People generally publish books for one or more of the following reasons:
1. To fulfil a dream
2. To create a passive income
3. To gain credibility It is always important to keep the end result in mind.
The process taken in each step along the way is always different depending on the outcome you wish to achieve.
There are 4 formats in which people generally publish books:
1. The printed book
2. The audio book
3. The ebook
4. The eaudio
It is important to keep your target market in mind when choosing which medium is right for you. Different target markets respond better to different media or different combinations of media.
Regardless of your reason for wanting to publish a book or your choice of media, there are always 7 steps involved in the Book Publishing Process:
1. Writing your Book
2. Editing your Book
3. Illustrating your Book
4. Designing your Book
5. Registering your Book
6. Producing your Book
7. Distributing your Book
Throughout the blog I will explore each reason and format to find out which is right for you and your book. I will also go through all the 7 stages of the Publishing Process to show you which method will work best in your chosen medium to ensure you reach your desired outcome.
Monday 25 July 2011
WHY PUBLISH?
Why do I want to publish a book?
People publish books for many different reasons but as previously stated, the most common reasons are:
1. To fulfil a dream
2. To create a passive income
3. To gain credibility
Some people focus on one of these aims, some people a combination of two and some people all three. It is very important that you determine what your aim is before you commence any publishing project, as otherwise you will have no way of reaching it.
If you pick one outcome, it will be relatively easy to achieve as you will have one outcome to focus on. If you pick a combination of two outcomes it will make the task more challenging, but if your aim is to achieve all three outcomes then you will need to pay careful attention.
If you follow all the steps outlined in the following pages then your book is practically guaranteed to achieve your desired outcome. However if you skip one or more steps you will find you will achieve two outcomes quite easily but will always be struggling to achieve the third.
To help you ensure that no steps are missed, please refer to the checklist provided to help you on your journey.
People publish books for many different reasons but as previously stated, the most common reasons are:
1. To fulfil a dream
2. To create a passive income
3. To gain credibility
Some people focus on one of these aims, some people a combination of two and some people all three. It is very important that you determine what your aim is before you commence any publishing project, as otherwise you will have no way of reaching it.
If you pick one outcome, it will be relatively easy to achieve as you will have one outcome to focus on. If you pick a combination of two outcomes it will make the task more challenging, but if your aim is to achieve all three outcomes then you will need to pay careful attention.
If you follow all the steps outlined in the following pages then your book is practically guaranteed to achieve your desired outcome. However if you skip one or more steps you will find you will achieve two outcomes quite easily but will always be struggling to achieve the third.
To help you ensure that no steps are missed, please refer to the checklist provided to help you on your journey.
How to Publish a Book for Pleasure
The Dream
Do you have a book in you?
Maybe it's always been your dream to publish a book or maybe you only recently decided you wanted to. Maybe you never even considered it before, but now that you have picked up this book you would like to give it a go.
Whatever the reason, or for however long you have wanted it, here's the good news... your dreams can be realised today.
Publishing a book is not necessarily difficult, time consuming or out of reach for you. The only reason you are not already a published author is either because you haven't started writing your book, you haven't finished writing your book, or you finished your book but you put it away on the shelf and never did anything with it. So what's stopping you?
You've probably heard yourself thinking or saying many excuses before such as:
• but I am not talented enough to write a book
• but I don't know how to write a book
• but I can't afford to publish a book
• but I don't have time to write a book
• but I don't know the legalities involved
• but my English isn't good enough
• but I couldn't make my book look appealing
• but nobody will be able to find my book
• but I don't know how to get a publisher for my book
Let me put a stop to these silly excuses right now.
In the modern publishing world, each and every one has a solution.
There is no longer a reason to be make an excuse.
Everyone is an expert in something. Something which you do and do well (that you may take for granted) is the very same thing that someone else is desperately trying to work out how to do. You have a lot more talent than you think. What is it you love? What is it you are most passionate about? Generally that is the best thing to write a book about, as if you love something that much, you will spent a lot of time doing it, which means you will know it a lot better than anyone else.That makes you an expert in it and people are paying top dollar these days for the'How to...'genre of books where the experts reveal what they know. So why not help someone else out by sharing your knowledge with them while making your own dream come true?
So stop making excuses. Your book isn't going to write itself.
If it is your dream to write a book then just do it. The only person stopping you is you.
If you follow exactly Steps 1-7 of the Book Publishing Process you will be a published author in no time.
So what are you waiting for? Begin writing your book today.
Take out a piece of paper and write on it the following:
"I have always wanted to write a book on ..."
"The title of my book will be ..."
"The subtitle of my book will be ..."
You get the idea. Before you know it, your book will be underway.
Do you have a book in you?
Maybe it's always been your dream to publish a book or maybe you only recently decided you wanted to. Maybe you never even considered it before, but now that you have picked up this book you would like to give it a go.
Whatever the reason, or for however long you have wanted it, here's the good news... your dreams can be realised today.
Publishing a book is not necessarily difficult, time consuming or out of reach for you. The only reason you are not already a published author is either because you haven't started writing your book, you haven't finished writing your book, or you finished your book but you put it away on the shelf and never did anything with it. So what's stopping you?
You've probably heard yourself thinking or saying many excuses before such as:
• but I am not talented enough to write a book
• but I don't know how to write a book
• but I can't afford to publish a book
• but I don't have time to write a book
• but I don't know the legalities involved
• but my English isn't good enough
• but I couldn't make my book look appealing
• but nobody will be able to find my book
• but I don't know how to get a publisher for my book
Let me put a stop to these silly excuses right now.
In the modern publishing world, each and every one has a solution.
There is no longer a reason to be make an excuse.
Did you know that some of the most commonly searched for books online today are things like;' How to tie a tie' or 'How to tie a bow tie' or 'How to make macaroni & cheese'?
"But I am not talented enough to write a book"
Everyone is an expert in something. Something which you do and do well (that you may take for granted) is the very same thing that someone else is desperately trying to work out how to do. You have a lot more talent than you think. What is it you love? What is it you are most passionate about? Generally that is the best thing to write a book about, as if you love something that much, you will spent a lot of time doing it, which means you will know it a lot better than anyone else.That makes you an expert in it and people are paying top dollar these days for the'How to...'genre of books where the experts reveal what they know. So why not help someone else out by sharing your knowledge with them while making your own dream come true?
