You Are a Writer

by Jeff Goins

  Ask. Start with email or a letter. Ask for a short meeting. This can be in person, over Skype, or whatever is most convenient for them.

  Interview. Show interest. Come prepared with questions. Respect their time.

  Stay in touch. Follow up with an email (or phone call) after the meeting.

  Repeat. The real secret is diligence and perseverance. Do this enough with enough people, and you’ll find someone who believes in you.

  The best way to do this is to demonstrate competency and proactively reach out. Before you ask for a meeting, show them what you’ve done or are capable of doing.

  When setting up the meeting, the trick is to make it easy. Offer to buy them coffee or breakfast near their workplace. Do it when it’s convenient for them, not you.

  When you meet, make it more about them than you. However, don’t be surprised if they have their own questions. Come prepared to both ask and answer.

  Obviously, you want them to help you, to endorse the work that you do. But don’t make this “ask” the first meeting. Instead, make it your primary goal to build a relationship. If they like you, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask later.

  After the meeting, thank them and send a list of notes to show you actually remembered their advice. You want them to know you took their time seriously. Then, like any relationship, let it build over time.

  Relationships are important. They can lead to all kinds of opportunities and breakthroughs in your career.

  Every success is a story of community — a complex network of people helping each other. Don’t forget: You can’t do this alone.

  If you’re intimidated or afraid of reaching out to potential patrons, know that it gets easier. You just need to start. If you’re already doing this, keep going. It never hurts to have more people on your side.

  Personal Story: Connecting with People

  I was hesitant to start networking with other people who could help me. It felt sleazy. I didn’t like the idea of promoting myself.

  Instead, I did what I knew: I offered to interview people I wanted to connect with. I would reach out on Twitter, Facebook, or via email, and ask someone to coffee. Then, I’d interview them.

  Afterwards, I would publish the article and let the person know. This was my excuse to follow up. With many of the relationships, I just continued to stay in touch.

  Over time, this gave me the confidence to reach out to other people. This simple formula has allowed me to get people like Seth Godin and Michael Hyatt to endorse my work. It’s allowed me to publish exclusive interviews with writers like Steven Pressfield and many, many others. And it will help you, too, if you take the time to ask.

  You must be bold and risk a little, but I promise you: The outcome is worth the risk.

  What It Really Takes to Be a Writer

  “This business of… being a writer is ultimately about asking yourself, ‘How alive am I willing to be?’”

  —ANNE LAMOTT

  This isn’t easy, this writing life. It is, however, a noble calling. And like most things worthy of fighting for, it will require all of you. Not just your fingers and brain, but your whole self.

  When people tell me they want to publish a book but aren’t willing to build a platform or worry about marketing, I don’t believe them. If you want to be a writer, if you want this badly enough, you will work.

  Why wouldn’t you be willing to give this everything you have? If this is your dream we’re talking about? Why would you hold anything back?

  Yes, this life will be hard. You will get rejected and be called names. There’s no sugarcoating it: Writing takes work. It requires gumption and moxie. No, it won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.

  There’s a foolish way to pursue a writing career (waiting to be picked) and a smart way (building a platform worth noticing). Do yourself a favor and choose the latter. Create a brand that resonates. Make meaningful connections that help you succeed.

  This craft is not for the faint of heart, so hang in there. You will need to get tough and learn to stick through some stuff — and I hope you do. Because we need your voice. We need your art — whether you realize it or not.

  Now comes the hard part. The part where you apply this (or don’t). Where you find your tribe and build your path to publishing.

  Before that, though, you will have to do something important. You will have to choose yourself.

  This is harder than it sounds. It will take a lot to do this day after day of hardship, misunderstanding, and slander. You will struggle. And that’s okay, as long as you keep going.

  Which brings me to my final point. There is one — and only one — tool you need to be a writer:

  COURAGE.

  None of this matters one hill of beans if you aren’t brave. If you do not persevere. No guide or set of tools can prepare you for the rejection you will face, the criticism you will endure, the pain you will experience.

  All these strategies carry with them a core, underlying assumption: You must be courageous.

  The world needs this more than you know. We are waiting for your words. Longing to be changed. Will you share your art? Will you believe you are a writer and start writing?

  I hope so.

  Before Your First Book

  Every writer wants to get published. It’s the dream we long for, the recognition we crave (even when we say we don’t).

  It doesn’t take long to realize getting published isn’t easy. It takes hard work, thick skin, and perseverance. At the same time, it’s not as difficult as you might think. Not if you know the secret.

  Every day, hundreds of books and thousands of articles go into print. And here’s the truth: Some of them aren’t very good.

  What’s the difference between published authors and you? What do they have that you don’t? Maybe nothing. Except they know how to get published, which is actually quite significant.

  First Things First

  Before you jump into the world of publishing, you need to ask yourself a few questions:

  Am I serious?

  Am I committed?

