Author Smarter Boot Camp

By Michelle Fox

This boot camp covers insight and advice gleaned from my 7+ years as an indie author. You'll learn the the writing speed of success, what do to when you breakout, the kind of math involved in being a bestseller, the right mindset, as well as strategies that will build your career in a sustainable way.

The boot camp includes a link to free Facebook ads training for authors!

Note: It's available as a download in the Wolf Pack Promotions group on Facebook. If you join, you can grab it easy peasy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michelle Fox
• Release date: Jan 7, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393854760

Book preview

Misson 1: How Fast Should You Write and Release?

What is the actual writing speed of success?

As you learn about this business and try to figure out what your path to success looks like, you’re going to meet two kinds of authors: fast ones and slow ones. 

The fast ones are going to make you feel like you can’t be successful unless you’re writing a book a month. That tends to lead to panic because most new authors aren't running at the same speed as Road Runner the author.

Before you pull the anvil down on your head for a quick Wile E. Coyote exit...hear me out. I come bearing gifts for those who don't write lickity-split.

Let's start with some facts:

1.Most writers aren't very fast.

2. New writers tend to be slower than more experienced ones.

3. Experienced authors tend to work at about a medium speed. Around 3 to 4 books a year. Maybe 6 if your version of medium runs a bit faster.

4. Above 6 books, you are a Road Runner (by my count, other people may measure differently) and can use your speed to your advantage.

BUT take heart, authors can absolutely be successful writing at a slower-than-Road-Runner pace. 

Here’s another important fact: There are writers of all writing speeds making great money in this business. Writing speed isn’t the secret sauce of success here. It helps. It’s useful, but it’s not what success hinges on.

I know because I’m not world’s fastest writer myself.

First, though, it’s true that ‘rapid release’ is an effective strategy, and to do that, you need to write fast. Writing and releasing fast gives you a quicker, bigger footprint in the market, the retailer algos like new books, so the tech gods are all in your favor, and you keep voracious readers locked into your brand—they can’t forget about you. 

However, what a lot of authors don’t disclose is that they are using ghost writers, or repackaging older titles as new titles (especially if they’ve been in the business a long time), or they’re buying out authors who’ve quit to create new releases (this is more common than you would think). 

There's nothing wrong with any of these methods above, by the way. They are all legitimate business strategies. It's more the lack of disclosure that I take issue with because it leaves authors who don't know how this all works thinking there is something wrong with them.

Now, yes! Of course, there are authors who can write a book a month and sustain it over time! I’m not saying they don’t exist, but in my opinion, based on my experience, they aren’t as common as all the rapid release I see in the market.

As an example: I can write a full first draft in a month. So, right there you have proof that someone can go that fast, buuuuuut, here’s the catch, I can’t do it for successive months. Why? It’s a first draft and I need time to edit, plus get the cover sorted as well as get the editor’s edits back and incorporate them. 

I’ve found I need a minimum of three months of solid work to get a book done. Sometimes that three months is split over six months as I round robin through different projects whenever I get stuck (which is one way to maximize your efficiency as a slower writer).

If you can go fast, then go fast, fast will do well, but if you find that you’re writing too slow to do rapid release, here is Michelle Fox's Official List of Tips and Tricks for Slow Writers. (Growth hack alert! Get ready to take some notes.)

Slower writers need to produce high concept, super hooky, solid quality fiction. You don’t have a second shot coming immediately after the first, so every book has to count. Rapid release can recover from mistakes or miscalculations. You can’t. You must know your readers and be able to exceed their expectations. Slow is a quality, knows-the-market-like-the-back-of-my-hand play.

Slower writers must master marketing. You’ll need to understand ads and participate in cross marketing. This is what makes you money between releases.

Slower writers need to capitalize on any efficiencies they can find. Really analyze your creative process and working style. What can you do to squeeze every last word out of it? As I mentioned above, write in a round robin. If you’re stuck on one story, go work on another one. Don’t waste time. Meet your word count every day, even if it’s not in the same book. 

I’ll often work on one book for a week or two and then switch to another for a while. This ping-ponging allows me to best meet my word count goals with the way my writing process works. (And bonus, I often find that it results in multiple stories being done around the same time.)

Slower writers can write ahead and bank books to simulate a rapid release. Yep. There’s more than one way to create a rapid release. You can write for a year (or however long) and then release everything in 4, 6 or 8 week increments. This can be a great way to launch a new series or make a splash as a new author. 

The downside is, you have all that time where you’re writing and not publishing. If you can tolerate the income drought (or run ads to keep liquid), you can absolutely make the turtle’s version of a rapid release. This gives you all the benefits of writing fast in a way that fits with your production schedule. 

Slower writers need to build long term relationships with readers and find other ways to keep their name and books in readers’ minds. Giveaways, hanging out with readers online, swag etc... You’ve got to stay in touch even if you don’t have a new release. Don’t let readers forget you!

Slower writers may see slower income growth or more sales peaks and valleys to start, but over time, sales stabilize. It’s difficult to make a ton of money off one or two books. It can happen, but you shouldn’t count on it. However, over time, as the books stack up and you become more savvy about marketing, you’ll see your income grow and sustain. 

The exact number of books is different for every writer. I find if I have 3 to 4 books that do well with readers that I can stabilize my income over long stretches of time with ads and cross promo. You might need 6 books. Another author might get by with 2 or need 15. (Note: This only works if you know your readers well and can create books that they are more likely to buy because you've tickled their sweet spot with your packaging and marketing.)

Slower writers can leverage their brand into co-writing arrangements to increase speed. This isn't for everyone. It's more work than you would think to manage co-written books, and your brand has to be big enough to make it worth your co-writers' time, nor is success guaranteed, but this can be a good way to expand your business.

You'll have to oversee story development, ensure quality, market, and deal with the financials for less than you would make just writing and publishing your own book. However, when it works, it's a great way to capitalize on a strong brand and release faster.

Okay, so I see all you fast writers, giving me the side eye, wondering where your list of tips is. I haven't forgotten you! The thing is, all of the above applies to you, too, but because you're fast, you don't have to be so methodical or perfect. Your main to-do is to keep up production and have a solid marketing infrastructure. Use the tips above as they make sense.

The key for everyone is just to get more books out there, whether it’s just one or two a year or fifteen. Whatever your writing speed, with smart marketing, your backlist accrues and builds income year-on-year. 

And, ultimately, your writing speed should be what fits you as an artist and what works for you life and goals. Success has many speeds. 

Let me say that again. Success has many speeds. (I want you to say this to yourself ten times fast any time someone else's production schedule makes you doubt yourself.)

There are authors making a career work in all sorts of different ways with all