"But I don't know how to write a book"Right now this may be true. But don't worry, it's not your fault. You don't know how to do anything until you are taught. Imagine if on the day you were born you decided you wanted to walk. It wouldn't matter how much you wanted to do it, you will never be able to walk before you have learned to crawl. The same is true with publishing a book, you need to learn to crawl before you can walk. This book will give you complete guidance on how to learn to crawl as an author. Follow the steps in order and you will be walking, running and even jumping in no time.
How much do you think it costs to write a book? These days a lot less than you think. You can'do it yourself very inexpensively these days {see Step 6 for more details) and if that is still too expensive for you, then you can now publish a book on time payments, or better yet, if you have a good credit rating, 6 months interest free terms. Just like the large furniture/electrical goods retailers, even the publishing world has embraced the'buy now, pay later'attitude of modern society. While this attitude isn't always a good thing, if you can't afford to produce your book by using your time or money up front, then this is just one of the many options now available to you.
"But I can't afford to publish a book"
"But I don't have time to write a book"With the way the times are going and the average hours in a working week creeping higher and higher, this is becoming more and more of an issue. If you really don't have the time, you can pay to have a ghost writer write your book for you (see Step 1 for more details). It will sound like you, be credited to you and no one will ever know it wasn't you. If time is really an issue, then this is an easy way of getting past that hurdle. Are you beginning to believe me yet?... anyone can publish a book.
"But I don't know the legalities involved"There are actually no legalities involved in producing a book if it is 100% your own original work. There are lots of legalities for reproducing other people's work, to stop people stealing your work or publishing a book that is legal to sell (see Step 5 for more details).
"But my English isn't good enough"To be perfectly honest with you few have English good enough these days to write a book. From slang phrases to acronyms or swear words we are increasingly getting more and more diverse, shorter, easier ways to say just about anything. As a result, we are all getting lazier and lazier and with spell check and other checks on our computers these days, it is only getting worse. The good news is you don't need to have perfect English, spelling or grammar to be able to publish a book. A good editor is all you need and you will be well on the way to creating a masterpiece (see Step 2 for more details).
If you don't know what makes a book visually appealing to potential readers then the best idea would be to do some research (see Step 4 for more details). If you don't have the time, or still don't think you could do a good job of it, don't worry. There are very talented people out there who are trained in how to do this for you. Hire a designer to design the layout of your book for you. It will cost you a lot less than you think and the finished product will be something you can be proud of.
"But I couldn't make my book look appealing"
"But nobody will be able to find my book"There are a multitude of ways to get your book 'out there'. From self-distribution, to online distribution, to putting your book into bookstores, there are many different ways to ensure your book is not only published but becomes well known.
"But I don't know how to get a publisher for my book"In the past you would have had little to no chance of ever getting your book'out there'. There are more books being released worldwide these days than ever before. The good news is, there are many more options these days. Self-publishing is a way you can get your book out there regardless of what the bigger publishing houses may think or say. Self-publishing can be a very difficult and time-consuming process, however there are now publishers set up purely to help self-publishers by taking care of this whole process for them. The best thing about producing a book this way is that you still have the experts looking after your baby, but you get to keep all the profits from your work.
So stop making excuses. Your book isn't going to write itself.
If it is your dream to write a book then just do it. The only person stopping you is you.
If you follow exactly Steps 1-7 of the Book Publishing Process you will be a published author in no time.
So what are you waiting for? Begin writing your book today.
Take out a piece of paper and write on it the following:
"I have always wanted to write a book on ..."
"The title of my book will be ..."
"The subtitle of my book will be ..."
You get the idea. Before you know it, your book will be underway.
How to Publish a Book for Profit
Creating a Passive Income
Would you like to make a money from the book you have written?
I should actually say, Would you like to make money from the book you plan to write? because the best time to look at the potential saleability of your book is before it is written.
Now if you have already completed your book, don't worry, there are ways to go back and edit it to ensure it is saleable. However, it is always easier to start with the end in mind. Before you even begin writing you can ensure your book has a sufficient target market for the sales you desire. If making a profit is your aim there is no point producing a masterpiece unless you can be certain there are enough people out there hungry for your subject matter. Without a hungry target market there would be little point in releasing your book.
It is very important when writing a book for profit that you find the market first, find out what they want and then tailor your book to meet their needs. There is no greater way to guarantee sales than to provide a hungry market with a book that, while they may not know it exists, they are already looking for. This also makes the sales process of your book much easier, as when a hungry buyer hears about your book, they purchase first and ask questions later. This is known as'the emotional buyer'and the best way to make a profit from your book is to sell to their impulse-buying emotions.
But how do I know what my target market is looking for?
The simple answer to the above question is to ask them. While this sounds too easy it actually works very well. Conduct a survey.
Ask your target market exactly what they are looking for. Examples of good questions to ask include:
• Would you buy a book on (insert your subject matter here)!
• What subjects would you most like to see in that book?
• Is there anything you particularly struggle with that you would like covered in this book?
• What question would you most like answered in the book?
• How much would you pay for such a book?
• Would you be interested in buying this book when it is released?
• Would you recommend this book to your friends?
•Would you be interested in pre-ordering this book at a discounted price?
I think you get the idea.
Answers to any of these questions are invaluable, as now you can not only structure your book around what your target market is already looking for and therefore guarantee sales, but you already have the content for the book, know how much people are willing to pay for it, if people are ready to buy it and, better yet, whether people are ready to recommend it to their friends. If you take advantage of the pre-ordering question you can also have the capital to produce your book with before you need to fulfil the orders. Other people are now paying for you to fulfil your dream. Interesting isn't it? For the specific advantages of asking any of the above questions please refer to the boxes on the following pages.
On the flip side, an overpriced book will miss out on sales altogether. If people feel they are being ripped off they will not buy your book on principle. Always under-promise and over-fulfil.
The other good thing about surveying the market first is not only does it provide you with content for your book which you already know will be saleable, but it is a relatively inexpensive way of doing this. Surveys can be conducted via traditional means where people for your target market can be found.
