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Why and How to start an Non-Fiction Writers Collective

Are you an author who is contemplating starting or joining a Writer’s Collective or Cooperative? Me too, here’s my article that covers the why and how of starting a non-fiction writers collective.

Why I want to start a Writers Collective

Self-publishing is an interesting experience. I’ve published two Travel Guide e-books about Turkey already, and am working on my first Print on Demand (POD) Travel Guide. Initially I didn’t think that I’d go down the POD route, but I’ve had a constant stream of requests for a physical copy of my Travel Guide so I know it’s the right next step.

I have first-hand experience of the end-to-end self-publishing process, and my involvement with the Alliance of Independent Authors has highlighted what a supportive and collaborative environment Indie Authors have created.

I have many more non-fiction books planned out and started in Scrivener. They include “Pinterest for Authors“, “How to Write a Travel Guide“, “Half Moon Bay Travel Guide”, “7 Ways for 7 Days: A Turkish Recipe Book for your Self-Catering Holiday”, “Quick Trips to Bodrum” to name a few.

My niche wasn’t planned, it evolved out of my passions and interests, As an author, I believe that’s the best approach. Write what you love, and your words will jump off the page and grab the readers attention.

At the moment I’m planning and delivering every step of of the self-publishing process, but being an indie self-publisher doesn’t mean you always have to do every step yourself. During my own self-publishing journey I’ve identified the skill-set I excel at, and the steps I can do but just aren’t as passionate about.

For example, I love planning and goal setting and get excited by the process of creating order from chaos. At the beginning of a project many indie authors get overwhelmed by everything thing they need to achieve, so they end up procrastinating because they don’t know where to start or how to achieve their goals.

The very process other authors struggle with … I relish and excel at. I also have my own Social Media Freelance business and create social media strategies and plans to small companies and entrepreneurs.

I’d like to find other non-fiction authors who have different skill sets so that we can leverage each other’s strengths.

How to start an Non-Fiction Writers Collective

Here’s my easy 5 step plan for creating a Writers Collective:

  1. Find and collaborate with a set of Writers Collective founding members
  2. Jointly agree on the Mission, Vision and Values of the Writers Collective
  3. Use our Self-Publishing Imprint as the foundation of our Collective
  4. Develop a strategic plan for launching and managing our Writers Collective
  5. Have fun with it (it has to be fun or else what’s the point?)

Set the Mission, Vision and Values of the Writers Collective

Collaboration Wordle Tag Cloud Writers CollectiveI don’t just want to collaborate with any author; I want authors who are aligned with my philosophy.

One of the first tasks of our Writers Collective is to define the Mission Statement, Vision and Values that we’ll operate by. It’s a joint effort to set these, but as the founding member of this Writers Collective here’s my input:

  • I want to write and publish books that help people.
  • I want to educate and inform, but also inspire.
  • I want my travel guides to:
    • Help support the local communities by raising awareness of environmental and cultural events (beach clean ups, Slow Food campaigns, local heritage events)
    • Encourage travellers to get off the beaten path and get to know their locations behinds the tourist curtain
    • Provide travellers with the confidence to take public transport, try local cafes and experience local events for themselves rather than booking pre-packaged tourist experiences
  • I want my other non-fiction books to:
    • Help Authors achieve their self-publishing goals
    • Provide Authors with the tools and inspiration to create a passive income stream and achieve their creative goals
  • The scope of the collective needs to be broad enough to incorporate multiple genres but these all need to fit within a defined niche.

This is just the beginning.

If you’re a like-minded indie author who is looking to collaborate with another non-fiction author to create a Writers Collective that is supportive, collaborative and lucrative … leave me a comment below and I’ll get in touch.

Are you a travel writer or travel blogger who wants to publish their first book? Or have you already got some self-publishing experience and expertise you’d like to share? Let’s collaborate.