#1 - The Top Reason Authors Fail to Succeed
The problem with finding success in the book industry, whether as an author or book publisher, is due to the fact that many of us cannot see past ourselves. Because it is difficult to see past our perception and experiences, we are blind to the strategies and amount of sheer effort it takes to reach our goal. It is as if we are the main characters in our own movie. We cannot fail, we cannot die, and in the end, regardless of the situations and conflicts that come our way, we will be victorious in the end because that is how the script is written. Nothing can be further from the truth. All one has to do is perform a quick Google search about traditional and indie authors and discover the daunting odds of making it.
For traditional authors, the process is grueling. Without an agent, authors must face the slush pile at publishing houses in which their beautiful baby of words is glanced at for a minute (if you’re lucky) and then (more often than not) cast aside like a newborn in the movie 300. If they survive the slush pile, there is still a long assembly line of editors, evaluators and gatekeepers that have seen and heard variations of your story or memoir before. With an agent, the chances get a little better, but the process is still long and arduous, and for most at the end of the table? What is gained? Royalties that end up somewhere between 10-15%, hardly enough to make a living off a book that some authors have spent years crafting. To even make a profit on their creation, an incredible amount of copies need to be sold.
Ah, then let me self-publish, I hear you say. 70% royalties are far better. However, one does not realize that the team a publishing house has behind it has now been bestowed upon you alone. It is not just writing anymore. It’s editing, formatting, cover design, keywords, categories, market research, publication, fine-tuning, marketing, marketing, marketing, and did I mention marketing? Then there are countless other authors in the same ocean.
Actually, let me back up.
The number of authors trying to succeed like you are…is the ocean, and you are a sinking boat, trying to make it to land where accolades and riches lay.
Daunting, indeed.
However, knowledge is power. Ironically, by taking on the mindset that you are not special, you are already ahead of most authors. It is because you are able to take a hard look at your manuscript and think to yourself: how do I make it better? Instead of: this is an instant bestseller and the greatest thing I’ve ever heard of. By being humble, you are able to see past the promised glamour and give your book the care it needs. You are willing to put the work in. You’re more willing to “kill your darlings,” and pivot when mistakes or made.
In short, what I’m able to say next could be the best thing for your writing career:
“You’re not special.”
Now, get to work 😊
