Are you afraid to learn? Do you have a block against changing the way you approach your publishing project? Some people do. In fact, this fear or block can stop you from moving forward with your book project and keep you from experiencing a high level of success.
I know someone who is dealing with a serious illness in the family. This man doesn’t understand what is happening—why things are changing and why things are so out of control. He has information about the illness at his fingertips, but instead of studying it, he does what he knows. He stays in his safe zone. Rather than learn something new, he keeps a journal—writes down what happened that day with his loved one, logs episodes and positive/negative activities occurring each day.
Instead of trying to understand the condition and how to handle it, he ignores research results and reports and is acting from his own limited knowledge. He keeps dealing with the same issues in the same way and, guess what? Nothing is changing.
I see authors do this, as well. They write a book and decide to publish it. But they aren’t willing to shift their mindset from writing mode to business mode. Some won’t even acknowledge that there is enough of a difference to acknowledge between the process of writing and the process of publishing.
If you are writing a book for publication and you want it to be a commercial success, you really must shift gears even before you complete the writing process. Once you know you will publish, start studying the publishing industry and what it takes to succeed.
It begins, you know, at the drawing board. You must first determine your audience and write the book for them.
When it is time to publish, bring with you that wonderful measure of creativity you’ve used while writing the book, as well as the discipline and skill. But also be willing to go back to school (so to speak) and learn the business of publishing before getting involved. Acknowledge that publishing is a very different activity than writing and that you must prepare yourself to enter into this fiercely competitive business.
Take the stance that publishing is an extension of your writing and you will be among the nearly 80 percent of authors who fail.
Are you ready to study the publishing industry? If you are even thinking about writing a book for publication, you should be ready NOW. Order my book, Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author. It’s at amazon.com and most other online and downtown bookstores. Also available here: http://www.matilijapress.com