5 Action Items Authors Can Do During the In-Between Moments
Waiting is the WORST! Whether you’re waiting for feedback from CPs and betas, waiting on responses from agents and editors, or really any time you feel a little stuck and like everything’s moving but you, it’s tough. If you’re a busybody like me and hate the lulls, there are some things you can do in the meantime that will save you time and effort down the road. Here are five action items I’d recommend:
Streamline your social media handles
“But I don’t want to be active on social media.” I hear you, I really do! But snag those handles before someone else does, because someday, you might. I’m a big advocate for trying your best to just use your name, and if you can’t find that, adding “writes” or “author” to it, especially if you’re trying to keep it separate from personal social media. Also, I know it’s not always possible, but having the same handle across platforms will make it easier for people to look you up across the board. It will also make it more convenient for you to create promo materials like bookmarks and swag.
“But I don’t have a book deal yet.” MANIFEST IT!!!!! Doing simple things like this is a good way to stay ahead so when that deal does come, you’re ready!
2. Create a website
This can be a long process, so I advise starting as early as possible! And trust me, you don’t need anything fancy (unless you want it). Before creating my website (which seriously needs a refresh, so maybe I’m not the best person to be giving advice), I first bookmarked a bunch of author websites I really liked to try and nail the vibe I was going for. You can try making a free logo in Canva or even contract a freelancer. There are also freelance web designers, which is a great option if you’re not feeling like DIY is your forte.
But if you DO want to DIY, I recommend Squarespace! I believe there are free options, but I currently pay $168 (as of 2022) annually for whatever tier I’m on (pretty basic, I think). Also, tutorials are a lifesaver, especially if you’re not super techy. Feel free to explore different platforms like WordPress, because everyone has their preference, and what works for me might not work for you. Also, I recommend writing down the copy for the different pages (home page, about, contact, etc) in a doc juuuuust in case anything happens while you’re in the throes of making it.
At the bottom line, these are the pages I think are most important:
Home page: Welcome people, share a brief bit about you, your books, etc. Include links/buttons to other pages. Try not to clog with too much stuff because this is just a landing spot. Add preorder links if at that point.
About page: Self-explanatory! Slap a picture of yourself up there and a bio. Btw, this is a great time to work on your bio, because you’ll likely need that in the future!
Books page: If you already have books out/are debuting, this is where to hype them up and gently nudge people toward adding them on Goodreads. If you don’t, still feel free to add a bit about your books and maybe throw in an aesthetic. Just be mindful that this is the interwebs, so be careful how much you share. If you want to keep it vague, you can always just talk about your writing style and the genres and audiences you gravitate toward writing.
Contact page: Listen, I don’t care if this page is crickets. HAVE IT. It looks professional; you never know what it might lead to!! I suggest using a form and making sure it’s attached to an email you check fairly frequently. When/if you do have an agent, feel free to add them as a contact point for bookish stuff.
Also, have your newsletter sign up on your website. But first, you’ll have to–
3. Create a newsletter
This is another one where you don’t NEED it. But I have a background in marketing so of course, I have to mention it. Truly, you don’t need any of this stuff, but I do think it’s helpful to set up at some point. Even if you have zero intention of sending out a newsletter, there is a reason I think it’s essential, and that’s to collect names and contact info for people who are interested in you and your work.
“They can just follow me on social media.” Listen, maybe I’m a doomsday prepper, but what if one day social media goes lights out? What if one day you decide to go lights out on social media? Having a separate place to contact people is essential.
I use MailChimp and have a free plan, but there are other services as well. When you create a newsletter, I also suggest creating a landing page that you can add to your linktree or bio. This is just a space to welcome people and invite them to sign up. I think adding an incentive is nice (I give anyone who signs up the query letter that connected me with my agent), but definitely not vital. You do you!
From there, you can create a template (or just use one that they have). Personalize with your colors and things that go with your ~brand~. I think it’s most helpful breaking it up into sections. Here’s how mine is divided:
Intro note: usually includes what I’ve been up to, general updates, and cool happenings
What’s happening on the blog?: this is where I share my newest blog post (maybe you came from here?) and why I wrote it
All things social: I just added this one, like, right now. LOL. I like sharing anything cool I’m doing on social media, or even, like, a tiktok I love that didn’t get much traction. I’d also like to start sharing more tips for authors because I spend a lot of time studying social media, so I might as well
My current book obsession: this is just to share what I’m reading and spread the word about more books! I think I’d also like to start doing an upcoming release highlight to try and shine a light on other debut authors
Closing note: just a little extra something and a thank you!
But by all means, customize your newsletter to your own tastes! That’s what’s fun about it.
4. Create a linktree
Once you create a newsletter, a website, and streamline all those social media handles, you need somewhere to put them with easy access. Linktree is a neat platform that lets you create a catalog of links all under one link. This is great because most social media platforms only let you put one link in your bio, so it feels a bit like cheating the system. I love it and it’s super easy to use and switch out links. There are paid plans, but my current plan is free and there are loads of design options.
This is also great to have once you have a book coming out because you can add preorder and Goodreads links to it. If you’re creating swag, adding a QR code that links to your linktree is a great evergreen way to make sure that users will always have access to your most essential links, while still giving you the power to keep them updated.
5. Get organized
This is something ongoing, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to try and create a system that works best for you to make sure things are easy to locate. Whether you’re a spreadsheets person, a folders person, or a chaos gremlin, knowing where the important stuff sits is crucial. Because trust me, it only gets more chaotic the further you get in this process!
I love Google Drive because I can sort things into folders. For me, that looks like having book-specific folders, and then folders within those folders for sub-categories like drafts, revisions, edit letters, legal stuff, pr/media, etc. I also keep a folder on my computer, but I’m paranoid it will crash and lose everything, so I like having a duplicate file in Google Drive.
Something I’ve been meaning to do and haven’t yet is set up a master spreadsheet for The Rosewood Hunt. Being a debut feels SO disorganized, so I’m going to make tabs for things like a timeline of things happening/important milestones, blurbs, promo materials, expenses, marketing ideas, etc. Even if you’re not an organizational pro, I think any step toward creating some sense of a digital file cabinet can be helpful.
I hope some of these tips resonate! Remember, these are absolutely just suggestions and things I’ve done that have helped me feel like I’m moving forward. Hopefully, they’ll help you too!
For more tips and writing content, you can follow me on TikTok where I post a weekly debut diaries series. I’m also on Instagram and Twitter. Thanks for reading!
