When we go to big events like the recent Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, we get a lot of visitors to our booth and they ask a lot of questions. Common questions are, “I want to publish my story, how do I go about it?” “I want to write my memoir, what is the procedure?” or “I’ve written a manuscript, what do I do next?” Perhaps you have similar questions.
So today, I’ve outlined some steps that might help you through the publishing process:
Step One: Think through your book subject or genre. Is this something that is needed or wanted? Does your nonfiction book idea respond to a challenge that many people face? Will it help people adopt a new/healthier way to think about something or live? Does it offer solutions that others might not have thought of? For fiction, is it a genre that is popular or that has a strong niche audience?
Conduct your own research to discover the answers to these questions. Use the Internet to find out if your subject is viable. Look at books offered at online as well as downtown bookstores on this topic. Is the idea being well-covered or is there something more you can add that would be useful? Is there an interest in books in your genre? Why would anyone want to read your memoir?
Step Two: Follow Step One with a wide open mind and the thought processes of a businessperson. Once you’ve uncovered the absolute truth about the topic or theme of the book you propose, use it to plan a more viable book—the one more people will likely buy. This may require you stepping down from your high horse, humbling yourself and letting go of your attachment to your original story or nonfiction book.
Step Three: Study the publishing industry before writing even one word. Well, you can be practicing your writing skills and techniques. Practice, practice, practice. In the meantime, however, read books on the subject of publishing, subscribe to newsletters related to the industry, attend writers’ conferences and writers’ group meetings and join publishing organizations.
Step Four: Write a book proposal. This process will teach you volumes about your project, your audience, your responsibilities as a published author, your abilities and aptitude for succeeding in this business and how you can make your particular book a success.
Step Five: Start writing the book. If you’ve absorbed all of the wisdom available out there, you are now ready to write the right book for the right audience.
Step Six: Hire a good book editor to fine-tune your manuscript.
Step Seven: Seek a publisher. In Step Three, you studied the publishing industry, which means that you became familiar with your publishing options, the possible consequences of your choices and your responsibilities as a published author. By now, you should have a clear idea of the best publishing option for your project. If you haven’t done so already, do some stringent Internet research to discover if these publishers are legit, they have acceptable contracts and they offer exactly what you want/need. This is no time for assumptions or impatience. These two postures have created more publishing failures than you can imagine.
Step Eight: Plan your marketing strategy. In fact, prepare for a lifetime of promotion. In other words, prepare to promote your book for as long as you want it to sell. Stop promoting and your book will most likely die.
What happens if you do not follow these eight important steps? What if you continue down your original path and produce the book of your dreams, even though your research demonstrates that there probably isn’t a market for it? What happens if you avoid studying the publishing industry and decide to just wing it? Millions of people do so every year. And they fail. In fact, nearly 80 percent of all books sell fewer than 100 copies total.
If you are serious about producing a book of value to a segment of people and presenting it to your audience, you must enter into this business with knowledge, information and realistic expectations.
Two useful books for authors at any stage of their projects are:
Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author and Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author. http://www.matilijapress.com
Also available at Amazon.com, B&N.com and most other online and downtown bookstores.