The dream of writing a book is a powerful one, often born from a deep love of storytelling and a desire to create something lasting. An aspiring author will likely spend countless hours lost in a world of their own making, pouring heart and soul into a manuscript. But what happens after the writing is done? The path from a finished manuscript to a published book in a reader’s hands is a journey many find daunting. It’s a road paved with questions about publishing, marketing, and building an author career.
At bestsellingpublisher.com, we believe that the foundation of a successful author career is built long before the final draft is complete. The most successful authors, whether they are traditionally published or leverage modern book publishing services, treat their work as a business from day one. They don’t wait for the book to be finished to start thinking about the future; they lay the groundwork while they write. This comprehensive 3000-word guide is designed to provide a clear, actionable roadmap of the first five steps every aspiring author should take today to turn their creative passion into a professional pursuit.
Step 1: Treat Your Writing as a Craft (Not a Hobby)
This is the most fundamental and often overlooked step for an aspiring author. A hobby is a pastime for enjoyment, something you do when you have free time. A craft is a skill that requires discipline, study, and a commitment to mastery. The moment an author decides they want to be published, they must make this crucial mindset shift.
The Mindset Shift: From Passion to Profession
Professional writers show up to work. They don’t wait for inspiration to strike; they cultivate it through consistent practice. This is not to say that the joy of writing must be sacrificed, but rather that it must be disciplined. A professional writer understands that a book is a product that will be sold to a paying customer, and as such, it must be created with a high degree of quality and purpose.
Actionable First Steps for Cultivating Your Craft:
- Establish a Consistent Schedule: It is far more effective to write for 30 minutes every day than to binge-write for 8 hours on a Saturday. Consistency builds momentum and strengthens the creative muscle. A daily word count goal, no matter how small, can be a powerful motivator.
- Study Your Craft: Read books on the art of writing, attend webinars, or take a creative writing course. Learn about story structure, character development, dialogue, and pacing. Writing is a skill that can be learned and improved upon.
- Read Voraciously in Your Genre: The best way to learn to write is to read. Aspiring authors should read not just for pleasure, but with a critical eye, dissecting what works and what doesn’t in the books they love. They should analyze how the author builds tension, crafts a compelling plot, and creates a satisfying ending.
Step 2: Start Building Your Author Platform (Before You Have a Book)
For many aspiring authors, the idea of marketing a book before it’s even written seems premature. However, in today’s publishing landscape, an author’s platform is a critical asset. An author platform is an author’s pre-existing audience and their ability to reach that audience directly. It is the foundation upon which an author’s brand is built.
Why an Author Platform is Non-Negotiable
Whether an author is pitching to a traditional publisher or planning to use the suite of amazon publishing services to go it alone, a strong platform is a powerful differentiator.
- For Traditional Publishing: A publisher is looking for a sure bet. An author with a built-in audience is a low-risk investment, as they have already proven their ability to connect with readers.
- For Independent Publishing: For a self-published author, their platform is their marketing department. Without a pre-existing audience, a book launch can feel like shouting into a void. A strong platform is the engine that drives book sales from day one.
Actionable First Steps for Building Your Platform:
- Create Your Author Website: This is an author’s professional home base online. It should be a simple, clean, and professional website that includes an author bio, a page for future books, and, most importantly, a place for people to sign up for an email list.
- Start an Email List: An author’s email list is their most valuable asset. It is a direct line of communication to their most dedicated readers, a channel they own and control, unlike social media which is governed by algorithms. An author can start by offering a free piece of content—a bonus short story, a character profile, or a behind-the-scenes look at their writing process—in exchange for an email address.
- Choose One Social Media Platform to Master: An author does not need to be on every platform. They should choose one where their target audience is active and where they feel comfortable creating content. The goal is to build a consistent and authentic presence, not to chase trends on every platform.
