Writers in the Storm

Colleen M. Story

Should you spend the money to go to that writing conference?

Pay for a professional edit on your book? 

Invest in new computer equipment for your writing office? 

Risk cutting back on work hours so you can write more?

Making a decision can be frightening. What if you make the wrong one and it sets you back? 

If you’re struggling with a decision you need to make about your writing career, it’s probably because you’ve been using only one brain.

That’s right. You have more than one. And it’s time you recruit the other two into your decision-making process. It will make it a lot easier. 

The Three-Brain Decision-Making System

Neuroscience has discovered something fascinating over the past several years: we have complex and functional neural networks—or “brains”—in the heart and gut as well as in the head. 

We used to think the brain ran the whole show, telling everything else in the body what to do, but recent research has found that’s not always true. In fact, many times the communication starts in the heart or the gut, and then travels to the brain.

The heart, for instance, has its own intrinsic nervous system and neurons (messengers) just like the brain, and it can take in information, process it, and communicate it to the brain (rather than the other way around). 

Studies have found that, in some ways, the heart seems to have its own logic—not always just following orders, but going its own direction, acting independently, and sending messages to the brain that the brain then obeys. In a way, it’s like a second brain. 

The gut also contains neural tissue and neurons—more than are found in the spinal cord or peripheral nervous system. Also called the “second brain” because of its size and complexity, the gut has been found in studies to be involved not only in digestion and overall health, but also in emotions, mood, and decisions.

Scientists from Florida State University reported in 2017 that gut-to-brain signals have a powerful influence on us. The “gut feelings” we get are real messages from this complex system that can stop us from making mistakes.

All of this research has led to a new field of leadership development called “multiple brain integration techniques (mBIT).” In a nutshell, research from Henwood and Soosalu found that incorporating all three “brains” when making decisions resulted in a wiser decision-making process that provided increased benefits to everyone involved. 

People being people, however, we have our strengths and weakness. We all tend to favor one of our brains over the other two. 

Which is Your Strongest Brain?

Below are abbreviated descriptions of each of the three brains. Review them all, and see if you can figure out which is your strongest one:

1. The Head

You’re mostly interested in gathering the facts, weighing the pros and cons, and figuring things out logically. You try not to let your emotions interfere too much, as you believe they can just get in the way of deciding what’s right or what’s best. You may make spreadsheets or charts to help you compare the potential outcomes of each decision you’re considering. 

2. The Heart

Your feelings and emotions rule, and you put a high priority on your values and your connections with others. You focus on what’s important to you in life and experience an emotional link to your dreams and aspirations. When making decisions, you always take into account those things you care about, what your desires are, and how the decision will affect your important relationships.

3. The Gut

You are an intuitive person who finds it easy to tune in to energy, vibes, and unseen messages from the world around you. You get a “feeling” of what your decision should be, but you may have a hard time explaining your choice to others. Your decision power can be cryptic and secretive, or you may feel like you hear a “little voice” telling you which way to go. 

Once you figure out your strongest brain, what’s important is that you don’t go against it when making decisions. Here’s how it works. 

How to Use All Three Brains When Making a Writing Decision

Think about a risk you’re considering taking in your writing career. Maybe you’re contemplating self-publishing, switching to another genre, or starting a new podcast. 

Put that risk into the form of a question—something like: 

• Should I self publish my next book?
• Is it a good idea for me to switch genres?
• Should I start a new podcast?

I’m going to use the “should I self publish” question as an example. Put the question in front of you, and start by focusing on the logical answer (your head). Take your emotions out of it. Pretend you’re Mr. Spock from Star Trek, and write down your answer. 

For the example, the brain might say,Self-publishing will take a significant investment, and you’re short on finances right now. You have a readership established, so it’s possible you could sell a significant number of copies, but you need to find the money, so it’s best to wait.

Then consider your emotions and your relationships (the heart). What do you desire? What do you feel like you want to do? What decision would have the best (if any) affect on your relationships? Write down your answer. 

You’ve long wanted to self-publish. The idea of having control over the entire process excites you. It sounds fun! Your family would be proud. You should do it.

