Build Certain Your Book Has Potential Before Writing It!
"Crazy" Lives...
We've all known folks who talk concerning their "crazy" lives, that, 99 out of a hundred, is simply a life like most alternative lives, or, at the terribly least, definitely not some Oprah-worthy existence. They exclaim, "I ought to write a book; no one would believe it." Yeah, and no offense, but I'd wager no one would purchase it, either. What we assume is absolutely fascinating concerning our life isn't therefore for others. Thus, Rule 1 of the SP game, and part and parcel of the entire Sales and Selling discussion here is this:
Write a Book People Will Want to Read.
Painfully obvious, right? Total no-brainer? Well, as we have a tendency to've all discovered, few things aren't any-brainers, especially this one. A corollary to the present rule is: Do not let ego or self-importance ("Hooowee, I'm going to be an author!") cloud your judgment and keep you from asking yourself the powerful queries to work out if your proposed subject material is indeed salable. Keep in mind: a garage filled with books is an amazingly ego-boosting sight for about two hours. Tops.
Don't Go "Book Blind"!
Put another means, do not succumb to what I'll call "book blindness," a common affliction of 1st-time self-publishers and even some more experienced of us: when you become therefore enamored with the thought that you have written a book and you are thus intimately attuned to how much blood, sweat and tears went into its creation (and by extension, how "unimaginable" you know it is) that you just lose sight of the very fact that your market doesn't understand any of this and needs to be sold on all of it. That means content, cover, title, subtitle, editing, and everything else that contributes to a successful title - within the market's opinion, not yours.
What's the Payoff?
Let's study a transparent-cut example of a book folks wish to scan: a High 10 title on The New York Times fiction best-seller list. What makes such a book therefore fashionable? With non-fiction titles, the topic is undoubtedly topical and compelling, and the information is sufficiently valuable to enough individuals to translate to industrial success.
With fiction though, it's doubtless the draw of a marquee author. What makes those authors therefore widespread? Well, you'll safely say that their books strike a typical chord in enough readers with compelling story-telling, rich character development, recurring themes or heroes/heroines (in the case of a series), authentic depictions of human nature, etc.
Merely put, for a book to become a best seller, enough people have to feel there is a payoff: a sense that is pleasurable or acquainted, something they'll relate to on some fundamental level, etc. Can your book deliver that crucial payoff?
Tune in to WRII-FM
All writing, if it's to be effective (i.e., get through to your reader), must invariably consider the audience, as we just discussed. Throughout the entire self-publishing method, you'll need to stay your reader/listener/viewer constantly in mind. Selecting the proper (read marketable) subject material for your book is just the first time you will do that.
Along the approach, you may do it on countless other occasions, as you craft: 1) email pitches to potential reviewers; two) press releases to particular publications or associations that have specific "hot buttons"; three) articles for print/online publications that rummage around for specific content; four) promotional copy, commentary and content for book signings, discussions, seminars, speeches, radio/TV interviews, other public appearances, and abundant more.
We tend to want to tune our selling minds into "WRII-FM," that unspoken question within the mind of the reader of any printed material: "What is Really In It For Me?" If the solution is, "nothing" or "not enough," then it's on to the next book on the bookshelf, email in the inbox, or article in the magazine.
How's Yours Completely different?
Let's assume that you have determined that your material is indeed viable. Next stop? Barnes & Noble, Borders, or Amazon.com. See how several alternative books there are on your subject. It would possibly be a nice topic, however if there are 20 titles that cater to it already, do we really want a twenty first? Yours had higher be pretty darn special, and to somebody alternative than you (and your mother...).
Lots of Space
In the case of my first book, there was literally one book out there on the topic of business writing: Secrets of a Freelance Writer, by Bob Bly. It is a terribly good book, after all it was the book that got me started within the business writing business. Still, it had been just one book. Bob's book is solid, substantive and straightforward. Mine was going to be simply as meaty in its own right however a lot of fun, whimsical and irreverent - beginning with the title itself, The Well-Fed Author, and continuing on from there.
Therefore, clearly, I felt comfortable that there was a lot of than enough area for an additional book on the topic, particularly one with a totally different tone and approach. Most significantly, the topic matter was very compelling. I knew there have been zillions of struggling or "wannabe" writers out there who would be additional than a little intrigued by a book that showed them, step-by-step, how to create a handsome full-time living as a writer.
A Book Proposal?
Here's a nice method to gel your considering the market viability of your book. Regarding the time I'd finished my initial book, and before I would positively decided to self-publish it, I put along a book proposal, that, after all, is the first step to pitching agents and/or publishers. But even if you have already made the decision to go the SP route, a book proposal could be a wonderful method to get a reality check. It ensures that you will think this factor through completely before taking the (financial) plunge. That means working out what the book would cowl, why there's a market for it, who would purchase it, why they might buy it, what your competition is, what your expected costs will be, and a lot of more.
Do not create the oh-so-common mistake of overestimating the charm of a potential book idea. Maybe you do have a great book, but a very little homework now can save a ton of headaches later.
Author Resource:
Jeff Patterson has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in E-Book, you can also check out his latest website about
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