We hear all the time that there’s some kind of secret out there that we need to pay for in order to be successful. Whether it’s as authors, YouTubers, creatives in general, or just as human beings, we’re always looking for that big secret that will mean we are “successful.” It’s a trap I’ve fallen into, too. I’ve tried to time block and pomodoro my way through things that cannot be solved by those methods (helpful as they are). I’ve tried to productivity past issues that really needed rest.
That’s the thing, honestly: we’re so busy trying to find that secret sauce that we’re ignoring our needs. Humans are not machines, and we cannot produce our way out of problems. While, yes, sometimes we just have to lean into the grind and get it done, the reality is that our success has very little to do with working ourselves to death.
As an author, I look around me and see all kinds of advice coming slamming out of the woodwork. Some of it’s good, some of it isn’t. Even the good stuff is sometimes misapplied or thrown at the wall until it becomes immutable law rather than useful insight (I’m looking at you, adverb haters). There’s the rapid release fad (and it is a fad), marketing techniques that will work for a short time or a specific environment or about a million articles on how to get rich quick—none of which will work.
I’m sure at this point, you’re reading this and wondering when I’m going to try and sell you something or what my scheme is. To be entirely honest, I don’t have one. I am not trying to sell you something. I have no course to shill (though if you want to buy my books on publishing, I won’t complain), and I’m not trying to tempt you with some kind of hidden gem of wisdom.
The reality is? There is no secret sauce.
Anybody who knows me or has heard me talk likely knows I say that all the time. That’s because it’s true. If there is a secret sauce, that secret is hard work, research, and investing in yourself and your career.
Hard Work
When I say “hard work” I don’t mean just running yourself ragged. I mean appropriate application of effort. This work can be dedicated to training, practice, or just sitting down and doing the thing. When I was recovering from shoulder surgery in 2022, physical therapy was grueling. I had a “capsular plication and interval closure” done because the ligaments in the shoulder just plain gave up and kept dropping the shoulder into dislocation.
During physical therapy, I worked hard, applying myself and doing the exercise. I did the same thing at home, too. If I hadn’t done the exercises and focused on doing them well and consistently, my recovery time would have been a hell of a lot longer. However, that dedication to the daily practice and exercise meant that I was able to recover to the point where I can play violin and fence again—two things I lost during the worst of my shoulder troubles.
However, that also came with knowing when there were times when I couldn’t push. The hard work included knowing when I needed to slow down, take it easy, and give myself room to breathe. It wasn’t just about adding weight until I collapsed. It was about applying that work ethic to the proper things in the proper ways. Which leads us to the next piece…
Research
I know “research” is not the entirely correct term, but I’m putting all study and listening to wisdom outside yourself into this category. Whether you’re listening to medical advice, a coach of some kind, or working with other professionals whose focus is the thing you’re working on, that all counts as research. You also need to understand a lot about yourself and your field.
As an author, I am constantly talking to other authors about market trends, observing what’s going on in the world of sales, keeping an eye on the moves the big publishers are making, and learning more about my craft. I read professional development books like Networking for Freelance Editors by Brittany Dowdle and Linda Ruggeri and The Chicago Guide for Freelance Editors by Erin Brenner. Both of those books are currently on my desk, and I’m re-reading and annotating them (again). I have shelves of books for authors on everything from police procedure to poisons to fantasy world-building to character motivation. I’ve read them all cover-to-cover many times and now keep them as reference or to share with others who are learning.
Studying the thing you are trying to get into is a fair bit of work, but the more you know about it, the better your chances are at success. That study? It’s… well, that leads us into the final part of this conversation:
Investing In Yourself
While, yes, spending time researching and putting sweat equity into a thing are both extremely important, you are only going to make so much progress until you actually start throwing capital at the thing. That isn’t to say that you spend money willy nilly on things that don’t matter or that you investing time and energy is worthless, but unfortunately, there comes a point where you will plateau until you invest money into things like hiring professionals to either educate you or do work for you that you cannot do entirely solo.
I’m at this point in my career, myself. I have spent a very long time studying the craft of writing, studying the business of marketing, studying copywriting to do my own back cover text, studying cover design so I can understand all the pieces… and so on. However, just because I know all of those things doesn’t mean I can do everything myself. There is the very real fact that I can only do so much while also being able to write and edit. Not to mention the need to invest in the tools I require in order to keep myself able to manage everything I’m involved in.
There’s a point in every career where you start hitting diminishing returns with what you can do yourself without either buying tools (software, in my case) or hiring outside professionals to pick things up. That’s one of the “secrets” of success that is only available to folks of means and one of the major hurdles most of us face: you eventually will need outside support.
Knowing when or if you can invest in yourself is all about understanding your needs, your current situation, and your financial reality. You can do it in small ways (getting things piecemeal) or you can just say “screw it, I’m hiring someone” depending on where you’re at. However, you can only do so much without investing finances
This isn’t me trying to get gatekeeper-y about things, either. I’m not exactly rolling in cash, myself. I’m not telling you to give up unless you can spend a fortune on expensive things. That said, the old adage of “you have to spend money to make money” is entirely true. You just need to do so judiciously and on the correct things.
Final Thoughts
So if there is no secret sauce, and it’s all hard work and investment, what does that mean for you? Honestly, it’s more of a message of hope than anything. Sure, there’s no shortcut or secret or hack that you need to learn to go from nobody to NYT Bestselling Author, but this also means that if you really dedicate to this, you can definitely make your way and move forward down your path.
That lack of secret sauce also means you can avoid dropping money on people trying to tell you one. Yes, pay professionals who know their stuff. Folks like Russell Nohelty, The Writing Wives, Quinn Ward, Tammi Labrecque, and Jenn DePaula absolutely know their stuff. They are worth investing in, but what they’re selling you are tools, insight, and skills (or their time if you hire them to do it for you). They don’t have any secrets they’re keeping from you. I’d know; they’re my friends, and I talk to them on the regular. The only “secrets” they have really come down to many years honing specific skills and doing everything I mentioned above.
Stop chasing the secret sauce or the quick fix and start looking at the long game. Study, learn, practice, and grow. The people who don’t want to dedicate themselves to that long-term work will learn quickly that they are not cut out for this. The people who dedicate to it? You can climb the mountain one step at a time. Keep your eyes forward, follow trails blazed by others as long as they go the direction you’re going, and keep moving.
If you want to learn more about my approach to writing, please consider purchasing How to Write the Damn Book and How to Publish the Damn Book! Both are available wherever books are sold.
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