Finally, take a deep breath, center yourself, and tune into the energy around you (the gut). Allow your sixth sense to take over, and do your best to envision your future. If you had to make a quick, gut decision right now, what would it be? Write down your answer. 

This is the right decision for your future. You should go for it. Otherwise, you may lose your motivation and excitement for writing.

Now examine all three of your answers. Do they agree? If so, you’re good to go. Move forward with your decision!

If one or more disagree, however, as is the case in the above example, you’ve got some more thinking to do. 

No matter what, never go against your strongest brain—that won’t make you happy. So if you’re strongest brain is the head, you need to do some more brainstorming and come up with another option.

If your strongest brain and one other agree, however, you can probably still go ahead with your decision. It’s worthwhile, however, to take some time to see if there’s a way to make the third brain happy, too. You might put in some extra hours at work, for example, or cut back for a few months to save some money to fund the project.

Consider Taking a Risk and Move Forward

The next time you’re facing a tough decision in your writing career, try this system. You may find that having three brains to consult rather than just one makes the process a lot easier. Having all three, or at least two out of the three, agreeing that you should move forward can also give you the courage you need to take a risk when necessary. 

Take the three-brain quiz to discover your dominant brain and what it means for you as a writer in Colleen’s new book, Writer Get Noticed!Get your free chapter here.

Source

Henwood, S., & Soosalu, G. (2014, October). The Three Brains of Leadership: Harnessing the Wisdom within. Paper presented at ILA 16th Global Leadership Summit, San Diego, CA. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274699861_The_three_brains_of_Leadership_Harnasing_the_Wisdom_within

Colleen M. Storyinspires writers to overcome modern-day challenges and find creative fulfillment in their work. Her first non-fiction book, Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, was named Book by Book Publicity’s Best Writing/Publishing Book in 2018, and her novel, Loreena’s Gift, was a Foreword Reviews' INDIES Book of the Year Awards winner, among others. 

Her latest release, Writer Get Noticed!, is a strengths-based guide to help writers break the spell of invisibility and discover unique author platforms that will draw readers their way. With over 20 years in the creative industry, Colleen is the founder of Writing and Wellness (writingandwellness.com) and Writer CEO (writerceo.com). Please see her author website (colleenmstory.com) or follow her on Twitter (@colleen_m_story).

Writers in the Storm is having a "Writing Event" on Monday, April 15.

Write Up A Storm is a one-day sprint-writing bash on Facebook, designed to motivate and sustain your writing throughout the day. Even if that day job impinges on your time, you can participate before work, during lunch and after hours. We'll be here. Writing. Piling up word count. Supporting each other.

We'll be writing all day and keeping track of word count totals from our fabulous readers. You can post your word count in a comment that day, and we'll add it to the tally. You can post every hour if you want to and encourage others--or challenge them. Hmm, is this a WITS Throwdown in the making? We're hoping that everyone's combined word count will add up to a novella. Actually, Fae is hoping for a full-length book!

Here's a short list of simple things you can do to prepare for Write Up A Storm:

1. If you're a plotter, work on that outline for your new idea. You don't have to finish the outline, but have enough to get you through three (or six) chapters.
2. If you're a pantser, work your process so you've got the beginning of your story solidly ready to put words on the page.
3. Know your characters–their motivation, their character arcs, what they want more than anything else in the world.
4. Know what keeps your characters from getting what they want, whether it's another person, lack of something, like education, or money, or something from their past.
5. Read to fill your writer well. Read like a reader and enjoy yourself.
6. Mark the date on your calendar. Set an alarm on your phone.
7. Commit to a definite number of minutes–even if it's only ten–of solid writing time.
8. Complete any research necessary to write the section you plan to work on.
9. Contact other writer friends to participate for support. They will thank you on Tuesday, April 16, when they look at what they've accomplished.
10. Finish routine chores like the laundry and grocery shopping during the week-end.
11. Pre-cook meals and snacks for the day.
12. Read to fill your writer well. Read like a reader and enjoy yourself.

Sign up link for the event.

