As writers, many of us are striving for publication and on the journey to becoming an author.
For some, this means a book deal with a traditional publisher. For others, this means doing the work necessary to publish a book themselves.
It’s easy to think that once you get the book deal, have a release date, or can hold your book in your hands that you’ll be an author. But the reality is, these external validators don’t make you an author.
You become an author the moment you’re able to embody the identity of an author.
This can happen long before the book comes out. Or it can happen years after. Or not at all.
But in my experience, owning this identity is what actually makes publishing possible and sustainable.
So the sooner you can tap into this energy and identity, the more successful you will be.
My experience as an author with two traditionally published novels
I’ve been a writer since I was first introduced the concept in third grade. I felt it in my bones. But when I signed with my agent, I wondered when I’d consider myself an author.
Before my book sold, my agent referred to me as the author of the manuscript, but “author” still didn’t feel right to me. I figured once I had a book deal, then it would be real and I’d start calling myself an author.
The book deal came a few months later, and so did a slew of new responsibilities an expectations.
I have an MFA in Creative Writing and I’d researched this career path extensively. I thought I was ready to be an author, but that was the farthest thing from the truth.
Instead, I was stressed out and overwhelmed all the time. Part of this was due to facets of my personality I hadn’t uncovered yet. But the other part, the larger part? That was because I hadn’t claimed my authority as an author yet.
In fact, once I entered publishing, I went in the other direction. I doubled down on the idea that “author” may be something I do, but I am a writer at my core. And I pushed away the author part of myself for a really long time.
As a result, I didn’t get another book deal. Honestly, I was so burned out at the time that I was relieved to have the break.
Because I wasn’t an author. Not really. And trying to be one without doing the work to embody that identity left me with a traumatic publishing experience that’s taken me a decade to recover from.
When I publish again, everything will be different. Because now, I’m an author who knows herself. And I know exactly what’s necessary for me to succeed.
The difference between a Writer and an Author
A writer is someone who writes. An author is someone who has to be willing to be seen as an authority.
They are willing to be seen as the authority on their book, their process, and their life. They are someone who is willing to own their power as a creator and be seen in this way.
Now of course, this is a bit of a every-square-is-a-rectangle-but-every-rectangle-is-not-a-square type of situation.
Every author is a writer, but not every writer is not an author. Author is a very specific layer to the writer identity. You could be writer and be a playwright, a journalist, or any number of other types of writer. But each of these types is a different and specific addition to the writer identity.
Personally, it’s the writer identity that I need to be happy. It’s the creative process and the spark I get from it.
But if I’m someone who wants to share my work with the world and be continually published, I needed to learn how to add the author identity in order to be successful.
If you’re goals are similar, I strongly believe you need to go on the same journey at some point, too.
How to Shift Into the Author Identity
Be visible
This can often be a major struggle for writers. After, we’re writers. It’s one thing to let our words be seen, but it’s a whole other story to put ourselves out there.
But in order to truly be an author, you have to be willing to be seen for you. For the talent and creative force that you are.
Pick a mode of visibility–just one–and commit to showing up as your author-self.
Own your authority
You have to be willing to see yourself as an authority. You have to be the authority of your story, your process, and the writing craft.
This doesn’t have to mean you’re the only authority–other writers and authors have processes, approaches, and craft knowledge that might be different from yours. But that’s okay. They can also be authorities.
You need to be the authority of you. Your journey, your process, your story, your creation. This is part of owning your creative and authorial power.
The imposter syndrome can really hit on this one, so be gentle with yourself here.
Navigate publishing with confidence and clarity
One vibe I got from my publishing experience was that, from a publishing perspective, I was living the dream and I should just be grateful to be here. It wasn’t anything anyone said–in fact, I think my direct publishing team was fantastic. Compared to other author’s experiences, I felt very consulted and included.
But there seems to be this undercurrent in traditional publishing that we, as writers, should be willing to jump through any hoops and accept whatever we’re given because this is the dream so many writers never get to see.
Authors know this is not true. Yes, it’s a dream, but it’s also a business partnership. And if something comes up that you don’t agree with or don’t like, you should feel confident enough to say something.
