You’re not imagining it—this whole “write the book, run the business, grow the brand” thing? It’s a lot.
As an author-entrepreneur, you’re wearing all the hats: crafting content, serving clients, marketing your message, and somehow trying to finish your book. And sure, you’re capable of doing it all. But here’s the truth:
Doing everything yourself isn’t one of the best author productivity tips—it’s a fast track to burnout.
In this post, we’re diving into one of the most overlooked ways to stay productive as an author with a business: delegation. Let’s unpack why it’s a power move, not a luxury—and how the right support can take your book (and your business) further, faster.
The Real Costs of Trying to Do It All Yourself
Before we dive into the best author productivity tips, let’s talk about what’s slowing you down.
I remember my first few years in business. I had a free website I’d built myself using a template. I set up my own mailing list, which took forever. I wrote all of my emails to my list, researched groups and conferences to speak to, and marketed myself constantly. Oh yeah–and I also had to do sales calls, onboard clients, write contracts, manage invoices, and do the work I’d been hired to do!
I thought this was how things got done in early-stage businesses. It wasn’t until much later that I learned about growing a team, working with coaches, and otherwise delegating so I could focus on my “zone of genius.” If I’d known then what I know now, I would have used savings, borrowed money, and racked up my credit card to get good support and guidance right away–and I know without a doubt that my success would have had a much shorter learning curve with profitability and spaciousness coming much sooner.
I like to say that everything is a trade-off of some kind: We can do anything, but not everything. So when you try to do it all yourself as an author and business owner, you’re consciously or unconsciously making decisions that may cost you more than you anticipated. It’s about so much more than money.
Burnout and Missed Opportunities
While you’re busy investing in things anyone could do, you’re bankrupting your resources for doing the things only you can do. Writing your best work, in your voice, with your genius ideas? That’s your lane. Showing up for your audience? Absolutely. Manually updating your email sequences or wrestling with design software? That’s not where your best energy—or the smartest author productivity tips—belong.
There are many ways to look at this issue: general burnout, using up your limited decision-making “spoons,” creating blinders to new opportunities…However you want to look at it, the bottom line is clear: You have limited time and limited energy—why spend that needlessly?
Lack of Creative Bandwidth
Constant context switching—from book outlining to backend admin to marketing strategy—doesn’t just drain your energy. It smothers your creativity. And let’s be real: Your work suffers when you’re creatively exhausted.
I’ve tried many different things in my business to deal with this. I went from editing all kinds of books to specializing in nonfiction (thinking I’d save my creative juices for my own fiction). I blocked off certain days for work and certain days for writing. I set up a small desk in my living room so my work and creative spaces could be different.
None of that worked. What did work? Building a team.
Emotional Toll and Inconsistency
When you’re stretched thin, you’re more likely to second-guess, stall out, or publish something half-baked. That leads to frustration, disappointment, and a loss of confidence in your voice.
It can be the difference between a half-dozen projects moving forward at a snail’s pace and with a fraction of your focus, compared to one project at a time having your complete attention and moving forward more quickly and confidently.
That’s maybe the most painful cost of all.
What Successful Authors Do Differently
Let’s take a cue from productive authors who’ve mastered their time and output: They’ve learned to optimize their craft and systems. And one of the smartest author productivity tips they follow? Delegate early, delegate often.
James Patterson, one of today’s most successful bestselling authors, is known for his collaborative approach. He often works with co-authors, providing detailed outlines—sometimes as long as 50 pages—and then revising the drafts they produce. This method allows him to publish multiple books yearly without compromising quality.
Now that’s an extreme example, but it’s still true that successful authors treat publishing like a team sport.
Here’s what that can look like:
- Hiring research assistants to gather data or study the market
- Handing off editing to a professional so they can focus on ideas
- Delegating administrative and publishing tasks so the launch doesn’t derail life
- Partnering with a strategist to shape the book into a real asset
- Letting a designer craft a cover that actually sells
- Leveraging a marketing team to coordinate JV partnerships and podcast outreach
- Hiring childcare so you can have focused writing time
Delegation can help you not only achieve more and faster, but it can also help you do better work. The possibilities are as unlimited as your imagination.
