Do you have the mindset that it takes to shift from I wrote a book to I can sell a book?
When I tell people that I am a professional editor, their eyebrows hike up their forehead a few inches and they jump into a dissertation on the book they are writing. The aspiring author recites their lengthy elevator pitch, ending with a hopeful expression that I will affirm it will be a hit. My next question usually knocks the eyebrows and pitch of their voice down a few notches. I ask how long they have been writing their book. After a slight pause, I get an answer like, “Well, I have been writing it for a few years.”
I will admit that I too have been writing a book for a few years.
I know. I know. I am an editor for self-published authors. My job is to motivate and encourage improvement and a never-say-die attitude. My business depends on authors who finish the book. However, there are a vast number of authors who never finish. Ever.
Finishing a Book is a Feat
Last week, I published a wonderful book that took a great deal of work on both her and my parts, and when we uploaded the book and discussed the launch, I congratulated her on the accomplishment. She was slightly taken aback and asked why it would be considered such an accomplishment. I had to remind her that even with the millions of books that are published each year, it is still rare that a writer finishes a book to such a degree that it is a quality finished product and published.
Using A.I. to Cheat or Using A.I. as a Tool
I feel the need to insert a little caveat about A.I. There are many people out there “cheating” the system by having AI write their book and just publishing that crap on whatever self-publishing software they can get their hands on. I said it and I am not taking it back; it’s crap!
A.I. has a purpose. I use it myself for many tasks. It is a tool for generating ideas, getting unstuck, or editing. However, if you think that A.I. will ever oust a human, you are mistaken. I have had many authors hand me a document that A.I. wrote and it is robbed of any personality and lacks the spirit that humans inject into their work. The purpose of writing is to sway hearts and touch individuals to help shape the future. A book that is written for no other purpose than to put words on a page will fade into nothing because it fails to leave the lasting spirit that is shared between two individuals, mutually experiencing a life-altering moment in a book.
My advice: If you are writing a book to fill pages, then admit that is what you are doing; you are not a writer unless you are writing that book yourself. Be honest with yourself and others.
If you are writing a book (sans A.I.), don’t close your mind to the idea of using A.I. to help clean things up or speed you along, but don’t rely on it to take over. Learn more about revising, in “Don’t Fear the Trash Can – Learn to Love Re-Visioning!” Remember that your brain and perspective are far more valuable than anything artificial.
Your WHY Will Carry You
The next question is the purpose of your book or your reason for writing. Some of you are doing it for a side hustle or to add or elevate your expertise or authority in your field; others believe that writing a book is your destiny. Whatever your book’s purpose, you, the author, need to establish motivation and build the fortitude to shift from a writer to a business owner.
When Troy and I had our conversation, I admit that I forced myself to reflect on my writing journey. I wondered what was stunting my progress or keeping me from finishing this dang book. Every author on a publishing journey should evaluate their purpose and their goals. Your WHY will carry you through difficult days that you are sure to have.
Pros Talking Prose Veers Off-Topic
While getting ready to discuss our next topic on pros talking pros, Troy and I dove down a little rant and touched on some of those reasons that authors finish and don’t finish. We even mention why some authors can write but not shift into the selling portion of an author’s business.
So, I decided to take that bit of banter from our video and put it in its mini-episode. I hope that it helps you understand what it might take to decide whether you are ready to finish that project. I know that it helped me understand if I wanted to or not.
Video Description:
In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, you can be the fly on the wall of a thought-provoking discussion. Listen as Troy and Stacey take a side road and discuss the eternal struggle of writers to finish what they start. In this video, we delve into the mindset shift required to transition from a writer to a successful author. Are you ready to take the leap and commit to making writing a part of your everyday life? By the end of this video, you’ll have a clearer understanding of what it takes to embrace the determination and discipline needed to become a true author. Are you destined to be a prolific writer or are you content with being a hobbyist? Let’s find out together in this eye-opening and witty conversation!
Who are these strange humans who call themselves the pros?
Meet Stacey Smekofske, your very own literary sherpa. She’s not only a freelance full-service editor, but also a publishing coach—think of her as the Mr. Miyagi to your Karate Kid, but with better grammar. You can find her waxing on and off at EditsByStacey.com. And who’s that dressed as a Star Trek fan in the corner? It’s Troy Lambert! Author, editor, ghostwriter, publisher, plot doctor, and book coach. This man plays more parts than Eddie Murphy in The Nutty Professor, “Hercules, Hercules, Hercules.” Need someone to revive your manuscript? Troy’s your fixer. He is like the bookish version of Montgomery Scott capable of repairing the warp drive on your plot by giving it all he’s got, Captain. Beam up to his world at TroyLambertWrites.com, and learn how to be a better writer. Here is the link to the video on YouTube.
