Are you dreaming of becoming a self-published author? If so, you’re not alone. More than 1 million books were self-published in 2017 alone.
With so many other writers doing it, you might think it’s easy to self-publish. In many ways, it is. Self-publishing can also be a complex journey, especially if you’re a first-time author.
Before you send your book out into the wider world, you should consider joining a writing group. It’s easier than ever to connect with other writers from around the world, and there are so many benefits. Here are five of them.
1. Get Some Feedback from Your Writing Group
You’ve worked long and hard on your book. You believe in it, and you believe it’s great. You want it to be great. With millions of books being self-published each year, you need your book to be good if it’s going to get noticed.
How do you tell if what you’ve written is actually any good? You can turn to a writers group as a test audience. Writing feedback from group members can help you polish your prose.
2. They Can Help You Navigate Self-Publishing with Ease
Self-publishing is easier and more affordable than ever. For first-time authors, though, the process can still be confusing. How do you know if your cover is high resolution? What’s metadata?
Groups for writers are often full of people who have already been through the process once. They can help guide you with both the technical and non-technical aspects.
3. Ask Group Members for Service Recommendations
There are quite a few different self-publishing platforms out there. Which one is the absolute best? Which ones should you steer clear of? The members of a writing group might be able to tell you.
If you need help designing your cover or with marketing, they may be able to make some recommendations.
4. Find Some Moral Support
There are many benefits of writing, which is why it’s often suggested as therapy for those with mental health conditions. It helps people process the world around them. Those of us who are writers usually feel compelled to keep writing.
That said, writing is hard work! The process of putting a story together, editing, and publishing can be exhausting. You may feel very discouraged at some points.
When that happens, call on your writing group for moral support. They understand the journey, and most of them have shared similar experiences. Connecting with other writers can help you stay motivated throughout the creative process!
5. Boost Your Marketing Efforts
With so many books being self-published, you need to find ways to get the word out about your book. You might want to consider a crash-course in book marketing.
The members of your writing group might be willing to exchange reviews with you. Reviews are instrumental in increasing a book’s visibility for readers. You might even find a few diehard fans of your writing.
Your Book Publishing Journey Starts Here
Joining a writing group is a great step to take on your journey to becoming a self-published author. If the process ever feels overwhelming, the other writers in the group are there for support.
If you’re ready to publish your eBook, take a look at some of our marketing tips to propel your success as an author.
Good reasons to join up
These sound like some good reasons for a new writer to expand their horizons and get valuable feedback. I have a question Tanisha. Have you experienced any negatives when you’re writing a book and you’ve joined a support group? I’m curious about any drawbacks there could be from joining a writing group. If so, do the positives outweigh the negatives?
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