What Does a Book Author Do?

A book author is someone who creates original content for novels, nonfiction books, or textbooks, among other things. To complete the amount of writing required for a book, he or she may work independently or as a co-author with another person or a group of people. A book author is typically a freelancer, meaning that he or she works on their own and is not employed a larger company, though there are exceptions. However, an author may have a legal agreement with an agent or publisher to produce a specific amount of material a certain date.

Although a bachelor’s degree in English, journalism, or communications is not required to be a book author, many have done so. Some students will pursue master’s degrees in creative writing or another fine arts discipline. In general, however, persistence, a portfolio of previously published work, and, of course, the ability to write well are the only requirements for becoming a book author. Though some people may find that getting a book deal without having previously published work is possible, most people will find that it is nearly impossible, because most publishers and agents will not even read an unpublished writer’s work.

The method a book author uses to write a book is determined both his or her writing style and the type of book he or she is writing. A nonfiction book or textbook, for example, may necessitate extensive research; some fiction writers also conduct extensive research. This will also be a part of the process if he or she is working with another person, such as another writer for content or an illustrator for children’s books. Because so many writers are self-employed, they have a lot of flexibility when it comes to scheduling.

Some people appreciate the ability to plan ahead, while others struggle with self-motivation. This may be true because many book authors work alone for long periods of time and must be able to maintain concentration and focus. Most people will need to write several different drafts of a book; this can be a time-consuming process that can take years to complete, especially if the author is also working with an editor. As a result, many book authors work part-time jobs to supplement their income while writing; alternatively, they may work on multiple writing projects at once, each at a different stage of completion.