Six Lessons/Twelve Months - April (Blog)

Southern Tararua Range

On 1st April 2025, The Chasm Between Us was released by Tellwell. It has been twelve months since my debut contemporary romance entered the world; a great deal of things have happened between then and now. During the anniversary, I uploaded a series of posts to my Instagram relating to the six lessons I’ve learnt over twelve months of being a first-time independent author. In this blog post, I will elaborate further on each lesson.

Upon sending the posts to my friend and marketing project manager, Lauren Martin, she said, “What stood out to me is how they don’t just apply to authors, but to anyone on a journey of growth, discipline, and self-belief.” That is my hope, that there will be a generalisation attached to these learnt lessons I’m going to share with you. The individual posts can be found on my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbellanderson_writes/

Lesson 1: Gather with Writers

Some industries are solo majority of the time; writing is no exception in New Zealand. Thanks to local organisations/groups like Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa/New Zealand Society of Authors and Poetry Open Mic, there are regular opportunities to commune with fellow writers and discuss highlights, issues, pieces we’re working on, and life in general. Several established groups also offer and encourage online gatherings, so writers all over the country can come together without having to be face-to-face. Whether it’s an open mic, seminar, workshop, festival, or awards evening, networking is a powerful way to build friendships with others. It doesn’t matter if you’re the oldest or youngest in the room, people are still interested to make a connection with you! New Zealand Society of Authors.

Lesson 2: The Marketing Scheme

Marketing accounts for at least half the workload of an author business. Over the past twelve months, I’ve taken the experimental approach. There are hoops to jump through with a wide circumference that are tough to not get through and should be top of the list upon releasing a new piece of work, such as keyword optimisation, search engine optimisation (SEO), social media posting, and writing a blurb for the back of the book. It doesn’t need to be a bestseller or rapidly gain media attention; as long as you’ve thought carefully about what could work, done research, and taken it on board - that’s what matters. Other hoops seem to move as soon as you start running towards them, like applying to get into bookstores, getting media reviews, or being a presenter at a literary event. My experimental approach looked like consulting both local and international book marketing strategists, conversing with people who’ve collaborated with those strategists, attending virtual seminars, reading books, and talking to people who’ve gone through the process about what they believe works and what doesn’t, then giving myself a two-week trial at a fixed price to experiment. To date, word of mouth still proves the strongest method! Marketing never really stops unless you want to; just bear in mind the final lesson: the journey is worth much more than marketing. I would like to mention, though, that in my experience it’s helpful having a structure - I do two weeks of writing followed by one week or dedicated marketing.

Lesson 3: Contagious Enthusiasm

Step one: find your niche audience. Step two: repeat step one. It’s a loop cycle of repetition and perseverance. Many have acknowledged that The Chasm Between Us is not a typical love story, as it incorporates mental health struggles and overcoming, with a touch of supernatural and Christian faith. A beta reader described it as ‘multi-genred’, and they aren’t wrong. It may seem offputting. In reality, not a typical love story is what I love to hear! It means I’ve got a unique spin on contemporary romance that causes it to stand out amongst others. I make sure to note that when pitching the novel to local independent bookstores. The most important lesson within the lesson is to be enthusiastic about your work. If you’re not passionate about it, it’s harder for others to be encouraged. Don’t quote me on that, though - it’s not true for every case. That would be the legalist side of being a writer.

Lesson 4: Find Your Balance

Doing something for an indefinite amount of time is exhausting, even if you begin feeling energised and optimistic. Taking breaks in any journey is absolutely crucial, otherwise you experience the consequences of burnout. Like many authors, I work a day-job five days a week and write during my spare hours. Finding those couple hours or even a few minutes can be difficult. I’m fortunate in saying I was able to dig my heels into a healthy routine of an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. It allows me to start the day off with creativity and settle down when I get home without dedicating all my spare time towards it. Having down time is necessary. The best ideas can often come to us while we’re not working on the project. I’ll go a step further than I did in Lesson 2, and say life is worth much more than routine and reputation. Kit Kat would agree - have a break.

Lesson 5: Profits and Losses

“They say sometimes you win some, sometimes you lose some.” That’s the opening line to my favorite Christian worship song, Even If by MercyMe, inspired by Tim Timmons. Interestingly enough, that song (give it a listen) has been a huge player in my faith life within the author business. I’m reassured that whether it’s been a commercially successful week or I’ve invested both time and money wrong, it may seem like a surplus or deficit to the industry but not in life. I fully stand by the saying, ‘Your results aren’t a measure of your self-worth.’ Unfortunately, we live in a day and age when the two are intertwined. Even if I haven’t found the time to market my brand/book in any way, shape or form that week, I’m still an author - neither perfect nor hopeless. Just living life.

Lesson 6: Remember Why

1st November 2025: I’m standing on the ridge of the Southern Main Range of Tararua Forest Park, admiring the sun setting out west. I love the colours changing from dusky red to hollow magenta to cool blue. It reminds me of how the colours in life progressively change in any journey. I think reflection is required in any project. Look where you came from, where you are now, and where you’re going to. Remember the ones who’ve helped you along the way, sowed advice, supported your cause, sat with you on a rickety bench as the wind blew the leaves off the trees. Writing, research, marketing, communication and the law are all components of an author business. At twenty years old, I feel the stress of that but not as much as you might think. I like to look back at where I started and feel the footprints of myself and the ones who walked with me, before I consider looking to the next mountain. May I encourage you, my friends, to do the same.

Campbell Anderson

NZ Author: Campbell Anderson