by Vincent Davis @vbdavisII

All writers start at the same place: heads swimming with thousands of plot points and hearts swelling at the thought of reaching thousands. It’s nearly impossible to walk through a church, a college campus, or your workplace without running into someone who claims to have the next great American Novel inside of them and dreams of making it big one day.

Some people will hold on to those great ideas until they wither and atrophy. So do their dreams of New York Times Bestseller List stardom. Others become the very person they hoped to be, producing exactly what they hoped to produce. And then there is the gray middle ground in between.

What lands one writer on one side of the author-spectrum or the other?

There is doubtlessly a level of mystery in this, as well as the will of God or a touch of luck, if you believe in it.

That being said, there is one thing that the successful always do, and those who don’t make it never try.

Shoot for the stars.

Sounds cliché, but hear me out.

No, I’m not talking about writing “high concept” novels or tackling the biggest issues in your nonfiction book.

Don’t Be Afraid to ask for Help

What I mean is this: whether you are indie pubbed or traditional, you’ll need a team of people around you. If you want to make it, you won’t be able to do it yourself. You’ll need the influence of others. So, reach out to the “stars.” Most of those folks walking around churches and college campuses with great stories will fail. It won’t be because their books aren’t any good or their ideas aren’t structured. It’ll be because they’re too scared or prideful to reach out for help.

Coffee Anyone?

Before I was published, I reached out to the most influential authors in my area and asked them if they’d be willing to get lunch or coffee.

But NYT bestsellers have to be super busy right? Why would they make time for one of the hundreds of college students in the area who wants to be an author?

Most people are too prideful or don’t believe they were worthy of the authors’ time. I, either in bravery or stupidity, ignored that gut feeling. And I’m thankful I did. Without their help, I wouldn’t be here. I’m certain I wouldn’t be a bestseller, let alone a published author. If I hadn’t later reached out to Edie Melson, I wouldn’t be writing this post. Advice and tutelage from these “stars” made all the difference in the world for me. I bet it will for you too.

A Team of Experts

After receiving mentorship from local authors, I gathered a team of experts around me to help with my “self” published book. My editor worked on The Martian, my cover designer worked on the Game of Thrones covers, my audiobook was recorded by a well-known voice actor from Entertainment Tonight and The Insider. I made connections with them all as a 22-year-old college student with zero platform and zero experience. I took a shot, sent them an email, and asked if they were interested in working with me, even if my budget was restricted. And they all agreed.

Not everyone will be willing to help or mentor you. Some might say no. But those who say yes will make all the difference in the world in helping you take a step from where you are to where you want to be.

What value do you find in having a writing mentor – or do you wish you had, if you don’t have a mentor? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

Vincent B. Davis II is an author, entrepreneur, and soldier.
He is a graduate of East Tennessee State University, and has served in the United States Army since 2014.
He’s the author of five books, three of which have become international bestsellers. When he’s not researching or writing his next book, you can find him watching Carolina Panthers football or playing with his rescued mutt, Buddy. You can connect with the author on Facebook or Twitter @vbdavisii, vincentbdavisii.com, or at Vincent@thirteenthpress.com.