Dear Lazy Writer,
If you think working with beta readers to perfect your
books is too much work; if you think submitting to agents is too much work; if
you think promoting your book and approaching reviewers is too much work then
DON’T PUBLISH. That may sound harsh (especially coming from me) but it’s the
best, most honest advice anyone could give you.
To be a successful writer (the definition of successful
depends on your personal view), you will HAVE to put in a lot of work. More
work than non-writers realize. More so if you want to publish. It’s not just
about writing a manuscript. It’s editing it several times before getting help
by two or more beta readers. It’s pushing yourself out of your comfort zone to
land an agent and nursing your rejection wounds. It’s putting in the hours to
help your book shine and then letting it go. It’s finding every little way to
market your book to reach readers and get reviews. It’s trying and failing but
picking yourself up each and every time and trying again. (And yes, I did just
start 5 sentences with “It’s.”)
If you’re not ready for all of that, if it sounds like too
much work, then don’t publish. Not everyone who writes a book had to publish
it, and not every book has to be published. Many people could be happy having
just written a book. Could you?
But if you do want to publish, be ready to put in the
effort at every single stage. You can’t just sit on your hands once the book is
out there. Without your help to push it along, it’ll float in the nether,
undiscovered. Don’t you want your book to soar? To find its way into the hands
of readers and collect reviews, not dust? Then hard work you must do!
Not everyone will have the sort of success JK Rowling and
Stephen King have, but we will have out own levels of success. Except you won’t
ever reach yours if you don’t try and put in the work.
So stop being a couch potato and do your book some justice!
Request reviews.
Do a blog tour. Join social media.
Do all you can without burning yourself out.
Get read. Set. GO!
QUESTION:
Are you a lazy person? What makes you lazy?
Author of Hurricane Crimes, 30 Seconds, Ghost of Death, and
Witch of Death. Blogger. Reader. Auntie. Vegetarian. Cat Lover.