While cold calling has been repeatedly used over the years as a form of conducting research I don't recommend it. It annoys many people and even those who agree to be surveyed may still hold a grudge against the company that took up their time. This is the last thing you want. If the people you survey are your future buyers, you want them to complete the survey leaving extremely happy with you.
The best way to ensure people who complete your survey have a good experience, and go away feeling happy and promoting your book to others, is to offer them some kind of freebie or incentive for completing your survey e.g. a free sample chapter in ebook form. This not only creates a happy potential customer you can come back to when your book is ready, but providing them with a free sample creates in them the desire to read more. This in turn helps sell your book when it comes on the market.
If a traditional survey seems to involve too much work in finding the time to go out and find your target market, asking their permission and then waiting for them to fill out and return your survey, then don't worry. There are ways to get people who are wanting to complete your survey to come to you.
The best way to distribute this kind of book (after you have fulfilled all the pre-orders, of course) is online via both e-mail marketing and your own website specifically designed to sell your book. For more information on this, make sure you pay special attention to Step 7 as your book will only remain saleable for as long as you keep regular contact with your target market.
Would you like to make a money from the book you have written?
I should actually say, Would you like to make money from the book you plan to write? because the best time to look at the potential saleability of your book is before it is written.
Now if you have already completed your book, don't worry, there are ways to go back and edit it to ensure it is saleable. However, it is always easier to start with the end in mind. Before you even begin writing you can ensure your book has a sufficient target market for the sales you desire. If making a profit is your aim there is no point producing a masterpiece unless you can be certain there are enough people out there hungry for your subject matter. Without a hungry target market there would be little point in releasing your book.
It is very important when writing a book for profit that you find the market first, find out what they want and then tailor your book to meet their needs. There is no greater way to guarantee sales than to provide a hungry market with a book that, while they may not know it exists, they are already looking for. This also makes the sales process of your book much easier, as when a hungry buyer hears about your book, they purchase first and ask questions later. This is known as'the emotional buyer'and the best way to make a profit from your book is to sell to their impulse-buying emotions.
But how do I know what my target market is looking for?
The simple answer to the above question is to ask them. While this sounds too easy it actually works very well. Conduct a survey.
Ask your target market exactly what they are looking for. Examples of good questions to ask include:
• Would you buy a book on (insert your subject matter here)!
• What subjects would you most like to see in that book?
• Is there anything you particularly struggle with that you would like covered in this book?
• What question would you most like answered in the book?
• How much would you pay for such a book?
• Would you be interested in buying this book when it is released?
• Would you recommend this book to your friends?
•Would you be interested in pre-ordering this book at a discounted price?
I think you get the idea.
Answers to any of these questions are invaluable, as now you can not only structure your book around what your target market is already looking for and therefore guarantee sales, but you already have the content for the book, know how much people are willing to pay for it, if people are ready to buy it and, better yet, whether people are ready to recommend it to their friends. If you take advantage of the pre-ordering question you can also have the capital to produce your book with before you need to fulfil the orders. Other people are now paying for you to fulfil your dream. Interesting isn't it? For the specific advantages of asking any of the above questions please refer to the boxes on the following pages.
"Would you buy a book on (insert your subject matter here)?"This is a very important question. While you may think your book is absolutely fantastic, if your target market is not interested in your subject of choice you will have great difficulty selling your book. This doesn't mean you shouldn't write your book. It may just mean that your book is a 'dream' book rather than a 'passive income' book. Or it may mean that you need to tailor the subject matter to something more specific.The power of book sales is in the niche, so if your book doesn't cover a specific niche it will not be as saleable as one that does.
For example: A book on 'how to raise kittens' may not sell that well, as there are plenty of books like that already on the market. However a book on 'how to raise Siamese kittens in the Australian climate to ensure that they are show winners by age 1' is tailored to a much more specific market and therefore a lot easier to sell. People are looking for specialists, not generalists, so make sure when writing a book for profit you always keep this in mind.
"What subjects would you most like to see in that book?"This question is terrific as you can collate the information from your survey together, find the 10 most popular subjects and you have the subject matter for your book right there. Write one chapter on each subject and you will have a very satisfied target market.
"Is there anything you particularly struggle with that you would like covered in this book?"Anything that is mentioned here is vital. Once again, make sure you have a chapter allocated to this topic in the top 10. If there are any topics that don't overlap with the subject matter mentioned above, add a few extra chapters but make sure you cover the top 10.
For example: A good place for the solution to their struggles is at the start of each chapter. When someone is looking for a solution they don't want to waste any time in finding it. If they only read the first paragraph, get the solution to their problem and never read the rest of your book, does that really matter? If your aim was to sell the book, you still sold it, didn't you? Whether they read the whole thing or not is irrelevant.
"What question would you most like answered in the book?"This is a great question as people like finding answers to their questions. The chances are that, just like subjects they would like to see covered and the issues they are currently struggling with, this question will overlap with one or more of the earlier questions. Fantastic. Repetition is the key, so if people have asked for the same thing 3 times then there is a good chance your book is going to sell well. Better yet, people like answers to their questions and as such, questions make terrific Chapter titles.There is no better way to get someone to read your book than for them to glance through a table of contents and see a range of questions they desperately want to have answered.
"How much would you pay for such a book?"This is a fantastic question as it prices your book for you. You don't want to underprice your book, as apart from reducing your potential revenue, doing this also reduces the perceived value of your book. People don't buy books based on their price, people buy books based on their perceived value eg. 'What will I get out of this?'The cheaper the price, the less value the customer believes they are getting.
On the flip side, an overpriced book will miss out on sales altogether. If people feel they are being ripped off they will not buy your book on principle. Always under-promise and over-fulfil.
For example: People like to know that when they buy something they are getting a lot more value than the price they are paying. A good way of doing this is to offer some free giveaway with your book via coupon redemption eg. free seminar tickets, bonus ebook with every book purchased etc. Work out what is appropriate for your book and give that away with it. People will love you for it.
