March 2023 Monthly Book Selection > > > The Guest List by Lucy Foley

Mocha Girls Read

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What Does It Take To Become A Published Writer?

An enthusiastic reader loves books. But beyond books, the reader enjoys the stories, the mystical and emotional world that the stories let her visit. For a moment, for the duration of the book, the reader can exist in the imaginary world of the author. She can explore towns, eras, and continents she has never seen before. Page after page, the reader is a romantic heroine in a long Victorian dress, a tough female detective in the Bronx of the 1970s, or even a hard-working wife in 17th Century’s Puerto Rico. Books don’t only offer a fantastic way of killing time; they are also an open door to escape your everyday worries and stress. In this sense, books are magical.

And if you love books, you never want the story to end. But there is only so much you can do to keep your favorite stories alive. You can dress up like the characters of a novel. Have you seen Mocha Girl Capri? She’s killing it..

You can close your eyes and imagine what they would do in the real world. Or you can slow down your pace as you come towards the last chapter, savoring every word with delectation, taking your time before turning the last page. But if you really love stories, you might want to write one of your own. Every writer was once an admirative reader. Every writer has been left hanging onto the words of another writer. Every writer loves books enough to want to bring their own stories to life. There’s only one issue. There are billions of readers in the world, yet a lot fewer writers. This highlight one crucial point, namely, that you don’t become a reader without investing time and effort in your passion. This leaves one question to ask, timidly at first but then with the newly found conviction of the story lover: How do I get my book published?

Travel inspires storytellers

Everyone has a story to tell

You’ve probably heard the saying often in the past: Everyone has a good book inside them. The reality is a little different. While it’s fair that everyone has at least a story to tell, not everyone is aware of the story they carry inside. Besides, you have to be realistic: Not all readers are dedicated to the writing cause. Many are perfectly satisfied with reading the stories that others have written and don’t feel the need to share theirs. But if you have decided to bring your story to life, you will soon hit a major obstacle on your writer’s path. How do you know if the idea that pops in your mind is worth pursuing? How do you know if it’s going to be enough to write a book and appeal to readers? Jeff Elkins understands your dilemma too well, and this is why he’s taken to thecreativepenn.com to describe his strategic storytelling approach. Elkins uses the Hedgehog Concept, which is a tool he worked with in his career as a strategist. The Hedgehog Concept marks the intersection of three circles:

  • The things you are passionate about;
  • The things that fuel your economic engine;
  • The things you have the best potential to succeed at.

Using this method, you can identify your sweet spot as a writer and focus your creativity there.

Staying motivated during the process

Finding the motivation to stick to your story is the most difficult challenge you’ll have to face. Indeed, while it’s easy to start writing the first paragraphs of your novel, going back to your keyboard day after day requires long-term dedication. When you have a busy life already, filled with household and professional duties, it’s easy to postpone your writing goals. As a result, many stories remain untold. However, there is support available to encourage you to stay focused. You can join writing groups on social media – you’ll find plenty of groups on Facebook and LinkedIn, for instance. Additionally, you can also consider joining the NaNoWriMo, the National Novel Writing Month, which takes place every November. It will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and encourages writers to write down 50,000 words between the 1st and the last day of November.  

How do you publish your story?

Writing the first draft is the beginning of your journey as an author. You will need to edit and question your words and plot before you can consider publishing your story and releasing it to the market. As a writer, you have two different roads that lead to publishing.

You can embark on a self-publishing journey, which is a popular choice as self-published books account for up to 40% of ebook sales. Ebook is the preferred format for self-published authors as it is not only easy to set up but also ensures rapid delivery to your readers. Kindle Direct Publishing is a popular choice as it is directly owned by Amazon, which generates about 80% of all English-language ebook sales. If you’re planning to go with a digital version, KDP is the preferred and most profitable options for writers. Royalties vary from 30% to 70%n depending on the model you’ve chosen.

In comparison, finding a literary agent guarantees 15% to 25% royalties. However, while you may receive proportionally less, your book is likely to be marketed professionally and sold at a higher price. Unfortunately, getting an agent can be tricky. You will need to do your homework and research agencies that are likely to be interested in your work. Additionally, it’s a good idea to target literary agents on social media first.

Why you need an online presence

If you want to get noticed by a literary agent, you need to nurture your online presence. Agents are always on the look for new voices, so they might stumble across your presence. While social media profiles are helpful, you also need to start a blog – if you’re unsure about how to get on about it, you can use the useful guideline from bloglingo.com. Authors can use their blogging platform as a way to connect with their audience and try out new ideas before starting your book. You can also provide additional information about your characters that didn’t make it into the book, similar to J. K. Rowling and the Pottermore website. Finally, a blog lets you engage with your readers and keep them interested before your next book is published.

Consider a Book Launch

While an online presence is important, having a real-life presence can help to boost sales of physical copies of your book. So, why not consider a book launch? Not only can this get your name out there and secure some on-the-night sales, but it’s plain fun too and a great opportunity to network!

Finding tools that  help you work

The days when you could sit down in front of a typewriter and get to your writing are long gone. For a lot of newcomers to the world of writing, Microsoft Word is the first tool that comes to mind. However, despite all its qualities, Word may not be the best suitable tool for your novel. You need a tool that can give you the freedom to plan scenes individually, to change the order of your chapters, and simply to design a plot line and note board. Scrivener from literaruteandlatte.com has become a popular tool for Mac users since its first launch in 2007. Now also suitable for Windows and Linux users, Scrivener is a helpful platform to design engaging stories.

Find your writing tool

You need a network to help you

Having the right tool is one thing. But finding the right network for your aspiration is a different kettle of fish. Indeed, you need cheerleaders, critique partners, and beta readers to bring your book to life. A cheerleader is the friend who is enthusiastic about your story and want to find out more. They give you wings and keep you motivated. Finding a critic partner can be tricky. It’s a person who can read your draft(s) and give honest feedback. Their feedback is often constructive, and it highlights issues in the story arc, the characters, and the pacing. Finally, your beta readers are test readers when the novel is ready. They are crucial to correct minor errors in plot and typos.

What is your unique voice?

As a writer, you’ll find a lot of time toying with your narrative skills. Indeed, having a story is only one half of the battle. You need to define your unique voice that transforms your idea into a breathtaking story. There’s a reason why more writers are avid readers; books let you explore many voices. Experimenting with points of view as you write is a necessary exercise to figure out whether you’re a third-person narrator such as J.K. Rowling, a second person narrator such as Iain Banks in Complicity, or even a first-person narrator such as Zadie Smith.

Do your research

To write well, you need to know what you’re writing about. You need to have seen with your eyes the landscapes, scenes, and emotions you want to convey. One of the reasons why many travelers love to turn their journey into books is because they can get to meet new people and broaden their horizons, which can give depth to their story. You can make the most of a new destination to create an exciting background for your plot. Additionally, as you travel your mind can rest and let ideas develop at their own pace, which makes you a better writer.

Telling your story is a challenge that many readers want to take. Making it happen and being able to hold your story as a physical book is a privilege of a few. But it’s not impossible if you set your mind to it and focus on the things that matter.

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Mocha Girl Alysia

Founder at Mocha Girls Read
Founder of Mocha Girls Read book club. But basically, just another girl who loves to read and then read some more and wants to meet others like me. If you add a cup of green tea with lemon and honey I will be overjoyed.
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