Of course, because this is a business partnership, so there are going to be areas where conversation and compromise are needed. But you have to be willing to advocate for things that come up that are not okay with you.
You are an equal member of your publishing team. To truly embody the identity of an author, you need to be willing to speak up and push back if things are not okay with you. Some examples include creative decisions, unrealistic deadlines, and promotional expectations.
As an author, you deserve to be informed and have clarity around the entire process. So if there’s something you’re unclear about, ask. Make someone explain it to you.
Authors know this isn’t inconveniencing their publishing team. As an equal member of the publishing team, authors are entitled to clarity and true authors know that.
This is just as true for self-published authors. If you are unclear about what an editor or designer’s plans are, ask. Have the confidence to get the clarity you need.
Use your voice
This is very closely related to the previous point. As an author, you have power.
You are the creative force behind the story. If you didn’t exist, neither would this story. It could still exist with a different agent, different editor, different publishing house.
It might not look quite the same with different people in these roles, but it would still exist. Without you, there is no book to publish.
That’s how powerful you are. You are the one who’s actually irreplaceable.
I’m not saying this to give any author an over inflated sense of importance or to say you should be a diva. Nor am I saying this to downplay the role of agents and editors; mine were invaluable to my publishing process.
However, one thing I noticed with other published writers and authors is how agreeable so many of them are. They go along with suggests of their agents, publishers, booksellers, and even other authors.
It’s fine to agree with something you genuinely want to do. But in my experience published writers often agree to things out of a sense of obligation. The often feel that if they don’t agree, they may lose this dream experience they’ve worked so hard for.
But authors know that’s not true. Authors know just how powerful they are and they know their needs and the needs of their story matter. They’re not afraid to use their voice to advocate for themselves when needed.
Authors know this isn’t the same as being unreasonable, and they have the confidence to be heard.
Stay connected to your creativity
You need to have tips, tricks, and systems to bring you back to the creative and writer part of yourself. Publishing comes with a lot of external noise and pressure.
If you want to keep publishing, you need to be able to set boundaries with the external world and have tools to come back to your creative process.
Your time and attention are more in demand when you get published, and in a lot of ways, that’s wonderful! But if you want to release more books, you have to have tools to come back to why you wanted to be an author in the first place–the writing.
Part of staying connected to your creativity may include creating some breaks in your publishing schedule so you can rest and recharge. You can’t stay creative if you burn out.
Taking care of you body and brain is part of being an author. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Are you ready to unlock your author authority?
These characteristics listed above? They sound straight forward, but they’re not. They’re typically wrapped up in fears, limiting beliefs, uncertainty, overwhelm, and so much outside noise.
That’s why I created Unlocking your Author Authority, a three month transformational coaching experience designed to help you clear your blocks, release your fears, and take actions aligned with your values so you can fully embody your author authority.
If you want to be a published author working in a sustainable way, I believe it’s never too early or too late to unlock this energy. As a certified transformational Tarot coach and traditionally published author with an MFA in creative writing, I use a mix of intuitive coaching, energy alignment, and practical guidance to help you shed the subconscious beliefs and fears that are keeping you from the life you crave.
Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way and The Right to Write, often talks about writing and creativity as a spiritual process.
Tarot is a tool to help bridge the gap between the the creative and the spiritual. It’s a tool used as a mirror for your creative identity—helping you step into the inner authority, clarity, and confidence required to move from writer to author.
I use Tarot to help you get to the heart of what’s really holding you back, which makes this particular coaching package a completely unique experience. Tarot isn’t about fortune telling. It’s about helping you connect more deeply to yourself and your intuition. It’s about bringing your truth to light.
If you’re open to it and willing to do the work, this program can actually change your life.
It took me a traumatic publishing experience and an entire decade to unwind all of the beliefs, fears, and experiences that kept me from embodying my author authority. I’m giving you the opportunity to claim your power as an author in just three months.
This is the support I wish I had back in 2014 when I signed my first book deal, if not sooner.
If you’re ready to claim your author authority and want to learn more about this transformational experience, you can visit the application page here.
What’s been your biggest struggle in claiming your authority as an author? Tell me about it in the comments!
