There used to be a statement you would see quite often saying, “Eighty-one percent of the adult population claim they have a book inside them.” At the time (I believe it was the eighties when I first read this), very few of those people were actually writing those books. And they certainly weren’t publishing them.
Now, I’d say that practically all of those eighty-one percent of adults with a book inside are writing them AND publishing them.
Here’s something else I’ve observed. A large number of those who are publishing books shouldn’t be. And there are still thousands—maybe millions—of books that should be written and have not been.
Authors, before you launch out and write that memoir, novel or informational book, study the market. Find out what is needed and what is popular. Learn what is already out there and determine whether or not you can produce something as useful or entertaining as what’s already being published. In other words, is there an audience for your book? Is your nonfiction book different enough from what’s already been published or is your novel similar enough to what’s currently popular?
To learn more about determining the potential success of your proposed book as well as how to navigate the publishing industry, read Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author. It’s in print, Kindle and audio at http://www.amazon.com. Or order it in print form here: http://www.matilijapress.com/PublishYourBook.html