The Next Big Thing
No one truly knows what is going to be the
next big seller that will bring you fame and fortune. I must admit that there are authors who present
themselves as having the key to success or touts themselves as the gurus or foremost
authority on the quickest, easiest, and tried and true method of becoming a
bestselling
author. But, in any and all cases, what
you wish to write about (or the subject that is dear to your heart) isn’t on
the top of the list. In other words, Your efforts is to feed the masses first,
cause attention to yourself second, tout yourself as a possible expert (with little
knowledge on the actual subject) third, be seen as a giving and concerned
author to everyone you come in contact with next, and the list goes on.
Somewhere far down on the list is to write a book on what sparked your desire
to become an author in the first place. These
are my TOP FOUR things that I had found each of the “experts” say are essential, (the Fifth on this list is mine).
#1. Research .
#2. Promote yourself.
#3. Consistency.
#4. Perseverance.
#5. Luck.
#2. Promote yourself.
#3. Consistency.
#4. Perseverance.
#5. Luck.
Research!
The first obstacle in becoming the next big thing is to research for a hot topic. The internet, local bookstores, and even the Public Library are great places to research what topics are in demand (for the moment). Actually, the public Library should be the first choice on your list, bookstore second, and the internet next. You can actually combined Research and Promoting yourself at the same time. I have yet to run into a librarian who wasn’t extremely helpful. Not only can they point you to books that will help you structure and focus your research, they are a wealth of information on the most popular titles they just can’t keep on their shelves. Like the Librarian, bookstore employees fall in the same category of a good source of information and opportunity to promote yourself. Think about it. When have you ever walked into a book store and the employees aren’t reading a book, or have a book that they are reading next to them. What is one question that is most asked to a book store employees? I’m looking for something good to read, do you have any suggestions? Meet them, talk to them, ask them, and stop by to let them know about your “Free Download” or “Give them a FREE COPY of your book to share with each other!” You may have a bit of LUCK and the manager/owner my order a few copies to make some money and ask if you would consider doing a book signing in their store, (TIME TO HIT YOUR LOCAL PAPER-RADIO- AND THE INTERNET TO TELL THE WORLD). Another excellent place for research on popular topics that are selling like gangbusters is any website that sells books. I know this seem like a no brainer, but unless you focus your search to a short list of particular topics, you will get overwhelmed quickly and it may cause you to give up before you start.
The first obstacle in becoming the next big thing is to research for a hot topic. The internet, local bookstores, and even the Public Library are great places to research what topics are in demand (for the moment). Actually, the public Library should be the first choice on your list, bookstore second, and the internet next. You can actually combined Research and Promoting yourself at the same time. I have yet to run into a librarian who wasn’t extremely helpful. Not only can they point you to books that will help you structure and focus your research, they are a wealth of information on the most popular titles they just can’t keep on their shelves. Like the Librarian, bookstore employees fall in the same category of a good source of information and opportunity to promote yourself. Think about it. When have you ever walked into a book store and the employees aren’t reading a book, or have a book that they are reading next to them. What is one question that is most asked to a book store employees? I’m looking for something good to read, do you have any suggestions? Meet them, talk to them, ask them, and stop by to let them know about your “Free Download” or “Give them a FREE COPY of your book to share with each other!” You may have a bit of LUCK and the manager/owner my order a few copies to make some money and ask if you would consider doing a book signing in their store, (TIME TO HIT YOUR LOCAL PAPER-RADIO- AND THE INTERNET TO TELL THE WORLD). Another excellent place for research on popular topics that are selling like gangbusters is any website that sells books. I know this seem like a no brainer, but unless you focus your search to a short list of particular topics, you will get overwhelmed quickly and it may cause you to give up before you start.
Promote Yourself!
