump out the world’s next bestseller, there are some very important pieces of advice you should adhere to, advice that I give to all aspiring authors.
Hire a professional editor
There is a hot button debate raging in the literary world as to whether it is a good idea for authors to edit their own work. While you can go over your manuscript a dozen times, it is highly advisable to have a second pair of eyes (a fresh pair, I may add) to pick out the unseen typos and grammatical errors you most likely have missed.
This means hiring the services of a professional editor. If you’re like many authors just starting out for the first time, you may or may not have a great deal of capital to work with. In this case, peer editing, in which friends and family members read and edit your work, is still good. But I would make every effort to procure a professional editor.
Cover design matters
Have you ever noticed homemade cover designs that didn’t exactly appear professional or inviting, for that matter? Perhaps ones that were put together via cheap or free cover design software. In my experience, homemade book covers are a hit and miss affair. Many authors have sold lots of books this way. My 2018 release Fifth Column sold more copies than any other book I’ve written to date.
That being said, it is worth the money to spend on getting a professional cover designer or graphic artist to design your cover for you. You won’t regret it.
Research, Research, Research
This I cannot stress enough. Depending on the topic you’re writing about (is your book fiction or nonfiction?) readers want to be sure that you know what you’re talking about. Is your story romance? Science fiction? Murder mystery? Military fiction? If you want your story to be believable and factual, you’re going to be spending a considerable amount of time researching and looking up information. This could come in the form of peer-reviewed scholarly articles, wiki pieces, watching TV dramas, or historical documentaries on Youtube.
Marketing and social media presence
Do you have a sizable following and presence on social media? If not, it’s high time you got into the game. Not only is a strong following good for your persona as a writer (particularly if you’re just starting out) being active on the various platforms can also turn loyal followers into customers — perhaps even repeat customers. Remember, your following is considered your social capital.
Spending hours on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. should not revolve solely around telling everyone to constantly ‘buy my book!” ‘buy my book!’ That, my friend, is a good way for your followers to lose interest and perhaps even block you. Don’t annoy them. Yes, by all means, you can use social media to promote your books, but, as the name implies, it’s all about being social. Social as in interacting with fellow writers and fellow travelers and upping your engagement through commenting and talking.
While we’re on the topic of marketing, Amazon ads can be effective, though they do cost money. Thankfully, Amazon sets up their ads to be pay-per-click, which means you only pay when potential customers click on your ad. Furthermore, another excellent way of garnering a following is by growing a mailing list. On Mailchimp, you don’t have to pay any money until you’ve accumulated 2,000 subscribers. And even then, it’s a mere $20 per month.
Wrapping it up
Take it from me. There is so much to know when you first start writing books. Whether it’s to do with formatting, editing, finding a good cover designer, it all seems so overwhelming. But don’t fret. Take a deep breath and learn each step at a time. You will get there.
Chris is a professional freelance writer. He uses his expert knowledge, skills, and personal experience in writing about such topics as real estate, travel, fitness, politics, and digital marketing to create innovative, entertaining, and engaging content for his clients. He writes for Medium, TravelPlus, ThriveGlobal, The Canadian Firearms Journal and more. His specialty is writing articles and books as well as copywriting and editing and proofreading.