Part One
There
is so much to think about when self-publishing a book. The 21st Century
Publishing Update brings you a 10-point checklist of what to do
and what not to do when publishing and promoting your own book. Based on
conversations with self- publishing authors and marketing experts, this
is not an exhaustive list of everything you should be thinking about,
but it is a list of some of the most important.
1.
DO:
Proof everything...
...especially
cover copy, press releases and promotional copy. Better yet, have
someone else proof it (it is notoriously hard to see your own mistakes).
If your promotional materials contain mistakes, editors and readers will
assume that your book is also riddled with mistakes. This looks
unprofessional and makes for an uncomfortable reading experience. It can
discourage people from buying or reviewing your book.
DON'T:
Advertise in Publisher's Weekly...
Yes,
it's the industry bible, but you should target readers not bookstores.
Why not sell directly to readers instead of 'selling' to bookstores who
may return your book unsold?
Advertise
to readers, tell them to order the book directly from you or your
supplier, and make more money! By selling directly you can avoid the 55%
distributor discounts (saving more of the profit for yourself). You can
also receive feedback faster, from the people who are actually buying
the book. Wouldn't you rather have your book in the hands of a reader
than on a bookstore shelf?
Instead
of advertising to the-bookselling trade, promote your books in
publications your audience is likely to read.
2.
DO:
Learn about the-bookselling business...
You
need to know the rules to know how to bend them. Readers are used to
buying from bookstores. Bookstores are used to buying from distributors
at a large discount. Distributors are used to buying from publishing
houses, at a colossal discount. Booksellers, wholesalers and
distributors think they can order books on consignment, returning them
at any time for any reason.
If
you want to sell your books differently, it helps to know how things
usually work, so that you can work out special deals with the trade.
DON'T:
Think bookstores are the ticket to big sales...
Even
if you get a bookstore to take your book, just placing it on their
shelves is no guarantee of sales. Your book is sitting on a shelf
showing a one-inch spine, blending in to thousands of other books'
spines. Why are people going to choose your book? They will look for it
only if they have heard of it - which means promoting your book to
readers is more important than promoting it to bookstores. If the store
doesn't carry the book, they can always 'special order' it if readers
ask for it. If readers don't ask for it, there is no point in the-
bookstore carrying it.
And
don't think a large chain bookstore is going to feature your book on one
of those tables at the front of the store. Publishers pay tens of
thousands of dollars in 'co-op marketing' to place their books there.
Bookstores
are good, but don't think they naturally lead to sales.
Part
II
Part
III
Part
IV
Part
V
***
If
you have any questions about getting published, email me at jd@jdwrite.com. If
I don't know the answer, I'll find someone who does!
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