Before we get to today’s writing tip, just a quick note that my Phoenix writing workshop is next weekend, and this is your last chance to sign up. This is also the last live writing workshop I will be doing in the U.S. until November. If you would like to come, but are having trouble registering because of financial reasons, let me know, and we can work something out.
Here’s what you will learn in this two-day, intensive workshop:
- How to Make a Great Living as a Top Fiction Writer—Find Out Why Some Authors Are Always Broke While Others Live Out Their Dreams
- Secrets to Writing a Best Seller Through Wide Audience Appeal
- Personal Insights Into “Why Your Readers Read” that Will Almost Magically Sell More Books
- A Simple Diagram which Reveals Exactly Why and When to Step on the Gas in Your Plot
- Dozens of Other Amazing Plot Power Tools You’ll Find Nowhere Else
- How to Avoid the Deadly Opening Flaws which Prevent Most Authors From Getting Published
- Virtually Unrevealed Techniques for Guiding Your Readers “Into the Rabbit Hole” as You Explore Your Story’s Mysteries
- Of All the Ways Your Story Could End, Learn Which Grand Finales Are the Most Powerful, Satisfying and will Keep Your Readers Coming Back For More
- Why Publishers Don’t Have Time to Edit Books Anymore and How to Make Sure Your Manuscript Shows Up at the Publisher Virtually Flawless
- Having Worked as a Hollywood Producer, David will Walk You Through Secrets to Selling Your Film Rights and How to Maximize Your Income on Any Movie
- Tips for Eliminating Writer’s Block and Other Obstacles so You Can Keep Turning Out those Golden Eggs
- Nearly a Dozen Inner Circle Secrets to Make Sure Your Books Hit on Best Sellers’ Lists
- How to Make Sure that Every Book Comes Out Better than the One Before
- The Four Most Vital Keys to Writing a Bestselling Book or Movie
- Five Techniques to Exploit an Intellectual Property in Hollywood and Around the World
- The Right Way to Introduce Yourself to Editors, Agents, and Movie Producers and How to Get Yourself in Front of Them
- Is Writing Really Your Easy Path to Wealth and Fame? The Truth About the T.V. Image of the Lavish Lifestyle of a Successful Author—Here’s How Success Can Be Achieved, But Don’t Buy Into Some Pipe Dream. It’s Real Work
- Writing Tricks that have Turned Struggling New Writers Like J.K. Rowling Into Global Sensations
- Why 98% of Wanna-Be Authors Fail . . . and much more,
You can register for this workshop here.
Writing Tip – You and Your List
A few years ago, a prominent publicist gave a talk on the difference in philosophy between poor authors and rich authors.He started out by saying, “A poor author thinks that his book is all-important. A rich author knows that his list is far more important.”
What’s your list? Your list is your contact list—the people that you can reach on email, or on Facebook, or on Twitter, and so on. It’s your platform.
Most new authors don’t think that they know anyone who would be interested in their books.They’re wrong.
You can start creating your list right now by thinking about the following:
- Who were your friends in elementary school, middle school, high school and college? Even casual friends may be interested to know that you’re a published author.
- Now, who are past neighbors and co-workers that you can get in touch with?
- All of your relatives should be on your list—even great grandparents and that odd niece you’ve never met.
- What about co-workers?
That’s a good start for a personal list. It will grow as you meet new people at your gym, through work, or while standing in lines at grocery stores.
More importantly, you will grow your list as you set up your blog, begin using Twitter, join groups on Goodreads or Facebook, and so on.
Later, you may collect names and email addresses at book signings, while giving speeches at libraries or schools, and so on.
You would think that for a world-renowned author, keeping a list wouldn’t be important, and it is true that you may reach a point in your career where your fame is so widespread that you don’t need a list. But there are only a few people in the world with that kind of fame. Even #1 New York Times Bestsellers understand that having some way to keep in contact with fans is terribly important.
If your publisher falls through on advertising, or if a novel is released at the wrong time of year, or if your cover stinks, or if you’ve got a novel that starts out with tepid reviews—it is your list that will save you. Having an crowd of people who care about your work will cover a multitude of disasters.
It’s not just that these people will buy your books. Many won’t. But they may talk about it, or help spread the word, and some of your followers may be very influential in the publishing industry. For this reason, it’s never too early to begin “growing your list.”
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