New Writers’ Tip of the Day

Summary

The website content offers writing advice emphasizing the importance of using one's best creative work on a landing page and the necessity of balancing writing and promotion, with a humorous nod to channeling John Steinbeck.

Abstract

The article, presented as a tip for new writers, humorously suggests that channeling the spirit of John Steinbeck can provide valuable advice for aspiring authors. Steinbeck's message, as conveyed through the author's anecdote, is to place your best creative paragraphs on your landing page to make the greatest impact. The piece also touches on the modern application of the 80–20 rule in writing, advocating for spending 80% of one's time on promotion and only 20% on actual writing. It acknowledges the multifaceted nature of modern self-publishing, which requires authors to wear many hats, including formatting their work. The author reflects on the reasons for writing—whether for glory, money, or personal satisfaction—and encourages writers to make a conscious choice about how to allocate their time between writing tools like Scrivener and promotional platforms like Facebook. The article concludes with a call to action, inviting readers to subscribe to a newsletter for more insights and a free guide on writing, publishing, and monetization.

Opinions

The author humorously implies that even the great John Steinbeck would advocate for the strategic placement of one's best writing on a landing page to capture an audience.
There is an opinion that modern writers should focus more on the promotion of their work than on the writing process itself, adhering to the 80–20 rule.
The article suggests that self-publishing, while eliminating traditional gatekeepers, introduces new demands such as formatting, which can consume a significant portion of an author's time.
Writers are encouraged to reflect on their motivations for writing, whether it be for recognition, financial gain, or the joy of the craft.
The author offers a pragmatic approach to writing, balancing creativity with the realities of the industry, and provides a resource for writers seeking guidance in publishing and earning from their work.

Today's most important take-away for you!

It's a well-known fact in big-time writer circles that sometimes I get down, maybe sometimes a little depressed.

And when I do, the only thing that cheers me up is pulling out my old copy of The Grapes of Wrath and having a chuckle. Unless the 1940 Henry Fonda version is playing on TV when that is good for me too.

At any rate, this morning, as I was trying to wake up, I accidentally channeled John Steinbeck himself. He had a word for new authors for me to deliver.

I did think this quite an odd occurrence, but after thinking about it for several minutes, I tended to lean towards its validity. As he spoke to the new breed of authors everywhere, he cried out…

For God’s sake, new authors… if you’ve only got a couple of creative paragraphs in ye, use them on your LANDING PAGE!

I did not realize I could channel people so easily, and I never knew Steinbeck was Irish, but it all started to make sense to me.

A popular concept these days is that of the 80–20 rule.

Spend 80% of your time promoting your work. Spend 20% of your time actually writing it.

In these days of print on demand, even though you eliminate editors, printers rejection letters, and your literary agent, you will be forced to learn to format, and that’s another 80% of your time. It all adds up.

So you have to ask yourself, do I write for the glory, or the money, or just to hear another lame Irish accent?

Let your heart decide, and either turn on Scrivener or Facebook.

New Writers’ Tip of the Day

Today's most important take-away for you!

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