Four questions to realistically assess your own potential for success in the business of publishing books.
It's a tale as old as the printing press: Author writes book. Book meets publisher. Publisher loves book, and copies are sold in Barnes & Noble stores nationwide—Right? Not quite.
Unfortunately, the reality of publishing books is not as romantic as that. Nor is it simply a guessing game to determine which books will be commercially successful.
Book publishing companies, especially ones who have been in the business for a number of years, have a definitive list of qualities they look for in potential authors. As a publisher and book packager, I can usually tell within our first conversation the authors who intuitively have all the right tools for publishing success, as well as the ones who may be better suited for other avenues such as self-publishing.
I've found four questions to be particularly helpful in determining if you are someone who should be publishing a book:
1. Do you have a clear understanding of the book publishing business and process?
Publishing is filled with romanticisms and misconceptions—in reality it is a labor-intensive marathon. It is a process that usually requires a series of publishing services including consultants, multiple book editors, design consultations, proofreads, legal research, and book printing. Even after these steps, a book must be effectively distributed and marketed to multiple customer bases to be successful.
2. Do you have enough time set aside to complete the journey?
I often find that professionals with commitments to other projects may have difficulty setting aside enough time out for publishing a book. The book editing, layout, re-editing, and proofing process can easily take six months, sometimes a year. The packaging of the book is a crucial step and one that will take a lot of attention and care. Professionals who make their book a top priority will make the best return on their investment.
3. Is there a network of followers who already know your name and your work?
The easiest way to start selling your book is to have a group of pre-existing networks and groups to tap into. Are you affiliated with any professional or personal interest groups? Are you a teacher, instructing students during the week? Are you a public speaker with rotating audiences? These are all sources of already existing relationships that are strategic to target when distributing your book.
4. Finally, are you good at marketing and selling?
Most authors are good writers—communicating quality information to others is usually the primary reason people want to publish a book. But that is only one step of the journey. Do you enjoy selling products to other people? Are you comfortable with the networking and follow-up skills of marketing? A lot of authors aren't the best at selling. This can be fine, as long as they enlist the right type of publishing services and outside help for this vital selling stage.
The Bottom Line: These questions are a good way to preliminarily assess your own ability. "Know yourself." Notice that these questions are focused on the characteristics and motivation of the author, and not all on the content of the book itself. Content is important; however, levels of commitment and skill are huge indicators of the type of success authors will achieve when they publish themselves. There are many companies offering publishing services that cannot deliver the sales they claim just because a book is listed on a national database does not mean it will be purchased automatically. The publisher creates the demand, and, remember, you are the publisher, making decisions for your own enterprise. As publisher you become responsible to market and sell your book. With any business a sales and marketing plan is critical. Spend the time needed before the book is published to work out where it will sell and how your customer will know to buy it.
Whether you answered the questions above with confidence or with some reservations, Sea Hill Press can help you work through the maze, click here for more information or to discuss your book further
