Invest in Yourself
By Sharon Bially | December 10, 2011 |
Not so long ago, “being a writer” might have cost us our sanity, consumed countless hours each day and caused us to opt out of paying jobs, but it didn’t actually require spending money.
Those days are over.
A veritable writing industry has emerged in the wake of the digital revolution, complete with webinars, seminars, conferences and manuscript consultations available to all — for a fee. Amid today’s fierce competition, writers with professional aspirations know how important it is to partake in these. Regularly.
At the same time, we all know that authors are becoming increasingly responsible for most or all of their publicity expenses. With advances shrinking, too, that means emptying pockets, dipping into savings.
And with the rise of e-books and easy self-publishing, all writers have the opportunity to reach large audiences directly. But building the awareness it takes to reach them, and appealing to them with a respectable level of professionalism, requires cash.
Yet somehow, the gritty, romantic notion of pinching pennies while quietly scratching out our drafts, of using advances to fix leaky roofs or pay off credit card balances then doing everything from building web sites to pitching the media by ourselves, continues to shape many writers’ choices. We ask friends to copy-edit our manuscripts. We design our own book covers. And publicity? Forget it. Once the book is out, we tweet about it, do a few book club events, contact a local paper, cross our fingers and start writing something new.
But those of us who truly want to establish a niche as an author and give our books a fighting chance to sell MUST come to terms with the fact that in this day and age, none of it will happen without some sort of monetary investment.
I know it sounds terrifying. It’s difficult enough to forgo an income and make other sacrifices for the sake of writing. But to justify spending money on it, too? Especially when the payoff in dollar terms can be slim?
Well, just look at the flip side: How can anyone justify making so many sacrifices without giving their efforts every possible chance to succeed?
In today’s environment, this means letting go of the anxiety- and doubt-driven impulse to cut costs by doing everything ourselves (or not doing it at all), and hiring professionals where appropriate who’ll help us do things right and put our very best foot forward.
Of course, like with any investment there’s a risk. But remember: most investments yield the best results over time. Awareness built today is the foundation for a growing readership tomorrow. Buzz is often quiet at first but it feeds upon itself. A reputation is built one review and one impressed reader at a time.
Not to mention that when you invest in yourself as a writer, things happen. Taking a risk, going out on a limb, creates a whole new sense of commitment and accountability. A new sort of momentum with the potential to open unexpected doors kicks in.
Recently, a client told me she’d decided to invest in my PR services above all to “honor” her book. To me, this speaks volumes about her belief in herself as a writer, her devotion to the writing path and her chances of carving out a place for herself in readers’ hearts.
Sure, some people don’t aspire to share their work beyond their circle of family and friends. In that case, it’s probably not necessary to spend anything other than time. But for those who do hope to carve out a place in readers’ hearts more broadly, expenses for services like publicity, manuscript consultations, editing and design MUST be factored into those “writing life” plans.
For if we don’t believe in our work enough to invest in it and honor it this way, who will?
Sharon Bially (@SharonBially) is the founder and president of BookSavvy PR, a public relations firm devoted to authors and books. Author of the novel Veronica’s Nap, she’s a member of the Director’s Circle at Grub Street, Inc., the nation’s largest independent writing center, and writes occasionally for the Grub Street Daily.
‘Bootstrap’ advice of the best kind. So true. Otherwise, we create our babies to sit, unnoticed, on the digital shelves. Gotta go raise the flag even if it requires more than free Tweets.
Thanks for sharing this: In today’s environment, this means letting go of the anxiety- and doubt-driven impulse to cut costs by doing everything ourselves (or not doing it at all), and hiring professionals where appropriate who’ll help us do things right and put our very best foot forward.
We can’t do it all and it’s good to evaluate where we need professional help. Plus, I love your clients thought to “honor” her book. I do have a question.
As we build our platform, etc., when do you make the jump to the investment? For example, I use Blogger for a blog, but question when I should invest in a hosted site, etc. I’m still writing my book. No manuscript about to be published. Perhaps investing the money in a site would motivate me to finish and see if I could get a return on that investment.
I love the phrase, “to honor the book.” I’m willing to invest, and am planning on being in this for the long haul. I hired WU community member Cathy Yardley’s editing services, and told her that more than anything else I wanted to do the book justice, to make it all my heart tells me it can be. I found that investment to be so worthwhile, but I know it doesn’t end there. Nothing worth attaining is easy or free, and rarely comes quickly. Spot on observations, Sharon!
Thanks, Sharon. I would only add it’s important to invest in the right resources. I’ve found a good book editor and a graphic designer are worth the investment. I’m not so sure about PR firms that promise results. It’s also good to keep in mind you can barter with other trusted writers to exchange drafts. Great advice, as usual.
It’s a big ole world out there and I recognize the chaotic way isn’t always the best way, but finding that balance is difficult. Every “success story” out there has a different view of how they “made it” thus adding to all the confusion to writers! I do the best I can, but know I can do better.
Good informative post, thank you!
“How can anyone justify making so many sacrifices without giving their efforts every possible chance to succeed?”
Exactly! I think I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: even Nora Roberts says she sets aside 10% of every advance to promote her own work. For those of us who don’t have the advantage of advances, it’s still worth crunching some numbers to see what kind of an investment we can make to help our books succeed.
