I did something new! Archery!

It made me think of business, of course. As my aunt says: "You're always thinking about business, aren't you?"

Guilty. But turns out archery has a lot to teach us about running an author business.

1. Clear target, only ONE target.
When you're shooting, there's not five targets to choose from — just one, clearly defined, right in front of you. Compare that to most authors' marketing: juggling TikTok, newsletters, ads, a launch, backlist promo, and a new release all at once, with no idea which one actually matters this week. No wonder nothing lands. One target. Everything else can wait.

2. Focus and concentration.
There are several small steps to get right before you release the arrow — stance, grip, breath, aim. Skip one and the shot goes wide. You can't be thinking about your grocery list mid-draw. Same with a launch, a sales call, or a content sprint: the work that actually moves the needle needs your full attention, not split focus across four browser tabs.

3. Immediate feedback.
You know instantly whether your prep and aim were on — the arrow tells you. In business, we rarely get that kind of quick, honest feedback loop unless we build it in ourselves: tracking opens, watching sales after a promo, reviewing a launch the week after it ends. The faster you know what worked, the faster you can adjust.

4. Keep trying and improving.
I shot at least 20 times, and I got a little better with each one. Nobody hits the bullseye round one. Business works the same way — we get repeated chances to refine our aim, and every attempt (successful or not) teaches us something for the next one.

Out of all of these, Clear Target is the one I see missing most when I work with clients. Most authors aren't lacking effort — they're lacking a single, defined thing to aim at.

So: what's the ONE target in your business right now? Not five things. One.