One of the greatest mistakes I see authors make is focusing on how many books they can sell as if that’s a measure of how much many lives they’re really changing. But how many books sell tons of copies and yet have NOT had any real impact? Sales make money, but they don’t change hearts. And if you’re not changing the heart of your reader, are you really making a difference?

Don’t get me wrong, making money is a GOOD thing! It allows us to continue to serve, share and grow. It’s the intention behind the sales that I’m pointing at.

Let me put it another way. Sales don’t necessarily lead to changing hearts, but changing hearts leads to sales. A good marketing plan can get a book into someone’s hands, but getting them to read it, finish it, talk about it, change their life because of it, and share it, is an entirely different ball-game.

So how do you create real influence?

First, you have to know your audience better than they know themselves. What do they want? Not just what they tell you they want, or what they’ve been told they’re supposed to want, or what your google search has told you your audience should want.  What do they really really really want? What stirs them into action? What makes them mad enough to stand up for what they believe in? What makes them cry with joy? What kicks in their protective instincts? These are their values, and it is these underlying values that drive, motivate, inspire, and stir your readers.

Second, remember that the best way to be noticed in a crowd is to stand alone. Form your own beliefs. Form your own perspective. Identify the unwritten, unspoken rules, customs, and traditions of your niche….  Then break one or two. Not out of spite, but because you genuinely believe that there’s a better way, a new perspective, or an idea that can make a real difference.

Yes, doing these things will create controversy. You’ll need to have a thick skin, be able to stand up for yourself, and learn how to handle the critics effectively.

I recall one of my undergraduate writing classes in college. I’d written a short story in which I’d chosen a couple of common stereotypes and then played with them. I’d wanted to create conversation, but I didn’t yet know exactly what it might mean to stir my reader emotionally. When it came time to share feedback with each other, most of it was pretty standard. One woman though will forever stand out in my mind. She started out calmly enough, but became more and more emotional – angry really.

At first, I tried to calm her down and help her understand my intention. But she couldn’t hear me. I finally just sat back and listened not to her words, but to what was behind them. What I realized is that I’d done exactly what I’d set out to do. While I hadn’t intended to upset or hurt anyone, I had intended to get them thinking and talking. And it was obvious she’d be talking about this with others for quite a while.

Influencing others isn’t easy. Some will love you. Others might hate you. And the larger the group you’re wanting to influence, the more of a challenge it’s going to be. You won’t reach everyone. But for those you do reach, you’ll be able to create real and lasting change.

March 2013 Issue