A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOT
What if the thing keeping you from writing more books isn’t the writing—it’s everything else that comes with being an author?
In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, Kevin talks about working with a virtual assistant, or author assistant, to take some of the business of being a writer off your shoulders. Marketing, social media, video editing, graphic design, administrative work, Kickstarter campaigns, online stores, and more can potentially be delegated—giving you more time and energy for the work only you can do.
But hiring help isn’t just about getting rid of tasks. Kevin breaks down how to decide whether an assistant makes financial sense, what you should expect to pay, how to choose the right person, and how to avoid some of the biggest mistakes authors make when they start outsourcing.
You’ll also learn a simple way to onboard an assistant, test your communication and workflow, document repeatable processes, and gradually build a working relationship that can grow along with your author business.
If the business of being an author is starting to take more time than the writing, this episode will help you figure out what you can hand off—and when.
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TIMECODES
00:00 Writing anywhere—and why authors need help
00:32 What is a virtual assistant or author assistant?
01:13 What does an author assistant cost?
03:20 What can an author assistant do?
04:04 Why Author Anchor was created
04:51 Tasks authors can delegate
06:11 How to know when you’re ready to hire help
07:14 Think in terms of return on investment
08:20 How to start working with an assistant
09:30 Why small test projects matter
10:03 Document your processes
11:08 Don’t overload your assistant
11:53 Match the assistant to the skills you actually need
12:46 One assistant doesn’t have to do everything
14:06 How to prepare for a discovery call
15:31 Interviewing and choosing an assistant
16:32 When outsourcing can help you break through
17:31 Final thoughts and author assistant advice
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If you’re a writer trying to write better books, publish smarter, build an audience, and create a sustainable career around your work, subscribe to the Wordslinger channel. This is where writers come for practical, experience-driven guidance on the writing and publishing journey.
FIND KEVIN:
Find Kevin and his books:
https://kevintumlinson.com
Join Kevin on Substack:
https://kevintumlinson.substack.com
Wordslinger Podcast home page:
https://wordslingerpodcast.com
SERVICES FOR AUTHORS:
Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid:
https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5
Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital:
https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger
Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books (and more!) at Author Anchor:
https://authoranchor.com
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