A writer chased by readers in the digital age is what we all should dream of. It’s what should happen according to the evolution of the human species. When you start writing, you are the hunter. You chase readers everywhere: your family, your circle of friends, Facebook groups, and social media in general. Only that most nights you come back home, to your real life, empty handed. Not even one tiny rabbit of friendly beta reader.
99% of the hunters quit. They’re not man or woman enough to bring back the bacon.
But 1% of the writers/ hunters keep going. And after years of honing their skills they start getting results. They bring prey home every night. They get more readers until they reach the tipping point. A hunter can carry so much prey until it’s too much.
It’s time to evolve. Farming is now on the list. A smart writer/hunter will get his readers’ emails. With this list he/she will start planting the seeds for the next books. Newsletters containing thank you notes, news, fragments from future novels get send. And the seeds will grow into even more readers. The writer transform from the chaser into the chased. Readers will be interested and will bring even more readers to join the hunt because now the writer is hunted for his books that people love to read.
Do you identify yourself with this story? Are you the chased hunter? Or are you part of the other 99%?