Find Your Exact Genre, Find Your Lifelong Book Ambassadors by Shayla Raquel
This blog post was written by a human.Hi readers and writerly friends!
If you’re a returning reader, welcome back and if you’re new here, thanks for stopping by! For this post, fellow Oklahoma Freelance Editor Shayla Raquel is taking over the blog to tell you all about how to not only grow your audience but how to transform readers into lifelong ambassadors of your book! This post shows you exactly how to gain a clear understanding of your genre and target audience to grow an enduring, loyal readership! Be sure to leave her a comment and check out her website and other socials!
A best-selling author and public speaker, Shayla Raquel teaches people the ins and outs of writing, publishing, and marketing their books. Her in-person and online classes focus on author branding, self-publishing, book marketing, and the craft of writing.
She is the author of the Pre-Publishing Checklist, “The Rotting” (in Shivers in the Night), The Suicide Tree, The 10 Commandments of Author Branding, All the Things I Should’ve Told You, and “Savage Indulgence.”
In her not-so-free time, she studies all things true crime and obsesses over squirrels. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband and three fur babies.
More recently, Shayla has served as the founder of an incredible non-profit organization based in McLoud, Oklahoma, called Crime & Compassion Inc., through which she helps incarcerated women find their voices and share their stories with the world through their writing.
Shayla Raquel, best-selling author, public speaker, and book editor.
Why Do I Need To Know My Target Audience?
Investing time and money into social media, email newsletters, Amazon ads, podcast interviews, and blog posts will net you very little ROI if you do not know your precise genre.
Because if you don’t know exactly what book you wrote, then, my friend, you don’t know your audience.
And if you don’t know your audience, what good is all that time and money you’ve put toward marketing your book?
My goal today is to teach you how to determine your exact genre as a novelist so you can pinpoint your target audience. Once you do that, you can have lifelong book ambassadors: people who fangirl over your book and tell the world about it.
Amazon Kindle Categories. Photo by Shayla Raquel.
So, What Is Your Genre?
If I ask an author, “What book is your genre?” and they reply “Fantasy,” I get a little worried.
Go to Amazon.com and toggle the search bar from All Departments to Kindle Store. On the left-hand side of your screen, select Kindle eBooks. (We don’t need the newsstand or singles or anything like that.)
Next, select Categories. It’s easy to miss sometimes because Amazon doesn’t make it prominent, but it’s usually under the search bar or off to the left-hand side.
Next, for this purpose, select Science Fiction & Fantasy. Narrow it down once more by selecting Fantasy. There are over 50,000 e-books in the Fantasy category alone. That’s a lot of competition.
Now you have to determine where your novel fits in the world of fantasy. Before I explain, I have a very important note: I desperately wish authors would do this exercise before writing their novels. If they did, then they’d ensure their story fit within the expected storylines of, let’s say, Gaslamp Fantasy or Arthurian Fantasy.
Next, select Fantasy. Photo by Shayla Raquel.
My point: Your novel will be difficult to sell if you wrote it without knowing its genre. You can figure it out, but it’s a little bit tougher because there’s a chance there are several genres packed into one story. (I did this with my first novel, so don’t be like Shayla!)
Okay, now that you have a warning to heed, let’s move on to subgenres.
So here you are in the Fantasy genre for Kindle e-books with all this competition. Where does your book fit? If your subgenre is Action & Adventure, that’s more specific than just saying Fantasy, but could you niche it down even more by mentioning the types of characters? (Amazon gives us a handy checklist for various genres.) If you have Elves or Fae, that officially means you’re only competing with 1,000 e-books now!
Elves. Photo by Shayla Raquel.
Your genre would be, let’s say, Fae Action & Adventure Fantasy.
Let’s shift to Mystery, Thriller & Suspense. If you’re going to find your niche, I suggest looking into Moods & Themes (another handy checklist). If I write Crime Fiction (50,000 e-books in this genre), I have several subgenres within that too:
Heist
Kidnapping
Murder
Noir
Organized Crime
Serial Killers
Vigilante Justice
Crime Fiction. Photo by Shayla Raquel.
But I have the opportunity to get super specific by selecting a mood or theme, such as Action-Packed. Therefore, it would be: Action-Packed Heist Crime Fiction.
Action Packed. Photo by Shayla Raquel.
It gets better! I can also look into Settings (beaches, islands, mountains, etc.) and Characters (amateur sleuths, British detectives, gay protagonists, etc.) on the Amazon checklist.
Setting. Photo by Shayla Raquel.
Characters. Photo by Shayla Raquel.
If your story has some love in it, you would go to the Romance category and narrow it down to, maybe, Time Travel. On the left-hand side, take a look at Romantic Heroes and Romantic Themes (originally called Tropes). By narrowing the genre down to Viking Time Travel Romance, I have certainly found a very specific group of readers!
Vikings. Photo by Shayla Raquel.
Now What?
Now that you know some tricks for finding your exact genre, you have a foundation for marketing your book to the right audience. And marketing it well.
But how do you get book ambassadors to see your book?
It depends on the platform, of course. If you label your categories and keywords properly through Amazon KDP and Amazon Author Central, you’ve just made your life way easier. (To learn how to request 8 additional categories and how to find keywords, read 5 Freakishly Helpful Amazon Tricks Every Author Should Use.)
Outside of Amazon, your blurb (back cover copy and Amazon product description) must reflect your genre. In addition to a steller book cover, a blurb helps sell your book. It’s your big flashy billboard: it’s meant to suck the reader right in.
