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Ten things I wish I’d known before becoming a writer

  • 1) That I would have to be a business person and help to market my books as well as writing them.
  • 2) That there would be only a few main line publishers left and fewer opportunities to publish with them. That even if successfully published by them you would be still be expected to help market the books.
  • 3) That self-publishing would be considered an acceptable option, often preferable to traditional publishing because of the autonomy it provides.
  • 4) That self-publishing through a company such as Clink Street Publishing is a respected route to self-publishing, very different from discredited Vanity Publishing.
  • 5) The importance of deciding on a potential readership before starting a novel, focusing on targeting a particular demographic group. The realisation that literary writing is not necessarily incompatible with genre writing.
  • 6) The importance of building a fan base of readers interested in my work and my next book.
  • 7) The importance of raising an online presence through keeping my website up to date, writing blogs and engaging with other bloggers and writers.
  • 8) The importance of time management – allotting time for affiliated writing pursuits as well as novel writing: the importance of becoming accustomed to multi-tasking.
  • 9) The importance of social media in the raising of my profile as a writer, such as Twitter, Facebook etc.
  • 10) The importance of engaging with other writers for support and advice, for example through community groups on Linked In, Goodreads, Amazon and organisations such as the Alliance of Independent Authors.

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