How to go From Unknown to Bestselling Author

When I quit my job after eight years, my friends and family laughed at me. Why? Because I was leaving a job I hated to become a bestselling author. So they laughed. They all laughed.

I heard things like:

“How old are you?”

“Isn’t it time you give up those childish dreams!”

“Do you know how hard it is to become a bestselling author?”

Insert eye roll.

No, I had no idea how hard it was to become a bestseller but I knew one thing… it was harder to get up every morning and go to a job I hated, just to make a few dollars every week, watching my dreams go in one direction and my life go in another, and feel my soul being sucked from my body every time. No, I could no longer do it.

So, I gave my employer 30-day notice and I quit on December 31. When I woke up on January 1, I was happy, then excited, then I became ill and threw up in the bathroom. What in the hell had I just done?

But it was okay, I was going to be alright. I would learn all I could, ask every author, publisher, agent… whoever... I needed answers and had to prove those naysayers wrong.

After three months, the eighth book I had written (and was collecting dust on Amazon) was now #1 on Amazon. Shazam! Take that all you buzzkills!

Becoming a bestselling author isn’t easy, but it can be done. As an author, you need to be proactive and play an important part in your promotion and advertising of your book. You need to be a salesperson but not salesy, however, there are rules to the game and dos and don’ts you’ll want to follow to give yourself a leg up and not look like a novice or push your readers and potential audience away.

Things you must do before you publish your book

Invest in:

An editor - never publish a book without one. Trust me, you will regret it later.

A graphic artist or cover designer - yes, a book is judged by its cover so make it stand out.

A proofreader - there is nothing worse than misspelled words and poor grammar.

A Beta reader - have another set of eyes on your book-someone who is not biased.

Your time—be proactive! (This is a must!)

Tell the world (or at least your social media world) what you have created!

Be proud of your accomplishment. Did you know most people who want to write a book never will? You did it!

Do:

Be polite.

Hold workshops or teach a class.

Reply to every comment.

Use Hootsuite to promote (it’s free!)

Thank everyone who comments or posts .

Write an awesome author bio on Amazon.

Create events to announce your book and invite your friends.

Post about your life, your pets, your likes, dislikes-be real-be authentic .

Engage, engage, engage !

Don't:

Beg people to buy your book.

Post about your book with no links.

Constantly post about your book, your reviews, your sales, you, you, you!

Respond to negative posts or reviews. This is a surefire way of showing the world you are a novice and will be viewed as unprofessional.

Expect people to purchase from you just because you’re awesome.

What to do after attending a writer’s conference

Do:

Collect everyone’s business card and on the back, write where you met and something about them. Once home, email everyone and tell them how great it was to meet and comment. Example: “I enjoyed hearing about your new book Tiger Eye! I can’t wait for its release next month!”

Engage, network, and be polite .

Don't:

Try to sell your book to the other attendees. If they ask about it, great, but do not push your product down their throats.

Ignore others and create your own agenda. You are there to mingle, network, and make connections. There is no competition. You are all in this together.

Book Signings

Approach everyone about them! Churches, banks, hair salons, libraries, coffeehouses, cafes, bookstores! If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no. One of my biggest signings came from a Girl’s Night Out at a local hair salon. I sold hundreds of books in just a few hours! Ask!

Promote everywhere!

Help other authors. Include them in book signings to engage and encourage others to attend.

Enter book award contests. Some are free, so why not!

Being an author is just a piece in the big puzzle and you must do your part in order to be successful. But no matter what anyone tells you, never, ever give up on your dreams. You got this!

♥