When writing a blurb, follow these steps:
Drop the Hook — A hook is meant to entice the reader to bite. I love this hook from The Martian by Andy Weir: “Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there.”
Dangle the Characters — Reel them in with intriguing characters.
Dive into Conflict — Show them what this book is all about. What’s the plot? Why should the reader buy this book?
Determine the Consequences — What hangs in the balance for your characters? Formula: Conflict (“Character must do this”) + Stakes (“Or this will happen”) = Consequences.
Dine on the Big Question — End your blurb on an intriguing question or a point of tension—something that will convince the reader to take a chance on buying your book.
For the complete how-to, read Writing Compelling Book Blurbs.
If you’ve got these things down (genre, Amazon, and blurb), you need to spend quality time putting your book in front of people on various platforms to determine where you get the most bites (from readers who want to chow down on your genre). It could be through any one of these avenues:
Social media (especially TikTok)
Email newsletter (your own)
Podcasts (interviews specifically)
Book promotion newsletters (Book Gorilla, Many Books, Book Rebel, etc.)
Amazon ads
Social media ads
Book reviewers (YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are full of reviewers)
Blogs
Some platforms work better than others for a variety of reasons, but you won’t know until you try and stay committed long enough to determine if it’s worth the ROI. If you write sexy stories, there is a community with 4.2 billion views on TikTok called SmutTok just waiting for you. If you want your book to be reviewed, there are loads of BookTubers on YouTube ready and willing to geek out over your book.
If you will do the hard work of determining exactly what you write, it will be smoother sailing when it’s time to find your readers.
Best of luck!
Thanks for reading Shayla’s guest blog post! I hope you enjoyed it and found her advice useful and actionable! If you liked this post, please leave us a comment below and don’t forget to check out the other posts on the blog!
Bibliography
Raquel, Shayla. “Find Your Exact Genre, Find Your Lifelong Book Ambassadors.” Blog Post article and photos, February 3, 2023.furkanfdemir. “Classic wooden shelves with assorted books in store” (Thumbnail photo). Pexels photo, December 28, 2020.
Further Reading
“Writing Compelling Blurbs: Book Descriptions to Entice Your Reader.” by Shayla Raquel, June 28, 2022.“How Not to Launch a Self-Published Book: 7 Easy Steps for Indie Authors.” by Shayla Raquel, October 18, 2022.“Bad Book Marketing: Three Things Authors Need to Stop Doing Immediately.” by Shayla Raquel, March 20, 2022.“5 Freakishly Helpful Amazon Tricks Every Author Should Use (2022).” by Shayla Raquel, January 17, 2022.Or you can just check out all of Shayla’s blog posts about book marketing here!Crime & Compassion Inc.—Literature written by those who were written off—a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit in Oklahoma.
More Like This
8 Reasons Why Having A Creative Community MattersThe Importance of Befriending Your Competition20 Tips and Tricks for a Successful Email NewsletterBook Marketing 101: Everything Writers Need To Know About Literary Agents and QueryingSee all Marketing blog posts.
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Before You Go
Looking for your next read? I've got you covered. See my Reading Recommendations and Reading Challenges for ideas about what to read next!Oh, and don't forget to Get Your FREE Story Binder Printables e-Book!
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This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.
8 Reasons Why Having A Creative Community Matters
Engaging with a writing community offers numerous benefits that can significantly enhance a writer's journey. Firstly, it provides essential support, offering motivation and encouragement during challenging phases of the writing process. Secondly, such a community fosters accountability, helping writers adhere to their goals and deadlines. Thirdly, it serves as a valuable source of constructive feedback, enabling writers to refine their work through diverse perspectives. Fourthly, fellow writers can share practical advice, recommending resources like books, blogs, and workshops to aid development. Fifthly, writing communities often include readers who can offer insights from an audience's viewpoint, aiding in reaching and understanding one's target demographic. Sixthly, observing peers' progress and achievements can serve as inspiration, fueling one's own creativity and commitment. Seventhly, contributing to others' growth by offering feedback and support can be fulfilling and reinforce one's own skills. Lastly, being part of a writing community establishes a sense of belonging, connecting individuals with shared aspirations and challenges, thus enriching the overall writing experience.
Two writers working on their projects together. Photo by Windows.
This blog post was written by a human.Hi readers and writerly friends!
If you’re new to the blog, thanks for stopping by, and if you’re a returning reader, it’s nice to see you again! In this post, we’re discussing eight reasons why it is not only beneficial but also why having a writing community is essential for helping writers break out of their shell, embrace criticism, and grow as storytellers. When we hear the word “writer,” the image that comes to mind is that of a hermit holed up in their office or writing room, hunched over their desk, writing at all hours, alone. However, this is often not the case when it comes to successful writers. While writing itself is often a solitary activity, there's a lot of other people involved in the publishing process from mentors, to beta readers to editors, to critique groups, to agents and publishers. The process of writing, editing, and publishing a manuscript isn’t done alone.
However, many writers still forget this crucial part of writing. Writing partners and critique groups serve as excellent sources for feedback, critiques, and writing advice. Many writers avoid writing communities and try to do it all alone. Without other writers around to encourage you, support you, and hold you accountable, it’s easy to give up on your goals.
Support
A writing community can provide essential support to both seasoned and aspiring writers alike. I am part of a couple of Facebook writing and editing groups and just scrolling through their posts provides me with an abundance of motivation and support to keep doing what I do. It feels amazing just seeing what everyone else is working on and reading supportive comments from fellow group members. There are many stages of the writing process where writers give up. The difference between an unfinished draft and a published book is a strong writing community.
