We’ve talked before about the importance of your audience. Most authors, however, don’t even consider their audiences until they have a published book. The author writes in solitude, chooses a cover design that resonates with him and then a publisher. When he finally has a book in his hands, THEN he goes in search of readers.
Doesn’t this seem like the wrong way to approach a business as competitive and tough as publishing?
One thing that makes this such a difficult business for most authors is the fact that they don’t approach it as a business. They think that publishing is an extension of their writing and that they can enter into the world of publishing using the same mindset and skills they used in their writing room for all of those months/years. You have people without a business head crashing through professional barriers with, sometimes, inferior books and no intentions of following any sort of business protocol. All they want is for people to read their books and they have no idea how to get from point A (they have a published book) to point B (getting people to buy and read that book). In fact, before they published, many of them didn’t even know that it would be up to them to deal with marketing and sales. The last thing they remember thinking was, “I want to write a book.”
A lot can happen and a whole lot needs to be considered between that first thought, “I want to write a book,” and the actuality of being a published author. Many of you reading this right now know exactly what I’m saying. You remember your first publishing experience and all of the things you learned after making tons of mistakes. Right? Some of you walked away from publishing extremely disappointed. And many others used what they learned toward their next publishing projects.
Folks, you absolutely must begin considering your audience at the very moment that you decide to write for publication. And never lose sight of them throughout the process. Write for your audience. Design and organize your book for your audience. Create a cover that will resonate with your audience—speak to them—rather than to please or thrill yourself. And, when it comes time to present your book to your audience, you will know who they are, what they want/need, where they are and how to approach them with your marvelous book.
Your Book Cover
I mentioned your book cover in passing. But I’m here to tell you that it is highly important to the success of your book. While there is no one right cover for your novel or nonfiction book, there certainly are right and wrong ways to approach your book cover.
Again, if you sincerely and accurately keep your particular audience in mind when you design (or okay the design) of your cover, you probably can’t go wrong. Here are some things to consider:
• Is your cover eye-catching—appealing?
• Does your cover accurately identify the nature of your book?
• Is the title meaningful to your audience—especially for a nonfiction book?
• Is the lettering sharp and easy-to-read?
• Does the graphic relate well to the theme of the book?
Some authors choose their title long before they write the book because it has meaning to them. It might also have an obscure implication that only a few members of the public understands. But if it is not clear to the majority of your audience, they won’t be picking up your book when they see it in stores. Nor will they click to order it when they see it online or in a catalog. You could probably sell it in the back of the room when you give presentations because you’ve explained what the book is about.
But an author should not have to explain his or her book at all. That is the job of the cover—front and back. The front cover identifies the nature or theme of the book—self-help for recovering addicts, military memoir, handbook for caregivers or a historical novel, for example. The back cover gives more detail about what to expect from the reading experience.
Learn more about how to build promotion into your book as well as how to promote your published book by reading my NEW book, Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author. http://amzn.to/oe56Ia