Being an author is tough. It's a life full of convincing, marketing and publicizing your work alongside writing day and night. With millions of books published annually, the competition is never-ending. It’s exceptionally hard to get the word out there and to gain people’s faith in you and your work. It takes intense publicity, excruciating work hours, and an endless search for opportunities to become an author.
Now imagine doing all this while in school, with academic pressure and co-curricular deadlines. That’s what being a teen author is. It's juggling academics and writing, while riding on the unicycle of teenage. It’s tough, no doubt.
Being a teenage author myself, I’m well aware of the challenges and obstacles we face. This is why, I’m writing this article to share tips I’ve learned along my journey of publishing 2 books at the age 13. So, if you are a teen author/writer or an aspiring one, this article is for you.
Tips on making the journey of being a teen author easier:
Use Social Media
In a world where 3.96 billion people (and growing) use social media, imagine the reach these apps have. Numerous people have risen to overnight fame with just an Instagram or Facebook post. There are thousands of people earning a livelihood from Youtube and whose careers revolve around this app.
Social media provides a great base and ample opportunity to connect and network with readers.
I have reaped the benefits of Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and have found some great opportunities on these apps. I’ve connected with many readers and have been able to take my work internationally and take it to people across 7 seas.
In my personal opinion, there is nothing better than social media to reach readers and to connect with like-minded individuals. Use the power of social media!
Write every day
"Practice makes us perfect!" We’ve all heard this statement a gazillion times, but we often fail to understand how true it is. Writing every day (even for a short period) gives you an upper edge over all the other authors.
Journaling is a great way to grow as a writer. And you will see the evolution of your writing style after even a month of continuous writing.
I have been writing continuously since the age of 10, and that experience came in very handy when I was working on my second novel TRUCE.
Write and read every day, that’s all I want to say!
Take feedback from friends and family and grow with them
Constructive criticism plays an integral role in the growth of a writer. Don’t take criticism to heart, grow from it.
Unbiased opinions help reveal the flaws in your story and can help you fix them.
Do courses
Apps like EdX, Coursera, Alison provide free courses from top universities. These help a great deal in improving writing skills and gaining experience.
Personally, MOOCs have been a great help for me and helped me take my writing to a next level. I highly recommend them.
- Risha Chaurasia
That’s all from me! Lastly, the most important thing, DON'T GIVE UP! BELIEVE IN YOUR WRITING.
If you have faith in your work and skills, nothing can break it down. Believe in yourself and you'll make it through!
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