Before Starting Your Journey as an Author, Read This

Things to Know or Consider Before Starting on the Road to get Published.

“Our Amazing Pioneers” series of books on pioneers like Seah Eu Chin, Tan Tock Seng, and Syed Omar Aljunied. Photograph by writer’s team.

Starting your journey to become an author is both exciting and challenging. However, the journey is also full of challenges. I have made so many mistakes in writing, editing, self-publishing, and mainstream publishing. But I have also learnt from them.

Here are some key lessons and reflections every aspiring author should know before starting on their writing or publishing journey. I hope my lessons and reflections (from hard experience) will be useful to you.

No one can actually guarantee a smooth journey, but if you are reading this, at least you can be properly informed before you make any decisions.

First, don’t expect to make a fortune

Don’t be too quick to quit your day job once you start writing.

There are millions of books published each year (both through mainstream and self-publishing routes). In fact, most books do not sell more than a few hundred copies.

What this means is that statistically speaking, not every book you publish will be a bestseller (if you even publish a bestseller at all).

Not every book idea is going to be sheer genius.

As a result, the harsh reality is that few authors make significant money from their books.

Even if there is money to be made, it will not come from the books themselves, but from other sources, like additional programmes you deliver.

Trust me, I hate to be the one to tell you this hard truth, especially since I love writing, but I think it’s important to be realistic about the financial aspects.

If you don’t expect to make a fortune, and you eventually do, you will be pleasantly surprised.

Second, aim to be a professional

Treat your writing seriously, setting aside dedicated time and striving for high-quality work.

Yes, inspiration is important, but so is perspiration.

Writing is a skill that needs dedicated, committed, continuous practice.

Keep writing, reading, and learning.

Even the best writers keep improving upon their craft.

Third, be prepared to polish relentlessly

No one creates a perfect masterpiece on their first try (or even their seventh try; trust me).

Be prepared to edit your work many, many times. Edit your writing, take breaks, and come back with fresh eyes, and have an editor review it.

(An editor can help you with many aspects beyond copyediting and proofreading; an editor is more than someone who just fixes typos, spelling errors, and grammatical mistakes. However, at the end of the day, you still have to be able to edit your own writing.)

Polish your writing: remove redundancies; tighten up; keep sentences and paragraphs readable; correct spelling mistakes and typos; and check facts and figures. Relentless editing is crucial for creating a polished final product.

But I have to confess: no matter how hard you scrub, one or two mistakes will always get through. Pay special attention to figures: dates, numbers, financials. Despite my economics training, sometimes figures get mixed up.

Live and learn, as I always say. Be prepared to forgive yourself over and over again.

Fourth, understand yourself and your unique perspective

Ask yourself what makes you uniquely qualified to write this particular book. Why you?

Consider your personal experiences, educational qualifications, or background that make you the right person to write this book.

Your unique perspective is what will set your book apart from others’ books.

Fifth, distinguish your book(s) from comparable titles

On the one hand, your book needs to be similar enough to existing titles so that publishers know there is a market or existing demand for it.

On the other hand, it cannot be too similar, as it needs to stand out from the crowd, being a bit differentiated.

Think about what unique angle, data, or insight you can offer that others haven’t, and make sure this is clear in your book or book series.

Sixth, have a regular, consistent writing schedule

One of the biggest challenges facing any writer is maintaining a regular writing schedule.

Waiting for the “perfect moment to write” or for “inspiration to strike” often leads to procrastination.

Yes, it sounds a bit like work, but being professional means treating writing as work: hard work! As Denzel Washington rightly said, “Hard work works.”

Set up a routine that works for you.

Set achievable goals, like writing a certain number of words each day or week.

I often set myself modest goals, like “at least one sentence per night” or “at least one paragraph on weekend nights”.

Seventh, criticism will come. Deal with it

I think the biggest shock I received was how some people can be incredibly rude and unkind, but I have learnt to deal with it over the years.

(BUT I immediately hasten to add that the vast majority of readers I have come in contact with are kind, encouraging, and supportive people.)

Rude rats are real. I personally have been called “sh*t” in Hokkien; falsely accused of stealing other people’s ideas (they were not published, but I was); and heckled at book talks.

Sometimes, the funniest part of these criticisms is that the person has not even read the books in question and is just making unjustified ad hominem attacks.

Par for the course: criticism is an inevitable part of the writing journey.

Not everyone will love your work, and that’s OK.

Develop a thick skin and learn to deal with criticism constructively.

Where relevant, use criticism or constructive feedback to improve your writing, rather than being discouraged.

However, if it is irrelevant criticism or unconstructive feedback, then ignore the naysayers.

Remember, even the most successful authors face criticism. When you put yourself out there, there will be the occasional rude and unkind person. Learn to forgive them and yourself.

Eighth, understand the publishing landscape: traditional, mainstream publishing vs. self-publishing

The publishing industry offers several ways to bring your work to readers.

Traditional publishing provides credibility, editorial support, and marketing and distribution resources.

Self-publishing offers control and potentially higher royalties, and gives you the opportunity to handle everything from editing to marketing.

Ninth, build or strengthen your platform

Build an author platform to reach audiences and engage with readers. If you have an existing one, continue to strengthen it.

What is a platform? It is essentially like “street cred”, credibility, or expertise; existing popularity; and connection with your readership. How do you reach out to readers? How do your readers reach out to you? And how big is your support group, your fan base, your community?

Use social media, create a professional website, or start a blog to share your journey and connect with your audience.

Network with other writers, participate in literary events, and connect with many people.

For example, when I first started along my writing journey, it was difficult to reach out to readers in the beginning. I had to build my mailing list one email at a time, and network with people and make connections, one person at a time. Slowly, but surely, over many public talks, I have gradually built up and strengthened my platform.

Today, things are much easier now that I have a mailing list of kind people who are supportive of my writing. And I still keep growing my influence and community, bit by bit.

Build your platform.

Tenth, stay resilient: don’t give up

In any major undertaking, you will face challenges. That’s normal.

Rejection is an inevitable part of the writing journey. That’s normal too.

Feeling alone in the writing journey and wanting to give up is also normal.

And like I mentioned earlier, there will be all sorts of critics (you can count on it).

Not every publisher will be interested in your manuscript; not every editor will love your book proposal; and not every reader will love your work.

My word of advice: don’t give up.

Keep learning, growing, and writing.

Really, don’t give up easily

Keep your passion alive.

Write stories that matter to you.

Remember why you started writing in the first place and let passion drive you forward. But temper your passion with hard truths and realistic expectations.

The journey to becoming an author is filled with ups and downs, moments of self-doubt, and triumphs. But you can get better and better over time.

After reading about my personal experiences and lessons, at least you are better prepared to go on your own journey and experiences.

All the best and keep writing! May you contribute to positive change in the world, even if it is in your own, small way.

Thank you for reading.

Cheers,
Shawn Seah

(The original story was first posted on my Medium blog on 1 June 2024. This story was reposted here and updated on 2 June 2024.)