What Sets Authors Apart
Writing has never been more competitive, if only because technology is reducing the barrier to entry for the craft. But when an author stands out, it’s often not because of anything quantifiable — it’s because they have a power and focus behind their writing and the way they market it.
Writers are notoriously burdened by crippling self-doubts. They agonize over the quality of their drafts and constantly question whether they are good enough, wanting feedback yet afraid of releasing the intimacy of their words into the world. Experience doesn’t necessarily make writing easier, either, because every manuscript represents a new idea with new rules and expectations around it.
So, when people encounter a writer who seems to be driven to put their writing into the world, who believes in the work so deeply that they will walk over hot coals for it, it’s distinctive. These writers still need encouragement, but for them, writing isn’t something they want to do. It’s something they feel obligated to do — a mission, not a job. The best writers often find a shockingly narrow message within that obligation, creatively approaching it from every angle.
Having a sense of obligation to the writing means that a writer is willing to properly advocate for it. They understand what can and cannot move during the editing process and don’t let the idea of potential sales lure them into compromising the core frame of the content. But a sense of obligation also means that they also approach the writing as a service. Sure, they can want royalties or other perks like any other author. But they share the story or message as their way of loving others and defending a specific set of values for them above all else.
Most writers don’t meet these criteria. They’re skilled and have good concepts, but they still view writing as simply work they’re suited to, rather than a must-do affair. If you’d rather not fade into this wallpaper, think critically about the type of imaginative world or issue you’re willing to fight for.
[Transcript Summary]
Sometimes when I am working with clients on books thought leadership, articles, any of that kind of content, I get asked what sets an author apart. What makes them stand out in the crowd? And as a writer, as an editor, the more that I have thought about that question, the more that I keep wanting to answer it — it’s not the editing. It’s not even necessarily your voice of all. Of course, those things matter. Don’t get me wrong.
But the thing that matters most, the thing that sets you apart more than anything else, is your conviction about what you’re doing. If you stand behind the book, whether it’s fiction, nonfiction, doesn’t matter. But if you stand behind the story, if you stand behind the message that you’re getting across, and you — people can feel it in their bones when you talk about the work. That is what attracts people. That’s what makes them want to crack the cover. And the more that you do that, the more it energizes people to go look at your work. So, that really does create an energy that you can’t replicate anywhere else. That is why some of these so-called mediocre writers do well, because they have that energy going for them.
So, if there’s one thing aside from the writing that I can say to go ahead and try and work on, it’s find that piece of conviction in what you’re doing. Write your book around that. Your thought leadership, whatever it happens to be, just find that and really stick to it. Take care, everybody. Bye.