Random Thoughts of a Writer

As a writer ...
What do you have to offer?
Are you an expert in that area?
If not, how do you make yourself credible to your readers?
Who is your target audience?
Do you have a fan base?
Are you published? Self published? Traditionally published?
How do I get people to purchase what I have to offer?
How am I supposed to stand out among all of the other authors out there?

If you are a famous actor, or actress, a politician, or are like those people who make the news mostly by breaking the law, you already have a leg up on the rest of us in becoming a successful author. This is a sad, but a true fact of life.

Most of us don't have that notoriety and we have to swim in shark infested waters of every other writer who wants to get noticed. We have to swim by the ships of large publishing houses who have the corner market on who they are going to publish and give those coveted contracts to with large advances to as they look over the bows of their ships into the ocean to see who stands out to them.

I have to laugh at that image. It kind of makes me want to step out of the water and and watch the fight instead of being part of it. More often then not I feel as if I'm just flailing in the deep water without a life preserver. It is easy to feel as if you are drowning when it comes to thinking about what is next in the publishing world.

Some authors are lucky, they are in the right place at the right time as the spotlight suddenly shines on them for what ever reason it was that got them noticed and they get the deal of a lifetime. Some have put in a lifetime of hard work, and others not so much.

In today's world, there are a lot of authors out there who make it by becoming Indie Authors. They make it by hard work, growing their audience and building their platform as a writer into something that can't be ignored and they didn't have any help, except by the loyal readers and followers they got by being persistent with dogged determination. Some of these authors are then picked up by the larger publishing houses, because they have proven that they can make it.)

It is fascinating to watch the way publishing has changed in the digital world. Anyone can publish their books now. Amazon has made it as easy as a click of a button and this has shifted the way people think about publishing.

Traditional vs Indie is the latest debate in the publishing world. What is better and how it is going to evolve. This is a million dollar question.

In the mean time as I write my heart out, I'll continue to become a better writer. I'll become an expert in what I write as I figure out my strengths so I can share them. I'll continue to expand and improve my platform.

I don't have the magic answer in becoming noticed, but I do know that it won't happen over night for most of us. We have to use our wits, keep up with the ever changing publishing world and try to take advantage of everything that we learn as we try to make our mark on the world.

I know that consistency and hard work will win out in the end. This will keep our loyal fan-base of supporters and readers behind us as we courageously move forward. Remember to keep your head up in this never ending ocean of possibilities.

We are after all writers and writers don't ever give up.