2. Accountability
A writing community can hold you accountable to your goals. If you’re already great at meeting objectives and reaching your goals, then maybe you can show someone else how to. Many writers still struggle with meeting deadlines and achieving their goals. Having a writing community to fall back on is immensely helpful. Even when you don’t feel like writing, their commentary and advice is motivating and inspiring.
3. Feedback
We’ve all gotten feedback from friends and family, and it’s just not as helpful or constructive as advice from other writers. They don’t understand the genre, demographic, subject matter, or other story elements and provide biased feedback when asked their thoughts. Having a writing community means you have access to constructive, actionable, relevant feedback and in turn, you can provide the same for your fellow writers.
4. Advice
Much like feedback, useful writing advice is essential, and non-writers aren’t equipped to provide it. Writers can recommend books, blogs, guides, YouTube videos, speakers, podcasts, and tons of other useful content to each other through their writing communities.
5. Reaching Readers
Writing communities do not have to be exclusive to just writers; readers are a big part of writing communities too. Take beta readers for example —they enjoy reading novel drafts and providing readers with feedback relevant to their genre. Readers can provide vital advice and critiques to writer’s works without the writer’s lenses. A community of dedicated readers or your target audience can be extremely beneficial to you as a writer, especially during the marketing phase.
6. Inspiration
Group of writers cheering each other on in the library. Photo by Yan Krukov.
Inspiration is an important part of the writing process and watching your fellow writers grow and succeed in their craft can serve as crucial motivation and inspiration to keep you on track with your craft as well. The same reason writers read books from their genre or works from their favorite writers, they can also take feedback from their writing community as inspiration.
7. Helping Others
Helping other writers learn and grow in their craft is a wonderfully rewarding feeling. If you’ve got experience writing, you can share it with your writing community and maybe teach someone something they didn’t already know. Writers often post questions in community forums or groups on Facebook seeking advice for specific struggles in the writing process. Helpful answers from fellow writers can be more useful and actionable than simply asking a friend for their opinion or having to sift through a long blog post to answer a quick question.
8. Tribe
Last but not least, having a writing community means that you have a tribe to belong to. Writers from all walks of life come together for a common goal: to write a book, leave a legacy, and make their mark on the world. Having a connected, empowering, inspirational, constructive community is essential for writers of every genre and level of expertise and having a tribe to belong to is important for anyone regardless of if they are readers or writers.
I’ve included some examples of writing communities that I am a part of below.
Bonus Tip: Check Out The Writing Communities Online and Near You
Oklahoma Writing Communities
Below are a few of the writing communities in Oklahoma:
Writer’s Societies at UCO
Below are a few of the writer’s societies I am a part of at the University of Central Oklahoma:
Facebook Writing and Editing Groups
Below are a few of the editorial groups I am a member of on Facebook:
Reddit Writing Communities
Online Writing Forums and Communities
Other Spaces To Build A Writing Community Online
Twitter/X–Use hashtags like #BetaReaders, #WritingCommunity, #SeekingBetaReaders or #AmWriting to find potential readers.
Discord Servers–Join writing servers like The Writing Community or BetaReader Connect for live feedback.
TikTok–Connect with and engage with fellow TikTokers in the BookTok Community.
That’s it for my list of 8 Reasons Why Having Writing Community Matters. Do you have a writing community? How has it helped you in your writing practice? What are some of your favorite writing communities online and in your area? Let me know in the comments below!
Bibliography
Goodman, Jason. “five person by table watching turned on white iMac photo.” Unsplash photo, March 14, 2019 (Thumbnail photo).Krukov, Yan. “Group of People Smiling and Standing Near Brown Wooden Table Raising Hands.” Pexels photo, June 3, 2021.Windows. “3 women sitting on chair.” Unsplash photo, April 22, 2020.
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Get Your FREE Story Binder Printables e-Book!The Importance of Befriending Your CompetitionFind Your Exact Genre, Find Your Lifelong Book Ambassadors by Shayla Raquel20 Tips and Tricks for a Successful Email NewsletterBook Marketing 101: Everything Writers Need To Know About Literary Agents and QueryingHow To Overcome Writer’s BlockWhen Writing Becomes Difficult5 Reasons Most Writers QuitSelf-Care Tips for Bookworms5 Healthy Habits For Every WriterYoga For Writers: A 30-Minute Routine To Do Between Writing SessionsBlank Pages Versus Bad Pages: How To Beat Writer’s BlockKnow The Rules So Well That You Can Break The Rules EffectivelyWriting Every Day: What Writing As A Journalist Taught Me About Deadlines & DisciplineLet’s Talk Amateur Author Anxiety: 7 Writer Worries That Could Be Holding You BackWhy Fanfiction is Great Writing Practice and How It Can Teach Writers to Write WellScreenwriting for Novelists: How Different Mediums Can Improve Your WritingExperimentation Is Essential For Creators’ Growth (In Both Art and Writing)20 Things Writers Can Learn From DreamersCheck out my other Writing Advice and Author Advice blog posts!
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This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.
Exploring Murals In Oklahoma: Where Public Art Is More Than Just Paint
Public art, particularly murals, plays a significant role in enhancing urban spaces and fostering community identity. In Oklahoma, the process of creating murals involves collaboration between artists, city officials, and property owners. Legal considerations, including the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA), protect artists’ rights and ensure their work is respected. Additionally, partnerships with local organizations and educational institutions provide opportunities for aspiring artists to gain experience. This dynamic environment encourages artistic expression while promoting cultural appreciation.