"Would you be interested in buying this book when it is released?"This is a great question as this distinguishes the referrers (people who will recommend your book to others) from the buyers. Both need to be marketed to, however they need to be marketed to in different ways.The buyers will generally pre-order which, as already discussed, is great capital to start your publishing endeavours with, but the referrers will keep referring so long as you keep updating them with what is going on. This is where e-mail newsletters play an integral part in the marketing process of your book (see Step 7 for more details).
"Would you recommend this book to your friends?"Great question. Firstly, just because someone is interested in your subject matter doesn't mean they would buy your book. Some people don't like to clutter their home (I will talk about how to sell ebooks to them here ), some people are tight with their cash and prefer to borrow books and some people just don't like reading. While not everyone will buy your book, there is nothing wrong with everyone advocating it. For example: If someone completes your survey and leaves happy, chances are they are going to tell their friends about it and chances are they have more than one friend. Even if the person who completed your survey doesn't buy your book, the power of sales is in selling to the masses, not the individual. So, just because 1 or 2 people, or even 10% of the people who complete your survey don't buy your book, if 1,2,3 or more of their friends do you'll be glad you conducted a survey.
"Would you be interested in pre-ordering this book at a discounted price?"Fantastic question. While you ideally want as many people as possible to pre-order, the fact of the matter is, not everyone will. The ones who do are great for initial capital as previously mentioned, but don't forget about the ones who don't as they are just as important, being your first buyers after the book has been printed. Even if pre-orders cover the cost of the printing, you don't begin to make a profit until you sell to the second group of people. You would be surprised how well the phrases, 'just released', or 'brand new' sell. It is a common mistake that pre-orders are taken and those who want to wait till the book is released miss out, or get marketed to as referrers. This is a terrible mistake, as if they feel you have forgotten them, they are hardly going to be a good referrer. Make sure you treat all 3 styles of people who complete your survey as they want to be treated (see Step 7 for more details).
The other good thing about surveying the market first is not only does it provide you with content for your book which you already know will be saleable, but it is a relatively inexpensive way of doing this. Surveys can be conducted via traditional means where people for your target market can be found.
For example: a good place to conduct a survey for a book on 'how to raise a toddler'might be at your local preschool if you could send a survey home with the parents of each child. Alternatively, a cookbook's market may be better researched by handing out surveys in front of a supermarket.
While cold calling has been repeatedly used over the years as a form of conducting research I don't recommend it. It annoys many people and even those who agree to be surveyed may still hold a grudge against the company that took up their time. This is the last thing you want. If the people you survey are your future buyers, you want them to complete the survey leaving extremely happy with you.
The best way to ensure people who complete your survey have a good experience, and go away feeling happy and promoting your book to others, is to offer them some kind of freebie or incentive for completing your survey e.g. a free sample chapter in ebook form. This not only creates a happy potential customer you can come back to when your book is ready, but providing them with a free sample creates in them the desire to read more. This in turn helps sell your book when it comes on the market.
If a traditional survey seems to involve too much work in finding the time to go out and find your target market, asking their permission and then waiting for them to fill out and return your survey, then don't worry. There are ways to get people who are wanting to complete your survey to come to you.
Well, basically yes. These days, thanks to the world wide web, there are survey sites available to do just that - allow you to test a new product on your target market before it is produced. Sites like www.surveymonkey. com or www.askdatabase.com amongst many other survey sites are set up for this express purpose. Some have costs associated with them and some are free, some you can conduct from the survey site themselves (meaning you don't even need a website) and some you can host on your own website. I recommend doing an internet search to find out which ones are right for you. Whichever way you contact your target market, make sure you do, as there is no better way to guarantee sales of your book (and to source qualified leads) than to ask the people who are already looking for your book what they want in it.
"Do you mean potential customers will find me instead of me having to go searching for them?"
The best way to distribute this kind of book (after you have fulfilled all the pre-orders, of course) is online via both e-mail marketing and your own website specifically designed to sell your book. For more information on this, make sure you pay special attention to Step 7 as your book will only remain saleable for as long as you keep regular contact with your target market.
How to Publish a Book for Publicity
Gaining Credibility as an Expert in your Field
How can you gain credibility for writing a book?
The answer is, by simply letting people know. You could be incredibly talented in your various areas of specialisation but the fact of the matter is, no one will listen to what you have to say until they know your credentials. The best way to let people know your credentials is to market yourself to tell them. People don't know anything until they are told and people don't believe anything until they are told multiple times and from multiple sources.
If flying helicopters isn't your thing or making a training video is too difficult, time-consuming or expensive, there is a much easier, quicker and more effective way to gain credibility as an expert in your field... write a book! It may sound too easy but it is working time and time again everyday around the world. People are coming up with fantastic products or services every day, but most of them don't even get a chance to try and make it in the marketplace because nobody wants to listen to what a nobody has to say. You are not a nobody, you are just not a somebody yet.
Do I hear you say:
• But there isn't a market for a book on my topic
• But how do I get publicity just from writing a book?
• But publicity is just too hard to obtain
• But just because I have written a book doesn't mean people will take me seriously
• But I need media attention, not just a bit of publicity
• But I don't know how to be an author
• But I don't have time to write a book
amongst many other concerns.
You don't need to be worried about any of these things. The boxes on the following pages highlight the solutions to each of the common concerns mentioned above.
I could substitute numerous products and people's names into the above scenario as I see the same stories happening over and over again. No one wants to know what you have until everyone wants to know who you are.
Be very careful if publicity is your aim, as the purpose of the publicity when it comes to writing a book is to gain a reputation as an expert in your field of speciality. If either your personal presentation (both how you dress and what you say) or the substance of your book and service/product don't hold up, while you will get publicity (and once you have it, is hard to get rid of) you will lose any credibility you gained almost as quickly as it came.
As you can see, the power of a publicity book is in the correct use of the distribution channels, so make sure you study Step 7 in great detail to ensure you receive the publicity you require. It is ideal (not essential, just highly advised) that when publishing a book for publicity that you don't just follow the distribution method specifically for publicity but that you use a combination of every form of distribution, as this will ensure you reach your desired outcome in the quickest possible.way.
Remember, people want to hear the same message multiple times from multiple sources and in multiple media before they believe it or want to become involved. The power of distribution when it comes to gaining credibility works quicker and more effectively if you market in multiple media simultaneously to get your message out there.
