Is your email inbox swollen with “helpful” newsletters and videos? You know the ones, presented by the “Successful Writers” who have found “The Secret” to become (fill-in-the-blank) best-selling authors and astound millions with their novels.
Each helpful newsletter or video encourages you to launch a new marketing project (often closely associated with the service the newsletter author provides). Build a multi-thousand audience for your newsletter. Finally get on the bandwagon and try Facebook ads. Test the waters of the (fill-in-the-blank) latest social media site by posting photos, videos, and blogs. Or re-brand yourself (You haven’t branded yourself at all yet? Oh dear, better work on that ASAP).
Yet more instructions arrive. Change your pen name. Try a new genre. Give away free books and Kindles. Subscribe to that expensive marketing program. Try pop-up banners.
When faced with a bewildering array of choices, you are more likely to avoid choices, more likely to make a bad decision, and more likely to derive less satisfaction from the choice.
As a writer, you’re faced with a massive number of choices that can paralyze you, make you less likely to make any decision, in a time when a good decision may help you in your career.
“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.” –Theodore Roosevelt
To avoid paralysis, do what I did—unsubscribe from nice-but-not-necessary newsletters and videos. If you keep reading them but never act on them, delete them from your inbox. Take a step back and ask yourself, “What is the one thing I most need to do right now for my writing?” That one thing may be to stop wasting your time reading or watching messages that don’t get you closer to your goals.
Then try this:
- Reduce your options. Why agonize over how to design a book cover if you still haven’t decided you’ll e-pub? Don’t ponder over selecting a $750/book editor if you don’t have the funds for it. If you’re swimming in genres, pick one and focus on that for this time in your life. You can always do a separate study later on something else, but give your strongest genre your full focus for now. A good focus will help you eliminate more than half of the choices. Write in your consumer journal: “I need to decide X first. Then Y. The rest can wait for another time. I will focus on this first.”
- Make it real. Gather as much information as you can so you can really see what that choice is. Ask the journalistic five Ws: who, what, when, where, why. Ask successful authors what worked best for them. Learn the costs, royalties, expenses, and demands involved in each option. If you don’t qualify for X and Y, eliminate them as options. Simplify.
- Minimize choices. Perhaps by ease of entry, affordability, or some other factor that will give you more simplicity and ease of choice.
“A real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken a new action. If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided.” –Tony Robbins
Hi Janet! The best thing I did for myself and my writing efforts was to clear out that inbox so I only get a few blog post notices or newsletters each week. The gentle art of quick scanning instead of reading also helps identify the ones I want to read in depth or delete.
I totally agree, Pat! I didn’t note it in the blog, but I’ve found that some –ahem– more aggressive newsletter/marketers will sneak back in my inbox, singing their siren songs, even after I’ve unsubscribed–twice!
Thank you – very helpful – i am inundated
Hope some of the suggestions help, Judith. Try to simplify! Will I see you at conference? You can update me on your progress!
After reading your post I immediately unsubscribed to four newsletters. Your suggestions are such simple ways to get back some of my own time. Thanks!
Hi, MRWrites! I’m happy for you! Thank you for letting me know, and congratulations on your newly reclaimed time!
Oh, this is so true, Janet. When it comes to marketing, I am often paralyzed. The few times I’ve actually done something, it’s been because, as you said, I focused on one thing and made it my priority. I need to do this more. Good advice on focusing..
I’ve become familiar with this paralysis, too, Mary. Even when I was traditionally published, I looked at the list of “promo to-do’s” recommended by my publisher, and my eyes glazed over. As an independent publisher, that to-do list has grown exponentially. Brings new meaning to that well-known phrase, “Take it one step at a time.” I’m wishing you (and all of us!) success with our focusing!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I never thought I’d need permission to unsubscribe from the newsletters, and suddenly I felt inundated. They backed up for months. As a published author I’m too busy writing and the additional voices in my ear have started to drive me crazy. Your simple blog was just what I needed.