Being an author today can be exhilarating and overwhelming. There are so many publishing options, tools, and marketing strategies to choose from, it may be hard to decide which is right for you. With the freedom to choose also comes… a flood of advice. Some is good. Some is awful. And some can be downright damaging.
I am calling out the worst advice authors hear over and over again, why it’s wrong, and what to do instead.
If you want the unfiltered, behind-the-scenes conversation on this topic. We just dropped a new podcast episode of Pros Talking Prose, where Troy Lambert (the Plot Dude) and I spill the tea on the bad advice authors are getting.
I have written about Good vs. Bad Advice for Authors before, but I felt I needed to update the information. So you will get the top two or three for each category below.
Bad Writing Advice
“You Must Write Every Single Day to be a Real Writer”
WRONG! While consistency is great, life happens—and burnout is real. What matters is progress, not perfection.
“You Need a Completely Original Idea—Everything Else is Plagiarism.”
NOPE! The reality is that stories always borrow from existing tropes. In fact, those tropes allow your stories to be relatable and feel like something your reader can relate to or connect with. Don’t be afraid of tropes or “borrowing ideas.” You still have a lens and perspective that is unique to you and your writing style. You will tell the story in your own way.
“Don’t Ever Use Adverbs”
Let’s be real, that advice is oversimplified, misleading, and—ironically—poorly worded. The myth stems from a well-meaning place. Writers are often told to “show, not tell” and to use stronger verbs rather than relying on adverbs to prop up weaker ones. But that doesn’t mean ALL adverbs are evil.
Adverbs are a valid part of language and they can clarify and create rhythm. The key is not to ban them but to use them with purpose.
Bad Publishing Advice
“You Have to Get Traditionally Published to be Taken Seriously”
ABSOLUTELY NOT! Indie and hybrid publishing are legitimate, profitable paths that give you full control over your book and business.
If you aren’t sure which path is right for your project, check out Paper Trail, my free M.A.P. to help you discover your ideal publishing route based on your goals, resources, and vision for success. It’s FREE, FAST, and insightful.
“You Can Skip Editing if You Use Grammarly”
YIKES! Editing software is a helpful starting point—not a substitute for human expertise. Even seasoned authors need professional eyes on their manuscripts.
Bad Marketing Advice
“A Good Book Will Sell Itself”
Tell that to thousands of AMAZING books that no one ever found or sees. Marketing is part of the author’s job description, no matter the publishing path. PERIOD!
“Only Market Your Book AFTER it’s Published”
UH, NO! If you plan to publish with a traditional publisher or find an agent, you know that this advice is garbage. You have to have to build an author platform before they will even consider you. So if you are in the middle of writing a book, start telling people about it NOW!
Do you need help wrapping your brain around the myriad of tasks and responsibilities that an author has to take on when tackling their marketing and business approaches? Join me at the next FREE live webinar “From Author to Authorpreneur: Master the Business of Writing” and I will walk you through the three pillars of author success. You’ll get clear on where you are, where you want to go, and how to build a thriving author career beyond the book.
What to Do Instead
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, unsure who to trust or you’re piecing together advice from random sources, here’s what I recommend:
- Know your publishing personality. If you want to figure that out Try Paper Trail. It will help.
- Educate yourself on the industry. InPrint Academy is designed to help authors publish professionally and profitably regardless of their publishing path.
- Stay tuned to real talk. Subscribe to the Pros Talking Prose Podcast, where we cover what’s really working in publishing, writing, and marketing today.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to do it all, be everywhere, or follow outdated rules. Your author journey is yours to shape. Your job is to ensure you’re building a solid foundation of good advice, and optimal strategies, and they are aligned with your goals.
Have you heard a piece of terrible writing advice or publishing advice that you want to share? Drop it in the comments. I’d love to hear it.
Hello Stacey;
Thank you for including me in your posts!
In creating stories, I am ever mindful of the profound words Col. Frank Capra spoke at the AFI Institute in the early ’80’s:
“Believe in yourself, because only the valiant can create.
Only the daring should make film.
And only the morally just can ask people to sit in the dark and listen to them for two hours.”
There is a lot of ‘chatter’ out there about what to write, how to write, how to market. But only writers
produce the end product…….. a story.
Hope your son in the Marines is doing well. There are no awards for valor for the loved ones of
men and women who serve under oath,…..but there should be.
You are all close in thought and prayer.
Steve Dill