Friday, September 21, 2018

The Schedule Of A Successful Author




My wife and I were having a complete meltdown this past weekend, overwhelmed by how many things had to get done.  It’s been building up – all of the parts of life that need to get tended to (chores, paying bills, running errands, parenting, dog-walking, etc.), fixing things that come up with a house (our basement ceiling of tiles inexplicably collapsed), transitioning a move by my wife with her nutrition practice, and planning our son’s bar mitzvah, which comes in less than three weeks.  Trying to stay on top of things without going nuts has its challenges, but it taught me a lesson about how authors should stay on top of their writing careers.

To be a good writer you’ll need to spend time:

·         Daydreaming or brainstorming
·         Writing
·         Editing
·         Reading
·         Researching

To get published, you’ll need to research and connect with literary agents and book publishers, draft a book proposal and sample chapters, and polish your book ideas.

To be a successful author – and to entice others to represent and publish you  -- you’ll need to tend to your book marketing and branding, from social media and speaking to traditional media and networking.

That’s a lot!

Plus, of course life goes on.  You still need to live life – and enjoy it.  Some days exhaustion or frustration will yield little.  Other days you’ll burn the candle at both ends.  But it takes a vigilant, determined, assertive, and creative person to find a way to manage their time effectively.

Here are some suggestions:

1.      Make a list of all that you need – or want to do.

2.      Set your priorities, especially for what needs to get done.

3.      Be flexible in your schedule, but expect to pack a lot in.

4.      Seek out help where possible – advice, favors, paid assistance.

5.      Re-think what’s important and edit out some things that you just won’t have time for or receive a big pay-off from.

6.      Build in time to take a break – to rest, relax, laugh, and to reflect on progress.

7.      Celebrate mini-wins and accomplishments along the way so that you don’t just feel like you’re on a giant treadmill with no end or reward in sight.

8.      Relieve yourself from setting a standard of perfection – you won’t achieve it and you don’t have to be perfect to be great or to accomplish many things well.

9.      Remember why you are doing what you are doing – envision the benefits, appreciate the journey, and seek to learn as you go.

Lastly, write a great book and the rest will flow naturally.


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Brian Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2018. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America and participated in a PR panel at the Sarah Lawrence College Writers Institute Conference.

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