Remember, the question is optional!
December 6 question – As you look back on 2017, with all its successes/failures, if you could backtrack, what would you do differently?
The awesome co-hosts for the December 6 posting of the IWSG are Julie Flanders, Shannon Lawrence, Fundy Blue, and Heather Gardner!
My answer is OF COURSE. I know so much more now than I did when I started. I’d do more research on the publishers that I subbed to. I’d never rush to publish anything. And I’d take more time off to clear my head. If you ask me this question ten years from now, I’ll probably have a similar answer. I’m making mistakes all the time. Fortunately, they’re different ones.
I came across a great article by Brooke Warner. It’s called The 10 Biggest Mistakes Authors Make. Read the whole article or just this outline and see if you recognize the mistakes.
- Believing what they want to hear.
- Not taking advantage of every digital platform.
- Deciding that they don’t need a marketing campaign, or starting one too late.
- Believing that more is better
- Going renegade.
- Not doing enough research on who they’re publishing with.
- Believing that “traditional” is better, no matter what.
- Failing to get sample product.
- Not hiring professionals.
- Choosing a print run over print-on-demand (POD)
I look forward to reading other authors’ answer to the question. I’ll bet we have very similar posts.
Hilary says
Hi Lee – better late than never … and I’d agree with your thoughts here … we spend our lives learning. I just keep being slightly different and thus not fall into others’ spaces, or being too repetitive … and keep it simple. Take care enjoy the Christmas season – cheers Hilary
Mary Aalgaard says
We learn more from failures than successes. I need to try more, stretch out of that comfort zone, and work on my craft and career.
J.H. Moncrieff says
That’s a tough one. My knee-jerk reaction would be to say I’d write and publish/submit more, but my eight-year relationship ended this summer, and I went through a nasty case of writer’s block afterwards. I was lucky to be able to finish my third GhostWriters book at all. So in some ways, I did the best I could.
I also wonder if spending all that money on publicists was a good idea. It’s impossible to track the difference it made, so it’s easy for me to second guess myself and question whether or not it was worth it. I really hope it was.
Juneta says
Learning and researching hoping when I get there I can avoid a lot of them.
joylene says
Mistakes are important. They teach and they even eliminate all those other mistakes we might have made. I’m off to read the list. Thanks for sharing it, Lee.
rbpublishing says
All incredibly good points. I think my biggest fault has to do with my inability to focus. I often want to do SO MUCH that I never slow down enough to do one thing well. :/
Beverly McClure says
It’s great that we learn with time and hope our writing improves.
Interesting article. A lot to remember there. Will save it for future reference. Thank. Hope you’re having a nice weekend.
Ryan Carty says
Thanks for the list. I’ll add it to the others and hopefully won’t make a zillion mistakes.
Hopefully we can all learn from our mistakes, or at least not let them weigh us down.
Stephanie@Fairday's Blog says
I know I am constantly learning from my mistakes. I know more than I did at the start of the year, that is for sure. Definitely things I would have done differently. But, I think that is all part of the learning process.
Great list! I think I recognize some of those mistakes on the list. 🙂
Leslie S. Rose says
Great article! Definitely bookmark worthy and a reminder about patience, perseverance, and growing that thick writer skin. My rewind this year would be to set harder deadlines for myself. I need that Indiana Jones temple stone door closing pressure so I know how much time I have to reach through and grab my hat.
Barbara says
Your new website is very smart Lee. I’ve been promising myself I would update mine for months now – but guess what – I haven’t. So there is something I should have done differently. Procrastination is a word that springs to mind.
Patricia Lynne says
You’re right. We’ll always make mistakes that we wish we could go back and erase, but we can’t so we might as well learn from them.
Heather R. Holden says
I’ve always been prone to mistakes, too. As annoying as it is for that to be inevitable, making new ones instead of repeating past ones is still preferable, for sure!
Liesbet says
Most of these “mistakes” either require a lot of time, or a lot of money. I surely wish the life of a writer would be easier and more focused on the writing itself. Being on “all” media platforms is almost impossible – the whole day would be gone. I agree that rushing into publishing is not a good thing. While I was less careful submitting articles in the past, I won’t make that mistake with my first book. I hope. Doing the research before submitting (especially when it comes to books) is an important one!
I think every writer should focus on what works best for them to reach success, taking their resources and priorities into account.
Victoria Marie Lees says
I love your new website, Lee. It’s beautiful! Even though I drag my toes with everything, I so want to be published like the rest of you. But you are correct. Writers should never rush into publishing. Slow and steady makes for fewer mistakes. Happy holidays, my dear!
Lynda R Young says
Not rushing to get published is wise advice.
Louise (Fundy Blue) says
I laughed when I read your post, C. Lee. Sometimes, I think I’d like to make the same mistake twice so I could apply what I have learned, but I’m always making new ones. And I’m not sure I’d survive taking advantage of every digital platform. Happy moving forward in the new year. Wishing you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and happy writing in December!
