Insanity?

This month, we’re talking all about getting yourself out there as an author, creating a following, and getting people to read your books. And don’t you worry; I know full well that I’m not the best at it. We’re all still learning here, and that’s part of what I really enjoy about Too Many Books to Count. I learn things all the time when I’m researching what I’m going to write about in any given month—and this month promises to be a lot of fun.

First thing’s first, when it comes to getting yourself out there…

How much do you write, in a month?

It’s also a pretty good month to be discussing things like this. After all, November is one of two National Novel Writing Months (the other is April, which I recommend more than November, for holiday reasons).

So, how much do you write in any given month? I ask this, because the more you write, the better you’ll be at it. That’s a general rule when it comes to writing, in case you didn’t know. But, the better you are at it, the easier it'll be to get people to read your books from start to finish.

One of the biggest things about being a writer is making sure that you expand your craft, that you’re always growing as a writer and learning new ways to use words to your benefit. So, if you find that you’re really not writing a whole lot in any given month, maybe you should look into expanding it.

Especially with indie authors, I’ve personally found that the devoted readers who stay with you from the beginning really like to watch as your craft progresses from okay to amazing. I still get a lot of remarks from people comparing Telekinetic to The Druid Novels, and I love that my readers see how much more effort I’ve put into my traditionally published books.

I didn’t get there overnight.

Telekinetic, as you know, is part of a series. There are three other completed books in that series, which I wrote before I ever started or even conceptualized The Druid Novels. The rest of the Advanced series is written in exactly the same vein as Telekinetic—the writing is more amateur than the level at which I write now. The difference is obvious.

That’s what I want to remind you of.

I know a lot of indie authors, and I know a lot of them are like me: they write nonstop, a lot of them popping out several books in a year.

But here’s the thing:

If your writing hasn’t changed in the last few months, then you’re doing something wrong.

Yes, you read me right.

If your style hasn’t changed, then you’re just running around writing the same thing over and over again, expecting people to read them as different and unique works—do you realize how close that is to the definition of insanity?

My point is, be sure you write a lot, but be sure you also grow in the way you write. Make sure you’re not stuck in a rut of writing the same thing over and over again, because the way you’ll be noticed is by having one unique style and several unique stories—not by having a unique style and one story that’s told over and over again through several different points of view.

[love]

{Rani D.}