A photo of the students from the Fall 2019 Special Topics In Art: Murals class paint the finishing touches on a mural. This mural is set to be the first of a series of murals as part of the ongoing project, “Breathing New Life Into The Humanities.” This project is expected to continue into 2025 and draw nearer to completion with each following Special Topics In Art: Murals class taught by Suzanne Thomas. Photo by Ken Beachler.
This blog was written by a humanHello readers and writerly friends!
If you’re a returning reader, welcome back and if you’re new to the blog, thanks for stopping by! In this blog post I’ll be doing an in-depth article discussing the murals and public art scene in Oklahoma. This article was originally written for The 6420 Magazine at Rose State College in 2020 and is the first part of a three-part series spanning a range of topics to do with Oklahoma’s public art stage. You can find the next two articles in the series linked in the “Related Topics” section towards the end of this post.
In Suzanne Thomas’s Fall 2019 Course, Special Topics In Art: Murals, students learned all the ins and outs of getting a mural up in public space when they met with the Randy Marks from the Oklahoma City Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs. The same day, they met with Pablo Barrera, Oklahoma Contemporary’s inaugural Curatorial fellow and the Division heads of the Fine Studio Arts at Oklahoma City University. After learning about the public art process and different opportunities for art in Oklahoma, the students began preparing for the mural they’d be painting in the upstairs, back hallway of the Rose State College Humanities building.
Insights On Artists’ Rights and How To Get Murals Approved In Oklahoma City, From The Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs
Putting up a mural in public spaces or on private property doesn’t just consist of slapping some paint up on a wall—at least not in the beginning. Since the canvas is often property of the city as well as private owners, there’s several steps an artist must take before ever picking up their paintbrush.
When the mural class met with Randy Marks from the Oklahoma City Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, they learned that the process for getting not only murals, but other forms of public art installed is a much more extensive process than slapping paint up on a wall. First, one must go through Oklahoma City’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs to get their artwork approved, if it’s going to be on public property or on the external surface of a building. Indoor murals are at the discretion of the property owner.
The mural artist must build a presentation which includes the stages of execution, mockups, expected start and finish date, location, and a budget for the project if it will require public funding from the city. The presentation must be formally presented in front of the Oklahoma City Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs Committee and approved. Once approved, the artist will begin preparing for the mural process; this includes gathering materials, preparing the workspace, and getting the necessary paperwork and waivers in order.
The next step in the process is the VARA Rights Waiver and muralists as well as sculptors and other visual artists must have one. The Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA), which allows artists to prevent certain actions regarding their artwork, was enacted in 1990. This act protects visual artists' moral rights by prohibiting the distortion, mutilation, modification, or destruction of their work in a way that could damage their reputation. Oklahoma City’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs recommends that property owners commissioning visual art for an interior/exterior space should ask the artist to sign a VARA Rights Waiver before the work has begun and have it reviewed by an attorney to ensure that the rights for the artwork are clear, legally binding, and transferrable to future owners of said property. Conversely, muralists and other visual artists should be familiar with The Visual Artists Rights Act, the VARA Rights Waiver, and other applicable copyright and property laws that may affect their rights as artists creating public works of art.
When the mural class met with the Oklahoma City Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, they learned the importance of VARA waivers. The need for VARA waivers was highlighted when a new company, Alotta Action Advertising, moved into the building on the southeast corner of Northwest 46th Street and Western Avenue and painted over world-renowned and beloved Oklahoma artist, Bob Palmer’s 2-year old mural. This mural was a legacy piece by one of Oklahoma’s most acclaimed artists, and the idea that it has been covered up has a lot of artists upset at the lack of respect for the internationally revered painter. After this poorly-received decision had district leaders, local artists, and OKC citizens alike seeing red, both literally and figuratively,
The mural class also learned about Kent Twitchell, the Los Angeles artist who settled his lawsuit against the U.S. government and 11 other defendants, for $1.1 million, for painting over his six-story mural—“Ed Ruscha Monument,” that was painted on the side of a federal government-owned downtown building.
Once all of this has been done and the artist gets the green light, work can commence on the project—and that’s when the paint finally goes up on the wall.
Making Space With Oklahoma Contemporary
After their meeting with Oklahoma City Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, the class stopped by the newly constructed Oklahoma Contemporary building to check out the building-in-progress the murals adoring the fences around the construction site, and to chat with Pablo Barrera, the Director of Oklahoma Contemporary. He told them Oklahoma Contemporary’s new building would be open in March 2020 (the opening has since been postponed due to the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic), that the building’s exterior was made to reflect Oklahoma’s picturesque sunsets and sunrises. He also showed us the murals that they’ve set up along the construction site, called Making Space.
Visiting The Fine Studio Art Division at Oklahoma City University
When the students finished their visit with Pablo Barrerra at the Oklahoma Contemporary construction site, they visited briefly with Bryan Cardinale-Powell, Associate Professor and Chair of Visual Art and Film, and Jeff Price, Professor of Game Design and Animation at Oklahoma City University. They learned about their extensive art programs, saw their high-tech graphic design studio, and some of their projects for upcoming courses—notably their motion capture room which was under construction during the students’ visit. The class got the opportunity see an all-encompassing art studio with every tool one could imagine for bringing artwork to life from fine studio art, to digital art, and animation. Beyond that, students saw the fine arts department even had their own art museum and exhibit hall. To compare, OCU’s student art gallery was bigger than the student art case in the Communication Center at Rose State College and smaller than the Fred Jones Museum at the Oklahoma University campus in Norman.
