Becoming an entrepreneurial author is both daunting and exciting.
On the one hand, there is a huge amount of potential. You have the chance to realize your writing dreams, share your ideas, and leave a lasting legacy.
On the other, it can be tough. No matter what level of writing background you have or the goals you intend to achieve, there will be obstacles to overcome.
No amount of advice will prevent tough times. Nor should you aim to avoid them. They are the best opportunities for growth.
But to make the most of the entire journey, the good and the bad, requires adopting useful beliefs and goals.
Here are six valuable concepts to help you as you begin your entrepreneurial author adventure.
Be Proactive About Your Mindset
Like almost any major endeavor, adopting the right mindset is crucial for success.
Our beliefs and patterns of thinking have a huge impact on everything else. Our levels of motivation. Our resilience. Our ability to learn from setbacks.
As a new entrepreneurial author, you might struggle with imposter syndrome. Even though you probably are aware of this intellectually, it’s still surprisingly difficult to go through. Being aware it might strike, and having a plan in place, will stop you feeling too down or discouraged.
Aside from the potential for imposter syndrome to strike, your mindset will also act as a powerful stimulant for the act of writing itself. Choosing a positive and productive mood will help you hit your word count.
Being proactive about your mindset as an author, both day to day and over the long term, will strongly support your success.
Consider the Role of Your Books
Every entrepreneurial author has a different situation and set of goals.
You might have a core business that your books will support. Or, you might have the aim of eventually making all of your income from books.
No matter what your situation happens to be, you need to take the time to consider exactly what role your books will play in your overall plan.
For example, if you are an entrepreneur, will your books connect to your core business? If you’re releasing a book for its own sake, that’s fine, but if you have another intention in mind, it needs time and attention to be fully realized. Intending to use your books as part of a sales funnel, or as a way of spreading ideas you believe in, are different aims requiring different approaches.
As exciting as it is to start creating a book, think carefully about how you want to benefit from it, and the best way to make that happen.
Build Your Author Brand
How do you feel about the concept of building your author brand?
Some people are excited about the idea, while others feel that branding is antithetical to art.
If you feel resistant to the idea of branding, try and reframe your mindset. It’s impossible not to have a brand. Especially in the digital age. It’s just a choice of whether you take charge of it, or leave it to chance.
While there are huge boosts you can give to your author brand, like gaining endorsements for your books, the smaller things matter too. The tone of your content. The visuals you use. The social media you post on.
Your author brand can play a huge role in your success, so please don’t leave it to chance.
Connect With Other Authors
One of the most valuable resources for you to cultivate as a new entrepreneurial author is your network.
While there’s no doubt you will experience a learning curve, and make some mistakes for yourself, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Having strong connections with others will allow you to learn from them.
Aside from sharing knowledge, your network can become a great source of support. Having a group of likeminded people to share success and commiserate failure with is invaluable.
So how do you cultivate your author network?
Online networking has a part to play, but more and more people are feeling digitally overwhelmed and looking to spend less time online. To form deeper connections, seek out fellow authors in your community, or attend specialist conferences for writers.
There’s something special about connecting with people face to face. The bond is much deeper than if it only exists digitally.
Approach your author network like you would any other type. Seek to provide value, and look for win/win opportunities wherever possible.
Sharpen Your Skills
Given that even Ernest Hemingway said that no one ever masters writing, you’ve probably got some skills to sharpen.
No two entrepreneurial authors are alike, so your particular areas of improvement will depend on personal circumstances.
If you have a background in writing, it might be a case of refining your existing strengths and strengthening your weaknesses.
If you are new to the writing world, you might want to give yourself a crash course in the basics, such as understanding copywriting.
No matter how experienced you happen to be, your work is never done! Becoming an author requires a continuous process of growth and improvement.
While the fundamentals of writing are more or less constant, you can always refresh your knowledge and practice. You can also seek out more contemporary information, such as apps and marketing concepts, to give yourself a further advantage.
Stay Focused on the Prize
If you see yourself as an entrepreneurial author, you’re probably a driven person.
Your drive can become a powerful ally in your writing quest. Becoming an author is very much a long game. It’s often the case that you will experience the snowball effect. At first, your progress might seem slow and even nonexistent. But, with persistence, it can grow into something great.
When you’re just starting out, staying focused on your eventual aim will help you stay motivated and committed.
This might involve dreaming big, for example by imagining the potential money you could make from your books. Or the number of people you could reach.
You might also need aims for the short term, such as finishing a single chapter or even meeting a daily word count.
Find the right mix of short and long term goals to help you stay focused and committed. If a goal is no longer motivational, discard it. Nothing is set in stone, and making adjustments along the way is a huge part of succeeding.
Hopefully, the six concepts in this article will make life a little easier as you embark on your journey as a new author. I wish you nothing but success every step of the way.
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