Are you willing to commit to writing on Monday, April 15? Are you willing to share your word count? How about sharing a tip now to help all of us get ready?

About Fae

Fae Rowen discovered the romance genre after years as a science fiction freak.  Writing futuristics and medieval paranormals, she jokes  that she can live anywhere but the present.  As a mathematician, she knows life’s a lot more fun when you get to define your world and its rules.

Punished, oh-no, that’s published as a co-author of a math textbook, she yearns to hear personal stories about finding love from those who read her books, rather than the horrors of algebra lessons gone wrong.  She is grateful for good friends who remind her to do the practical things in life like grocery shop, show up at the airport for a flight and pay bills.

A “hard” scientist who avoided writing classes like the plague, she now enjoys sharing her brain with characters who demand that their stories be told.  Amazing, gifted critique partners keep her on the straight and narrow. Feedback from readers keeps her fingers on the keyboard.

When she’s not hanging out at Writers in the Storm, you can visit Fae at http://faerowen.com  or www.facebook.com/fae.rowen.

Publishing a book is a big deal. But, as authors, you already know that it requires an investment not just in time, but in your money. From editing to book cover design and, of course, your marketing efforts, it’s important to you to maximize that investment. And it should be.

And, as with all things, there are good ways to invest in your book promotion and, the flip side, not-so-good ways.  Believe me, in nearly two decades in the book marketing business, I’ve heard it all, both from authors I work with and those I meet at industry events. And so, as a cautionary tale, I’m sharing the top complaints I hear from authors in the industry, and what you can do instead or to circumvent each problem altogether. 

Some of the ways we can avoid these issues may be fairly obvious to most people. For one, any agreements you sign should clearly state any deliverables. Similarly, if anyone makes any big promises like “bestseller status,” don’t walk, run away. No one can guarantee that. Outside of those big-ticket ideas, here are some of the biggest complaints in the book marketing industry. (Click here to read more about if you’re ready to invest in book marketing services.)

Complaint #1: I Didn’t Sell Any Books 

This is the number one most common complaint book marketing firms receive. And it’s a tough one, but the reality is that no one can predict or promise book sales. As I said earlier, if someone does, run away. I 100% agree that you want to maximize your investment, and hopefully, recoup the money you’ve put into it. However, the reality is that there is often some confusion surrounding the ultimate goal of book marketing and book publicity. Because the goal is, and should always be exposure, and particularly, the right kind of exposure to the right audiences.

I knew an author who made it to Oprah’s TV show, back when it was on the air. But despite the fact that you’d think it would launch her book sales into outer space, she only sold about 150 books as a result. 

And although there may be other reasons why it fell flat, it may also come down to whether or not she got the right kind of exposure. Authors often request a certain kind of target in their proposals, and get upset when we don’t include it. The reality is that we can absolutely pitch that target, but since it isn’t exactly the right market for that author, it’s often a wasted pitch.  

The big takeaway here is that exposure sells books. It often must be repeated, and it absolutely must be the right kind of exposure. And, that’s what a book marketing or publicity firm should be promising you. Exposure is ultimately the vehicle to help you get to book sales.

Complaint #2: I Didn’t Understand My Contract

As with any industry, book marketing and publicity has its own jargon. And because of that, if you’re not actively working in the industry, the jargon can be confusing and lead to misunderstandings, and yes, sometimes complaints. 

So if you don’t understand what you’re signing up for, as an author, you absolutely should ask questions. If you don’t understand something that is being sold to you, ask the person selling it. If they aren’t willing to explain it, in detail, you should move on. And, if you’re buying a program and you can only access them via email, I recommend proceeding with caution. Anytime the program is expensive or something beyond some DIY recommendations (for example, a list of bookstores or bloggers you can pitch), request specifics. And while each company may keep some of their processes proprietary, you should have no problems getting a detailed outline and specific deliverables. 

Don’t become a cautionary tale and spend money on various book promotion campaigns that you ultimately don’t understand. Whether you’re spending $500,  $5,000, or in the case of one author I spoke with –  $50,0000, make sure you know what you’re buying.

