by Joyce Good Henderson

Created on: December 10, 2009

How do you become an author:

To become an author, the first step is to apply the seat of your pants to the seat of your chair and write.  Writing is often considered to be 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration.  To become a published author, you must write, frequently, consistently and persistently.

What should you write about?  Write what you know and know what you write.  You are an expert about something.  Once you identify what that is, write about it.  If it’s your life, write a memoir.  Otherwise, be authentic in what you write about.  If you are not an expert, find one you can learn from.

Create a writing environment.  Just as you try to encourage your child to do homework in one place, create a place where you can write, be creative, and enjoy writing.  You need a place also to store research materials, manage your files, and have writing tools close at hand.  Laptops are wonderfully portable, allowing you to write anywhere, but the rest of your writing gear needs a home. 

Read, read, read.  A published author is first and foremost a reader. Read in the genre in which you write so that you know what sells.  Read for research. Read for pleasure.  Read something new and different to keep your mind active.  Read what is currently popular as well as the classics. 

Develop a business plan for yourself as a writer.  Put together short-term and long-term goals for your writing career. Where do you want to be one year and five years from today?  A business plan allows you to begin seeing your writing as a career, and one which you can steer.  Who are your customers?  Who will purchase and publish your books?  What section in the bookstore will carry your works?  How will you market yourself and your writing?  How will you get your product into their hands?

 Target agents and editors.  No one is going to seek you and your work.  You must research who is the best person to represent and to publish your work. Learn who is buying and publishing what you write.  Master the craft of creating a proposal. Learn to write a query letter and synopsis. Without a plan, your efforts will be scattered.

Always explain to an editor or agent how and why you are sending him your work.  This personal connection carries almost as much weight as the manuscript you are selling.  Answer the “Why me?” question with an explanation of the quality or reason that led you to approach her.

Know what you’re selling.  Understand your product so well that you can describe it in a few words, 2-3 sentences, and 1-2 paragraphs.  Print your high concept, elevator speech—whatever you choose to call this marketing tool—on the back of your business card, and memorize it.  

Remember that, in addition to selling your proposal or your publishable work, you must sell yourself as the perfect person to write it. Writing alone is not enough to become an author.  You must master the art and craft as well as the business of writing.

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