There’s only one you, Stu.
Only you can tell your story, and only you can write your book.
Still, we recommend reading and thoroughly examining other books similar to yours…
Sound strange? Let me explain.
Imagine having read dozens of books in your genre. If you haven’t done this yet, start now.
Good authors are good readers; great authors are great readers.
Do you want to become a good author? How about becoming a great author?
That very idea might bother you because you want to avoid being compared to other authors…or maybe you can’t imagine the daunting task of reading that many books!
But trust me. If you want to be a good author, maybe even a great one, there are no shortcuts.
And not only is such research helpful as you learn the craft of writing, but it also offers you a foundation of books to use in competitive research. Not only will you gain a handle on your genre, but you’ll also stockpile the ammo you’ll need to pitch and promote your work.
So commit to educating yourself on what others in your genre are doing so you’ll be able to articulate the value your book brings to the market.
Your book matters only to you until you learn to communicate to others why it should matter to them.
Why should someone invest their time in reading what you’ve written? What’s in it for them? In other words, what is the takeaway value?
Such questions are easier to answer the more you’ve read and studied other authors in your genre.
Another productive exercise is to read the reviews of those others’ books.
This is especially helpful during your editing and revising stage, but it can also teach you a ton about marketing your work.
You need to know what readers think about your genre.
- What do they like?
- What do their reviews tell you they love?
- What reviewers’ complaints about other books should you consider applying to your work?
Some online reviews can make you start questioning your idea, maybe even cause you to shut down creatively.
Let me urge you to fight those thoughts and feelings by reminding yourself that your book is unique because you’ve brought YOU to it.
Even the Bible says there is nothing new under the sun, so just accept that. No one expects you to write something completely new. The “new,” the unique angle, comes from you.
Write authentically from the overflow of your passions, knowing that your message comes uniquely from:
And only YOU can bring that.
Next week, on Tuesday, June 16 at 12pm and 7pm CST, my marketing team, David Loy and Chase Neely, are hosting a workshop, How to Build Your Author Platform in 2026. Having worked with them for more than a decade now, I can assure you, you’re in for a treat—not to mention a boatload of helpful counsel.
Join them to learn:
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How to determine your core message
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How to define your target audience (and how that’s affected by your genre)
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The importance of researching competing authors and mining reviews (and they’ll explain that)
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How to maintain brand (that’s you) consistency across various online outlets
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And more!
Click here to register for either live session.
Jerry