More Murals To Come To Rose State College In Spring 2020 With “Breathing New Life Into The Humanities”
After the class met with the different local art communities, they decided to get to work on their own mural. You can read more about their process and experience—as well as Dean of Humanities, Toni Castillo’s vision for revitalizing the Humanities department by covering nearly every inch of the building’s interior hallways in murals—in the second part of this series, “Breathing new life into Humanities at Rose State College” which is featured in the Spring issue of The 6420 Magazine and linked in the “Related Topics” section below.
Thanks for reading my article about murals and fine arts in the OKC metro area! If you’re in the area and interested in art, I highly encourage you to check out Oklahoma Contemporary and to get involved with the art community here in Oklahoma!
Bibliography
Hayes, Payton. “No Limitations Mural Progress Photo.” December 11, 2020.
Recent Blog Posts
This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.
The Importance of Befriending Your Competition
Building relationships with competitors can provide significant benefits in any industry. Rather than viewing others as threats, collaborating and exchanging knowledge can lead to mutual growth. Competitors often offer valuable insights, opportunities for collaboration, and the potential for referrals when workloads overflow. Additionally, forming genuine connections fosters a supportive network where professionals can learn from one another’s successes and mistakes. This mindset encourages shared learning, resource exchange, and creative partnerships that benefit everyone involved.
Hi readers and writerly friends!
Now that we’ve wrapped up everything to do with college (for now) we’ll be discussing competition and the importance of befriending your competitors. There’s a lot a new writer/editor can learn from seasoned professionals and there’s a lot of fresh perspective that rookies can bring to the table as well. Making connections in the bookish world has proven invaluable to me as both a writer and an editor. Keep reading if you’d like to see why its so important for new creatives to befriend their competition.
A photo of a Monopoly car game piece parked on the “GO TO JAIL” board position. Photo by Suzy Hazelwood.
So, there you are, out in the wilderness of the publishing landscape you spot a competitor. You have three options. You either a) cower in fear, hoping they don’t see you, b) assert your awesomeness, hope they do see you and they cower in fear, or c) you outdo them in some way, therefore establishing creative dominance. It’s your turn, what do you do?
Okay, hold up. If you picked any of these answers, just stop. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. You lose.
You can learn from your competitors. If they aren’t being stingy with their knowledge, then most everyone you come across (whether or not you are in the publishing industry) would be willing to share some sort of advice. The #1 biggest misconception about competition in ANY industry is that competition is bad or that your competitors are inherently your enemies. This is simply just not true. There is so much you can learn from your competitors, and instead of treating them as your nemesis, consider befriending them for a mutually beneficial connection, and better use of your energy.
This awesome quote from John Barrows comes to mind:
“You can learn something new from everyone and every situation.”
—John Barrows
He’s exactly right. This goes for people in and out of your respective industry. You can learn something new from every person you meet. You can learn something from your competition as well. Learn from them so you don’t have to make the same mistakes that they do. Follow in their footsteps and take notes on what works and what doesn’t. I’m not saying to copy anyone, but people who have been in the biz for years have tried and true formulas that guarantee results and you can use their established methods to get you ahead.
Additionally, your competitors are full of knowledge, resources, and tips and tricks. Of course, the mentors that come to mind are my colleagues, fellow writers, and the Developmental Editors Connection group on Facebook. Honestly, if I had a dollar for every time I went to them with a question, I’d not only have tons of incredible advice, but I’d also have enough money for double the cappuccinos each week. I can’t imagine all the times I might have gone wrong without their help. The same goes for a few of my writerly friends who started out as competition for me. I would know about a fraction of what I know now by ignoring the obvious opportunity to make a valuable connection with someone else in the industry. I’m eternally grateful for all of the editors and writers who have taken time to guide me—even in the smallest of ways such as quick questions about the CMOS or Microsoft Word issues.
You can collaborate with one another. Just imagine getting to work with your competition to create something amazing. How awesome would that be? There’s a reason YouTube collabs are so popular—it’s a group project that benefits everyone involved. And the same goes for industry collaborations. And often, by working together, you can trade information and produce double the content in half the time.
They can guest blog for you. I see this all the time in the online publishing sphere. Newer freelancers ask to guest blog for bigger content companies and more established freelancers help the newbies get their own content rolling by writing for them. Much like the collaboration thing, guest blogging for one another can help you can your competitors expose your writing to broader audiences. For example, if you guest wrote for my blog, my readers would find you and if I guest blogged for you, your readers would find me. (And if you’re worried about oversaturation being a thing, don’t worry—it isn’t. Click here to read my blog post about it.
You reciprocate with one another. Touching on the guest blogging, collaboration, and knowledge comments I mentioned above, having a friend in your competitors allows you to reciprocate advice, knowledge, help, ideas, and friendship to one another. Being friends with your competition gives you someone to bounce ideas off of, share resources with, and lend an ear or advice to each other. I love being able to recommend my favorite industry resources or current faves to my writerly friends and fellow freelancers. Likewise, its fun to compare services, prices, and styles with other freelancers. I mean, just imagine if someone asked me for advice regarding rates and I had to tell them, “Well, I’d love to help, but you’re kinda my competition. We’re in the same line of work, you know. We’re both editors…so I’d better not.” Ugh, isn’t that just the worst? Total jerk move. You’re losing absolutely nothing by helping your competition out. You get the chance to throw someone a bone, so take it.
Monopoly money, player pieces, and dice. Photo by Suzy Hazelwood.
