When it comes to publishing, there is a certain recipe for success. And while nothing is guaranteed, there are significant activities which must happen in order for your book to have a chance at success. I often speak of promotion, websites, and gathering a social media footprint. Today we're taking a look at the equally important back-end issues. Now, I can't guarantee if you follow this that you'll come out leading the charge with the most perfect book, but you'll certainly be close. Writers never intentionally write a bad book, or a book that's not marketable. We do our best, and we often hope for the best. But in a world full of clutter, you have to do more than that. You have to step out to succeed and you have to learn the ropes of your market and the publishing industry. Here are 11 points for you to consider:
- How big is the market for your book? Before you launch headlong into a campaign or even write your book, be sure you know the market for it really well. Often, I find that authors don't take the time to study their market. This is important because you need to know first and foremost if there is a market for your book. I know this might sound odd, but hear me out. Some years back I worked as a literary agent and was being pitched by this super talented author. He'd written a book on why good men fall for bad or mean women. He was proud of this book, saying there was no other book like it on the market and further, that he'd written it for men. There are two problems with this: First, that there is no other book like it on the market. If there isn't a book like it on the market, there might be a reason why. It's not that there are no new ideas, but most of the models that work consist of books that fit a certain, existing market. Second problem: a self-help book written for a man. No offense guys, but women buy 97% of all self-help out there. If you're writing a good book with a great topic but for the wrong audience, that's a problem. Know the market. Go to a bookstore and talk to a bookseller, they can be the best source of information for you. Ask them if they have a book on your topic and then have them point you in the direction of where those books are shelved so you can see for yourself what the competitive space looks like. If there isn't a book on your topic, see if you can find out why. Ask a professional you trust. This could be your bookseller, or it could be a marketing professional. You'll save yourself thousands of dollars by doing this. Regarding my talented author with a book written for the wrong market, once we repositioned him it was fine. It took little effort but saved him countless hours, dollars, and frustration.
If you hire someone, make sure they can work hourly for you. You just want an opinion, perhaps some brainstorming time. You likely don't need a package, just an hour, maybe two. You don't need to spend your marketing budget on this process, but whatever you do spend can potentially save you a lot once the book hits the market.
Succeeding isn't always about getting to the starting line on time. Often, it's about all the work you do to get to the starting line and then, hopefully, to a successful finish. Our books are often an extension of ourselves, our businesses, and our personalities. But success requires more than just a good book. It requires a lot of sweat equity up front, and while it may seem like a hefty price for a book that hasn't even launched, I can guarantee you this: the more you do now, the more you'll save and succeed in the end. Good luck!