The many hats of Lilac Mills

Lilac Mills

6 days ago

4 min read

Or, what authors get up to in addition to writing their books.

Hand holding a straw sunhat against a blurred hillside at sunset, with a calm outdoor feel.

If you’re reading this expecting a chat about millinery… soz! Actually, The Many Hats of Lilac Mills would make a great title for a book, wouldn’t it?

Sorry, I got distracted for a sec. This post is a response to my usual vague hand wave in the air and mutter of “admin” when I’m clearly working but not actually writing.

Writer Hat

This is the most important, because if I didn’t wear this on an almost daily basis, there’d be little point in my wearing any of the others.

I try this on for size most days, in that I aim to get some words down on paper every day when I’m deep in a first draft, because I find if I take more than one day off, I lose momentum and, depending on where I am in the manuscript, I sometimes lose the will to live, too! This is a no-nonsense hard hat, worn while at the rock face of creativity, when I’m chipping the story out, one word at a time.

Editor Hat

This hat is a Fedora, with a wide ribbon trim which I can tuck a feather, a dried flower, or a colourful scarf into. Because although I might be editing, I do different kinds of editing depending on what the manuscript needs. Structural, line edits, proofing, removing all the that /actually/just words I seems to love, and even checking I haven’t changed a character’s name halfway through the book. Yep, I’m the queen of that particular country. So, same hat, slightly different guises.

Cover Designer Hat

This could be an artist’s beret – if such a thing exists. I only wear this for my indie published titles, because I design my own covers for those. I really love how creative this can be, but I can also spend an inordinate amount of time moving one little thing a fraction to the left or the right, then back again... And don’t get me started on fonts!

Copywriter Hat

A flat cap, I reckon... but I’m not sure why.

My writing process always begins with the copy – the blurb on the back of a book, or on the flap of the jacket. This sets the tone and the vibe of the story for me, although it can be subject to change as I get deeper into the story. My editor usually puts her own spin on these for my traditionally published titles, but I have to write the indie blurbs myself.

I think synopsis writing might be covered by this, too, but that particular hat will have a skull and crossbones emblem on it, because I hate writing synopses.

Publicist Hat

This is the garden party hat. It’s more flamboyant, outgoing, the life and soul-of the party, because it involves getting the word about my books out there. When I wrote my first novel (many years ago) it never occurred to me that I would seriously consider filming myself dancing around my living room, whilst waving my book, and then posting those antics on social media! Yet here we are.

I haven’t done that, btw, although I’ve seriously considered it.

Public Speaker Hat

I’ve recently attended a few in-person author events, where I’ve sat on panels or chatted to an audience of readers. And now I’m seriously beginning to regret the hat thing, because I can’t think of any hat which would work for this kind of occasion. Unless it’s something with a veil, because I’m actually quite shy.

Accountant Hat

A bowler, I think, but I’d want the bowler hat which Oddjob wore in the James Bond film Goldfinger, because it has a lethal razor rimmed edge, perfect for cutting through the copious amounts of red tape. I do have an accountant, but I still have to keep records. Bleh!

Formatter Hat

Indie published only, because I format all my own ebooks, paperbacks and large print books myself, prior to publication.

Website Manager Hat

I set up my website in 2016 with a Wix drag-and-drop version and have since taught myself all kinds of techie stuff, including SEO and GEO. But when I go fiddling about behind the scenes. I’m terrified that one day I’m going to break it.

Administrator Hat

This includes everything from registering my books with the Public Lending Library, to studying market trends, creating shortened sales links for use on social media, and purchasing ISBN’s (for my indie books), to name a few.

Data Analyst Hat

I wear this hat when I’m tracking sales. It’s more important for my indie published titles, because sales tracking isn’t as easy to access for my traditional titles. It’s vital if I’m running any kind of paid advertising (which I do on a regular basis for my self-published books).

Researcher Hat

How roofs are constructed… What do badgers smell like?... Travelling to the various locations where my books are set. Some research is more fun than others (no, I didn’t sniff a badger – I asked someone who knew!), but fun or not, it’s always interesting.

Mentor Hat

This is a hat I choose to wear because I’m always incredibly grateful when other authors share their expertise with me. So I like to pay it back, by being a reader for the Romantic Novelists Association's New Writer’s Scheme. It’s hard work, but very rewarding.

There, I think that’s it – although there’s probably a hat or two I’ve missed. If you can think of any, let me know.

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