They can help you get jobs. One of the biggest complaints I hear from freelancers concerning their competition is that they will lose customers/clients to the competition. This one makes me laugh out loud because I can’t tell you how many clients have come to me straight from people I might have considered my competition—editors just like me. There’s enough work and enough clients to go around. If you’ve heard the saying, “Everyone and their mom is a writer,” then it makes sense that everyone and their mom will also need an editor.
I’ve had several clients referred my way by word of mouth from my fellow freelancers and it’s a great feeling knowing I have such an amazing network of colleagues to work with. And the thing is that, as a developmental editor with very specific genre preferences, I don’t want to edit every manuscript ever. My editing skills are best suited to certain types of fiction, so of course, I’m not going to edit a piece of medical writing. But, I know other freelancers who do edit that type of material. And they know they can always refer fiction clients my way in turn.
They love writing as much as you do. This goes without saying but this fact doesn’t just apply to writers. How cool is it to have friends that love the same things you do? This is what got me so exited about college, because I really enjoyed talking with my fellow writers in my English classes. I can’t talk to my dad about the gothic elements in Edgar Allen Poe’s “the Fall of House Usher,” or gush about the homoerotic elements in Walt Whitman’s poetry. But you know who I can nerd out about literature with? That’s right—my editor friend and mentor Kris! We go crazy for the oxford comma, coffee, and cats. We swap poems with each other and workshop them in our free time. She just gets me. And when I’m editing a particularly gnarly manuscript, I can vent to her about it. She not only understands my pain but sends me writing memes to cheer me up.
It teaches you good sportsmanship. You can’t get all the clients and you can’t edit all the manuscripts. This also applies to any other industry with competition, such as sales. Sure, there’s been instances when my fellow editor friends and I are going for the same client. So what do I do when I don’t get the client and my colleague does? I just cry and give up. It’s the end of the world. I might as well pack up shop and give up forever because I’ll never make another sale ever again. Woe is me! Yeah, right. I say, “Good for her/him” and remind myself to step up my own game for next time and move on. It’s really not the end of the world. Like I mentioned before, there’s plenty of work to go around. Don’t get hung up on the one or two or ten missed sales. There’s just as many clients for you.
You cheer each other on. Similar to the previous point, you can celebrate your competitions wins and be there for them during their losses. We’re all in the writing game together. As a team, (if we’re continuing with the sports metaphors) its important to surround ourselves with likeminded individuals who will be rooting for us. And it’s nice to be able to congratulate others on their wins as well. If there’s enough work to go around—and there is, I assure you—then we can all take part in enjoying the process together. I know how much work goes into promoting my own editing biz so its really great seeing my fellow freelancers land new clients. I get to congratulate them and I know they’ll do the same for me in return. It’s a give and take, and I’d have it no other way.
You give love and get love. It’s such a good feeling when I have people coming to me about resources, industry hacks, friends using my blog post to answer someone’s question about newsletter marketing, or readers thanking me for how helpful my freelancing basics blog post was. You remember that friend, Kris I mentioned earlier? She told me her mother read my short story, “The Sieka of Sahn’Jatar” and enjoyed it immensely. I beamed when she told me this. It’s also fun when she and my other writerly friends send me funny writing memes or jokes about grammar, saying “this reminded me of you,” or “I thought you might like this.” I like getting messages like that and I love being able to share that love with them as well.
And lastly, everyone could use another friend. If you’re seriously so worried that you’ll lose business to someone just because their in the same line of work as you, then I think you’ve got a bigger issue on your hands. I don’t know—maybe we just view the world differently, but personally, I want to make even more friends with people that do the same thing I do. It’s not putting me out, endangering my business, or negatively impacting me in anyway to make friends with my competition and I can only see it as a mutually beneficial relationship. And besides, to quote Lady Gaga, “my biggest enemy is me.” It’s true. You can worry all day about your business failing to the competition but the only person you’re truly hurting is yourself. Instead, see if you can befriend your competitors and make some friends along the way.
Challenge: Readers and fellow freelancers, I challenge you to make connections with your competition this week. Find three people in your field who do what you do and reach out to them. Just ask them how they’re doing. Break the ice. Talk. Communicate. Build connections. We got to check up on our fellow writers during these crazy times. And you never know—you might find a new writerly friend out of it.
And that’s it for my blog post on the importance of befriending your competition. What do you think about making friends with your competitors? Do you agree or disagree? Can you think of a time when you befriended your competition and it worked out in your favor? Tell me all about it in the comments below!
Bibliography
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Recent Blog Posts
Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: March 19, 2025
Rose State College: Attending Art School In The Midwest
I went to art school in Oklahoma…
It was nothing like going to RISD, Parsons, or The Art Institute of Chicago, or any of the other top art schools in America.
I finished high school with a very picturesque idea in mind of what art school would be like when I finally headed off to college. I had watched videos from YouTubers like Annabelle Gao, Jasmine Chan, and Linh Truong, which not only excited me about art school, but it intimidated me as well. I wondered if I had what it took to make it in to any one of the top art schools in the country. I never really found out. I went to art school in Oklahoma. Specifically, I studied Fine Studio Art from Midwest City’s own, Rose State College, and it was nothing like I’d imagined.
I had imagined bustling hallways lined with student art, a student art gallery, rigorous classes, brutal critiques, and an almost palpable competitiveness that just wasn’t there. The art classes at Rose State College weren’t particularly hard, but the school, teachers, and students have a commitment to excellence that you would find just as well, at the larger art schools in the country. Just because I attended an art program at a smaller, community college doesn’t mean I haven’t gained a greater understanding of the arts, a substantial appreciation for the artistic process, and wider knowledge of mediums, principles, elements, and techniques. Community college is just as great as the prestigious art schools and there’s seral reasons why.
