New Podcast Episode: Why Now Is a Great Time to Be an Author with Dawn Montefusco

Have you been dreaming of writing a book? Well, you’ve come to the right place, because we’re discussing why now is the absolute best time to be an author with transformational writing coach Dawn Motefusco. The publishing world is changing rapidly, and Dawn believes there is no better time to finally make the dream of becoming an author a reality. Will you add the title “author” in 2024? Read on to be inspired to take action…

Why is now the best time to be an author? 

Quite simply, the publishing world and options have evolved so much that opportunities are available today to authors that were not available before. At one point not all that long ago, in order to become a published author, you had to be accepted by a publishing house. Not only is that a very difficult thing to accomplish (possible… but difficult!), but authors retained much less control and also made less money per book. These days, authors have so many different publishing options available to them: yes, traditional publishing is still an option, but there’s also hybrid publishing and self-publishing. If you can write the book, you can get it out there! There’s never been a better time to be an author!

How has self-publishing changed the game for authors?

In a multitude of ways, of course, but I think the biggest takeaway is that self-publishing instills confidence in writers because it allows publishing their book to become accessible. Often times, authors come to me with fantastic ideas but don’t have the confidence to put their project out there because the whole process feels too daunting. Among many authors, there is still a pre-conceived notion that self-publishing doesn’t count.

One of the exercises I like the authors I work with to do is to write a short book, to put together a book on their topic or area of expertise that’s 20 pages or so and to self-publish it. It’s a real game changer for most authors because it allows them to see, in a bite-size way, that it is possible to get their work out there!

What is one of the most common challenges authors seem to face?

The thing that I see over and over is resistance. There is this resistance among many authors to actually share their story or their work with the world. I understand, because it’s a very vulnerable thing to do, and of course it takes work. But if an author really wants to get their work out there, their challenge is to overcome the resistance they feel to putting themselves out there, to promoting their book, to hopping on social media to be seen, to doing away with the pre-conceived ideas of publishing they may have had.

What do you say to an author who receives negative feedback?

Not to be dissuaded! I once worked with a comedian who flipped the negative and the “hater” thing on its head: if you don’t have anyone who hates your work, you probably don’t have anyone who really loves it either. The whole point is to say that there will be less than stellar feedback on your work, and it will be because you are putting it out there in the world… which is huge. I encourage authors to remember that each person who really falls in love with their work is a life changed by the author. Bestseller list or not, that is really meaningful impact, when you think about it.

Reviews of all kinds also help an author determine what may be working and what may not be. If there is a particular thing mentioned in review after review, that is constructive feedback that the author can take into their next project. Life most things in life, it’s a learning process. There aren’t failures, there are only lessons. And sometimes… major wins!

How can an author who feels overwhelmed by the writing process find success? 

This is another reason that it’s a great time to be an author. The writing process can feel overwhelming at times, but there are many ways to tackle it. An author can start with the exercise I mentioned before: writing a short book first. This will help authors get a feel for the writing process and gain confidence. Another great way to approach it is by committing to sitting down and writing for a short time – say 20 minutes or a half hour – each and every day. People don’t realize how quickly this dedicated time adds up!

If there’s someone who knows they have a story to tell but they don’t feel like a natural writer—perhaps they’re a speaker or a business owner—they can take the approach of having a friend or assistant sit down with them to verbally ask them questions. Record the responses to the questions and then transcribe the recording, and that is a great start to the writing process!

 

The All Things Book Marketing podcast is a popular biweekly show featuring book marketing and publicity tips from the top voices in the publishing industry. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a new episode!

Dawn Montefusco is a best-selling author, transformational writing coach, award-winning poet, speaker, and CEO of Inside Light Creative, LLC – an international coaching company. She’s a recognized global leader in helping individuals and business owners break through resistance and amplify their authentic message via short books, websites and social media. Her transformative programs and speaking events have reached 100,000+ people in 30 countries. Dawn’s passion is to guide people out of resistance, enabling them to write their books and embrace self-discovery. With a degree in writing from NYU and an MFA in creative writing from Eastern Washington University, she empowers writers of all kinds. Learn more about Dawn at www.helpmedawn.com or www.dawnmontefusco.com and follow her on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.