dynamicwavestudio 
Brandon Sanderson writes fantasy novels.
And he’s extraordinarily good at it, writing a number of profitable collection and promoting greater than 40m books. Throughout the pandemic, he used the lockdowns to put in writing 4 additional novels that he then supplied to his followers through Kickstarter, elevating an astonishing $41m. (Yup, you learn that proper.)
His firm, Dragonsteel, now employs greater than 70 individuals. He purchased the property subsequent door to his house in Utah and turned it into his firm HQ, constructing this OTT “underground supervillain lair”.
And just lately, he guested on The Tim Ferriss Present, giving an epic three-hour interview during which he talked intimately about how he’s achieved all this.
For those who’re fascinated by succeeding as an writer — or certainly in any form of artistic entrepreneurship — the total interview is properly price listening to. However right here’s my overview of the important thing factors.
1. Writing is sweet for you — even in case you don’t make it pay.
Don’t really feel that writing is simply worthwhile if it results in revenue, or a printed ebook.
“I believe writing is legitimately simply good for individuals in the identical method that figuring out is sweet for individuals.. The time you spend writing is bettering you as a author – and that’s the most essential factor. The ebook is nearly a side-product.”
2. There isn’t a proper approach to write.
Stephen King advises writers to not make a top level view. Orson Scott Card insists writers want one. Each authors are proper, as a result of that’s what works for them. Your job? To search out what works for you. And on your present ebook or mission.
“Quite a lot of stuff you’ll study in writing you form of have to decide on one or the opposite and take a look at it out and see the way it works for you.”
3. Develop a writing behavior.
if you wish to attempt to be an expert author, you must write persistently. There are binge writers, Sanderson concedes, who disappear for 2 months and emerge with a completed ebook. However they’re uncommon.
“Most individuals are higher served by writing a specific amount every single day actually persistently, or at the very least two or 3 times every week, and constructing a novel out of fine habits.”
You possibly can depend the phrases you write, or the time you place in. However do your reps, and do them typically.
Early on, Sanderson was advised that his first 5 books can be horrible. So he wrote them shortly, with no thought of sending them out to brokers, or getting them revealed. He was simply studying his craft: “It was weight-training for my thoughts.”
4. Know your style.
On this interview alone, Sanderson talks in depth in regards to the variations between portal fantasy, heroic fantasy, epic fantasy. About construction and plot. Made-up languages. Several types of magic programs: how they work, and the way they have an effect on plot and story.
He is aware of his style, and he is aware of all the important thing works in that style. (That’s how he may take over the Wheel of Time collection so effectively, ending authentic writer Robert Jordan’s final three books after his loss of life.)
It is best to too. You possibly can’t innovate and break the foundations, until them!
5. Get snug throwing work away.
Professionals are keen to confess when one thing doesn’t work, and begin recent. Amateurs get extra connected.
“There’s lots of causes of author’s block, however one of many most important ones.. is that you simply’re writing the chapter flawed, you will have sufficient instincts as a author since you’ve practiced lengthy sufficient to know you need to throw it away. However you don’t need to, since you did the work.”
6. Be sure you get loads of downtime.
Rookie writers attempt to work for lengthy stretches with out breaks, and inevitably both burn out shortly, or get distracted. Professionals are inclined to work in focussed blocks, with intentional breaks in between. They perceive that taking a break is a crucial a part of artistic course of.
Sanderson has an odd schedule. He sleeps many of the morning, writes for 4 hours within the afternoon, then hangs out together with his household till late at evening, when he does one other 4 hours writing. This can be a routine solely somebody with workers, a accomplice taking care of the youngsters and no day-job may emulate, however that’s no the purpose he’s making, right here. It’s on the lengthy break between his two every day writing periods.
“Some of the essential issues I ever did was take that point and demarcate it as non-writing time.”
7. A profitable writer additionally must be an entrepreneur.
You want to write. However if you wish to make a residing from it, you additionally want a head for enterprise. At all times be in search of new alternatives and revenue streams.
“I used to be raised by an accountant and a businessman… And I name this my superpower. My superpower is to be an artist raised by an accountant, and I’ve at all times had a little bit of that entrepreneurial sense.”
