The Secret to a Successful Book

What do you do for a living?  Is it what you've always wanted to do OR is it something completely different?

My writing career began twenty years into my teaching career. Writing was something I'd always loved to do, but I didn't know how to nurture it and make it into a successful business. 

The last few years have been life changing for me. It is not only a fulfillment of a dream, but a profitable side hustle as well. I want to share with you how you can make your dreams a reality and  help you hold your book in your hand. 

In the last post, I promised to share with you my secret to a successful book. You ready?

The secret to a successful book is building strong characters.

I have tackled some pretty tough situations in my children's books. My ten-year-old character has faced real issues in her life personally and with her friends and their family. Issues such as bullying, addiction, and suicide to name a few. I've often had people question me on how I can possibly write a children's book on topics such as these, and my answer is simple. It's because I have a strong lead character.

It may sound like an elementary step, but it is a crucial step in success as an author. I have worked to create a character who is liked by adults as well as children. I have been able to tackle those issues because I've developed her into a 'real' person.

My stories are character-driven. They're all about Gracie. I do not focus on the difficult issue, but the storyline is driven by the character. This makes it easier to bring in the tough situations. 

Creating your protagonist is an intentional process. It isn't something that you just dream up and throw together as you write. If this is the process an author uses, you will know.  If you want to have characters people care about and relate to, they must be well-developed and realistic.

Think for a minute about your all-time favorite character(s). I'm sure you could fill a page with information about his/her personality and their likes and dislikes. I bet you know their inner struggles as well as their obvious ones. You know what makes them tick and what ticks them off. Even though they are not a real person, they became real to you. This is what you have to create. This is what makes a good story. This is the difference between a good story and an amazing story.

No one will care to read your book if they don't care about your characters.

This Character Profile sheet is a good place to start. It will get the ball rolling. I have a Character Workbook that will take you through the process in greater detail. I've learned so much in my writing journey and I'm excited to share it with you. I want you to be a successful author. I can't wait for you to share your success stories with me!

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