Self distribution involves self publicity eg. word of mouth, marketing campaigns, plugs from stage etc. (see Step 7 for more details). Online distribution involves online publicity eg. e-mail marketing, website with good Search Engine Optimisation, Adwords campaigns to drive additional qualified traffic (see Step 7 for more details). Book Store Distribution involves bookstore publicity eg. press releases, online + offline presence in stores, book signings etc. (see Step 7 for more details). The power of effective marketing to achieve publicity is in the combination of all media and their being used simultaneously.
Saying that, if your aim is to achieve publicity then, cost aside, having a physical book is a must. No matter how much money you may be making from selling ebooks, you will never gain publicity from writing an ebook. There are people out there right now making millions from authoring 50-100 ebooks and no one knows who they are. You can't do a television appearance and hold up an ebook, you can't buy an ebook from a bookstore when browsing for a friend, you can't wrap an ebook to give as a present and you certainly can't hold book signings once you have achieved your publicity for an ebook. There is no doubt about it, a physical book is an essential part of your publishing process if publicity is your aim.
Please see the following diagram for the pros and cons of ' The Printed Book'. Work out what the requirements are for your target market and check 'The Printed Book' meets your requirements.
Even with all the pros and cons the physical book is still the most popular form of publishing a book today and will continue to be so for many years to come. The question isn't whether it is popular, the question is whether it is right for you, your subject matter and your target market.
How can you gain credibility for writing a book?
The answer is, by simply letting people know. You could be incredibly talented in your various areas of specialisation but the fact of the matter is, no one will listen to what you have to say until they know your credentials. The best way to let people know your credentials is to market yourself to tell them. People don't know anything until they are told and people don't believe anything until they are told multiple times and from multiple sources.
For example: If you tell someone you are an expert in flying helicopters as you have had 20 years experience they may believe you, but just because they believe you doesn't mean they are ready to put their life in your hands and go for a ride with you. If a friend referred you to them saying, "Joe Smith is the best helicopter pilot I have ever met. I always feel safe flying with him because he has had over 20years experience and knows his stuff", suddenly they not only believe what is said, but it holds more weight because you didn't say it yourself. Knowing you are the best and getting someone else to tell people you are the best is still not enough for someone to put their entire trust in you, they don't only need to believe and have backup that what you say is true, but they need to see and experience it for themselves. In the case of a helicopter pilot, seeing for themselves may not necessarily be taking a flight (as the customer is not yet convinced this is safe) but it could be watching a training video where they see you safely take off and land, or where you talk them through the control panel so they are reassured you know how to operate the helicopter.
If flying helicopters isn't your thing or making a training video is too difficult, time-consuming or expensive, there is a much easier, quicker and more effective way to gain credibility as an expert in your field... write a book! It may sound too easy but it is working time and time again everyday around the world. People are coming up with fantastic products or services every day, but most of them don't even get a chance to try and make it in the marketplace because nobody wants to listen to what a nobody has to say. You are not a nobody, you are just not a somebody yet.
Do I hear you say:
• But there isn't a market for a book on my topic
• But how do I get publicity just from writing a book?
• But publicity is just too hard to obtain
• But just because I have written a book doesn't mean people will take me seriously
• But I need media attention, not just a bit of publicity
• But I don't know how to be an author
• But I don't have time to write a book
amongst many other concerns.
You don't need to be worried about any of these things. The boxes on the following pages highlight the solutions to each of the common concerns mentioned above.
"But there isn't a market for a book on my topic"There is always a market for your book. If there is a market for your service/product, then there is a market for your book. If there isn't a market for your service or product you should really think strongly about why you want the publicity to promote it in the first place. Just because you don't know the market doesn't mean it doesn't exist, it just means you have to find it. There are numerous ways to do this, which are all outlined in Step 7 in more detail.
"But how do I get publicity just from writing a book?"There are many ways to do this which will be elaborated on in more detail in Step 7, however you would be surprised how easy it is. The success stories I have heard time and time again always go along the same lines...
"I had this fantastic service/product which could help people everywhere, but whenever I spoke to the media about getting coverage they just laughed at me saying, 'Nobody wants to hear from you' or 'What's your name again?'As soon as I published my book, when I approached people telling them I had just released a book on... which was already available in bookstores, they suddenly had a space for a TV/Newspaper/Radio appearance for me. While I got the media attention because of the book, once I had the interview I could let the people know all about the service/product. Once they knew about it, my sales went through the roof. Better yet, once the media caught hold of what was going on, they were calling me and suddenly all the hard work was done"
I could substitute numerous products and people's names into the above scenario as I see the same stories happening over and over again. No one wants to know what you have until everyone wants to know who you are.
"But publicity is just too hard to obtain"Traditionally, yes... publicity has in the past been very hard to get, but not anymore. You can now have a press release go out to all of Australia & New Zealand or USA & UK relatively inexpensively and you don't even need to write or distribute it yourself ( see Step 7 for more details ). Not bad for creating instant credibility on a global scale practically overnight. Oh, and did I mention that publicity is now also available on time payments or 6 months interest free, so you don't even need to pay for it until after you have already begun making money from the sales of your book.
"But just because I have written a book doesn't mean people will take me seriously"Just because you have written a book doesn't mean people will take you seriously, but what it does mean is that people will stop and listen to what you have to say. All publicity does is create an opening and it is up to you to do the rest. If you release a book that doesn't have substance in it, you will still receive publicity, it just won't be of the positive kind. Likewise, if you obtain the interviews/ media attention and your product or service doesn't hold up, then once again you will get plenty of publicity, but not necessarily of the kind you want.
Be very careful if publicity is your aim, as the purpose of the publicity when it comes to writing a book is to gain a reputation as an expert in your field of speciality. If either your personal presentation (both how you dress and what you say) or the substance of your book and service/product don't hold up, while you will get publicity (and once you have it, is hard to get rid of) you will lose any credibility you gained almost as quickly as it came.
