On the Shoulders of Others
There is a famous quote, “If I have seen a little further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” To me, this means nothing truly original gets done without the inspiration and actions of those before us.
When I think about the physical act of writing my book, it was essentially a solo journey. But what I have come to discover is that although anyone can start writing and finish a novel or book without outside help, there is an endless amount of information to digest, navigate, and put into practice to get a book published. Writing can be hard, but publishing and marketing are overwhelmingly harder.
There is an entire industry focused on Book Writing, Book Marketing, and Publishing. I have done most of this on my own, but everything I have learned I have learned by standing on the shoulders of others. This blog is dedicated to the people in the industry who have never met me, didn’t have me as a client, but helped me get to where I am with my book today.
#1 – Honoree Corder - I have been podcast stalking and newsletter devouring Honoree’s content since I purchased The Miracle Morning for Writers in 2016. Honoree is all about “You Must Write A Book.” She believes anyone can and everyone should write a book. Reflecting on her message over and over for the last several years inspired me to write my book. Thank you, Honoree.
#2 – The Podcasts – At the start of my writing journey, there was so much I didn’t know and so many questions I had.
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Book Marketing Simplified - featuring Jenn Hanson-dePaula and Marcus dePaula. I devoured each of their insights into Book Marketing while on hikes, gardening, or driving. Their podcasts are short (under 15 minutes). They get to the point, answer the topic, and move on. Thank you, Jenn and Marcus, for answering the questions I didn’t know I had.
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Book Marketing Tips and Author Success - Penny Sansevieri and Amy Cornell. Another phenomenal resource for authors. Their podcast is a bit longer than Book Marketing Simplified, which allows Penny and Amy to go a little deeper into some topics. Together, they have abundant experience and insights and deliver a wide array of what all authors need to know.
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PublishHer Podcast - Alexa Bigwarfe. I seemed to gravitate toward the guests Alexa has on her show. She masterfully pulls the information out of such notables as Dave Chessen, Fauzia Burke, and other noted experts in their fields. Thank you, Alexa!
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The Book Marketing Action Podcast - Weaving Influence. A lot of great information for a new author - Launching, Marketing, Building, Writing, and Demystifying. These action-oriented titles drew me to discovering what I needed to know. Frankly, I'm still listening and learning.
There were several more podcast episodes I picked up along the way - (Smith-Publicity, Shipping and Handling, and The Author Hangout), but the three above were my go-to in my podcast repertoire.
#3 – The Book REACH: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause by Becky Robinson at Weaving Influence. At the time of this post, my book launch is only a few weeks away. I don’t have an agent, a PR agency, or professional marketing support. What I do have is Becky’s book Reach and all the wisdom it contains within. Beyond the advice in the book, Reach is filled with bonus content – a lot of bonus content, much of which was invaluable when building my press kit, marketing emails, and launch plans. Thank you, Becky.