The blank exhibit wall in the student art gallery hall at the Oklahoma City University. Photo by Payton Hayes.
A photo of the first still life composition from the Painting I class of the 2020 spring semester. The composition features a small table covered in a teal tablecloth, colored glass bottles, fake flowers and fruit, and a delicate lace fabric draped all around tabletop. My fellow Painting I classmates and I were positioned at different spots all around the room and tasked with painting this still life from unique perspectives. Photo by Payton Hayes.
The student art gallery hall at the Oklahoma City University. Photo by Payton Hayes.
The Classes
Rose State College prides itself on having the golden 20-to-1 ratio, meaning unlike the larger schools in the state, there are fewer students to each teacher. This allows for more meaningful connections, wider possibility for discussion, and provides a space where students can really work one-on-one with their professors to achieve the education they are seeking. However, what the school is lacking is the vastness of a larger school, and perhaps this is a good thing. Rose State College has visibly been making strides to grow the campus and the student body from the new and improved Learning Resources Center and student housing built in 2016 and the new student center which began construction in 2018 and is set to be completed in late 2020.
Unlike the well-known art schools in the country, Rose State College is not strictly an art school, and in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Rose State College, is similar to OSU, OCU, and OU in that they are schools that offer a wide variety of majors. RISD and the Art Institute of Chicago focus primarily on majors within the field of art from digital art, to fine studio art, to textiles and more. The closest art design degree that Rose State College offers is in Fine Studio Arts which includes several survey art courses, several painting and drawing classes, a ceramics class and more. Alternatively, students can study animation and digital art under the Multimedia Digital Design degree. While these are exciting and essential classes for any art major, they are somewhat baseline when compared to schools like RISD. With that being said, Rose State is a 2-year school and not yet a four-year school, so aspiring art majors, keep that in mind.
The Atmosphere
As mentioned, the school is relatively small, compared to the other, much larger schools in the state and the other art schools in the country. However, the atmosphere was much more laid back and provided a space for connection and open discussion. The classrooms were not particularly outstanding, but they served their purpose well. The painting room, for example could seat up to 20 at most, but since there typically aren’t many art majors attending RSC the classrooms never felt cramped. In several art classes, the work is primarily student-driven and advised by the professors. Professors would often outline a general idea and basic requirements for each assignment, but the students had a lot of freedom to execute their visions. Music was often put on in the background and the laid-back vibe of the classroom encouraged students to converse and walk around the room to observe the techniques of other artists in real-time. Some classes had semi-formal critiques, where students would hang their work on a wall, and one-by-one observe and critique each other on the strengths and weaknesses of the work.
A photo of the first still life composition from the Drawing I class of the 2019 spring semester. This composition features an acoutsitc guitar, a replica of a human skull, a ceramic cat figurine, andfake flowers in opaque vases against a black backdrop. Photo by Payton Hayes.
A photo of paint buckets and paint trays sitting on a beige drop cloth. Photo by Payton Hayes.
A photo of several portrait studies painted by students from the spring 2020 Painting I class. The colorful full-body portrait of the tattooed lady with brown hair was my painting. I also hand-stretched the canvas over a wooden frame I built for a custom-sized painting. Photo by Payton Hayes.
Key Differences
Of course, there are always pros and cons when comparing the bigger art schools to the smaller, non-art schools—the latter offers smaller, more connected classes, provides a space for greater, more meaningful discussion, and allows students to form more tight-knit bonds with each other, while the former offers greater diversity and challenges students to rise to higher standards. Which school is best for you will depend on what you want to get out of your art degree.
What Did I Gain From Attending Art School At RSC?
Studying art at Rose State College taught me all the basics—everything I needed to know about different art mediums and techniques, all the different elements and principles of art, and of course, how to identify artist, style, and time period when looking at a piece. However, I also learned some valuable skills in addition to the basics. I learned skills in time management, craftsmanship, and presentation. I also learned how to be expressive and let go of expectations in art—this mindset shift has greatly improved my own craft as well as increased the joy and love I have for observing and creating art. It’s very much like Bob Ross says—happy accidents.
By attending Rose State, I was also able to participate in a few unique and incredible opportunities, such as getting to paint two different murals in their Humanities building, helping organize and put on a student-led art exhibition, and getting a closer look into how public art is created in the greater OKC area. I have made valuable connections with other art opportunities and mentors across the state, such as Pablo Barrera from Oklahoma Contemporary, Randy Marks from the OKC Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs. I feel confident that I could hold a candle to the students graduating from the top art schools in the country because of what I’ve learned and where studying art in Oklahoma has taken me.
I think, if you are dead set on attending RISD or Parsons, you should totally do that. But they aren’t the only schools to study art from in the country. Likewise, they are incredibly competitive and often hard to get into in the first place. If your heart is not set on attending one of these elite schools, consider attending a community college or art program in the Midwest because there is so much, they can offer that the bigger schools just cannot. Additionally, by attending the smaller art schools/programs, you’re supporting a growing art community—be it in Oklahoma or elsewhere.
A photo of six student paintings in the glass case in the Communication Center at Rose State College. Photo by Payton Hayes.
Thanks for reading my reflection on attending a smaller non-art school in Midwest City, OK, as opposed to going to RISD or one of the bigger, better-known art schools in the country. I just wanted to shed some light on what it was like for me. Of course, I am sure my fellow students may have had slightly or vastly different experiences at Rose State, but these were just my observations.
