Goodreads asked Lorin Neikirk:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Lorin Neikirk I've been asked this several times before and my answer is always the same. The first and most important thing is you have to love to write. Writing needs to be something that you feel like you have to do. I've met some people who say "maybe I should try writing" and my response to those people is typically "If you're wondering if you should write, the answer is that it's probably not for you."

It's an extremely rare phenomenon that someone writes a book becomes rich and or famous overnight. It's a little like teaching in that it has to be your passion and you have to be compelled to write. Some teachers began their career because they wanted summers off or they are empty-nesters, so teaching might not be their passion. Really great teachers are the ones who feel like they have to teach. Like teaching, writing is its own reward.

But to aspiring writers who are already in this position, they have a passion for writing in our compelled to do it, my advice is to find, and use, every vehicle at your disposal to write. This not only helps you refine your craft but it also works to cultivate an audience.

Another important piece of information is to think about your brand. Have a good idea of who you are and what you want to present. Look at the more successful authors out there and you will see that they have a common thread throughout many or most (if not all), of their works that says "this was written by me." Michael Chrighton, John chrism, Stephen King, Sue Grafton, Patterson... You could probably read a book by any of these and not know who the author is, rather guess with excellent accuracy. They make effective use of their brand.

A note about on-demand or self publishing... The technology that exists now, compared to a couple of decades ago, really opens the door for new and aspiring writers. It's often more efficient, cost-effective, and affirming to go the on-demand or self publish route, than to go through a publishing house. If you try to "sell your book" to a publisher, you are spending time and energy on and effort that may or may not work out for you, when you can spend that energy doing it yourself. But there is a serious caveat there... While on-demand publishing opens the doors to new and talented authors in what can be a very effective way, it also opens the floodgates for writers who might not have the ability. Literally anyone with the will to write something can "have a book". The hard part for the talented author or rider is to gain that audience through loyalty and consistency and an established audience. (Which is why it's important to use every vehicle at your disposal to gain an audience in the first place! Those who love your blogs and love your radio show and love your public speaking, are probably going to love your books too.) As readers wade through a sea of good and bad books, the good books are harder to find.

Lastly, if you are like most writers, you're probably extremely self-critical! If this applies to you then you should know that exposing your work, being vulnerable and sharing it, will go a long way. Well it's hopeful that your work is marketable, it shouldn't outweigh the authenticity of your voice. Don't be shy about letting your voice be heard because what you might not know is there people out there who want to hear what you have to say.

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