One Truth About Writers
We all daydream about writing full-time, becoming New York Times' best-selling authors, and sipping our spirit of choice at our favorite post-writing celebration spot. We are happy to write alone and we don't require much social interaction during this time.
But when we're starting out working toward our dreams, life is so different. If we want to get to our dreams, we have to put in the work now. It takes hard work to get to where we want to go. That includes selling our work to readers.
The truth is, while we want to devote all of our time to writing and living inside of our stories, writers are still in business. So, part of that time needs to be devoted to marketing ourselves. That isn't something a lot of writers think about when they start writing. But we have to know how to sell our work.
Do you dislike salespeople? Do you hate the idea of selling your work to people? Do you hate the idea of manipulating readers into buying your books?
Selling doesn't have to be that way. And it is a learned skill. Not born with selling skills? That's okay. We can learn them. As writers serious about selling our work, we're in business and we need to get good at selling. If you are failing to sell your books, it's because of a lack of skill, and that skill can be learned.
You and I know that to get readers interested in a story, we have to engage them. We have to interest them by planting plot twists, dropping hooks in our stories, and making sure our words drive the story along.
We already know that it takes a hint of hypnosis or entrancement to intrigue our readers with our stories. Getting readers to buy our books is no different. We have to think along those lines. It's not about manipulating readers into buying them; it's about getting them interested. The same goes for selling any other type of product or service. And if you truly believe that the stuff you're selling provides value, it's about getting them interested so they take the next step and receive the value that you offer.
If you think that you have to manipulate readers, get rid of that line of thinking now. Manipulation builds a wall between us and our prospects and customers, and it fails to build trust that is so important in today's world. We want readers to know, like, and trust us. If we manipulate them and they know about it, they won't be likely to continue the relationship. If a person only wants to be friends with you because you drive a car and he rides a bike, how long are you going to let the relationship last? You will probably pick up on the fact that he's only tolerating you because you will be able to bail him out every time he needs a ride.
You have to think of your book as a valuable product. Something from which your readers will receive value. How will your book impact their lives?
- It’s been a long time… - February 10, 2024
- Realizations About Tracking Progress - May 28, 2020
- Goal Setting & Productivity 101 - May 25, 2020