I've noticed something simple but vital about the authors I love, as well as authors who are popular, and I've devised a brilliant plan to give my writing career the best chance at getting noticed by anyone other than my parents.
Step 1: Put out a lot of books.
Step 2: Don't suck.
Let's start by discussing step two. I have plenty of suck stacked away in my old stories bin, but a writer will start to suck less the more he or she writes. I like to think that I've crossed the line from "sucks" to "doesn't suck" by now. However, just because I think I don't suck doesn't mean everyone will. The line is different for each person, but I believe everyone can agree on the following criteria:
- A plot that readers can follow.
- Above-average grammatical awareness.
This criteria is, of course, the lowest common denominator for not sucking.
Now to step one, which I feel is just as important. Due to the decreasing amount of suck on each writing project, later projects in a writer's repertoire tend to be better, and it becomes that much more likely for readers to stumble across your work. I've found this to be true for myself as a reader -- I'll love something from later in a writer's career and then go back and read their earlier work.
In conclusion, I believe public awareness of a writer depends both on their quality and quantity. At least, that's my theory. It seems practical, don't you think?
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