An Author's Guide to Getting Your Creative Work Discovered

Guest Post by Dean Burgess.

As an author, having the opportunity to share your work with the world can be exciting and motivating, giving you the positive reinforcement you need to keep writing. In the past, it was difficult for writers to get their work published, as they had to bypass the gatekeepers of the publishing industry, like editors and agents. Today, creative writers have many outlets for getting their work discovered and growing a fanbase. This guide provides some steps you can take to get your creative writing discovered.

Treat your writing like it's a business
 
If you want to make a living from your writing, you've got to treat it like a business. Start by registering a formal legal entity, like a limited liability company. While you're at it, consider a ‘doing business as’ or DBA name. This will make it easier for you to branch out and offer diverse services under an alternate name. For example, you might have one brand that you use for copywriting services and another brand you use for creative writing. Before you start, check your state's rules on LLCs and DBAs. Each municipality has its own guidelines.
 
Create your own author press kit
 
A press kit is something you can use in social media campaigns, to accompany book launches, or to send to bookstores you hope to promote your work. Writer's Digest explains how to put together an author press kit including contact details, book information, awards you've won, and more. You can also include a resume with your experience, published works, awards, and more. If you have an old resume that's currently in PDF format, you can use a free PDF editor to make changes, download the new version, and share it.
 
Set up a professional author website
 
An author website is a great place to share information about yourself and your work. You can also include a blog on your website, where you share shorter snippets of writing like short stories and blog posts. When you create your website, make it easy for people to access your writing. For example, if you have a book you're promoting, give it a separate landing page. That page should direct readers to where they can buy the book. You might also want to set up a newsletter, where you can keep people abreast of updates.
 
Look for platforms to share your writing
 
These days, writers have many media outlets where they can publish their work. Just Publishing Advice provides a list of options, including Commaful, Wattpad, Inkitt, Medium, Booksie, and StoryWrite. By sharing short stories or excerpts of longer work on these platforms, you can start to attract attention to your writing and build a solid readerbase. You can also raise your profile and attract fans by entering writing contests. Many of these contests are free to enter, so you have nothing to lose.
 
Network to help raise your profile
 
The days when authors would hide behind their typewriters are long gone. These days, writers can help their careers by creating public profiles. Attend author networking events to get to know people who write in your genre, for example. Another idea is to connect with family and friends who may support your career. If you've lost touch with acquaintances who could give you a boost, use a search engine to look them up. Online tools let you look for people based on school, location, and graduation date, connecting you with long-lost pals.
 
As a writer, you want to do all you can to promote your work. Luckily, there are more tools available than ever before to help you do just that. Trust the tips above to guide you.
 
Want more resources to help authors thrive? Visit the JD&J blog.