Are Writers & Astronauts The Same?

A NASA astronaut recently returned to Earth after spending 340 straight days in space.  He traveled nearly 144 million miles. Over four missions he has logged the most days in space – 520 days.  On his latest mission he saw over 10,000 sunrises/sunsets.  It must have been lonely out there, even when he was joined by a few Russian cosmonauts at the International Space Station. Are there any book marketing lessons here? Absolutely.

This man, in order to qualify for and complete such a mission, has to be dedicated to his career.  Writers, similarly, must be prepared to put the time and energy in to rise to such a high level of performance.

Each step of the way, the astronaut and writer must stay intensely focused on his craft.  Obviously the spaceman could die from a mistake but an author could suffer career death after a misstep.

Both operate virtually alone. A writer could be in a crowded room but he or she is really living in his own head.  Similarly, the astronaut knows he is responsible for supporting his own world, even with the occasional interaction with space command.

The big difference between the two is their level of physical activity. Writers can be out of shape, lazy, or sloppy.  Astronauts need to be in top shape and always on the go.  Even if some writers are fit, they in no way are in astronaut form.

Astronauts move forward on faith.  They believe in their abilities, equipment and training to get the job done. They don’t have the luxury to second-guess, complain, or ever let inertia take over.  Nothing cripples them.  They keep moving forward.  Authors, with their marketing scars to prove it, must also keep going forward.

Astronauts, though always on the move, and tossed into unfamiliar territory, remain grounded in knowing wherever they are is where they should be.  Home is where you work.  Writers may feel lost at times but they should keep a good perspective. They are in the middle of a long marketing universe but they can impact things.

Lastly, where astronauts rely on the law of physics and the dictates of science, writers rely on the law of human emotions, to appeal to the hearts of the media and readers in order to advance their books. Book publicity may not seem like an exact science but there is a method to the madness.  

Keep shooting for the stars.  You may just get there!

2016 Book Marketing & Book Publicity Toolkit

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/2016-book-marketing-book-publicity.html

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2016