The art and profession of writing is one which requires a lot of work, dedication and fitness. It goes just beyond being alright in the physical sense; if your body and mind aren’t in good shape, you might not get anywhere.
There have been a plethora of great writers who truly had exceptional skills. However, due to certain mistakes, some of them actually missed it and faded into obscurity. The truth is that whatever you’re writing-whether it’s an online dissertation help or a full-fledged book- there are certain mistakes that could prove fatal. Very quickly, we’ll be running through some of these mistakes. Take a look below:
Lack of Faith in Yourself
As a writer, the person who knows your project the most is you. That being said, why exactly should you listen to an agent or editor or any other self-proclaimed expert whenever they tell you to make changes to your work? Whenever you’re about to put out something, you should trust your gut and the natural instinct that’s in you. If you feel like the work is fit and ready for release, then release it. Second-guessing won’t get you far- that’s a fact.
This brings us to…
Having too Much Faith in Yourself
Although it’s true that nobody has knowledge about the features of your project better that you, it won’t be on your best interest to completely and blatantly ignore the advice of those around you. Although doubts and ‘bad vibes’ won’t be good for you, constructive criticism, on the other hand, is. There could be parts of your work that need a little more effort or fine-tuning and you might not even see it. The opinions of others can help you in bringing that midas touch to your work and making it even better. Whenever you get criticism, listen to it with an open and inquisitive mind. If there are any changes that appeal to your writer’s instinct, feel free t implement them and anyone that doesn’t resonate with you, you’re free to ignore. You’ll find that eventually, your book will be much better if you follow that path.
Refusing to Hire Professionals
One of the biggest and potentially career-damaging mistakes that any writer can make is the failure to hire professionals. The professionals in question include designers, formatters, copyeditors and others in that line. If you decide to self-publish, you won’t really have to spend that much on your book before it hits shelves everywhere, especially when you’re not sure how many copies it will eventually sell. However, professionals will make your job far easier and bring in certain (and needed too, if I may add) levels of expertise and efficiency. Pasty and cheap covers, grammatical errors and formatting oddities are features that are sure to reduce your sales and the potential amount of money you’ll be expecting. All these can be avoided if you choose to hire professionals who will run through your work and add any of their skills which are required. Inasmuch as this book project is yours, you’re not perfect and that means that if you don’t get additional help, things could go South.
Not Doing Enough Research
Research is very key t the writing profession. Without research, most of what you’re writing on could be redundant and the worst part will be that due to the fact that you’ve not conducted any form of research, you won’t even know it. A lot goes into writing; whether it’s an article, an editorial or a full book. You have to be familiar with what you’re writing. Only then will you truly be versatile and equipped with a deeper understanding of what you’re writing.
Working Without a Marketing Campaign
A marketing campaign is the only way to get your work out there. A lot of writers actually put together awesome and inspiring pieces. However, due to lack of a feasible and efficient marketing campaign, their books never really get anywhere and amount to anything. You need to get a marketing campaign that will help in selling your work and giving it the necessary exposure.
Taking too Long a Break
There is absolutely no harm in reveling in the fact that you just published something. After all, every successful job is cause for celebration. It’s perfectly understandable. However, you should always remember that the career of a successful writer also involves always working on the next book. This means that as much as you can get a time out, you should always be steadily looking to start off on the next project. This is one of the tools that can help you guard against redundancy andbecoming obsolete because as much as you might take a break, the market doesn’t. If you take too long a break, you might not have it all that easy when you eventually come back.
The Traditional Mindset
This is another potentially damaging mistake. A lot of writers become stagnant because they’re looking for the next agent or publisher all in the hopes on snagging a deal. While this isn’t bad, you can choose to explore self-publication if the traditional publication method doesn’t seem to be yielding any results.