I remember the moment I decided to hire my first house cleaning service: I was in a webinar about productivity, and the instructor asked, “How much is your hourly rate? Or, if you spent two more hours a week working, how much more do you think you could earn in a month, or a year?” We all did those mental calculations, and then he asked, “Now, how much do you think it costs to hire a cleaning service or someone to mow your lawn?”
Delegation isn’t a luxury. It’s leverage.
Melinda’s Story: From Stuck to Six-Figure Launch
Real-world proof that one of the best productivity moves an author can make is building the right support team? Take Melinda Cohan. She’s the brilliant founder of a coaching support business and a successful coach herself.
For eleven years, she struggled to write her first book. The ideas were there. The passion was clear. But between running her business, serving clients, and trying to piece it all together on her own, the book never made it past the back burner. She told me she must have started and stopped a dozen times.
Until, finally, she reached out for help. Within nine months of working with us, her book The Confident Coach was not only written and published but also became the centerpiece of a launch that generated multiple six-figure revenues and brought in thousands of new leads.
Melinda didn’t magically find more hours in the day. She found a team.
She was fully invested and involved in creating her book—we work in a way that is both collaborative and also takes a lot off the author’s plate—but she stopped trying to do it all. Melinda could focus on her writing with the support of her editor, and she gave her valuable input throughout the publishing process while letting The Writer’s Ally take the helm and ensure no balls got dropped along the way.
She’d already learned the power of delegating in her business, but it wasn’t something she fully understood was possible with her book.
And the results spoke volumes—literally. Melinda’s turnaround proves what most high-achieving creatives eventually discover: following the right author productivity tips can unlock growth you didn’t know was possible.
Delegation Isn’t Weakness—It’s a Power Move
More and more entrepreneurs are choosing to write books these days, and it makes sense that they default to figuring it all out themselves. After all, it’s this roll-up-your-sleeves bravery that connects those of us who venture into the wilderness that is self-employment.
But this isn’t about giving up control. It isn’t about what you are capable of doing. It’s about whether or not you should be the one doing it…or instead, stepping into your zone of genius.
Before delegation, you’re buried in the weeds—writing in fits and starts, launching half-finished marketing plans, stuck in indecision because there’s simply too much to do and not enough time (or clarity) to do it all well. In short, you’re working against every author productivity tip in the book.
After delegation, you gain traction. Not to mention some breathing room.
You reclaim creative energy, sharpen your message, and finish your book—and it becomes a launchpad, not just another project collecting dust. Your team fills the gaps so you can focus on what only you can do: delivering your message, connecting with your audience, and building the next chapter of your business or career.
Delegation isn’t about giving up control. It’s about gaining momentum—and creating space for the kind of impact, visibility, and growth you actually set out to achieve.
That’s why we built our Supported Indie Publishing model: to help serious authors move from stuck and scattered to clear, supported, and strategic—with a professional-quality book they’re proud to publish.
The Best Author Productivity Tip? Get Support.
If you’ve been grinding alone, wondering why finishing your book (or launching it well) feels so hard, here’s your reminder:
You’re not lazy. You’re just overdue for support.
Delegating isn’t giving up—it’s choosing momentum over burnout. It’s how serious author-entrepreneurs move from stuck and scattered to clear, supported, and strategic. It’s investing in yourself.
If you’re looking for author productivity tips that actually move the needle, this is where you start: with support that amplifies your voice and your time. Sure, you can try to “hack” your way to better results, but why inch along when you can fly?
Ready to explore publishing options that fit your business—and your bandwidth?
Let’s talk about what delegating could look like for your book: Contact us for a free Book Strategy Call.
Ally Machate is on a mission to help authors make great books and reach more readers. A bestselling author and expert publishing consultant, Ally has served small and “Big Five” publishers, including Simon & Schuster, where she acquired and edited books on staff. Her clients include authors with such companies as Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, Rodale Inc., Chronicle Books, Kaplan Publishing, Sourcebooks, and Hay House, as well as independently published bestsellers. As founder & CEO of The Writer’s Ally, Ally and her team lead serious authors to write, publish, and sell more high-quality books.