You’ve invested a large chunk of time in your story. You’ve edited, you’ve rewritten, and you’ve had countless hours of pleasure reading your creation. Now what do you do?
For many, the dream of becoming a published author dies with the final draft. However, for those blessed few who continue writing, the adventure doesn’t end there. There are numerous ways authors can continue promoting their work, generating sales, and expanding their audience – some more traditional than others.
Traditional
For decades, writers have turned to publishers – the traditional route – to help them get their work published. During this time, many have gotten lucky and found a home with a big five publisher or been picked up by a smaller press. While this may be the case for some, it doesn’t have to be. Even with less traditional means of distribution, there are ways to continue selling your work. For instance, you could self-publish through a platform like Kindle.
Self-Publishing
For those who don’t want to go through a publisher, the option of self-publishing presents itself.
The advantage of self-publishing is that you maintain total control over your product; the disadvantage is that you have to do all of the marketing and distribution yourself. Fortunately, this is a relatively simple task with platforms like Amazon that can take care of the heavy lifting for you. In exchange for taking on this responsibility, you can either set your price relatively low or offer the product at a discount. For more information on self-publishing, check out these helpful tips by SelfPubBook.com.
Traditional – Online
If you’ve been following the writing blog for awhile, you’ll know that we usually discuss self-publishing and online marketing separately. While many self-published authors enjoy the freedom of deciding their price and the amount of sales they make, traditional authors need a helping hand from the marketing department to ensure their books are discovered by the right audience. This can present a problem for those who want to continue writing and aren’t interested in taking on a side job to pay the bills.
Luckily, there are ways that traditional authors can have their cake and eat it too. Many platforms like Amazon allow authors to have their books both priced and tagged specifically for different audiences. For example, you could use a tool like FOCUS ($29/mo) to get feedback on your work, connect with potential readers, and allow you to track the sales of each individual book.
Seek Advices And Help From Professionals
Anyone who’s spent any amount of time in a creative field knows that advice and help from experienced professionals is invaluable. If you’ve been holding off on seeking out these experts until now, it’s time to change that. You’re not alone in the journey of writing a novel, and many people can and will help you along the way. Whether you decide to collaborate with other writers or take on a coach, you’re sure to find a willing and able mentor to share your knowledge and experience with.
Blogs, Q&As, And More
A blog, question and answer sites, and forums like Quora and Stack Exchange are just some of the more interactive ways that authors can promote their work or engage with potential readers. These platforms allow for a relatively high degree of interaction, which can translate to more engagement and, hopefully, more sales.
Many big-name authors, such as J.K. Rowling, have opted to participate in blogs to share their knowledge with the world or to provide readers with tips and tricks on how to write. These can and often do turn into very successful ways for authors to connect with potential fans and continue making sales. Additionally, some platforms, like Quora and Stack Exchange, offer premium membership tiers that allow for more interaction and even promote editors, proofreaders, and other professionals to engage with interested readers.
More Than Meets The Eye
If none of the above options feel right to you, that’s okay. You don’t have to choose just one way to continue writing. Instead, you can find a way that works best for you and continue exploring the exciting world of novel writing. Self-publishing, traditional publishing, or even finding a publisher may not be for you, but that doesn’t mean that none of the above will work. If you decide that you want to continue writing, take time to explore all of the different options that are out there.