15 Simple Steps to Become a Bestseller Author in 2024

Introduction

These days, we can see that most creative enthusiasts are available on social media, spending their time writing and sharing their knowledge with the community available there. Now, imagine being someone who writes stories, poems, or books that people can read and enjoy but cannot share their knowledge through social media because of shyness and, simultaneously, wants to share their writings or knowledge with the world around them. If you have ever had that dream, you’re in the right place. This article is like a roadmap that will help you find your way of improving your writing skills and share your knowledge with the world by becoming a bestseller author.

Being an author is like being a magician with words. You can create amazing worlds, tell exciting tales, and make people feel all sorts of emotions through your writing. It’s a bit of an adventure, and we’re here to guide you through it.

Think of it as the beginning of an incredible journey where you’ll use your words to make a difference in people’s lives.

Is ChatGPT capable of ending the Jobs of Writers in 2023?

Who is the Author?

An author is a person who writes books, articles, stories, or any form of written content. Authors create written work to convey ideas, entertain, inform, or express their thoughts and emotions. They can be fictional and non-fictional writers, poets, journalists, or experts in various fields who share their knowledge through writing. Authors may choose to write in different genres, styles, and formats, and their work can be published in books, magazines, newspapers, blogs, or other media. The term ‘author’ is typically used to refer to someone who produced significant written content, whether for literacy, academic, journalistic, or creative purposes.

How to become a Bestseller Author?

So, we will share here the 15 steps that can change your life and help you become a bestseller author.

STEP1: PASSION FOR WRITING

Passion fuels the writer’s journey. The first and most crucial step to becoming an author is to have a genuine passion for writing. Writing requires dedication; your love for it will be your driving force. Whether fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or any other form of creative expression, you must craft your skills by writing regularly. It should be a desire to bring characters to life, to explore or inspire change through words.

STEP2: DEFINE YOUR WRITING AREA

Authors come in many forms. It’s easier when you define your writing goals. Are you interested in writing novels, short stories, self-help books, or poetry? Understanding this will help you focus your efforts and develop your unique voice as an author. It also helps you stay concentrated on one aspect and get various ideas to take your work forward and achieve your writing goals.

STEP3: READ EXTENSIVELY

Good writers are avid readers. Read…read…and read. Reading in your chosen genre(s) and beyond helps to gain exposure to various writing styles, themes, and storytelling techniques. This exposure inspires creativity and helps authors develop their unique narrative voices. Reading enhances language proficiency by exposing authors to new vocabulary and grammatical structures, which they can use in their own writing. Reading enables them to create more realistic and relatable characters and situations. It also helps them to stay updated with literary trends and market demands, allowing them to tailor their work to meet reader expectations.

STEP4: WRITE CONSISTENTLY

Writing is a journey of self-discovery, enabling authors to explore their thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. It clarifies thoughts and communication skills, empowering authors to engage with readers and convey their ideas effectively. The act of putting thoughts into words forces authors to clarify their ideas. Establish a writing routine that works for you, whether it’s a daily ritual, a weekly commitment, or a specific word count goal. Like any craft, writing improves with practice.

STEP5: DEVELOP WRITING STYLES

Your writing style is what sets you apart. Experiment with different writing techniques, tones, and perspectives until you find your unique voice. Be authentic and write from the heart. Here are some different writing styles that authors often use,

1. Descriptive writing: This style focuses on vividly describing settings, characters, and senses to create a rich sensory experience for the reader. It often resembles readers’ senses and emotions, immersing them in the story’s world.
2. Narrative writing: It involves telling a story, often from a specific point of view (for example, first-person or third-person). It typically follows a chronological sequence of events.
3. Persuasive writing: This style aims to persuade or convince the reader of a particular viewpoint or an argument. It employs logic based evidence to make a compelling case and force its readers to take actions based on the desire of the author writing it.
4. Expository writing: Expository writing is informative and fact-based. It explains concepts, provides information and clarifies ideas. This style is common in textbooks, academic papers, and non-fiction works.
5. Creative writing: This has many styles, including poetry, short stories, and plays. It gives importance to imaginative and artistic expression, often playing with language and structure to evoke emotions or provoke thoughts.
6. Journalistic writing: This is characterized by clarity, objectivity, and focus on delivering news or facts. It adheres to the ‘who, what, where, why, when, and how’ of reporting.
7. Epistolary writing: This style involves using letters, diary entries, or written documents to convey the story. It gives a unique and personal perspective on characters and events.
8. Stream of consciousness: In this style, authors delve into characters’ inner thoughts and feelings in a continuous and unfiltered flow. It offers insight into the character’s psyche and reflects a character’s mental state.
9. Magical realism: This style blends the ordinary and extraordinary seamlessly, making fantastic elements appear as though they are a natural part of the story’s reality. It often blurs the lines between reality and fantasy.

Each of these writing styles offers authors a unique way to communicate their ideas, emotions, and stories.  

STEP6: CREATE AN OUTLINE OR PLAN

Before diving into a long writing project, create an outline or plan. This will provide structure to your work and help you stay on track. Imagine your writing journey as a path through a dense forest, and your outline or plan is the compass that helps you navigate through your way. Sketch out essential elements like choosing genre and style, equipping with writing tools, writing goals, creative exploration, and deciding publishing platform.

As you craft your author outline, remember that your journey is unique. Your roadmap is not a set of rocks, it’s a flexible guide to help you navigate the world of words. Keep your compass handy, stay true to your voice, and embrace the adventure.