"But I need media attention, not just a bit of publicity"As already mentioned, the two go smoothly hand in hand. If you follow all the steps outlined in this book you will get publicity. The more you follow them and the quicker you follow them, the quicker it will come. As soon as the media gets wind of what you are doing, you will no longer need to chase publicity. And trust me, when the media frenzy starts, boy does it feel great!
"But I don't know how to be an author"You don't need to. If you don't know how to be an author yet, read the entirety of this book and by the end of it you definitely will. If you follow all the steps outlined in this book (and there is a checklist included to help you with that) you will find that you will be an expert author in no time.
Alternatively, if you really don't have time to write a book but still want credibility, then pay someone else to write your book for you. It is a quick and easy way to buy the publicity you so desire. For more detailed information on how ghost writing could work for you please check out Chapter 7.
"But I don't have time to write a book"
As you can see, the power of a publicity book is in the correct use of the distribution channels, so make sure you study Step 7 in great detail to ensure you receive the publicity you require. It is ideal (not essential, just highly advised) that when publishing a book for publicity that you don't just follow the distribution method specifically for publicity but that you use a combination of every form of distribution, as this will ensure you reach your desired outcome in the quickest possible.way.
Remember, people want to hear the same message multiple times from multiple sources and in multiple media before they believe it or want to become involved. The power of distribution when it comes to gaining credibility works quicker and more effectively if you market in multiple media simultaneously to get your message out there.
Self distribution involves self publicity eg. word of mouth, marketing campaigns, plugs from stage etc. (see Step 7 for more details). Online distribution involves online publicity eg. e-mail marketing, website with good Search Engine Optimisation, Adwords campaigns to drive additional qualified traffic (see Step 7 for more details). Book Store Distribution involves bookstore publicity eg. press releases, online + offline presence in stores, book signings etc. (see Step 7 for more details). The power of effective marketing to achieve publicity is in the combination of all media and their being used simultaneously.
Saying that, if your aim is to achieve publicity then, cost aside, having a physical book is a must. No matter how much money you may be making from selling ebooks, you will never gain publicity from writing an ebook. There are people out there right now making millions from authoring 50-100 ebooks and no one knows who they are. You can't do a television appearance and hold up an ebook, you can't buy an ebook from a bookstore when browsing for a friend, you can't wrap an ebook to give as a present and you certainly can't hold book signings once you have achieved your publicity for an ebook. There is no doubt about it, a physical book is an essential part of your publishing process if publicity is your aim.
Please see the following diagram for the pros and cons of ' The Printed Book'. Work out what the requirements are for your target market and check 'The Printed Book' meets your requirements.
APPLICATIONS FOR THE PRINTED BOOK | Printed Book | Audio Book | The'e' Product |
Suitable for'The Dream Book': | ✓ | ||
Suitable for'The Passive Income Book': | ✓ | ||
Suitable for'The Credibility Book': | ✓ | ||
You can physically hold it | ✓ | ||
You can give it away | ✓ | ||
You can buy it in a bookstore | ✓ | ||
You can buy it online | ✓ | ||
You can buy it in person | ✓ | ||
You can find it in a library | ✓ | ||
You can get it signed by the author | ✓ | ||
It can be obtained by anyone | ✓ | ||
There is a growing market | ✓ | ||
It is free to produce | X | ||
You can keep the first copy | ✓ | ||
You can release multiple editions | ✓ | ||
It can be any size | ✓ | ||
It can be changed quickly and easily | X | ||
It can be delivered instantly | X | ||
It can be read online | X | ||
It can be read while travelling on the train | ✓ | ||
It can be read while driving | X | ||
It can be read in any location | ✓ | ||
It is suitable for any target market | ✓ | ||
There is no risk involved in production | X | ||
There is no risk involved in distribution | X | ||
There is no cost involved if returned | X | ||
There is no need to be actively selling your book | X | ||
There is no need to be actively distributing your book | X | ||
It can be distributed anywhere in the world | ✓ | ||
You don't need to keep stock on hand | X | ||
It is the most popular way to publish a book | ✓ | ||
Is it the right format for you? | ✓ | ||
Is it the best format for your subject matter? | ? | ||
Is it the best format for your target market? | ? |
Even with all the pros and cons the physical book is still the most popular form of publishing a book today and will continue to be so for many years to come. The question isn't whether it is popular, the question is whether it is right for you, your subject matter and your target market.
WHICH WAY SHOULD I PUBLISH?
Which form of publishing is right for me?
People publish different books in different media, but as previously stated the most common formats are:
1. The traditional book
2. The audio book
3. The ebook
4. The eaudio
Some people focus on one of these media, others a combination of two or three and some all four. It is very important that you determine which formats you plan to use before you commence any publishing project, as otherwise you won't complete all the necessary steps in order to produce any particular format and will find yourself needing to back track. The following 3 posts show you the pros and cons of each format.
If you pick a single format it will be relatively easy to produce as you will have one point of focus, if you pick any combination of two or three formats it will make the task more challenging but if your aim is to achieve all four then pay careful attention. If you follow all the steps outlined in the following pages, then your book will be smoothly and easily produced in any format of your choice. However if you skip one or more steps you will find you will achieve two, possibly three formats quite easily but the fourth will never live up to your expectations or standards.
To help you ensure that no steps are missed, please refer to the checklist provided to help you on your journey.
Remember, it is always important to keep your target market in mind when choosing which format is right for you as different target markets respond better to one format or different combinations of formats.
People publish different books in different media, but as previously stated the most common formats are:
1. The traditional book
2. The audio book
3. The ebook
4. The eaudio
Some people focus on one of these media, others a combination of two or three and some all four. It is very important that you determine which formats you plan to use before you commence any publishing project, as otherwise you won't complete all the necessary steps in order to produce any particular format and will find yourself needing to back track. The following 3 posts show you the pros and cons of each format.
If you pick a single format it will be relatively easy to produce as you will have one point of focus, if you pick any combination of two or three formats it will make the task more challenging but if your aim is to achieve all four then pay careful attention. If you follow all the steps outlined in the following pages, then your book will be smoothly and easily produced in any format of your choice. However if you skip one or more steps you will find you will achieve two, possibly three formats quite easily but the fourth will never live up to your expectations or standards.
To help you ensure that no steps are missed, please refer to the checklist provided to help you on your journey.
