4 Mistakes To Avoid While Embarking Upon The Author Journey

So, you are all set to write your first book and you have the entire story in mind.

You started to write and soon realize that somehow it is not adding up well. You wrote a few chapters and feel you are lost and its not making sense.

Now, you want to rewrite some of the chapters becoz you feel that the readers won’t like it the way you wrote before.

I know that feeling and I have been through that, trust me!

And I have seen some of the newbie writers who can make the expert writers run for their job when it comes to language, grammar and vocabulary, but they still get stuck in their writing.

In the excitement and fervor to create worlds with words, there are pitfalls that every new author should be wary of.

Let’s look at four common mistakes that can divert you from the path of literary accomplishment.

#1 — Assuming Your First Book Will Be a Masterpiece

Who does not want their book to be on that list of ‘Amazon No-1 Bestseller Books’?

But understand that like any other creative work you choose, storytelling is also about evolving in your craft every single day.

What I write ‘right’ today is a cumulative experience of all the ‘wrong’ that I wrote for years together, and still continue to write.

The one thing that I have stopped doing though is ‘worrying’ if others would react or not.

I love to write, and I am honest about it, and will write not only becoz I want an audience but also becoz this is the most authentic way I express myself.

Writing, like any other craft, requires patience, practice, and the permission to be imperfect.

Many new authors carry the ill-fated expectation of producing a literary masterpiece on their first attempt. This pressure can lead not only to disappointment but also to creative paralysis.

Confession-1 — I had made a lot of mistakes in my first book, yet, it continues to be the most read book in the portfolio of my eBooks so far!

#2 — Setting Overambitious Goals as an Author

Aspiring authors often dream big — and they should — but when it comes to goal setting, starting with smaller, achievable objectives is key.

Your first book should be about ‘finishing what you started’ rather than writing a masterpiece in the first shot.

Remember this — You can never create a masterpiece if you can never finish writing a book.

Grand ambitions can feel overwhelming and leave you adrift in a sea of anxiety, overthinking and uncertainty.

Most of the students that I have worked with get so overwhelmed about being perfect that their creative minds cease to function.

Creativity does not work under pressure. It is released when your mind is set free.

Break down your larger goals and ambitions into achievable tasks and create a journey with milestones to reach.

A million copies are reached by selling your first copy and reaching a million copies takes time, patience, and consistency.

Smaller goals foster consistent progress, builds confidence and accumulate to bigger achievements.

#3 — Failing to Identify Your Potential Story “Listeners”

Yes, you read it right.

I did not write ‘readers’ but ‘listeners’ instead, becoz, when people read through their eyes, they also ‘tell’ the story to their minds.

And the most important challenge of a storyteller is to be able to handhold their listeners and teleport them to the point of the author’s experience, so that the ‘listener’ can feel it in the same way as the storyteller.

Not knowing who you’re writing for is akin to setting off on a voyage without a destination.

Failing to identify your potential audience — the listeners of your story — means you may miss hitting the mark with your narrative and themes.

Understand who your readers(listeners) are, what they enjoy, what resonates, and tailor your storytelling to converse directly with their imaginations and experiences.

#4 — Not Reading Works of Similar Authors in the Field

We all want our books to be ‘read’, but we do not want to ‘read’ what others write.

A common oversight for new writers is neglecting the treasure trove of inspiration and insight that can be gained from reading works of similar authors in their field.

This isn’t about imitation, but rather learning from the successes and failures of peers.

Observe how they craft dialogue, develop characters, and handle plot pacing.

This research can be an invaluable tool, carving out your niche and refining your voice.

Conclusion
To sum it up, when starting off with your first book

• Start with who you are with utmost honesty — People are looking for relatability, not perfection. When it comes from someone who match their persona, it makes the perfect impact.
• Enjoy your imperfections — Even if you are imperfect, you are unique, and that makes you perfect as no one else like you exists.
• Write becoz you love it — People can read between the lines, and would you want to become an author just to write ‘one book’? C’mon!
• Enjoy the process — It’s who you ‘become’ from the point when you started to the point you cross the finish line.
• Best authors today started with failures yesterday — If you find that relevance between you and the authors you admire, you are taking the right course! Keep steering!

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