We can shorten our own path to achieving the writer’s life by studying the different ways other authors have found success. Their stories can provide us with more than proven ideas, they can also provide us with much needed inspiration to persevere and keep striving for our next goal. The fact that other authors are taking charge of their futures by dreaming up new and different ways to propel their careers into the stratosphere is proof that, with ingenuity and today’s technology, anything is possible. The only limit is our imaginations.

Veronica Roth, author of the wildly successful Divergent trilogy of novels, wrote her first novel at the age of twenty-one during her senior year at Northwestern University in Chicago. She admits that she completed the first draft of the book in forty days while studying for finals. This was inspiring to me, if she could create something so successful in forty days while completing her finals then I can no longer make excuses about working a day job and not having the time to write anything of length. Veronica attended writer’s conferences during her junior year at college to network with others in the business of writing and to secure a literary agent. It was apparent that she was actively learning about the business well before her novel was even completed.

In the first book Veronica weaves a dystopian tale of a Chicago, one hundred years in the future, where society is separated into five predetermined factions: Abnegation (The Selfless); Erudite (The Intelligent); Dauntless (The Brave); Amity (The Peaceful); and Candor (The Honest). Before the sequel to the first book was released her publisher launched a quiz on social media so readers could, “discover their faction.” This was a great marketing idea that endears readers to Veronica Roth’s trilogy of books by allowing them to envision their place inside her futuristic dystopian world.

Using his already extensive social media platform author John Green managed to get his most recent book, “The Fault in Our Stars” on the New York Times best-seller list before it was even published! He did this by promising to autograph each pre-ordered copy on social media. John and his brother, singer Hank Green, began building their massive fan base in 2006 with the Brotherhood 2.0. project on YouTube which initially was poorly watched challenge between the two brothers to create a video for each other every weekday instead of communicating via text messages. At the time John had already published two books, one had one a major literary award and the second book achieved mild success, but neither books were bestsellers. The brothers have continued producing and posting videos to YouTube and now have millions of followers.

John Green also encourages his fans called, “Nerdfighters” (or collectively as Nerdfighteria) to leave handwritten notes between the pages of his books in libraries and bookstores as well as other places Nerdfighters frequent for other Nerdfighters to find. This has become a phenomena that has taken on a life all of its own. The idea is brilliant on too many levels to even mention.

We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” —Ernest Hemingway

The author of the Fifty Shades of Grey series, E.L. James built readership using an incremental approach. James built and impressive fanbase on FanFiction.net where she published a series of her stories based on the Twilight series. After this readership base was formed she changed the names of the characters and then self-published the stories in book form releasing it on her own website. She then used a series of writer’s blogs to promote the series until it was picked up by a division of Random House publishing in 2012. This series is now a household word.

There are countless other stories similar to these. Harness the awesome power of the internet and invest the time in searching for other stories, it will be time well spent. Reading about how other authors have become successful will make you think in entirely new and different ways. I guarantee it will spark original ideas of your own, this is how the brain of a creative works, from one idea is born another.

“I don’t need an alarm clock. My ideas wake me.” —Ray Bradbury

To find success as an Indie author we must find a way to build an audience of readers willing to buy our books. To increase your odds it’s a good idea to begin building this readership base as early as possible, ideally before you publish your first book. I did just the opposite, focusing on building a following after publishing my first novel.

Just as importantly, we must find a way to transform readers into fans who do more than buy and read your books. A true fan is someone who feels they have a personal interest in you and your success, someone who identifies or actually weaves aspects and ideas of your stories into their lives. By doing so you build an extremely loyal group of readers who frequently extol your book’s virtues to others. If you manage to accomplish this you will almost be assured success of your book as well as future projects.

If you've enjoyed this installment of my Indie Author Series click here to read another.

(Image sourced from Pixabay, Gip sourced from Giphy.com)

*I am an American novelist, poet, traveler, and crypto-enthusiast. If you’ve enjoyed my work please sign up for my author newsletter at my website. Newsletter subscribers will receive exclusive updates and special offers and your information will never be sold or shared.