Do Less. Write More.: The Author's Guide to Finding, Hiring and Keeping an Excellent Author Assistant

Do Less.

Write More.

The Author’s Guide to Finding, Hiring

and Keeping an Excellent Author Assistant

Maria Connor

My Author Concierge

Technology and the virtual marketplace have changed today’s publishing industry so that authors, both traditionally and independently published, hold greater accountability for all aspects of their careers, such as product development, design, distribution and marketing. The more time spent on these activities, however, the less time authors have to write.

Author assistants are joining the ensemble of niche publishing support services, like book formatters and publicists. But unlike these service providers, the role and duties of author assistants vary widely. No two author/assistant relationships work the same way or feature the same dynamics. This lack of a consistent, broadly accepted definition is both a challenge and an advantage. The challenge comes in each author having to define what they need from an assistant and how that support will be provided. The advantage is that authors can define and negotiate a support partnership that fits their unique needs and preferences.

Written by the founder of My Author Concierge and professional, full-time author assistant who has worked with more than 50 writers across multiple genres, this guide provides authors with practical, experience-based tips and tools for finding, hiring and keeping an excellent assistant.

Only two duties cannot be delegated by an author to an assistant: writing and reader engagement. Finding the right assistant to help with tasks that can be delegated is one of the smartest business strategies today’s authors can utilize. Learn how to Do Less in order to Write More by finding, hiring and keeping the right author assistant.

Acknowledgements

My gratitude and thanks to the many individuals who generously contributed to this book and to the development of my career as an author assistant. A super-special shout-out to Beth Treadway for suggesting the concept for this guide, and my unending appreciation to Heather Ashby, the first author to say, Hey, can you take care of this for me?

Thanks also to Jade Eby, owner and president of The Write Assistants, for sharing the results of her survey of authors about virtual assistants. While this data was collected anonymously and may not offer objective results, this feedback provided helpful