Thank you to everyone who joined us for last week’s inspiring and informative online event, How Did They Do It: three bestselling authors share their journey to the top of the charts. We were thrilled to hear from our wonderful panellists, Trent Dalton, Christian White and Pip Williams, about their debut success, their insights into publishing in Australia, and what they know now (and wish they’d known beforehand!)

In case you missed it, we’ve collated some of the key insights from our panellists below:

Act and think like an author, even before you are published

Do not wait to be published to act and think like an author. How do you present yourself online? If you submit your work to a publisher and they were to look into your website or social media, would they see you as a professional writer? Building your author ‘brand’ can set the tone for your publishing career. 

Don’t wait for your work to be perfect – get it to where you are happy with it and then submit

Just like an artwork, a manuscript is never truly ‘finished’. Authors can spend years drafting and redrafting a book, when efforts may be best spent into finding the right publishing house for your book. Of course, your manuscript must be at a publishable standard, but it does not have to be perfect. That is what the editing process is all about!

Remember: there is more than one path to publication

Interestingly enough, none of the panellists were represented by agents for their debut publications. Our panellists found their way to publication through networking, entering writing competitions, and even being discovered in the slush pile! Seek out competitions, new publishing opportunities and boost your professional development.

Seek advice on contracts before you sign

It is an incredibly exciting time in an author’s life to receive a publishing contract. However, if you’re not sure you understand the contract, or you don’t know whether it is in line with industry standards it is important to seek advice before you sign.

As an ASA member, you can submit your publishing, agent, or other publishing agreements to our Contract Assessment Service for a full commercial and legal reading of your contract.

Trust the experts, yet remember that you have a voice

Working with a traditional publishing team can be a wonderful experience, drawing from the immense skills and knowledge these professionals have earned over years in the industry. The editors, designers and publicists know what sells, and will use that knowledge to give your book its best shot on the shelves. Trust their expertise! However, our panellists emphasised that it is still your work they are publishing, and it is important to strike a good balance between accepting feedback and standing by your work. If you feel an editor or designer isn’t quite getting the gist of your book or have missed the mark, talk to them. Nobody will know your book better than you.

Always be gracious, friendly and polite, particularly with booksellers

While it may seem elementary, one of the most beneficial things an author can do to boost their career is to be professional. Readers, booksellers, editors, even the receptionist at publishing houses – all can be gatekeepers to your success, so you don’t want to create a bad reputation with anyone in the industry. In particular, treat bookstore staff kindly, especially if you want them to stock your book. If you make a great impression, you might find them recommending your book more frequently and they may also wish to book you for an event at their store. A good impression can do wonders for your author brand. As we learned from this session, word of mouth is a powerful publicity tool, so don’t burn any bridges. Keep all connections open for future opportunities.

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