Spreading Yourself Too Thin

There is so much more to writing than actually writing, that the extra things can become too much of a distraction at times. Between platform building, social media, and marketing your novel, the most important part~the writing~can sometimes be shoved to the side. If any of you have followed the journey of the self-published, self-made millionaire, Amanda Hocking, then you know despite her achievements on her own, she signed with a major publisher. If I ever find myself in her position I'm not sure I'd make the same decision she did, but I understand why she made it.

Even after you've built a great platform, there is a lot of work that remains to be done. Marketing is a never ending monster that must be fed, and that's even with a traditional publisher. Somehow you have to find the balance between all the things associated with being an author, and writing your novels. There are times we all spread ourselves too thin, get caught up in the excitement and going on's of social media, and inadvertently put our writing aside.

It's vital that writing remain the most important ingredient in being an author. That may mean less frequent blog posts, less Twitter or Facebook time, and more dedicated writing time. You don't have to give up any of those things, just use them in moderation and be sure you write more often than you do social media. The balance will tip from time to time and that's okay. Just try to be aware of it and make sure you tip it back to writing. Speaking of tipping, what tips do you have to achieve balance in your own writing lives?

~Heather