Hey! It’s Monday! I think I’m recovered from Friday…only time will tell.

By the way, Billy Joel puts on a great live show.

There’s something a lot of new authors don’t quite understand. Other authors are not your competition. There’s a ton of readers out there. And they’re not going to stick to your titles only. They’re going to read other authors, different genres.

They’re not cheating on you when they do this. Nor is the author whose book they bought just now robbing you of a sale. You are not in competition with your fellow authors.

It’s a simple case of math. It’s going to take you longer to write a new book, have it pass through the arms of your beta readers, get it polished, submit it, find a publisher, have it go through their editor and proofreader, and finally go up for sale than it will for a reader to read it. If they waited for you to finish all of that, they’re going to get restless. Bored.

And then they’re going to find another book to read in between yours.

So, stop trying to talk over another author and push your book. Don’t be that used car salesman that’s always in the face of their reader. Cheer on your fellow authors. Encourage them when they’re stuck. Help them promote. Go to their virtual release parties. Stop in at a book signing, take a picture together, and share it on twitter.

Don’t go after them like they’re the enemy. Especially in public or on social media. Even if you personally don’t care for them. In this business, nice guys finish first. You don’t want to kill your own reputation because you get frustrated and mouth off online about how author x came to your event and talked about his books instead of letting you pitch yours.

BB