Some writers don’t think this is an important part of their career. Others are terrified by the thought of networking, putting themselves out there, or becoming vulnerable to criticism.
Most of the rub comes from not understanding what tribes really are. They are groups of faithful followers who believe in you and your writing. They are the ones who will offer free copies of your books to others. They come to your book launches, either in person or on the web.
There are many reasons why you should build your tribe. Here are a few.
Members of your tribe believe in you. Your tribe is made up of those who will celebrate the good times with you, and encourage you during the challenging ones. And in those times, it’s great to know you’re not alone.
They understand you. Let’s face it. We all have quirks. We do weird things. There is always a group of people that we do not fit into. Your tribe gets it when you talk to yourself and when you cry when the voice in your head tells you the villain just broke her heart.
They’ll go to the mattress for you. The Godfather has nothing on your tribe. When times get hard and you need action, they are willing to fight your battles with you… sometimes even for you.
Your tribe provides security. There is something very comforting about being in the center of a family of warriors who surround you. They ward off the wild animals that would try to devour you and your dream.
It’s impossible to be successful without one. Ok, I suppose there is some writer out there who made it to the New York Times Best Seller List without having a lot of people who supported them. But, I’ve searched and haven’t been able to find one yet.
Building your tribe sets you in place for a successful career. It’s also fun. You’re creative. Otherwise you wouldn’t be a writer and you wouldn’t be reading this. You can come up with all sorts of exciting things to do with those who believe in you and support your vision.
Michael Hyatt launched his new book a few months, Platform; get noticed in a Noisy World and it became a New York Times Best Seller in just a few days. That’s unheard of. How did he pull it off? Well, he didn’t… not exactly. He just made his desire known to his tribe rallied behind him. Pure and simple.
This month we’re going to be talking about the benefits of building your own tribe of followers. Want to start building now? Great! Let me know. You can start with me! Email me at reba@mybooktherapy.com and provide your blog, website, or social media information. I’ll be in your tribe!
***
Reba J. Hoffman is a natural encourager and Member Care Coach at My Book Therapy. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Counseling and is the founder of Magellan Life Coaching (www.magellanlifecoaching.com). She is the author of Dare to Dream, a Writer’s Journal published by My Book Therapy. She also publishes a motivational and encouraging blog, FindingTrue North. Contact Reba at reba@magellanlifecoaching.com.
No comments yet.