This is the one subject that there are no right or wrong roads to take. Far from me being the expert on this subject (disclaimer) having a stable place(s) for people to reach out at find you, follow you, (and in most cases) contact you, is very important in promoting yourself. Joining websites that are tailored to readers and author’s interaction is also a good road to follow. When possible, offer something to the people who support you or want to support you. Build a network of people who can help you and you can help them as well. Think about it. If I have 100 followers and another author has 100 followers and he feature your book on his site and you do the same on yours, 200 people now know about each of you. If you multiply that number by more authors, Blog host, and your membership to readers and authors’ websites, it’s not a bad way to promote yourself.
This is the one subject that there are no right or wrong roads to take. Far from me being the expert on this subject (disclaimer) having a stable place(s) for people to reach out at find you, follow you, (and in most cases) contact you, is very important in promoting yourself. Joining websites that are tailored to readers and author’s interaction is also a good road to follow. When possible, offer something to the people who support you or want to support you. Build a network of people who can help you and you can help them as well. Think about it. If I have 100 followers and another author has 100 followers and he feature your book on his site and you do the same on yours, 200 people now know about each of you. If you multiply that number by more authors, Blog host, and your membership to readers and authors’ websites, it’s not a bad way to promote yourself.
Consistency.
If you want to grow a following, get your name out to untold numbers, and show your sincerity to those who follow you, you must be consistent. If you have a web site or a blog, is a member of a writer’s multimedia community (i.e.; multiple websites, podcast, & and video blog channels), you must be consistent and produce good content, be assessable to your readership, and support those who support you by keeping your promises, on the day you had promised, and at a level of professionalism that is expected. This is very important and I believe in practicing what I preach (at lease I’m going to do my best to Get-Err-done!)
If you want to grow a following, get your name out to untold numbers, and show your sincerity to those who follow you, you must be consistent. If you have a web site or a blog, is a member of a writer’s multimedia community (i.e.; multiple websites, podcast, & and video blog channels), you must be consistent and produce good content, be assessable to your readership, and support those who support you by keeping your promises, on the day you had promised, and at a level of professionalism that is expected. This is very important and I believe in practicing what I preach (at lease I’m going to do my best to Get-Err-done!)
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Perseverance.
Can it happen overnight? Can you become one of the top literary players within a blink of an eye? Can you sell more books then you could ever imagine instantly? One of my more memorable lines from one of my books (Almost Married) couldn’t spell this out any clearer.
Can it happen overnight? Can you become one of the top literary players within a blink of an eye? Can you sell more books then you could ever imagine instantly? One of my more memorable lines from one of my books (Almost Married) couldn’t spell this out any clearer.
“Hi. My name is Jonathan (Snap) Winston and I had become the
hottest music artist in the world overnight, and it only took me five years to
do it.”
In my humble opinion (disclaimer), anything that can be built quickly can be destroyed
just as fast. On the other side of that bit of gloom and doom, is that slow and
steady has more meaning for lifetimes beyond what can be imagined. I believe we
are still reading and seeing J.R. Token’s work, Stan Lee still makes us all feel
like superheroes, and fans of Gene Roddenberry and George Lucas will be slugging
it out long after the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 (Constitution class) and Millennium
Falcon (the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy) both become realities. [Did some research- Don’t want to piss off
either side.] I think I read something about regular (rich) people booking seats for a ride into space. To make this as
simple as possible, it happens when it happens and not one moment before so
just keep going and do all that you can and it will happen. It might not be as
big as you had dreamed, but the dream begins when you publish and it never ends
because you are published. Keep it moving and don’t stop.
Luck!
Never let anyone tell you that luck (and prayer-in your own way) doesn’t play a part. It is strange to hear someone say that they always knew that this person or that person was special. What special is that they always say that after the fact and had seldom given encouragement? But as with luck, you can always use it when you least expect it. No one head is so large that they can honestly say they knew or they had always known or it was impossible not to know that… It was all Luck in one form or another. The reason why I have LUCK as the last of my topics to the road to success is simple; everyone has a bit of Luck within them. The only question you should ask yourself is will you share it when it’s in your hand? Believe you me, someone has or will pass it your way, will you pass it on?
Thank you for
your support and reading the first week’s Wednesday’s Tea. SD Tracy Harper
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