Thomas Anderson says
Hi, Cheryl-Lee!
I think you came up with a very important principle. If and when you make mistakes in the future, make sure they’re different ones. 🙂 On that list of biggest mistakes made by authors I found two items that seem contradictory: going renegade and believing that “traditional” is better, no matter what. Can you help me understand how they can both appear on the same list?
Enjoy the rest of your week and weekend, dear friend Cheryl!
C. Lee McKenzie says
I suppose that going renegade used to be the same as self-publishing, but today isn’t. It has slipped into the category called, “creative” or “innovative.” I’d put it into a category called “masochistic.” 🙂
M Pepper Langlinais says
Good tips! We all need to keep learning, especially since the market is fluid and constantly changing.
Olga Godim says
Good for you that you’re learning from your mistakes and making new ones. That means you’re moving forward. Best wishes in the new year!
HR Sinclair says
True! I’m seeing similar answers on blogs. Marketing in today market is going to be key to selling. 🙁
Tyrean A Martinson says
I’m still learning, but hey, I’ve never done #10 – yay! 😛
Oh, I can feel the sting of some of the others though, but that’s in the past. It’s time to move onward into the future, right?
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Best wishes in 2018!
Anna says
Learning more over the year has made me feel smarter. Thanks for pointing out that good stuff shuck in even if I didn’t notice.
Anna from elements of emaginette
Suzanne Furness says
Learning from our mistakes is a good thing to do. It sounds like you have a positive attitude that I’m sure will bring good things in 2018 for you. Happy writing and happy moving day!
Cathrina says
I’m learning something new everyday. Research takes loads of time, but like you said, it’s a good thing. Very good post, Lee.
L. Diane Wolfe says
Research is still the key to everything.
Most authors don’t sell enough to warrant a print run. They end up making coffee and end tables out of all those boxes of books.
Liz A. says
More research on publishers, eh? Something for us unpublished to consider. Thanks.
Madeline Mora-Summonte says
To paraphrase Maya Angelou – when we know better, we do better. That’s all we can do. If we learn from our mistakes then maybe they’re not really mistakes at all?
Christine Rains says
Awesome you’ve learned from this year. I’m learning to never rush publication too. I know we get impatient, but taking the time with a project is worth it. 🙂
ChemistKen says
We’re always learning, so I suppose that means we can always look back and see stuff we did wrong. But that’s how life works, so I’m not complaining. Glad you’re still learning.
Elephants Child says
From the sidelines I watch and wonder. Writers enrich my world and I am so very grateful to anyone who is prepared to put in the hard yards.
And will admit to repeating a few of my mistakes. Slow learner some days.
Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor says
I read that advice not to rush into publishing quite often. Seems sensible to really take your time and get all of your ducks in a row, but it must be so tempting to want to push a big magic button right now and get your work out there.
Gwen Gardner says
The list looks familiar 😉
I’d do much better if I just listened to that tiny voice. You know the one? LOL.
Happy Holidays!
Patsy says
I *may* have made *some* of those mistakes.
Pat Garcia says
I like that you never rushed to publish anything. I never rush too.
Wishing you a successful crossover into 2018.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
Nick Wilford says
Hindsight is a great thing but I like the answer about making different mistakes. We don’t have a map showing everything we should do before we start. Here’s to a great 2018!
Cherie Reich says
If you have to make mistakes, it’s better that they’re new ones. 🙂
Tamara Narayan says
I’ve definitely been guilty of several of those mistakes. Interesting list.
Jacqui Murray says
I’m with you on all the things you’d do better. And I love that list. I like ‘going renegade’. So many beginning writers start there, sure it’s their voice. Unh unh.
Carrie-Anne says
I’ve definitely made some of those mistakes, such as not having a marketing campaign, and spending too much time trying to get an agent instead of realizing earlier that indie publishing better suits me.
Pat Hatt says
Belief in the wrong things seems to be a big no no there. And yeah, we all make mistakes and every year we grow, way to be indeed.
Bish Denham says
I do believe I’m guilty of making most of those mistakes. I’m just not sure how to correct them!
Alex J. Cavanaugh says
At least we learn from our mistakes. Or those of others since we don’t have time to make all the mistakes ourselves!
Julie Flanders says
I love your answer about making mistakes but they are different ones than before. That’s all we can do – keep on learning and moving on from the mistakes we are bound to make. Here’s to a great 2018 for you, Lee!!
Erika Beebe says
Thank you for posting this list of common mistakes. I think I might have made a few of those too 😉
Natalie Aguirre says
That’s great that you learn from your mistakes. That’s the best way to handle them. That list was really good. It’s easy to fall into #1 and only believe what we want to about our writing and not listen to what others trying to help have to say.