STEP7: SET WRITING GOALS

A writing goal is a specific, measurable, and achievable objective a writer sets to guide their writing process and track their progress. Set achievable writing goals, whether completing a certain number of pages or chapters each week or hitting a word count target.

A few writing goals can be as follows;

1. Word count goals: Writers often set daily or weekly word count goals to ensure they make consistent progress on their work.
2. Deadline goals: Setting a specific deadline for completing a writing project, whether it’s a novel, an article, or an essay, can provide a sense of urgency and structure to the writing process.
3. Revision and editing goals: These focus on the revision and editing stages of writing. They might include tasks like revising a certain number of chapters or proofreading a section of a manuscript.
4. Publication goals: Writers aiming to get their works published often set goals related to submitting manuscripts to publishers, literary agents, or literary magazines. This can include sending out several query letters or submissions each month.
5. Genre or style goals: Some writers may want to explore new genres or styles of writing. Setting a goal to write a story in a different genre than your usual is quite a creative challenge.

When setting writing goals, it is essential to make them SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This ensures that the goals are clear realistic and provide a clear roadmap for progress.

STEP8: SEEK FEEDBACK

Share your work with trusted friends, family, or writing groups for constructive feedback. Feedback helps us to improve our work and incorporate many more new and fresh ideas. Remember that feedback is a gift that pushes you toward excellence.

STEP9: EDIT AND REVISE

Edit your work to ensure it is error-free. They serve as refining tools that transform a rough draft into a masterpiece. Through editing, writers can correct errors, enhance clarity, and tighten prose. Revising goes deeper, allowing writers to reevaluate structure, characters, and overall plot. Overall processes provide the critical distance necessary to see one’s work, making it more accessible of ideas to a finely crafted piece of art, combining the writers’ dedication to delivering the best possible work to their readers.

STEP10: OVERCOME WRITER’S BLOCK

Writer’s block can be frustrating, but several strategies can help you overcome it. First, try changing your environment or routine to spark fresh inspiration. Break your project into smaller, manageable tasks to reduce feeling overwhelmed. Reading books or articles related to your topic can provide new ideas. Collaborating or discussing your project with others can offer different perspectives. Lastly, taking breaks, practicing mindfulness, and nurturing self-care can relieve stress and help you return to writing with a clearer mind. Remember, writer’s block is a common challenge that writers face, and with patience and persistence, you can overcome it.

STEP11: PUBLISHING PATHS

Traditional Publishing:

Many authors seek literary agents to represent their work to publishing houses. Agents can negotiate deals, provide guidance, and connect authors with the right publishers. It involves submitting your manuscript to publishing houses. The publisher handles editing, design, distribution, and marketing, if accepted. Authors typically receive advances and royalties.

Advantages: Access to professional editing, marketing, and distribution resources; potential for a wider readership.

Considerations: Highly competitive; lengthy publishing timelines; loss of some creative control; smaller advances for debut authors.  

Self-publishing:

Authors can self-publish their work through platforms like Amazon Kindle direct publishing (KDP), Apple Books, Smashwords, etc. They retain creative control and a large share of royalties. These companies may charge authors to publish their books. Be cautious, as some may exploit authors.

Advantages: Full creative control; faster publishing; higher royalties; access to a global audience; the ability to experiment with pricing and marketing.

Considerations: Requires self-promotion; may involve upfront costs; quality control is the author’s responsibility.

Small Press Publishing:

Some small publications prefer to encourage emerging voices. They may offer personalized attention than larger publishing houses.

Advantages: Closer author-publisher collaboration, potential for more creative control.

Considerations: Smaller distribution reach, less marketing support.

Crowdfunding and Pre-order campaigns:

Authors can use platforms like Kickstarter or Indiegogo to fund the publication of their books through pre-orders and crowdfunding. This approach involves engaging with readers directly.

Advantage: Secure funding for the project, build a dedicated reader base, and creative control.

Considerations: Requires marketing and campaign management skills; may involve fulfillment challenges.

The right publishing path depends on your goals, the genre of your work, your marketing abilities, and your preference for creativity control.   

STEP12: BUILD AUTHOR PLATFORM

Building an author platform is essential for establishing your presence in the literary world, connecting with your target audience, and promoting your work effectively. Some steps to build a strong author platform;

1. Define your brand. Determine what makes you unique as an author. Identify your genre or expertise.
2. Create an author website that showcases your works and provides information about you. Make sure it’s mobile-friendly and easy to navigate.
3. Engage on social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Google Reads), engage with followers, and show content related to your writings.
4. Consistent blogging is required where you can share your thoughts, writing process, and insights. Regularly update it with valuable content.
5. Engage with the audience by replying to their comments and showing appreciation for your reader’s support.

STEP13: NETWORK WITH FELLOW AUTHORS:

Networking with fellow authors may be beneficial as a platform for exchanging ideas, experiences, and knowledge. You can gain insights into the publishing industry, from writing techniques to marketing strategies. Networking with fellow authors is valuable source of inspiration and guidance.

STEP14: NEVER STOP LEARNING

Writing is an ongoing learning process. Continuously seek opportunities to improve your writing skills through courses, workshops, and reading about writing craft.

STEP15: KEEP WRITING AND GROWING

Even after publishing your first book, keep writing and evolving as an author. Each piece of writing is a chance to learn and grow.

Becoming an author is a fulfilling and creative thing. So, stay true to your passion, believe in your voice, and never stop writing. With dedication and persistence, you can turn your dream of becoming a published and bestseller author into a reality.

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Wishing you all a splendid and exponentially growing career journey ahead.