For strangers to the book industry, publishing can seem like a baffling business – it’s one that’s certainly rife with all kinds of false beliefs. So, for novices and outsiders, here are five of the most common misconceptions about being a writer with at least one published book.
1. Money, money, money
The most risible and yet stubbornly prevalent of all misunderstandings is that authors – of all and any genres – are rolling in cash post publication. In fact, making a decent, liveable wage from books is only the province of a tiny minority of writers: those who are household names like Trent Dalton or Liane Moriarty. For the rest of us, it’s more akin to pocket money. Very few can afford to give up their day jobs.
2. Second time easy
Despite what some may believe, it really doesn’t get any easier with the next – or subsequent books. For many authors, the dreaded second book syndrome is real, particularly if they have received a modicum of success with a debut. Having to live up to the public’s expectations the next time round can be an anxious and fraught exercise.
Read: The art of the author photo – how to take a portrait that sells your book
3. Everything under control
Unless you publish it yourself and self-manage the entire process including distribution and publicity, authors do not have control over the publishing process. If you are lucky, you may have a say in how the cover looks, but the timing of its release is up to the publisher’s internal scheduling, and how the book is promoted is also dependent on the particular organisation’s allocated budget. A small independent outfit will obviously have far less marketing clout than a multinational firm. You may be assigned a publicist but that’s not always the case.
4. It’s not always about the novel
Although they are consistently the best-selling type of book, not all writers want or aspire to penning a novel. Some prefer to publish non-fiction, memoir, poetry or even a picture book. Many writers are versatile and can cross genres and work in different styles for different audiences.
Read: International report on book-buying trends
5. Page or stage?
Finally, although a number enjoy the performative nature of being on the publicity circuit, it should be remembered that many more writers are introverts and do not really like being wheeled out in the public eye to talk about their books. Yes, nowadays it’s crucial to be on board with self-promotion to support sales, but that does not necessarily mean every writer will be a comfortable or even engaging speaker out in the wild. Some would prefer if you judged them on their page words rather than their stage presence.
