The success some authors have in marketing their books can overwhelm writers or even cause them to give up Last week we talked about how to deal with writer envy, of how to avoid having the abilities of other writers overwhelm us. While the threat of writer envy does assault me from time to time, […]
When it comes to a writer’s social media following, how much is enough? Unless we’re a big name A-list author, publishers want us to have a humongous platform from which to sell books. They expect us to have a large following. Even though the publisher will make some effort to sell our books, this largely […]
Writers need to guard against making unhealthy comparisons to other authors As writers we read the work of others, we look at their books, and we notice their successes. Though this happens in any profession, writing is a more public endeavor, so making comparisons is harder to avoid. Yet we should strive to sidestep assessing […]
Write for your audience, and don’t try to impress others with your skill I recently read a nonfiction book. My assessment was that the author wrote to impress more than to educate. Though I did learn from her words, I’d have gained much more had she gotten out of the way and put me, the […]
To make progress in their work, writers must have a plan to move their writing towards completion When I write, I always have a goal. Without an objective to strive for, I wouldn’t write too much, if at all. I’m sure I’d spend more time thinking about writing than actually writing. The biggest byproduct would […]
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A Salute to Print Books
On The Media discusses books in their March 11 podcast The March 11 episode of On The Media, titled “Print is Back, Back Again” shares an array of interesting segments on books. It’s too good not to share. Here are the topics covered: These segments give those who read books and write books and publish […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD When I worked as a consultant, one healthcare call center client’s staff kept complaining, “People working in fast food make more than we do.” After hearing too many such complaints, I visited the seven fast-food restaurants within walking distance of the call center. The staff was wrong, but the misinformation […]
Real writers make a commitment to write, and that requires sacrifice Though I sometimes talk about when I write and how much, I’m always reluctant to do so. Writing is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. We are individuals with different family situations, who are at different life stages and have different levels of obligations. What works […]
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How to Build a Fan Base
Every writer needs avid supporters to help get the word out about his or her books When it comes to marketing our book we need a group of loyal followers. They are apt to buy our books and will be excited to tell others about them. We need a platform. Most writers cringe at the […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD I recently talked with a lady who had sold her answering service and was now getting back into the business. My first thought was to congratulate her, but I know from experience that celebration might not be in order. Indeed I have talked with too many who were forced back […]