The Writing Newcomer | Norma L. Brumbaugh

FOR THE NEWBIE AUTHOR | Learn as You Go

A Few Hits & Misses I Experienced in Learning the Writing Business

INTRODUCTION: Lessons to learn as a newbie author who is still in the trenches striving to “get there.”
ABOUT ME: In order to begin my writing business, I prepare to leave my primary day job as a teacher-reading specialist, and I make plans to continue on with my secondary employment as a walnut grower as a way to support this endeavor.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a deep-pockets big spender nor an ego-driven self-promoter, so I just sort of plod along for the first two years. I take an early retirement from my professional career to become a writer. Everything shifts with this major change of direction.
RESUME: Hard working writer, self-motivated author, concept-driven messenger, intentional purposed individual.

* * *

YEAR 1 – JUMP IN WITH TWO FEET FIRST—It’s 2012 – I write my book, The Meeting Place: Moments With God At Lookout Point. I publish it through a vanity publisher and in the process learn much about writing, editing and formulating a book. It costs much more than I originally anticipate.

Hit – I get a nice book that I am pleased with, proud of, and represents what I want it to say. The publisher is easy to work with and respectful of me as a new author. That’s what I’m paying for, right?
Hit – I get a nice Press Release for my book.
Hit – I learn book writing straight-out-of-the-shoot.
Hit – I learn that I really love, love, love, and, did I say, love writing. I find that my readers like my style of writing and identify with my message. Through resources, diligence and perseverance, I begin to acquire and develop essential elements needed for the craft of writing.

Miss – My author WordPress site is not working well which causes frustration and embarrassment. It is a waste of time, effort, and expense on a blog site tied to the book publisher. I soon realize I need an independent site.
Miss – Inexperience. I learn the hard way. I don’t know what I am doing, but I am hard at it and with very little coaching to help me.
Miss – I take a hard look at my book. I’m curious if it is overpriced or if it’s something else? Could it be that its title, book cover, or cover wording doesn’t jive with the reader? (although I like it and the publisher used my photos) I realize it’s unlikely to sell until I publish one or more books. I increasingly am realizing that you have to create interest before people will buy your book.
Miss – I spend an unreasonable amount on marketing and services. Hindsight? I wish I had known more about vanity publishers.

YEAR 2 – LEARN THE ROPES – It’s 2013 – I take a book marketing course from Marketing Wizard, D’Vorah Lansky, Book Marketing Made Easy. I become familiar with other marketing gurus. I find great resources from Christian leaders in the field, Heather Hart and Shelley Hitz, Training Authors for Success. I participate in a Christian book launch team with Jo Ann Fore, When a Woman Finds Her Voice. I pay attention.

Hit – I discover great information and an excellent community of helpers and learners in the writing field.
Hit – Increase in “brand” awareness helps me focus and establish my own aim and purpose.
Hit – Super contacts through a book launch community in my venue of Christian bloggers, offers connection with writers and overcomers. They encourage me in my writing.
Hit – I find, follow, and add to my repertoire of excellent blogs and resources designed for the indie writer. Through this, I learn some of what’s out there regarding details about writing, and, in particular, the red flags . . . what to avoid.
Hit – I join a Christian proofreading and editing group, The Christian Pen, to begin taking coursework to increase my knowledge and hone my skill.

Miss – No support teckie person is in my corner and a limited number of book sales decrease leverage to improve this dynamic. I find myself just plugging away as a self-starter, self-learner.
Miss – It’s an expensive business until one gets their writing groove on. I learn to only bite what I can chew and to not purchase as many of the next “opportunity” until I view or learn the last one purchased. I learn to moderate my activities, plan my writing endeavors, and to limit my purchases according to practical need.
Miss – Sadly, I don’t get my second book published and abandon it half way into the year expecting to return to it. I find I spend all my time learning and blogging but not enough time finishing my book.

YEAR 3 – GETTING SAVVY – It’s 2014 – I write all year to compile the material for three books, two booklets, and one mini-book of devotionals. I learn about e-books, book covers, graphics, and about people who will help me to do this well: Michael Hyatt-Intentional Leadership (Platform University), Joel Friedlander-The Book Designer, Jeff Goins – Goins, Writer, Jeff Walker – Product Launch Formula, and the informative blog, Writer Beware. I begin to develop a united front in my brand by offering personal and learned spiritual reflections through my nlbrumbaugh site, Live a Transformed Life. Through one of my contacts, I am invited to join an active GoodReads Christian group of reviewers. I learn, learn, learn, and learn some more.

Hit – I write and formulate the content for three books, two booklets and a one week set of devotionals, and spend lots of time and effort in my writing. I test the books on friends with a positive read-out. Still work to do, the finishing edits, but I’m feeling good about it: hours, hours, hours, and, did I say, hours of time but it’s worth it.
Hit – A GoodReads group of Christian authors offers indie author contacts and nets a few reviews. A real plus. It’s a fantastic opportunity to help other indie authors improve their craft, and I get to wear my “teacher” hat to help others zero in on book writing issues.
Hit – I force myself to improve time management in-order to finish my books. I drop some of the daily blog following and extra reading activities in an effort to capture blocks of time. I streamline my efforts and productivity.
Hit – Return to balance. I venture outside of my “cave” by taking on outside activities such as leading, teaching, and connecting with others.
Hit – Happily, I drop my WordPress site to begin a new one. I also drop my “Meridian Woman” Twitter site and all social names associated with me unless associated with my pen name which is my brand name. My new Word Press and Twitter sites reflect my brand name, nlbrumbaugh.com and @nlbrumbaugh , as I determine to streamline my effort big-time.
Hit – I begin following and responding with comments in forums where I want to be active and become a known entity. I find, track, and interact with a Christian agency that I respect and hope to do business with at Books & Such Literary Agency.
Hit – Re-purposing my unpublished booklets into blog material provides a way to put-it-out-there, to show what I have to offer, and to establish a following. In time, these will become e-books, and one will be offered as a freebie to increase an email list.
Hit – This is a big one. I am becoming credible and known as an authority in my genre. This is suh-weee-tt.

Miss – Still no tech support and find myself trying to figure out how to make my WordPress site function well. Son 2 helps me out . . . but he has his own life, a mom can’t call in too many favors!
Miss – Buy Scrivener – but haven’t learned it, yet. (But I’m going to.)
Miss – Join Platform University – but haven’t accessed its content or become an active member, yet. (But I’m going to.)
Miss – Haven’t hired an editor or agent, yet. Working on it. I send out a book query. No response, yet. (But I’m going to)

YEAR 4 – GETTING THERE – It’s 2015 – I start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I join another book launch team for Mary DeMuth, a well-respected Christian author in my genre. I figure out how to make Mail Chimp work for me (pretty much?!). Excellent reviews so far on the book I have almost ready for publication, and, by the end of 2015, my five books will be published or close to it even if I have to do them myself through CreateSpace, which is a very real, and good, possibility.

RESPECT IS EARNED. Reputation is established. The two, in some ways, are inseparable. Decisions and opportunities can, or will, undermine or promote the effort to establish one’s voice in a credible way. Every step touches the next step. It pays to be mindful.

Be Sociable, Share!