As a writer, it feels like you need to wear a dozen hats
To succeed in today’s publishing market, it feels like you not only need to write, but also market your book (whatever that means), nurture your audience, stay on top of the publishing landscape, and do everything you can to make your readers and your publisher happy.
It can feel exhausting.
Writers are supposed to write
When it all feels like too much, remember your core purpose: not marketing, not publicity, not sales. Writing. This is your skill set and what you should focus on.
In today’s interview, author Jude Berman shares how she overcomes publishing stresses, the hard parts of being an author, and the surprising feedback that boosted her confidence in her work.
OUR SPECIAL GUEST TODAY IS…
Jude Berman
Author
Available Now: Collection of short stories, Shot: A Dictionary of the Lost
What part of the writing process brings you the most joy?
Meeting and hanging out with my characters. They feel like real beings, and knowing them enriches my life.
I just finished writing The Lie, which is a sequel to The Die, and I loved the chance to spend more time with those beloved characters. And even with the villains.
What’s one thing you do (creatively, mentally, or physically) that helps you stay in it when writing gets hard?
I can’t honestly say writing feels hard. However, the marketing and publicity side of writing does feel hard, and there are days when I have to force myself to engage with that.
What I tell myself is “Writers write!” In other words, as long as writing comes naturally to me, I will continue to do it. And I will do it without stressing over how many people buy and read my books.
That last part does need frequent reinforcement: Writers write. Writers write. Writers write…
What’s the best piece of feedback you ever received? How did it change your story?
I’d say the most cherished feedback has come from the awards my books have won. I didn’t think my first novel, The Die, stood a chance, so I entered a slew of contests, hoping for one win. Imagine my shock when I won all but one of them.
For Shot, getting gold for the Living Now contest in general fiction means a lot because it is for books “that foster well-being, spark hope, and inspire positive change.” All of these awards have changed my story by boosting my confidence as a writer.
Ready for feedback that takes your story to the next level?
“Having Alyssa edit my manuscript was truly one of the best decisions I could have made. Her suggestions absolutely made my story better. Then, the very first agent I queried requested to read the whole manuscript after reading the revised pages we worked on!”
—Laura Geraghty, historical fiction author
What’s one thing about the publishing process no one tells you, but should?
This is a bit of a trick question, because there is no one-size-fits-all publishing process. So, actually, that itself is probably the thing no one tells you. Well, some people will tell you, but not enough.
After 3+ decades as an editor/publishing consultant, my initial dialogue with clients now sounds like this: “Let’s clarify your publishing goals, and then we can figure out what process will work best to help you meet them.”
What’s a myth about publishing or being an author that you wish more people understood?
Apologies if this sounds cynical, but the myth I wish more people understood is that the quality of your writing matters if you want to become a published author.
ICYMI…this week on YouTube, a subscriber shared their opening chapter and let me edit it in a live workshop!
I liked the authors perspective. I will start The Die next