For example, in each book promotion proposal we create, we explain each strategy in detail and share the deliverables. There should be no secrets and no mystery to what you are buying. Get it all in writing. 

Complaint #3: No One Gave Me Any Updates 

You should get updates with nearly every campaign you get. Even most one-and-done programs should give you a head’s up when something is planned or completed. We do weekly updates for our bigger campaigns, but even the small campaigns, like an Amazon Optimization, get at least one update. Again, this is something that should be addressed in your contract. If it’s not, don’t sign it.  

Complaint #4: I Didn’t Get Enough Media Features or Book Reviews 

An average return for book marketing and publicity efforts is in the 5-10% range. This means that 10% (being on the high end) of people pitched respond. If that seems low, remember there are a lot of things vying for media attention. Granted, at times we’ve seen it as high as 30% – but this varies by market. 

If you’re in a highly competitive market, like dieting, relationships, or business, these are often on the lower end, but you can also pitch regional or trade media to help offset this. There are three tiers to media: regional, trade, and national. The national media is what we all know: The Today Show, CNN Morning Show, Fox and Friends, O Magazine, Redbook, etc. And the reality is that lots of people overlook trade and regional media even though they can be great sources of publicity. So I definitely would encourage you to consider including those markets, too. This could help get you more media hits. 

Regardless, the number of media hits or book reviews you get is largely out of the book publicist’s control. 

Complaint #5: I Didn’t Get the ROI I Wanted 

While this may overlap a bit with the first complaint, it’s important to note that making your money back on a single book marketing investment can be iffy. Some do, and some don’t. In fact, a study by IBPA found that on average, it can take nearly two years for a book s to see any ROI. This ultimately means that you must be in it for the long-haul. If you consider it a short-term effort, or a retirement plan, you may need to change your mindset. 

And, if you’re hiring a book marketing firm, it’s important to know that not only do things not happen overnight, but their efforts are meant to complement what you’re doing on your own. Now, your own efforts probably won’t be as aggressive as the book marketing firm you hired, but you should be doing something to add to their work on your behalf. I write about this frequently on my blog, and encourage you to check it out, but for now, it’s enough to know that like any investment, you should plan to be in this for the long-term. For some of us that will be two years, while for others it happens more slowly, and others yet, a lot quicker.   

One study I read showed that most authors market their books for around 3 months. After this time period they were discouraged and maybe broke, but either way, they stop working on their book marketing. This doesn’t have to be you. All it takes is a little planning.

So what if you’re doing a ton of work and your book still isn’t selling? Well, maybe it’s time to take a critical look at the book itself. Maybe you need a better cover. Or just maybe, you need to revisit your market. Is there an active, interested market that will buy your book? In the coaching side of my business, I work with authors frequently on these very questions and offer recommendations for how they can strengthen either their book or their approach, and sometimes both.

An author once told me that hiring book marketing services was a bit like sending your kid to college. You want to get them into the best college, and get them the best education – and in the end, you hope they’ll do something with the education you got them.

Books are much the same way. As authors, we do everything we can to give your book its best foot forward. And ultimately, our market will have to decide if it’s the book they want. Yes, I know it sounds risky.  It’s because it is. But anything worth having comes with a certain amount of risk. In fact, it’s something I’ve faced myself. Not every book I’ve published has done well. Despite my knowledge of the industry, I still make mistakes. The point is to try, try again. 

And, the bottom line here as you are looking for help with your book marketing, is that a good book marketing company should be able to provide you with references, too. They should have testimonials, and you should be able to request speaking with other authors or publishers they’ve worked with. While no one can make everyone happy all of the time, and you may find one or two negative reviews, if everything else you read is otherwise great with wonderful testimonials and reviews, the odds are that the company you’re working with is reputable. Especially so, the longer that they’ve been in business.

Unless you can do it all yourself, it’s a great idea to hire a book marketing company. In fact, it’s almost critical if you want any kind of attention for your book. And ultimately, that’s what we all want. So, it’s my goal that by outlining some of the top complaints authors have, you will be empowered to make the best decisions for yourself and your book. 

And if you’re ready to see how we can work together to market your book, please reach out to me and my team today!