Welcome, fellow authors!
It’s been a month since I revealed my secret identity, and across the globe, it has been a crazy ride—not because of my big reveal but because of seismic world events wrecking our sanity.
It’s made me think about how some of you will choose to be very political in your writing. That’s your brand, and if it is, your readers probably share your values. I am pretty politically outspoken in my private life, but I make a supreme effort to ensure those views do not filter into my work.
Why? Well, partly because it would mess with my author brand and partly because it could alienate a large proportion of my readership.
And I love my fans. I wouldn’t want to do anything that would upset them.
Yes, it’s sound business advice for anyone, but keeping my fans happy is the “why” in my publishing business. I could write for myself and not look to have anyone else read a single word I type, if I wrote purely for my own satisfaction. Conversely, if sharing my politics were the driving force behind my writing, then I would have a strong desire to voice my thoughts. But my motivation isn’t to explore my inner musings, nor is it to preach, or inspire, or educate. It’s to entertain. I read to escape all the politics. I write so that others can too.
Understanding your “why” is central to sustaining a viable writing career. For some of you, writing is a means to an end. Perhaps you want to have a side hustle that generates passive income and allows you to be creative, or you are looking for work you can do from home. Maybe you are a traveler and want to share your top tips for trekking with others, or you have years of business experience, a family grimoire full of spells that date back five centuries, or the best pie recipes.
Whatever is behind your desire to publish, own it! You will have a much clearer path for the future of your business to follow when you do.
Understanding your “why” will also help you set your personal goals. Not everyone wants or needs to be a USA Today best-selling author. There are many online groups and forums, books, and sometimes even this magazine to make you believe that the goal is always to rapid release, get that orange ribbon on Amazon, and be a six-figure earner.
But the ultimate goal is always whatever will answer your personal “why.”
I have realized in my time as an author that the most meaningful reward I can receive is a review that says someone enjoyed my book and can’t wait for the next one. When I am struggling to maintain my mojo, those are the positive messages I seek out to get me back in the mood.
Don’t get me wrong, I love an Amazon orange ribbon as much as the next person. It makes for a lovely screenshot for my social media account. And the corresponding sales please my bank manager. However, those things do not motivate me to continue.
I ask myself all the time, “If I won the lottery, would I still want to write?” And after a few sniggers to myself that I would buy a tropical island first, book my favorite performer for a private concert, and hire a housekeeper, my answer is always a resounding “yes!” There would be less pressure to write every day, but I would be back at my desk before long.
What would you do if you won the lottery? There is no wrong answer.
If your “why” is to retire early, then, of course, you would be likely to quit writing. But that’s good to know. In that case, think about how much you would have to win to do that, and set that figure as the goal for your books to achieve instead. Because let’s face it: What are the chances you’ll win the lottery?
Much better to know your “why,” carve out a plan, and reach that goal on your own.
Happy writing,
Susan
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Susan Odev is the co-author of the Mike Atwell Cozy Mystery series and several other successful whodunnits involving vicars, Shakespeare, and suspicious cake. A lifelong list-maker, deadline-dodger, and one-woman writing retreat (complete with dog), she wrote her first best-selling nonfiction book in 2010. She lives in Kent. England, dreams of the Portuguese hills, occasionally tidies her desk, and is always five minutes late for her own ideas. Susan has written for numerous magazines, spoken at international conferences, and contributed to workshops on a range of personal development topics, and yet can still get lost in her own bathroom.
