Three takeaways from San Francisco Writer's Conference
This was BetaBooks' third year at SF Writers, but it was my first. I learned a lot, both from attending presentations and just having conversations with other industry professionals, and especially with authors. Here are the three things I think you all should know:
- Authors control their own destinies, their own careers, their own art. The work of getting your writing into the hands of readers who love it is challenging. It requires persistence, resilience, and a type of creativity completely different from the kind you draw on to write your book. But it is work that every single author is capable of. Whether an author wants to self-publish, pursue one of the big 5 publishing houses, or sign with a smaller house, there are options and avenues, and help along the way. Other authors are doing it. YOU. CAN. TOO.
- The best way to get comfortable pitching your book (or small, author-oriented business) is to just talk about it. Again and again. Iterate and reiterate. You get a feel for what people respond well to and what they don't. You figure out the most succinct, punchiest way to introduce your work. You figure out a longer, perhaps more poignant way to share it.You get over the self-consciousness of self-promotion when you just practice sharing about something that you love, over and over again.
- The professionals in this industry, agencies, e-pub platforms, self-pub and distribution platforms, small publishing houses, editing services, audio-book production companies; are overwhelmingly run by people who care about the authors they serve. Are there professionals who don't care? Probably. But there were none at this conference. Authors aren't the only people who root for and support each other in this industry. There are lots of people offering services to help authors and and rooting for their success as well.
Be well, be encouraged, and get your work out there!
