Ask the Author: Andy Walker
Answered Questions (6)
Andy Walker
Think about write a book on the future of work...given how technology is transforming the jobs landscape and eliminating unskilled and semi-skilled labor with automation and robots.
Andy Walker
It's incredibly inspiring to create something out of nothing and see it arrive in printed from and see it in bookstores after several years work
Andy Walker
I have a great relationship with my editor at Pearson and he approached me with a killer book idea that I developed into Super You. He was watching a NatGeo documentary about people that put magnets under their fingers and thought hmmm, tech meets flesh...interesting idea. The approached me. We had previously done 3 books together at Que.
Andy Walker
Inspiration isn't necessary to write. If you are a plumber you plumb. If you are a pilot you fly. As a writer you write. And you have good days and you have bad days. To be a writer is to do your job regardless of the circumstances. And yes there are days when you get in the zone and crank out amazing stuff. And there are days when you write and you hate every minute of it but you do it anyway because you have deadlines and you know the bad days end and good days are coming. Writing is more about discipline than anything else.
Andy Walker
The best way to become a great writer is write. So do it a lot. I wrote two books before I ever got a publishing deal, which was frustrating, but it also taught me that you just have to keep writing until you write something that is saleable.
And then beyond that your writing ability is not enough. You have to demonstrate that you can draw an audience with your writing. That's the other criteria needed to get a deal.
So write great stuff that people read. A blog is a great way to learn that. If you can show a blog that attracts a lot of people then people will start to notice you. Produce a blog that attracts 5,000 to 10,000 visitors each day then you are on your way to getting a deal.
And then beyond that your writing ability is not enough. You have to demonstrate that you can draw an audience with your writing. That's the other criteria needed to get a deal.
So write great stuff that people read. A blog is a great way to learn that. If you can show a blog that attracts a lot of people then people will start to notice you. Produce a blog that attracts 5,000 to 10,000 visitors each day then you are on your way to getting a deal.
Andy Walker
I don't believe the is such a thing as writers block. You just need to write. You will have good days. You will have bad days. Just start writing something, anything related to your book plan and if you get a sentence out that is just what happened today. Go back to it tomorrow. And keep going. Writing takes discipline. It's hard work. And just have to treat it like a job and do it. or fire yourself as a writer.
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