Justin Wigg of BusinessHubCity has guest-written another Tips for Writers article! This time, I asked him to discuss ways to get your name and work out there so you can get discovered as an author. Here you go!

Being an up-and-coming author is hard. You may identify with being the stereotypical “struggling artist”—someone constantly down on their luck, short on money, misunderstood by friends and family, and lacking recognition. Still, success is by no means impossible. Many authors succeed, despite various challenges in their way, and so can you. 

The key to finding success as an author is getting discovered—having your talents acknowledged by the people around you, possibly acquiring the support of a reputable publisher, getting your work out there, and eventually, becoming a published author with a following. Here are some suggestions on how you could go about getting discovered as an author. 

Share Your Work for Free

Sharing your work for free is an excellent way to show people what you can do and give them an opportunity to form an opinion about you. You could share your work with publishers or with readers directly. For instance, many authors publish the first few chapters of the book they’re writing online. You could do this on your own website or on writing platforms such as Wattpad, Booknet, NovelCat, and Inkitt. Readers are given the option to purchase later chapters for a fee or support the author in other ways (such as by giving them their patronage). 

Write with Authority

While it’s neither possible nor necessary to become a true expert in everything, it is necessary and possible to be able to write with authority on the topics you present, even for fiction. To that end, do some research and take a deep dive into topics that you intend to include in your next book.

For example, if you are writing a novel about someone who takes a life-changing journey to another country, you will need to immerse yourself in that country’s culture, traditions, religions, foods, fashions, and more in order to have a sense of authenticity. Of course, we can’t all afford to travel for every book we write, but you can browse the richness of the internet, ask people in your online writing groups who may live there or have traveled there, and check out books on the subject matter at your local library.

If you plan to write repeatedly on a certain topic, it may be worth a bigger investment, such as taking a course. So, if you plan to write an entire series about someone who hacks into the online infrastructure and devastates large companies, you will need some expertise in cybersecurity. You can achieve this by exploring the online cybersecurity degree program at an accredited school that is reputable and affordable. 

However you go about it, throwing yourself into your subject matter will allow you to present the information in a manner that those who are experts will find your work believable. 

Hone Your Marketing Skills

Knowing how to sell yourself is an essential skill to have in today’s day and age. There are many talented authors out there, most niches are saturated, and readers are spoiled for choice. Good marketing skills will get your work to stand out, leave a lasting impression in people’s minds, and form a long-term connection with them. Consider learning the basics of branding and marketing, and then create campaigns centered around you (as an author) or your work (an upcoming book). After all, being an indie author means being an entrepreneur. 

Much of your marketing approach depends on content marketing, which is of paramount importance in today’s digital landscape as it serves as a strategic approach to engage, educate, and attract audiences. By creating and sharing valuable, relevant, and consistent content, businesses (including as an author) can build trust and credibility with their target audience. This not only helps in establishing brand authority but also fosters long-term relationships with customers (or readers). Learn more about the latest concepts and strategies of content marketing to ensure you are optimizing your opportunity to reach your target audience.

Interact with People and Build up a Fanbase 

Many authors become successful because they manage to build up a solid fanbase—people who willingly pay for their work, support them in various ways (whether with money, ideas, networking, or referrals), and act as a free source of publicity. To create a fanbase, you should put yourself out there, create a website, get on social media, join groups in your niche, lead discussions, and interact with people as much as possible. 

Keep Business Cards on Hand 

Old-school marketing techniques like handing out business cards still work. In fact, they’re extremely impactful in this digital age—handing people a card gives them something tangible to remember you by. A high-quality business card with your contact details and a nice description of you also makes you seem more professional and credible. Offer links to your work on your card and maybe one of your book covers as the image on the reverse side and people are very likely to check you out. 

Get a Job in Publishing 

To get discovered by a publisher, it helps if you understand the publishing industry, including how it works and what a publisher prioritizes. Getting a job in publishing is a good way to get a feel for things and figure out how you can get your own work published. Furthermore, you could connect with publishers and get your work in front of the people who matter. Look into entry-level positions, internships, or contract roles to get your foot in the door.

Many roles are remote these days, but many also are not. If you must commute on a full- or part-time basis, and especially if you choose a contract or temporary position, you may want to keep your permanent residence and find a local rental for the duration of the contract. You could even rent your home out while away to earn some passive income. If you do decide to rent out your home, be sure you have the time and money to invest in being a landlord and know whether you’ll live in that house again in the future.

Self-Publish

You don’t necessarily need to rely on a publisher to be a published author in the digital era. You could self-publish instead. In fact, if you publish on Amazon or IngramSpark (Barnes & Noble’s platform), you don’t even need to pay for publishing and you get to keep up to 70 percent of the proceeds as royalty, according to a Reedsy post. Some authors self-publish digitally, manage to catch the eye of a publisher, and then get their next books under contract. 

Get Yourself Published in Magazines, Newspapers, or Online 

Getting your work published in magazines or similar media is a great way to put yourself out there. It gets you used to the standards in the publishing world, allows you to gain valuable feedback from editors, and helps improve your writing skills. You end up learning a great deal and becoming a better writer for the experience. Also, you can make valuable connections, whether that’s with publishers or writers like you. 

Participate in Events, Programs, and Competitions

Participating in events, programs, and competitions gives you an opportunity to test your writing mettle, gain feedback, get noticed, and maybe even make money (if you manage to snag an award). Penguin has put together some award-related opportunities for aspiring and published writers alike that are worth checking out. 

A Note from Red Quill: Consider asking local bookstores to carry your book, setting up a booth at local events, and going to writing conferences.

In Conclusion

All that said, getting discovered is easier said than done. It requires a major time and energy investment, and it won’t happen overnight. But if you put in the effort and focus on getting yourself out there in the ways recommended above, you will eventually succeed at gaining the recognition you deserve. 

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Red Quill Editorial LLC

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