Do you dream of becoming a bestselling author? If so, you’re in luck! There are a few things you can do to increase your chances of success.
Here are some tips based on the advice of Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and J.K. Rowling:
- Read a lot. The more you read, the better you will understand how to write a good story. Pay attention to the elements that make a story engaging, such as plot, character development, and setting.
- Write what you love. If you’re not passionate about your writing, it will show in your work. Choose a topic that you’re interested in and that you know a lot about.
- Write every day. The more you write, the better you will become at it. Even if you can only write for 30 minutes a day, make sure to write something every day.
- Get feedback from others. Ask friends, family, or beta readers to read your work and give you honest feedback. This can help you identify areas where your writing can be improved.
- Don’t give up. Writing is hard work, but it’s also very rewarding. If you keep at it, you will eventually achieve your goals.
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Here are some specific tips that these authors have given:
- Stephen King: “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”
- Neil Gaiman: “The best advice I ever got was to read a lot and write a lot. And the more I did it, the better I got at it.”
- J.R.R. Tolkien: “Don’t be afraid to experiment. Try new things and see what works for you.”
- C.S. Lewis: “Write what you know. If you don’t know anything about elves, don’t write about them.”
- J.K. Rowling: “Don’t be afraid to kill your darlings. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your story is to cut out the parts that you love the most.”
Following these tips will not guarantee that you will become a bestselling author, but they will give you a better chance of achieving your goals. Just remember to keep writing, keep learning, and never give up on your dreams.
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Here are some additional tips that you may find helpful:
- Find a writing community. There are many online and in-person writing communities where you can connect with other writers and get feedback on your work.
- Take writing classes or workshops. This can help you improve your writing skills and learn new techniques.
- Enter writing contests. This is a great way to get your work noticed and to get feedback from judges.
- Self-publish your work. If you’re not able to get a traditional publishing deal, you can self-publish your work online or through a print-on-demand service.
No matter what path you choose, remember to never give up on your dream of becoming a bestselling author. With hard work and dedication, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.
Writers are born, not made. But, to be a bestselling writer or author is a whole other ballgame! It boils down to great skill and art. Just like a book is an amalgamation of good visuals, great text and smart business skills, becoming a bestselling author is a result of more than just the sum of these parts that create the book.
Here are some effective tips to help you build on your writing career and aim towards becoming a bestseller.
Follow a reasonable time frame to complete your writing
Treat your book like a project. Imagine it to be a two and a half month research assigned to you by your boss. Treat yourself as an intern/fresher to the job and put that strain and expectation on yourself to give it your best shot. Your boss has assigned you a task that falls under the purview of your domain but of course it has some challenging element to it. If, however, you crack this part of the puzzle, the rest of the journey should be a cinch.
Don’t use writer’s block as an excuse
There is no such thing as writer’s block. And even if there is, don’t let it stop you. You can write about the subjects you are most comfortable with. It is often said that the first book is already inside us, so if it is your first then simply let it flow, don’t wait for things to happen. Even if it is fiction, create a background that’s familiar to you, something maybe you saw in someone’s family or a movie or in local news that impacted you in a significant way and let it take it’s course from there.
Write every day
Ensure you spend at least 15 minutes writing everyday on your book project. But write it when you are fresh, in the mood and totally inspired. That may be at the end fag end of the day, no worries. It is very important to relate to what you write and it demands the right mindset, energy and inspiration to pen down something that will immediately click with your readers!
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Don’t undermine your story or idea
Self-believe and confidence is the most important element to bestselling works. There is no big point in creating a me-too of a Harry Potter series or the Lord of Rings. Have conviction in your original idea. It has to come from you, within you and when it comes from you, then you can do full justice to it.
The Proof is in the Proofreading
Once you are through with your first draft and revisions and you can no longer edit your own copy, it is advisable to consult a professional proofreader that you may find through platforms around the web. After your copy’s language flaws have been weeded out, it is time for you to hunt for a publisher or opt for free publishing with Amazon.
If you opt for Amazon, you can be assured of moving ahead much faster. Once you submit your manuscript and other details, Amazon takes about 24 hours to make your book live. If it is an e-book it goes live within 2 to 3 hours. The portal doesn’t charge you a dime in advance and recovers the printing cost from the book’s price.
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Judge the book by it’s cover
The title of the book and the cover plays a crucial role. So does the small description you use for the book. The title should make it clear who the book is meant for, what audience it would like to attract. The styling and the colors used on the cover will reflect your sense of style and the keenness you possess to add finesse to your creation.
Marketing
Marketing your book is the most crucial part of the journey to become a bestseller. It is sometimes even more crucial that the content itself. Surprised? When you run promotions on social media , like Facebook for example, make sure you are targeting the right audience in every way, be it demographic, geographic, gender, interest or occupation.
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Get your book reviewed by the a Newspaper and the bookstore
If you can’t manage established newspapers then at least get your work reviewed in a local daily. Get as much publicity from media as possible. There are many websites such as Goodreads, that feature reviews. Make you book a talking point at as many places as possible.
Wherever the book is getting sold, be it Amazon or any other store, it must shine with 4 or 5 stars and solid reviews.
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Blog about it & make videos!
Understand the underlying theme of your novel or non-fiction and write columns or blog post around that. Make people understand the compelling reason why you wrote the book and why the big theme is so important.
Once your book starts selling and shows a good trend, convey your gratitude to your audience with mini videos to build your personal connect with them.
Groups and Community building
Authors are typically expected to be charming speakers. Hence you will also need to carry out an offline get together at coffee shops with your readers and exchange ideas. For some people such as businessmen a book is their last leaf in the book of their life but for writers, life begins with a book, then they become speakers, activists, evangelists, philanthropists, film directors, entrepreneurs etc.
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Next steps
Once your first book starts to do well and is trending you should start planning your next book. You’ll ask “What do I write about now?” Again, something that interests you. It could be anything – memories, ideas, facts, fantasy, humor, horror – the list never ends. So pick a theme where you can start off writing without much thinking. You’ll find that the process of authoring the second book and subsequent efforts after the very first book is much easier. You will learn what not to do, where to focus your efforts, where to make improvements. Even your marketing strategy will be better and once your second book becomes a best seller, it will increase the sales of your first book. The circle will continue and you will end up writing several books while improving your game along the way: but take the first step today!