The Bookish Brand

For many writers with book publishing aspirations, blogging flourishes into a mechanism for building a readership base, plus a lucrative side endeavor. This month, Rachel interviews successful blogger Rochelle Melander.

Let’s have an honest heart to heart for a moment. We all spend money trying to expand our writing careers. Which in itself, isn’t problematic. What we decide to drop some coin on is where the trouble can creep up. Creatives often get it twisted in terms of how to prioritize purchases.

In order to effectively market yourself as an author, blogger, or freelance writer for hire, forging relationships with fellow creativepreneurs and those working in other industries will be critical. It is essential you make time to build strategic partnerships based on your interpersonal skills.

Finding an agent is not a linear process. Many writers spend months querying in vain, feeling like little-to-no progress is happening. As a result, some decide to self-publish. Others stash away the manuscript(s) toiled over for years—convinced they’re just not destined to see their work in print.

Launching an imprint can be a heavy lift, even during an economical era which is becoming increasingly advantageous for independent creators. Self-publishing allows a writer to retain primary control of how, when and to whom her/his/their work is distributed.

Writing a book is not easy. But getting one published is often even more difficult. The time it takes to query agents and/or publishers who accept unsolicited manuscripts can often accumulate into months of what feels like much wasted effort.

Not that long ago, being able to write full-time for a living was the dream I was working toward. Another major professional goal was becoming a published author. Both of these have now become a reality. To be sure, neither was easy. But I received a lot of useful advice and encouragement.

Contrary to what many believe, being a writer is not a solitary endeavor. And in contemporary society, working in a silo could prematurely tank your career. We all need to find other creative professionals to connect with for savvy advice, emotional support and promotional opportunities.

Having endless sparks of inspiration is a gift many creatives have. Although that blessing is at times a curse—especially when each new intention sidetracks us from actually sitting down to do the work. I too have several ideas brewing about how to expand my writing career in 2022.

Writers may be passionate about writing, but a fair number also abhor social media. Instead of feeling inspired by the wealth of information available via a quick scroll on their mobile device, many feel overwhelmed, disheartened, and/or perplexed.

“Boosting” a post seems so simple. With a mere tap of your finger, your new book or blog post will now be shared with hundreds more people than you currently have as followers. Or least that’s how it seems on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.