Bibliography
Hayes, Payton. “A photo of the first still life composition from the Drawing I class of the 2018 spring semester.” January 27, 2019.
Hayes, Payton. “A photo of the first still life composition from the Painting I class of the 2020 spring semester.” February 11, 2020.
Hayes, Payton. “A photo of six student paintings in the glass case in the Communication Center at Rose State College.” February 24, 2020 (Thumbnail photo).
Hayes, Payton. “A photo of several portrait studies painted by students from the spring 2020 Painting I class.” March 3, 2020.
Hayes, Payton. “The blank exhibit wall in the student art gallery hall at the Oklahoma City University.” March 24, 2020.
Hayes, Payton. “The student art gallery hall at the Oklahoma City University.” March 24, 2020.
Hayes, Payton. “A photo of paint buckets and paint trays sitting on a beige drop cloth.” July 21, 2020.
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Making Space With Oklahoma Contemporary: Interview With Pablo Barrera
Exploring Oklahoma Murals Where Public Art Is More Than Paint
Breathing New Life Into The Humanities At Rose State College
Writing Exercises from Jeff Tweedy's Book, How To Write One Song
Experimentation Is Essential For Creators’ Growth (In Both Art and Writing)
Screenwriting for Novelists: How Different Mediums Can Improve Your Writing
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Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: March 19, 2025
Starting Artists, Not Starving Artists
Supporting emerging artists can prevent them from facing the common struggle of financial instability. Collaborating with new creatives, like hiring them for design, writing, or marketing tasks, benefits both parties by fostering growth and exchanging valuable services. This approach saves time, provides artists with opportunities, and strengthens the creative community. Offering honest reviews and testimonials further supports their credibility. By choosing collaboration over competition, professionals contribute to a thriving artistic ecosystem.
This blog post was written by a human.Hello readers and writerly friends!
We’ve all heard of the infamous “starving artist” and those of us who are creative often try to avoid becoming this person. As creators, we all want to see our work succeed, or at least, we want to be able to provide for and live a comfortable life that allows us to continue to work on our passions. This is why it is so important that we support starting artists -so they don’t become starving artists, and so we don’t either.
A photo of a used watercolor palette. Photo by Greta Hoffman.
As a newer blogger and entrepreneur, I am speaking from experience when I say, going it alone can be overwhelming. There’s so many different elements to consider when trying to get your artwork noticed, and to a point where it can start providing for itself and for you, especially in this digital age, where we must also market ourselves, have an online presence, and constantly remain consistent. It can get overwhelming, pretty quickly.
This is where supporting other artists comes in. It can be so much easier for you to get started with the help of another artist. If you’re designing your own website, for instance, you might want to hire an artist to design your logos or images you’re planning to feature on your site. You might want to hire a freelance blog writer to start getting content up as soon as possible. You might want to hire a web-page designer to put the site together, if that’s not your thing either.
Woman writing in journal with coffee cup in hand. Photo by Lisa Fotios.
There’s so many ways for you to support creatives who are just starting out, and this is just an example for the website. Perhaps yo’re a writer and you’ve got the blog post thing covered, but maybe you don’t have all of the marketing handled, so well. Maybe you need someone to design a book cover for your next manuscript. Maybe you need an up and coming filmmaker to put together a book trailer for your lifestyle book. It doesn’t matter the project, you can always find a way to support an artist or freelancer who is just starting out in their field. In some cases, yes you might want a professional, but if you’re just starting out. or if its not a critical service you’re in need of, hiring an amateur artist can be mutually beneficial.
One way this job opportunity can be mutually beneficial is that it allows for a service review or testimonial for both sides. It also gives both parties a new client. Maybe you’re not designing a website, but no matter the job in question, you have a new client and so does your hire.
Another way this can be beneficial to you, is that it gives you the opportunity to get some of the work done without having to master the skills needed to complete it, yourself. Not all of us can be filmmakers, and writers, and editors, and web developers. While it helps to have a wide range of skills in your arsenal, it is also freeing to delegate and have someone else on your team to take care of these tasks so you can focus on your own service or product.
By supporting artists who are just starting out, you’re freeing up time in your schedule to commit to tasks that are the most important to you, you’re fostering a meaningful relationship between a new member of your team, and you’re giving back to the community. By supporting starting artists, you’re helping them to not become starving artists.
And that’s my hot take on supporting starting artists to avoid starving artists. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Bibliography
Fotios, Lisa (@fotios-photo). “Woman writing in journal with coffee cup in hand.” Pexels photo by Lisa, February 6, 2018.Hoffman, Greta (@greta-hoffman). “A Used Watercolor Palette.” Pexels photo, April 27, 2021 (Thumbnail photo).
Related Topics
Making Space With Oklahoma Contemporary: Interview With Pablo BarreraExploring Oklahoma Murals Where Public Art Is More Than PaintBreathing New Life Into Humanities At Rose State CollegeStarting Artists, Not Starving ArtistsLady Gaga’s Joanne World Tour: OKC Concert RecapI Visited The Full Circle Bookstore In Oklahoma CityWriting Exercises from Jeff Tweedy's Book, How To Write One SongExperimentation Is Essential For Creators’ Growth (In Both Art and Writing)Screenwriting for Novelists: How Different Mediums Can Improve Your Writing“Twenty Little Poetry Projects” Writing Exercise by Jim SimmermanHow To Write Poems With Artificial Intelligence (Using Google's Verse by Verse)Why Fanfiction is Great Writing Practice and How It Can Teach Writers to Write Well
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This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.