WRITING TIPS | LEARNING FROM THE BIG NAMES
What I’ve Learned From Brandon Sanderson’s Writing Class (4)
And what you can learn, too, on publishing and marketing.
About two weeks ago I decided to rewatch Brandon Sanderson’s Creative Writing class of 2020 on YouTube. In fourteen videos he shares with us his vast experience on plot, world building, character, and publishing.
This post is the last in the series of posts I wrote based on his class. In each article I cover a different aspect.
This time — publishing and marketing.
Even though Sanderson talks about fictional publishing, whether it’s traditionally or Indie publishing, his advice works great for content creation as well.
Here are some of the principles he mentions about publishing and marketing your brand.
Consistency
Whether you’re writing a novel or a blog, publishing consistently is crucial. Much more than writing consistently.
In his video Sanderson mentions it’s better to not have a blog than having an outmoded one. If you want people to keep coming back, you have to give them something to come back to.
How consistent does your publishing need to be? Depends on what you’re writing.
If we’re talking about traditionally published novels, one book every one or two years is the norm.
If we’re talking about Indie publishing, some authors publish a new book every two weeks, but the norm stands on a new book every two to three months.
In blogs the pace needs to be much quicker. Some would tell you to publish a new post every day. If you can make it work and still publish an article with a high value to the reader, do it.
If not, you have to find your magic routine for publishing consistently. Whatever you choose, make sure it fits your schedule and your audience. One high quality article per week is better than four low quality articles per week.
Professionalism
Sanderson talks about being professional in several ways:
- Editing your content — Posting an unedited article is like serving an unbaked cake to guests. It will leave a bad impression on your readers.
Before publishing a book or post, make sure you go through several stages of editing. If you truly want to be professional, after finishing writing a piece, put it to the side.
If it’s a book, many recommend waiting at least three months before editing.
If it’s a post, I usually wait one to two days before editing. You should give it a try. Not only will you catch all the mistakes you’ve made in the first draft, it’ll give you time to think your content through.
- Making your brand look professional — Whether it’s a writer’s website or blog, you want people to associate your brand with reliability.
In that case, you have to make sure it looks professional. Bonus points if it’s also eye-catching.
Does your homepage have your picture?
Have you written a memorable author bio and put it on your website?
What articles are pinned to your homepage?
If it’s a website — is it colored in warm or cold colors?
Is your website or homepage friendly to use? Do you use lists and tabs to organize your content better for the reader?
What pictures do your articles have? Are they full of details? How are they related to the content of the articles?
Take the time to think how you want others to see your homepage. The more professional it looks, the more people will see you as professional.
Engaging With Your Audience
As Sanderson says in his class, having an email list of a small but loyal audience could be a game changer for your brand.
What could be better than having an audience that appreciates your content so much they decide to get emails from you?
That’s why having a newsletter is a blessing and a curse. If you don’t use it wisely, it will push your readers away.
Make sure you give your small, loyal audience a tender care. Providing them with exclusive articles is an excellent way to maintain your newsletter audience. It’s also an excellent way to make it grow.
But no one likes to be spammed. I’ve signed up to a few newsletters of authors I like, and getting an email from them every one or two weeks is more than enough.
Don’t spam your readers. Give them valuable articles at a specific time each week. It’ll give you a deadline to come up with a high quality post, and it’ll make them look forward to it.
Having a Publishing System
How do you think successful Indie authors publish books every few months?
They don’t necessarily write faster or have more time.
They simply plan better.
They think of a few pieces ahead, and work on them before publishing. So when the time comes, they can edit a novel and publish it two to three months after they published the last one.
If you want to publish consistently you have to have a publishing system. Don’t think of the next post or book you’re going to write. Think of the next three. The next five.
Will the next few pieces be connected?
What pieces will you exclusively email your newsletter’s readers?
If we’re talking about Medium, what publications are you going to write for next?
Do you publish in a specific time so your readers will know when to expect new content from you?
Take a few minutes each day to plan your publishing schedule. It’ll make things simpler and faster for you.
The End of a Series
I first watched Brandon Sanderson’s class a year and a half ago. I knew quite a lot about the craft of writing, and still I found myself learning new things.
Even now, watching it for the second time, I discovered hidden treasures in his videos. He doesn’t only tell his success story. He shares his struggles, mistakes and long journey to become the writer he is today.
Make some time and go watch his videos, even if you’re not a fiction writer. There’s something incredibly comforting about looking at a successful writer like him and hearing of his struggles.
With his videos, you suddenly don’t feel alone in the writing journey. It feels like common ground.
The previous posts in the series focus on content, setting and character. You can find them here.
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Thank you for reading!
