So you want to be an author?

Fantastic! The world is always in need of bold authors who are willing to tell their story. Even the silliest of manuscripts help bring happiness in a world that is all too ready to take that away from people. Having the courage to put yourself out there in this manner is no small feat.

How much am I going to make off my book?

Writing a book is a terrible way to make money. You aren’t even guaranteed to get sales in the triple digits, much less seven of them. If money is what is motivating you to write, shift your focus. There are much better avenues to convert your will and attention to cash. And, if money is your only motivation, you’re probably just going to write something mediocre and derivative. The best books are made because the author wanted to make them. Any money you make (and again, it might not be much) is just a bonus.

How do I get started?

Well, you write. Get a blank page in front of you and just… go to town. No wrong answers at this stage. Through the simple virtue of getting pen to paper, you’ve already gotten further than most wannabe authors who spend their lives thinking about how great a book by them would be while never doing anything to get the ball rolling. Sure, it’s going to be rough. But every book was once a much rougher version of what it is eventually published. Editing is an author’s best friend. And in order to be able to edit, there has to be something to edit. So get writing!

It’s not that easy.

But it is! It may take years to get to a point you’re actually happy with your manuscript, but as long as you keep coming back and putting in effort, it will eventually be done. You’ve got this!

Now get to writing! You don’t need any more advice than that.