Step 3: Master Your Genre and Understand Your Reader
A book is a piece of art, but it is also a commercial product. The most successful authors understand that they are writing for a specific reader. They know their genre inside and out, from its conventions to its audience’s expectations.
The Reader-Centric Approach to Writing
An author must write the book they want to read, but they must also write the book their readers want to buy. This requires a deep understanding of the genre’s tropes, themes, and marketable hooks. When an author is ready to publish, their knowledge of their genre will be crucial for everything from designing a cover to writing a blurb. This knowledge is especially important for authors using amazon book publishing services, as Amazon’s ranking algorithms rely heavily on an author’s ability to use the right genre categories and keywords to help readers discover their book.
Actionable First Steps for Mastering Your Genre:
- Read a High Volume of Books in Your Genre: An author should read the top 100 books in their genre on Amazon and other retailers. This provides a clear picture of what readers are currently buying and enjoying.
- Analyze Covers and Blurbs: Look at the covers of the bestselling books in your genre. What colors, fonts, and imagery are they using? Read the book descriptions. What are the common hooks and promises? These are the visual and verbal cues that your readers have been conditioned to respond to.
- Identify Your “Comp Titles”: A comparative title is a book that is similar to yours. An author should be able to identify three to five comp titles for their book, as this is a key part of any book proposal or marketing plan. This shows that the author understands their place in the market.
Step 4: Get Professional Feedback on Your Work
A manuscript written in a vacuum is rarely a professional product. An aspiring author must, at some point, open their work up to the scrutiny of others. This is a critical step in moving from a good story to a great book.
The Different Tiers of Professional Feedback
- Beta Readers: These are readers who will read an author’s full manuscript and provide high-level, big-picture feedback. They will tell the author if the plot is working, if the characters are believable, and if the pacing feels right. They are the first line of defense against major plot holes and character issues.
- Critique Partners: A critique partner is another writer who will swap manuscripts with an author and provide detailed, line-by-line feedback. This is an excellent way for an author to learn the craft by both giving and receiving constructive criticism.
- Professional Editors: Before a book is published, it needs to go through a professional edit. There are different types of editing services available, from developmental editing (focused on story structure) to copyediting (focused on grammar and punctuation). The rise of modern book publishing services has made professional editing accessible to all authors, not just those with a traditional publishing deal.
Actionable First Steps for Finding Feedback:
- Join a Writing Group: Online forums, local writing groups, and social media communities are excellent places to find beta readers and critique partners. An author can start by offering to read someone else’s work first to build a reputation as a helpful and insightful partner.
- Budget for an Editor: An author who is serious about publishing should budget for a professional editor. This is not a luxury; it is a necessity for creating a high-quality product that will stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Step 5: Create a Business Plan (Even a Simple One)
The final step is to solidify the author’s professional mindset by creating a simple business plan. An author is an entrepreneur, and every entrepreneur needs a plan. This doesn’t have to be a 50-page corporate document; it can be a one-page roadmap that outlines their goals, resources, and timeline.
The Components of a Simple Author Business Plan
- Budget: An author should calculate the costs associated with publishing their book, including editing, cover design, and marketing. Knowing these numbers upfront prevents surprises and allows an author to save and invest in their business wisely.
- Timeline: An author should create a realistic timeline for their writing, editing, and publishing process. A plan with clear deadlines provides a roadmap to follow, keeping an author on track and motivated.
- Publishing Path: An author should decide on their preferred publishing path—traditional or independent. Each path requires a different strategy. For those who choose the independent path, the plan should include a decision on which book publishing services they will use and how they will distribute their book.
Conclusion
The journey to becoming a successful author is a marathon, not a sprint. The path is filled with a multitude of tasks, from the creative act of writing to the logistical business of publishing. But the most successful authors are the ones who start today, not just by writing, but by laying the groundwork for their future career. By treating their writing as a craft, building a platform, understanding their market, seeking professional feedback, and creating a simple business plan, an aspiring author can turn their dream into a tangible, professional reality.