Remember, it is always important to keep your target market in mind when choosing which format is right for you as different target markets respond better to one format or different combinations of formats.
The Advantages of the Printed Book
Why Publish a Traditional Book?
The power of the traditional book will always be being able to hold a physical product in your hands. Even with the cost involved in printing books in this digital age when everything can be downloaded online in a matter of seconds, the quantity of physical books being released is growing rapidly every year. Why?
I suggest it has something to do with the feeling you experience when you run your fingers along the first copy of your book. You touch the shiny, smooth glossy cover. Then you open it, recalling the amount of effort, time, sweat and tears that went into creating it. You then know that the baby you conceived and nurtured for so long has finally been brought to life.
Sentimentality aside though, Why publish a physical book?
Well, firstly, because you want to. Most people who are producing a book for pleasure (what I refer to as'the dream book') will not be satisfied if their book is produced in any other format. They want to hold a copy in their hands, they want to give a copy to their family and friends, they want to see their book on bookshelves in bookstores, libraries and people's homes. Basically they want to see their book being used. You will be surprised how quickly your dream of writing a book becomes the dream of your book being read, when you have your first copy in your hands.
A personal book that you may have just wanted a few copies of to distribute to family members can very quickly create the desire for everyone to read your book after it has been published. If this is the case it is okay (and quite common) to change the aim of your book after it has been produced. You may want additional copies, need to adjust the content to a saleable form, need to adjust the page size to standard distribution sizes, need to register your book or various other minor changes. If the direction of your book ever changes at any stage of your publishing process, just refer to the relevant chapter and check your book has all the requirements listed, or otherwise edit it until it does.
Making changes afterwards will always be the more expensive/timeconsuming option. However, never think that just because a book is published it can't be adjusted or changed. Remember, with the printed book people always want the newest thing that is out, so printing a second edition with changes or something included in it that wasn't available in the first edition creates the opportunity for additional sales to people who have already bought your book.
There is a lot going for the ebook these days and rightly so. However, the traditional book will still be around for a long time, as not everyone is internet savvy or interested in a downloadable product. Many people still want to hold the physical product in their hands. Always keep your target market in mind when picking which format is right for your book.
For example: Many retirees can't use or aren't that familiar with computers. They may know how to send an e-mail or enjoy playing solitaire but ecommerce is something that would go way above their heads. They may be very interested in your book if they saw your book in a store down the road and it was on a subject matter of interest to them but hidden online where they would never find it they would be very unlikely to purchase a copy.
The physical book will never make you money.
Well, that's not entirely true but it won't make you much money and it won't make you easy money. If you sell the book yourself it is a lot of hard work and if you put it in stores (and first you have to get it into stores which isn't easy) there is a whole lot of risk involved.
Traditionally, getting your book into bookstores is, first of all, an expensive and time-consuming process as you need to pay the right people (ie. distribution agents) who have the connections to do the ground work for you (cutting into your profit margin before you start) and then once you are in, the real risk starts.
The wholesale price for your average book is always less than 40% of the RRP as bookstores (depending on the chain) always take at least 60% of the RRP, heavily affecting your profit margin. Take out of that any agent fees you paid to make the connection, plus the cost of printing the book and you would be lucky to be left with a dollar or two profit from the book sales... and that's if it sells.
On average, if a book is accepted for nationwide distribution, the first order is around 3,500-5,000 copies to stock shelves all around Australia. That's great if your books sell, but while the bookstores pay you upfront to cover printing costs, they only keep your book for a 3 month trial period. If your books don't sell, 3 months later they are all shipped back to you (generally damaged and worn as a result of people looking at them instore) and you have to refund the bookstores. You now have 3,500-5,000 damaged unsaleable books and a lot of debt.
Of course, if your books do sell in the first 3 months, the bookstores reorder (usually around the same quantity) which is fantastic. Better yet, in Australia a book needs to have sold 10,000 copies to be classified as a best seller, so after your second or third print run is released, your book automatically meets this criteria.
While that would be fantastic, there is no guarantee that you will be in the second group of people and even if you are, it's a lot of risk for a mere $10,000-$20,000.That is why publicity is so important when it comes to bookstore distribution. Not just because bookstore distribution helps you to achieve publicity, but because if you don't keep the publicity up, you will lose the bookstore distribution.
Thankfully, times are changing and some distribution methods overseas no longer work like this.
If however, publishing a book for profit is your aim then skip ahead to Ebook, as publishing a physical book is not for you. Firstly, there is a cost involved in printing each copy and secondly, you need to have the stock on hand (paid for upfront) in order to fulfil future orders you don't even have yet.
Saying that, if your aim is to achieve publicity then, cost aside, having a physical book is a must. No matter how much money you may be making from selling ebooks, you will never gain publicity from writing an ebook. There are people out there right now making millions from authoring 50-100 ebooks and no one knows who they are. You can't do a television appearance and hold up an ebook, you can't buy an ebook from a bookstore when browsing for a friend, you can't wrap an ebook to give as a present and you certainly can't hold book signings once you have achieved your publicity for an ebook. There is no doubt about it, a physical book is an essential part of your publishing process if publicity is your aim.
Please see the following diagram for the pros and cons of ' The Printed Book'. Work out what the requirements are for your target market and check'The Printed Book'meets your requirements.
Even with all the pros and cons the physical book is still the most popular form of publishing a book today and will continue to be so for many years to come. The question isn't whether it is popular, the question is whether it is right for you, your subject matter and your target market.
The power of the traditional book will always be being able to hold a physical product in your hands. Even with the cost involved in printing books in this digital age when everything can be downloaded online in a matter of seconds, the quantity of physical books being released is growing rapidly every year. Why?
I suggest it has something to do with the feeling you experience when you run your fingers along the first copy of your book. You touch the shiny, smooth glossy cover. Then you open it, recalling the amount of effort, time, sweat and tears that went into creating it. You then know that the baby you conceived and nurtured for so long has finally been brought to life.
Sentimentality aside though, Why publish a physical book?
