Published Authors: 5 Tips to Protecting Your Privacy

The hardest thing for published authors to believe is how much actually having a book on the shelves legitimizes them to the people they know and meet on a daily basis. Once you have a published book people no longer see you as someone with a dream, but as a person who is living it. They'll think you're selling thousands of copies, sitting on stacks of money and vacationing in the Riviera-even if you're not. With this newfound celebrity you will begin to network, meet a host of people and exchange business cards and other information with them-but although you want to appear approachable, as an author you still need to take a few precautions.

Promotion is the ultimate key to making and keeping yourself successful as an author. You'll definitely want to host contests where you'll have readers sending in postcards, however, make certain that you are utilizing a Post Office Box. Many people use their home address for their business so that they won't have the added expense of a Post Office Box or the added "to do" of making a weekly trek to check what could be an empty box. Unfortunately there have been reports of overzealous fans showing up on the doorsteps of authors, celebrities and other personalities, so, safeguard not just your residential address, but your family and overall privacy as well.