The Myth of Maintenance: Why Growth is the Only Option for Authors
On Scaling Up the TBR Pile
In business, there’s a saying: “You either grow or you die.” It applies just as much to the green jungles of the animal kingdom as it does to the concrete jungles of the publishing world.
The idea of “maintaining” your writing career—of taking your foot off the gas once you hit your target—is a comforting myth. A myth I fell for. In 2020, I had my first six figure year. I figured I could coast from there. I could just take it easy from here on out because there would always be that many zeros in my bank account, right?
Wrong.
In reality, there’s no such thing as coasting. You grow or you die. Maintaining is a myth.
Why Maintenance is a Myth
In any business, including your author career, the forces working against you don’t stand still.
Readers drop off. Even the most loyal readers won’t buy every book you release. People’s interests change, life gets busy, audiences move on.
Competition grows. Although, I don't believe that romance reading is a competitive sport because dem whale readers be hangry and always need the next book waiting for them -including yours and mine! New books hit the market every day, vying for attention and if you’re not finding ways to stand out and be read immediately, you risk being placed on a massive TBR pile.
The market evolves. Trends shift, genres rise and fall, and reader preferences change. Without keeping up, your books might lose their appeal.
The publishing landscape is like the animal kingdom: if you’re not adapting and evolving, you’re falling down the food chain. But honestly, it's a steep hill of books. So you might be okay. But what if you want to get your books placement higher up that chain? Let's have that discussion tomorrow.
How to Grow Your Author Business
In the meantime, how do you fight against the natural decline? Growth. And in publishing, growth happens in three key areas:
Attract New Readers
You need to constantly bring new customers into your ecosystem because some of your previous readers will inevitably fall off. Marketing is important (and there's a robust marketing module within my Page Turner Pacing course), but the best way to grow your audience is to write stories that resonate with more people.
Increase Your Revenue Per Reader
Each reader is an opportunity to grow your income. That doesn’t necessarily mean selling them the same thing over and over. It means offering them more ways to engage with your stories. Think beyond ebooks:
Print editions for those who love physical books, especially those pricey, decadent special editions that sit on shelves like trophies that are just looked at and… not read 🤔 .
Audiobooks for readers who listen on the go -including in various forms like podcasts, full casts, and things I haven't yet thought of.
Translations to reach global audiences.
Different formats like comic books, graphic novels, and have you guys checked out what David Viergutz is doing with Scare Mail!
Keep Readers Coming Back
Repeat customers are the lifeblood of any successful author business. That means writing compelling, binge-worthy stories that make readers eager to pick up your next book.
Why Better Stories Are the Key to Growth
While marketing and business strategies are important, the best way to grow as an author is to focus on what matters most: telling better stories.
Readers don’t just want books—they want experiences. They want stories that grip them from the first page, take them out of their ordinary lives, keep them on the edge of their seat, and leave them hungry for more. To create those kinds of stories, you need to study the market. Tomorrow I'm going to dare to have the dreaded Write to Market chat. But, it's likely not what you think.
Until then, consider backing my Page Turner Pacing Kickstarter campaign.