  Am I prepared to be challenged?

  Too many people dream of one day publishing a book or getting a piece featured in a magazine without first counting the cost. It sounds kind of glamorous — getting published — doesn’t it? It’s not. It’s more grisly than anything.

  Most writers are content to dream but aren’t prepared to do the work. They fail before they start. Before you begin, take a moment to consider what you’re about to do.

  Are you prepared to dig in and stick it out? Even when it gets hard? Even when you’re discouraged or lose sight of your goals? Will you still get up each day and write?

  This is what you must resolve to do. Otherwise, you’re doomed from the start.

  Let’s be honest: You’re probably not a great writer. If you are just starting out and don’t have decades of publishing your work under your belt, this is a given. Which is fine as long as you don’t stay there. We all start somewhere, right?

  The best way to get good at something is to practice. You probably already knew that. Here’s the twist: The best way to practice is to do it publicly. Musicians become professionals by playing a hundred live shows. Likewise, writers become authors by publishing a lot of bad work (until it’s no longer bad).

  A young actor once lamented to Walter Matthau, “I’m just waiting for my big break.”

  Matthau laughed and replied, “Kid, it’s not just one break; it’s fifty.” The same is true for any craft, especially writing. You have to walk before you run.

  A writing career happens iteratively, over time. You don’t need to take a giant leap. You just need to take the next step. Publishing a book begins not with a manuscript, but with a baby step, with practicing in public.

  Where do you start? With small, gradual steps. Start a blog. Guest post for a friend’s website. Do a freelance gig pro bono. Bit by bit, you are building your portfolio before you go for the Big Kahuna. />
  This is the only practical way to get published. You might be able to forgo this step if you’re a celebrity or heiress of a tycoon. However, for the rest of us, this will require work — honest blood, sweat, and tears.

  Stop waiting for permission and prepare to do the work. There are no big breaks. Only tiny drips of effort that lead to waves of momentum.

  Walk Before You Run

  Before you write a book, you should write a dozen magazine articles. Maybe more.

  You should guest post on popular websites and blogs and do radio interviews. You should create a platform (i.e. a blog, a podcast, a newspaper column, etc.) and build an audience now.

  You should start generating buzz around the brand of you.

  All of this is practice for your book — for your career as a writer. The fun part is it’s not practice at all. You’re doing it. You’re writing and publishing your work. When the time comes, publishing a book will be the next logical step.

  There are five steps to getting published in magazines and other publications before you take a leap into book publishing. The first is the most important.

  Step 1: Get Your Foot in the Door

  A lot of writers make a big mistake. They come up with a writing topic that would make a good piece for magazine, newspaper, or website. Then, they spend way too much time on the idea without ever getting feedback.

  They spend hours or even days writing the article. Then, they try to find someone to publish it. And they fail miserably. Some people call this “freelancing.” I call it stupidity.

  This is backwards thinking. It assumes you know your audience better than the publisher does. (Even if you do, this attitude won’t get you very far.) It’s better to start with a few loose ideas and contact the publisher before moving forward with the piece.

  The whole point of that initial contact is to get on a publisher’s radar. Relationship and conversation are more important than good ideas and great writing. (At least, at first.) Instead of cold-pitching your ideas to publishers, do something better: Build a relationship.

  Before you do that, though, do your homework. Study the publisher’s guidelines. Read sample pitches. Email friends who have gotten their work published. Find out what works and replicate it. You may only get one shot at this. Make it count.

  Then, reach out to the editor. Present your ideas in a way that is a clear “win” for the publication. Explain how your piece will be relevant to their readership. Offer samples of other pieces you’ve done. Have something to show them — anything. Just don’t show up empty-handed. This works for a magazine, trade publication, or even a blog.

  As it turns out, content is not king. Relationship is. Start making connections with publishers so when the ideas come, they’ll pay attention to your work.

  Step 2: Don’t Fall in Love with One Idea

  Many friends with book deals tell me the idea they least expected is the one publishers choose to turn into a book. The same has happened when I’ve published articles in magazines, on websites, and in other publications. It even happened with my first book. The publisher picked a topic I never would’ve considered turning into a book.

  There is an important lesson here: You don’t get to decide what makes a good idea; the publisher does.

  As you build your platform and establish your authority as an author, you will earn the right to decide which ideas are good. However, when you’re just getting started, you don’t get much of a say. It’s best to be “go low” here, to learn and serve your way into influence. Consider this a seasonal discipline; it won’t last forever.

  If you have great ideas the world needs to hear, you will eventually get to share them.

  Why Your Good Ideas Don’t Matter

  If no one will read your article, then it doesn’t matter how good it is — at least not in the realm of publishing. Sometimes, your ideas aren’t as good as you think. Other times, the world just isn’t ready for them.

  When approaching publishers, if you stay flexible about what should get published, it will make you a better writer. It will also make you a better salesperson of your ideas.

