Is your book idea really a good idea? Are you sure? Just because the concept is new and exciting to you doesn’t mean that it is a truly fresh idea—that it hasn’t been done before.
It’s easy to get a book published today. Sure, you can produce a book on any topic, in any style and from any perspective. But it still doesn’t mean that it is a good book—a needed or worthwhile project. In fact, folks, I’m seeing more and more manuscripts that probably should never become books.
Before you get too excited about your great book idea, Stop, Look and Listen.
Stop and think about your topic or your story. Is it really different enough and still within the realm of what readers need/want? Here’s where the Market Analysis portion of the traditional book proposal comes in. The process of completing a comparison study of books like the one you have in mind will help you to answer this question before your book becomes another failed book.
Look at books like yours. Okay, there’s nothing out there like yours. You keep telling me that. Then, perhaps you’re wasting your time writing a book for which there is no established category or interest. Hmmmmmm????!!!! Now that I’ve, hopefully, made an important point, I want you to go to the area in a nearby mega-bookstore where your book might be shelved. Order a latte, because you’ll be there for a while.
With your eyes, scan the books in this section. Are there any titles similar to yours or that suggest books on your topic or storyline? Maybe your book focuses on the power of attitude and how changing your mind can change your life. This might be a new concept for you, but I’m pretty sure that you’ll find a plethora of books new and ancient by a wide variety of authors known and unknown on the shelf. Perhaps your thriller features a swamp ogre that won’t die, but you find that dozens of other books in this genre do, too.
Sure it’s discouraging to discover that your clever idea is nothing new, but it’s also a blessing. It’s something you want to know before you ever start writing your book. Why? So that you don’t go down the wrong path that so many other new authors take—so that you don’t write a book that’s destined to fail.
Once you gather the information you need about your competition, Listen to your logical voice. Hopefully, your voice—and the professionals you trust—are telling you, “Don’t quit. Regroup and rethink your project.â€
Study your competition thoroughly. Scrutinize dozens of books. Continue your comparison work online and don’t forget to look at similar books in your home library.
Maybe you’ll discover that, while there are plenty of books by well-qualified authors on your topic, there are none featuring real stories of famous people experiencing epiphanies in their lives. Or perhaps there’s a need for a workbook.
You might find a way to give your thriller a reprieve through a really unique storyline. Bring your most creative friends together for a brainstorming session and see what you can come up with. Whatever it is, be sure to use the Stop, Look and Listen technique before committing your story to paper.
It has been said for thousands of years, “There’s nothing new under the sun.†But, as authors, we can tweak our ideas and stories in ways that, perhaps, haven’t been done before—or at least in recent years—or at least in a particular genre or topic…
If you want to receive more publishing wisdom and/or guidance, contact me at plfry620@yahoo.com. View my credentials at http://www.matilijapress.com/consulting.html. Order my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book and the companion, Author’s Workbook http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html