7 Steps to Successful Publishing

7 Steps to Successful Publishing
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The decision to publish a book is very exciting! It causes the creative
juices to flow and the eyes to light up. But wait - before you begin the
publishing process, know about the seven most important steps you need
to know before publishing your book. Make sure that you take every step
into careful consideration so that your road to success is an easy one:

1. Know why you are writing a book. Are you writing your memoirs for the
family, are you writing a community cookbook, are you writing a book of
regional interest or are you writing a national bestseller? All of these
goals are valid, but each goal has different implications for your
business plan. Know why you are writing and know that you can create
that bestseller if that is your goal.


2. Treat publishing as a business. You are passing beyond the realm of
author into the exciting world of publishing. You are not just a writer,
you are about to become a publisher who wants to produce a profitable
book, and you want to keep the profits for yourself.


3. Write a business plan. Being aware of the business aspect of
publishing is not an end in itself - you need to formally write your
plan. It does not need to be a fifty page document with every accounting
possibility recorded, but it should outline all of the costs that you
will encounter from obtaining the necessary funds to knowing the price
of mailing a book. The business plan needs to account for future
expenses as well as pre-publication expenses.


4. Plan for publicity and marketing. You must plan for the publicity and
marketing of your book. You can have the best book in the world, but if
no one knows about it, no one will buy it. You don't want to print books
that sit in your garage. You want to print books that will sell, sell,
sell!


5. Write about a subject that you know well. Don't write about something
that you can't talk about without effort. Write about a subject with
which you are very familiar and that excites you. Writing the book will
establish you as an expert in your field, so choose the topic that
causes everyone you know to come to you for advice. The publicity will
then be so easy that you will love being the "star".


6. Know who will buy your book. So many authors think that "everyone"
needs and should buy their books. Not so. Perhaps "everyone" needs their
books, but not "everyone" will want to buy. Research and know WHO will
actually WANT your book and market, market to them. They will buy!


7. Look for non-bookstore markets and do not be afraid of the large
discounts. Bookstores are a hugely important market for most authors,
but they are far from being the only place to sell books. There are many
non-traditional markets that buy books in large quantities with no
returns. This is a great market - sales made are guaranteed sales not
consignment sales. Do not be afraid of the larger discounts when you
make those large volume sales. The books you sell are actually SOLD.

Think how much more pleasant a journey is if you know which fork in the
road will lead you to smooth driving and which fork in the road will
lead you through potholes. Knowing the most effective publishing steps
before you print will make your publishing career fun and profitable.


C Copyright 2004 Ink Tree Ltd.
Ink Tree Ltd. helps authors publish, market and sell books. From "101
Things You Need to Know About Publishing" to our Ultimate Book Marketing
Kit, we will help you make your book a success.
http://www.inktreemarketing.com


Joni Hamilton, VP Marketing - Ink Tree Ltd.
Phone: 403-295-3898 Fax: 403-730-3492 Direct: 403-730-7232
Email: jhamilton@...
Thinking about writing a book? Written one already and need help selling
it? www.inktreemarketing.com




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