Well, firstly, because you want to. Most people who are producing a book for pleasure (what I refer to as'the dream book') will not be satisfied if their book is produced in any other format. They want to hold a copy in their hands, they want to give a copy to their family and friends, they want to see their book on bookshelves in bookstores, libraries and people's homes. Basically they want to see their book being used. You will be surprised how quickly your dream of writing a book becomes the dream of your book being read, when you have your first copy in your hands.
A personal book that you may have just wanted a few copies of to distribute to family members can very quickly create the desire for everyone to read your book after it has been published. If this is the case it is okay (and quite common) to change the aim of your book after it has been produced. You may want additional copies, need to adjust the content to a saleable form, need to adjust the page size to standard distribution sizes, need to register your book or various other minor changes. If the direction of your book ever changes at any stage of your publishing process, just refer to the relevant chapter and check your book has all the requirements listed, or otherwise edit it until it does.
Making changes afterwards will always be the more expensive/timeconsuming option. However, never think that just because a book is published it can't be adjusted or changed. Remember, with the printed book people always want the newest thing that is out, so printing a second edition with changes or something included in it that wasn't available in the first edition creates the opportunity for additional sales to people who have already bought your book.
There is a lot going for the ebook these days and rightly so. However, the traditional book will still be around for a long time, as not everyone is internet savvy or interested in a downloadable product. Many people still want to hold the physical product in their hands. Always keep your target market in mind when picking which format is right for your book.
For example: Many retirees can't use or aren't that familiar with computers. They may know how to send an e-mail or enjoy playing solitaire but ecommerce is something that would go way above their heads. They may be very interested in your book if they saw your book in a store down the road and it was on a subject matter of interest to them but hidden online where they would never find it they would be very unlikely to purchase a copy.
The physical book will never make you money.
Well, that's not entirely true but it won't make you much money and it won't make you easy money. If you sell the book yourself it is a lot of hard work and if you put it in stores (and first you have to get it into stores which isn't easy) there is a whole lot of risk involved.
Traditionally, getting your book into bookstores is, first of all, an expensive and time-consuming process as you need to pay the right people (ie. distribution agents) who have the connections to do the ground work for you (cutting into your profit margin before you start) and then once you are in, the real risk starts.
The wholesale price for your average book is always less than 40% of the RRP as bookstores (depending on the chain) always take at least 60% of the RRP, heavily affecting your profit margin. Take out of that any agent fees you paid to make the connection, plus the cost of printing the book and you would be lucky to be left with a dollar or two profit from the book sales... and that's if it sells.
On average, if a book is accepted for nationwide distribution, the first order is around 3,500-5,000 copies to stock shelves all around Australia. That's great if your books sell, but while the bookstores pay you upfront to cover printing costs, they only keep your book for a 3 month trial period. If your books don't sell, 3 months later they are all shipped back to you (generally damaged and worn as a result of people looking at them instore) and you have to refund the bookstores. You now have 3,500-5,000 damaged unsaleable books and a lot of debt.
Of course, if your books do sell in the first 3 months, the bookstores reorder (usually around the same quantity) which is fantastic. Better yet, in Australia a book needs to have sold 10,000 copies to be classified as a best seller, so after your second or third print run is released, your book automatically meets this criteria.
While that would be fantastic, there is no guarantee that you will be in the second group of people and even if you are, it's a lot of risk for a mere $10,000-$20,000.That is why publicity is so important when it comes to bookstore distribution. Not just because bookstore distribution helps you to achieve publicity, but because if you don't keep the publicity up, you will lose the bookstore distribution.
Thankfully, times are changing and some distribution methods overseas no longer work like this.
If however, publishing a book for profit is your aim then skip ahead to Ebook, as publishing a physical book is not for you. Firstly, there is a cost involved in printing each copy and secondly, you need to have the stock on hand (paid for upfront) in order to fulfil future orders you don't even have yet.
Saying that, if your aim is to achieve publicity then, cost aside, having a physical book is a must. No matter how much money you may be making from selling ebooks, you will never gain publicity from writing an ebook. There are people out there right now making millions from authoring 50-100 ebooks and no one knows who they are. You can't do a television appearance and hold up an ebook, you can't buy an ebook from a bookstore when browsing for a friend, you can't wrap an ebook to give as a present and you certainly can't hold book signings once you have achieved your publicity for an ebook. There is no doubt about it, a physical book is an essential part of your publishing process if publicity is your aim.
Please see the following diagram for the pros and cons of ' The Printed Book'. Work out what the requirements are for your target market and check'The Printed Book'meets your requirements.
APPLICATIONS FOR THE PRINTED BOOK | Printed Book | Audio Book | The 'e' Product |
Suitable for The Dream Book': | ✓ | ||
Suitable for The Passive Income Book': | ✓ | ||
Suitable for The Credibility Book': | ✓ | ||
You can physically hold it | ✓ | ||
You can give it away | ✓ | ||
You can buy it in a bookstore | ✓ | ||
You can buy it online | ✓ | ||
You can buy it in person | ✓ | ||
You can find it in a library | ✓ | ||
You can get it signed by the author | ✓ | ||
It can be obtained by anyone | ✓ | ||
There is a growing market | ✓ | ||
It is free to produce | X | ||
You can keep the first copy | ✓ | ||
You can release multiple editions | ✓ | ||
It can be any size | ✓ | ||
It can be changed quickly and easily | X | ||
It can be delivered instantly | X | ||
It can be read online | X | ||
It can be read while travelling on the train | ✓ | ||
It can be read while driving | X | ||
It can be read in any location | ✓ | ||
It is suitable for any target market | ✓ | ||
There is no risk involved in production | X | ||
There is no risk involved in distribution | X | ||
There is no cost involved if returned | X | ||
There is no need to be actively selling your book | X | ||
There is no need to be actively distributing your book | X | ||
It can be distributed anywhere in the world | ✓ | ||
You don't need to keep stock on hand | X | ||
It is the most popular way to publish a book | ✓ | ||
Is it the right format for you? | ? | ||
Is it the best format for your subject matter? | ? | ||
Is it the best format for your target market? | ? |
Even with all the pros and cons the physical book is still the most popular form of publishing a book today and will continue to be so for many years to come. The question isn't whether it is popular, the question is whether it is right for you, your subject matter and your target market.
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