Five Creative-Business Lessons – Guest Post

I had this guest post from Kirk Voclain scheduled several months ago. The Lord knew I’d need it because He knew what was ahead for me.

On Oct. 2, I fell during my workout at the gym and broke a bone in my pelvis. I’m doing great with very little pain and getting around with a walker. But it has put a crimp in my energy level for work. I’ve had to force myself to rest and allow my energy go toward healing.

So I’m grateful I have this guest post from Kirk. I hope you enjoy it.

Five Creative-Business Lessons That Saved Me Time as a New Author

By Kirk Voclain

I ran a professional photography business for more than forty years. When I decided to become an independent author, I thought all that experience would transfer right over.

Some of it did. A lot of it absolutely did not.

A portrait client is in the room while the product is being created. A reader cannot watch a novel take shape and decide whether it belongs on the nightstand. Photography is local and personal. Publishing puts your work in a crowded, worldwide marketplace.

1. Know who you are talking to

In photography, “everyone with a face” is a terrible target market. A bride, a high school senior, and a corporate executive may all need photographs, but they are not looking for the same thing.

Neither are readers. “People who like books” is not an audience. Someone shopping for a thriller wants a different experience from someone browsing romances or history.

Before I spend money on promotion, I look at my book page as if I have never seen it. Can I tell what kind of story this is from the cover and first few lines? If a stranger cannot answer, “Is this for me?” within seconds, that is the first problem to fix.

2. Make sure everything belongs together

Photography taught me that presentation starts before the session. If my advertising promised a first-class experience but my phone manner, studio, packaging, or finished portraits looked cheap, the client noticed.

Authors can become inconsistent across websites, retailer pages, email signatures, newsletters, and social profiles. They need not match perfectly, but they should sound and look as if they came from the same person.

Every few months, I click my links on a phone. Is my newest book easy to find? Does the description sound like the book I wrote? It is boring maintenance, but it beats losing a reader because an old link went nowhere.

3. Talk to people

My photography business grew because I talked to clients. I remembered their families, answered questions, and gave them a reason to tell someone else about me.

It is easy for authors to spend hours trying to outsmart the latest algorithm. I would rather send one thoughtful note to somebody who enjoys my kind of story than publish another generic “Buy my book!” post.

That does not mean pestering friends or dropping links on strangers. It might mean saying, “I thought of you because you like spy stories,” or sharing a short excerpt that gives readers a feel for the book.

The platforms can sort out their own rules. I would rather talk to a reader.

4. Keep track of what works

Someone is always selling creative people a magic tool, advertisement, or platform. Photography made me skeptical. An ad worked only if it brought in the right clients and profitable work.

I use the same test with books. I write down what I tried, where I tried it, and what happened afterward. Then I give it time. Refreshing my sales dashboard fifteen minutes after posting is not measurement. It is just me making myself crazy.

I also avoid changing five things at once. I might rewrite the opening of a description, share one excerpt, or try one partnership. If I change everything together, I have no idea what helped.

5. Think beyond one sale

A photography client might come in for a senior portrait, return for a wedding, and later bring in children of their own. That relationship was worth far more than the first order.

Publishing has its own version. A reader who feels appreciated may try the next book, leave an honest review, or mention it to a friend. An exchange with another author may turn into a lasting collaboration.

Not every conversation needs to become a pitch. I recommend other writers when I honestly enjoy their work. I thank people who help me. If I promise to share something, I make sure I do it.

I am still learning the publishing business. What I no longer do is chase every marketing idea that flashes across my screen.

When I get stuck, I ask a smaller question: What can I do this week that might help one real reader find the right book?

Then I do that and get back to writing.

About the Author

Kirk Voclain is a South Louisiana novelist and professional photographer based in Houma, Louisiana. After spending more than forty years behind the camera, he now writes thrillers and clean romance featuring believable characters, crisp pacing, and details grounded in real life.
Author website: kirkvoclain.com
Books: books.kirkvoclain.com
Email and media inquiries: info@kirkvoclain.com