  That’s right. Pitching is selling. There’s no other way around it. This doesn’t mean you have to slick your hair back and talk funny. It just means you need to be prepared to make your idea appealing to the publisher.

  I mean, you’re asking them to hire you. They’re spending money on you, right? Make it worth their while. Enter their world. Think like they think.

  The Pitching Process

  Before you pitch, gather a few ideas you think are worth publishing. Brainstorm them out, taking notes as you go.

  Next, highlight the very best ideas (at least three of them, but no more than ten), and write an interesting headline for each. Under the headlines, write a couple of sentences, describing the potential piece.

  Then, try pitching them to several publications or publishers at once, following the appropriate guidelines for each. (You should thoroughly scour a website or magazine for any submission guidelines before ever submitting a piece.)

  Make sure you pitch more than one publication. Keeping several irons in the fire will increase the likelihood of at least one getting published. It will also allow you to put a little pressure on a publisher that may be dragging their feet.

  There’s nothing wrong with a little healthy competition. In fact, you’ll need a competitive spirit in order to pitch and get your work noticed. Get used to it.

  What Every Pitch Needs

  If you need help, here’s a quick list of items every pitch needs:

  Personal salutation (use the editor’s name)

  Quick introduction of yourself (if this is the first contact)

  Samples of your work (article links, document attachments, blog posts — whatever is your best work)

  List of ideas with potential titles (scan the publication to get a feel for how they write headlines)

  An abstract of each article (2-3 sentences)

  Closing with your contact info, including a link to your website/portfolio

  Want to see how I do it? Following are three samples I’ve used.

  Sample #1: First Contact

  Hi [First Name],

  My name is Jeff Goins, and I wanted to submit an article idea for [MAGAZINE]. The premise is people in their twenties and thirties need to travel the world.

  I spent fifteen days last January with a group that is traveling for a year and saw how that’s changing their lives. I’m attaching a press release I wrote to give you an idea of the experience. There are different directions we could take the article, but I think the idea is compelling for your readership.

  Some ideas would be to do a Q&A with one of the travelers who just returned from a year abroad and how they are now living life. Or, I could expand upon an article I already wrote for [WEBSITE].

  Another option is to make it a general call to action for young Americans to take a year off and find themselves, as so many other cultures do.

  Here’s another article I wrote about that: [LINK]. I could expand upon that idea.

  Let me know your thoughts. If you’re interested, I’d be happy to start drafting something and send it your way. Just let me know when you’d think of running it.

  Thanks for your time,

  Jeff Goins

  goinswriter.com

  Sample #2: Ongoing Relationship

  Hey [First Name],

  I had an idea for an article for an upcoming issue of [MAGAZINE]: My friend Paul and I traveled around the U.S. for a year after college to play music. We spent a year, living in community, sleeping in people’s homes, and living on nothing but the generosity of strangers.

  We communicated with each other regularly, sharing our frustrations and challenges of life and on the road. Sometimes, I think that’s all that kept us sane.

  Here are my ideas for the article:

  A piece we would co-write, sharing highlights from our year on the road.

  A piece a
bout traveling, leading peers, and the importance of long-distance friendship.

  A travelogue of a year on the ride (just written by one of us).

  What do you think?

  Sincerely,

  Jeff Goins

  goinswriter.com

  Sample #3: Guest Blog Post

  Hi [First Name]:

  I’ve been following your work for a while and really appreciate what you write.

  I’m working on a piece that I thought might be fitting for [BLOG]. It’s called, “[ARTICLE TITLE]”. It’s based on something I learned from reading your blog.

  The rough draft is below: [300 word article excerpt]

  Are you interested in running this? If so, I’d love to develop it some more. If you’d like to see samples of my work, here’s an article on my own blog: [LINK]. And here’s a recent guest post I wrote: [LINK].

  Thanks,

  Jeff

  goinswriter.com

  Step 3: Don’t Write the Piece Yet

  If this is your first foray into publishing, there’s something you need to be prepared for. Something you may be dreading. Something you’d rather not do.

  You’re going to have to write and rewrite a lot.

  For every hundred words I write, I spend about thirty to sixty minutes of editing and rewriting. When I’m pitching publications, I plan for this. I schedule accordingly. You should, too. (Your pace may be different; what’s important is that you set reasonable expectations.)

  A piece that runs about 2500 words (the length of a feature magazine article) can take me anywhere from five to twenty-five hours, depending on the amount of work involved and my familiarity with the topic.

  When you break it down, earning a few hundred bucks per piece (when you’re spending dozens of hours on it) isn’t really worth the effort. Good thing writers don’t write for the money.

  What’s that? You are writing for the money? Well, good luck with that.

  If passion isn’t what drives you, you may not have much tolerance for the pain, rejection, and disappointment of the writer’s life. If, however, you write because you have to — because you can’t imagine not doing it — then there may be hope for you yet.