8. Be laser-focussed.
All the things about his firm Dragonsteel is designed to permit him to do the one factor solely he can do: write his books and inform his tales. His water bottle is crammed up by another person, an editorial workforce inserts related feedback by beta readers into his drafts for him to verify whereas revising. The principle factor he must do together with his day is write.
“The extra that I can hold out of my mind that I’ve to trace, the higher, as a result of I’m at all times setting up narrative. I’m at all times engaged on the story.”
What’s the high-value factor in your small business that solely you are able to do? Delegate, construct programs, organize every little thing so you are able to do this — and solely this — as a lot as potential.
9. Don’t depend on gate-keepers.
Few of the standard routes into publishing work any extra. Even the route Sanderson took to his first ebook offers — going to conferences and befriending brokers and publishers to see what they’re in search of — is now largely closed.
To succeed, you must be agile. And construct your personal following, quite than counting on a writer to do it for you.
10. You gained’t get wealthy fast.
For those who dream of instantaneous fame and fortune, writing books most likely isn’t the best way. Sanderson’s first ebook deal earned him simply $10k, unfold over three years. His spouse supported him whereas he wrote his early books, on her instructor’s wage.
Sanderson wrote 5 books earlier than he even received revealed. Then he wrote and revealed 4 extra epic novels earlier than he received his first best-seller.
As he says, it may simply have turned out otherwise. Shelf house is at a premium, and book-sellers can’t hold supporting you in case you don’t promote. It’s simple for authors to fall right into a “loss of life spiral”. And he got here near it.
11. Don’t rely on a single revenue supply.
Amazon is the dominant participant on the planet of books. However Sanderson discovered you could’t depend on it after his writer briefly had all their books faraway from the positioning after a dispute.
So he determined to Amazon-proof his enterprise. He’s developed different revenue streams, comparable to promoting premium, leather-bound editions of his books himself.
No matter your small business, in case you’re reliant on only one distributor, consumer or revenue supply, you’re susceptible. Develop options.
12. Be taught from the disruptors.
Particularly individuals outdoors your area or style. Sanderson offers the instance of his buddy Howard Tayler, who bought print editions of his comedian Schlock Mercenary in an effort to subsidise placing a free model on-line.
As a enterprise mannequin, this doesn’t appear to make sense: why would individuals pay for one thing they might get without spending a dime? However Tayler identified that not solely did his Kickstarter campaigns earn a living — in addition they generated welcome publicity. And Sanderson listened.
His first Kickstarter, a leather-bound version of his ebook The Manner of Kings, raised $7 million. Nevertheless it was his subsequent one which received headlines worldwide: a four-book package deal that raised an astonishing $41 million. (Which, he explains within the podcast, was truly nearer to $45m with the added merchandise some followers selected to additionally purchase.)
13. It’s arduous to chop by the noise..
We’re overwhelmed with info, so all of us are inclined to shut out the brand new in favour of what we all know.
“In at this time’s media setting, individuals’s consideration has a gravitational pull to what they’ve already been taking note of. They love the issues that they love and getting the rest to attain that escape velocity, to go off and to make a splash.. is simply super-difficult.”
14. ..So at all times inform an incredible story.
Be taught to shock and delight along with your advertising and marketing, in addition to your writing. Sanderson launched his massive Kickstarter with a faux apology video, implying that he was retiring from writing as a result of he’d executed one thing terrible. As a substitute, the key he revealed have been the 4 new books he’d written throughout the lockdowns.
Individuals watched as a result of they have been curious. Then they have been entertained, they usually purchased into his Kickstarter.
“I’m a storyteller,” he says. “And that’s a video with a narrative. I reside for the reveal!”
Need extra from Brandon Sanderson? He has some free lectures on plotting and construction on his web site. And naturally his novels!
Need extra from Tim Ferriss? His podcast, with a deep dive into the life and strategies of a high performer, is at all times price listening to.
Need extra from me? Join The Artistic Companion, my free weekly letter for artistic professionals (and individuals who aspire to be).