There are other kinds of investments besides money, too. Time is a major one. I would argue that confidence is another. There’s no point trying to be a writer if you’re not going to put in the hours and believe in yourself.
Great post!
I’ve been really impressed with the writing community at large and how open it is with sharing information, resources, and knowledge. The sheer number of blogs from agents and editors is astounding, not to mention sites like Writer Unboxed. I have to be honest and though and admit that other than books on the craft of writing, and one self editing class (Before You Hit Send, by Angela James) I haven’t spent a lot of money on resources. I’m still pouring my way through the free or very inexpensive – but also agree that professional development is vital in any area.
I think it’s important to take it one step at a time. For some writers, just acknowledging that they write to a wider community will be a big step. For others, blogging and tweeting (the beginnings of a platform) will be all-consuming and then there’s the final step. Taking serious steps to make sure your little book baby doesn’t sit untended and forlorn.
Such thoughtful comments! Thanks, all.
Stacy – it sounds like it’s too early for you to begin investing in anything platform-related.
As Johanna points out, it’s good to take things one step at a time. During the more introverted stage of drafting and finding your voice, classes, seminars and consultations are probably the smartest thing to spend any money on.
CG – Absolutely. I wanted to fit something about how to determine which the “right” resources are for each individual, but it just seemed like a whole other blog post topic. Maybe I’ll write it at some point! And as for PR firms promising results, “promise” is a pretty big word but I don’t think it would be right for any PR firm to take on a project without a pretty high degree of certainty that they can generate a level of results commensurate with the compensation. Personally, I’d never take on a client if I thought my efforts would come up more or less dry. Nor would I suggest that a client sign up for a project whose scope doesn’t match the scope of possible results for his or her book. It’s important to be realistic from the get go.
:-)
I have been writing myself for years (as a blogger) trying to make a steady income. Man is it hard. I totally agree with Shannon, that you have to be “realistic from the get go”. I think the hardest part is knowing what to expect. Of course everyone wants make money through their writing,but figuring out your own special sauce is quite a different thing. all the best..
I read this post with a sinking heart. Though I guess I should consider it a wake-up call.
I literally have no money to invest in my writing. I have plenty of time. I have talent. I have desire. I have no money. So, it seems self-publishing will not work for me.
The only way my novels will have a chance is to get them published by a traditional publisher or small press who can supply the missing ingredient.
Agree agree agree, with all of this! Can’t believe I was all about doing my own website a few short months ago. (?!) I thought I’d take a one hour primer at the apple store and be good to go. The one investment I continue to drag my feet about making: paying for child care to have more time to write, promote, etc. Three mornings of preschool don’t provide enough hours to build a career.
Linda – I hear ya. And believe me, I can relate. But two things: first, be aware that this is not just about self-publishing: traditional publishers are no longer offering most authors the funds they need to do pretty much anything except design, print and get initial distribution for the book. And I am hearing of more and more new arrangements traditional publishers are making, such as profit-sharing. (No advance, just a share of the profits. This means the author has to work extra-hard to generate some!)
Second, I do believe that where there’s a will there’s a way, and when the time comes for you to choose one or two smart investments in your work, you’ll do what it takes. I’ve chosen to work. I have a flexible job that both pays bills, covers writing expenses and allows time to write when I play my cards right (which granted doesn’t always happen!) Not to mention that it helps keep the peace with my husband! It’s the eternal time v. money tradeoff.
Mari, that childcare dilemma is a huge one. I actually meant to include it in this post as something to potentially invest in and forgot. Of course there’s no right answer, but my own choice for dealing with it when my kids were really little was same as above: I chose to work in order to finance my writing time. I got a part-time job, which paid for a good chunk of full-day daycare, and then I wrote on the days or afternoons when I wasn’t at work. This choice is super-personal, though, since it can be so hard to take that mental step of committing to being separated from young kids that way. In my own case, it was the only way I managed to stay sane, since when I was home with the kids I was too frustrated to be the mom they deserved, and when I was on that day job I was too busy to think about the rest of it. :-) It also turned out to be a good investment in my family’s solvency, since it kept me in the workforce with current skills, which we wound up needing.
But, Sharon, if you have a limited budget, it would be better to have it all to spend on promoting/marketing rather than on things like cover and layout design, ISBNs, expanded distribution, right?
Of course, the big hurdle is getting a publishing deal in the first place.
Hi!
As writers we do what we have to. Thanks for posting this, it’s somewhat of a reality check.
Thanks,
Savannna
MyForgottenPen (A Progressive Writing Guide)
Hear, hear!
Great article! I feel that anything you love that much must be invested in. You owe it to yourself and your gifts.
Investments can come in varying flavors. It may mean hiring a coach, cover artist, or editor. It also means investing in productive relationships that foster growth and development. There are also tons of free ways to get around some of these monetary costs – but they do cost you time. (unfortunate trade-off)
One problem I see again and again is artists who don’t really know what they want to achieve. Too much time, energy, and money is wasted when there is no plan in place. I always tell my artists clients to clarify their ‘why’ before investing in a service or product that may ultimately be a bad fit.
Thank you again!
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