Should you self-publish your book? Of course, you should.
Never mind the statistics! The self-publishing industry is finally soaring as the years roll by. Reports show that many self-published authors are actually getting the same fame and fortune as those under traditional publishing houses.
But don’t let the hype trick you into jumping to self-publishing right away. Before you decide to write a story and hire a self-publishing company to print and market your book, you better check these pointers first.
Follow these tips before self-publishing your book:
-
Know thyself
It may seem very poetic and clichéd, but it’s one of the major ingredients for a successful career in self-publishing. Before you decide to write anything, you must be familiar with yourself inside out. Take the time to get to know your strengths and weaknesses. Determine what you like to write about, so you won’t face too many difficulties during the writing process.
You can figure out the writing style that you’re comfortable with. Or you can take note of your most creative time of the day so you can create a schedule. More importantly, choose a topic that you will enjoy writing about.
-
Look for the perfect inspiration.
By now, you’ve heard a lot about writer’s block and there is nothing good about it. It is possible that you’re also going to experience it in the future. Why don’t you prepare for it now? As early as today, start looking for an inspiration. So, whenever you feel like ideas or words are coming lesser and lesser, all you have to do is think about your inspiration and you’ll be alright. It can be a personal goal or a person that serves as your muse.
-
Prepare for the negative reviews.
Don’t try to please everyone so as not to waste your efforts. Just focus your energy on writing a good book to entertain your future readers. If somebody will say negative things about it once it’s published, then don’t take it personally. Practice taking criticisms now and make them constructive instead. You can even read resources on how to react to a bad review. And if all else fails, just remember what Dita Von Teese once said, “You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there’s still going to be somebody who hates peaches.” – Dita Von Teese
-
Ask for help from the right people.
Nowadays, it’s so easy to hire professionals who can help self-publish your work. But is it also easy to hire the right person for the job? The answer is no. Hence, if you’re thinking of employing professionals, please don’t sign a deal right away. Look at their qualifications or review some samples of their work first. And don’t settle for the first person you can find, it would be better if you can have three or more choices. By the way, the most commonly outsourced services by authors are designers and marketing specialists. There are skilled professionals out there who would teach you how to market a self-published book.
-
Think like an entrepreneur.
Okay, it can be quite confusing at first. How can you be a writer and be an entrepreneur at the same time? Well, the process is actually simple. Start by thinking of your book as a product. In order to sell it, you actually have to market it first. But you need to know the ways on how to advertise without going overboard on your budget. How? Use social media marketing and you can easily reach your target audience.
Moreover, you shouldn’t wait after publishing the book before you begin your marketing campaign. The sooner you can tell your target audience that you have a book that might grab their interest, the better it is for your sales and success.
Last Notes for Aspiring Authors
There are authors who didn’t get what they deserved from the industry and it’s probably because they haven’t had the chance to read these tips before publishing their first work. So, you’re lucky enough to know these things. And the only thing left to do is apply what you’ve learned from these five tips. Who knows? Your name might appear in self-publishing success stories!
Now, are you ready to work on your first project? Download our FREE newbie’s guide to publishing here.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-25366534
https://www.blurb.com/blog/top-tips-self-published-authors
https://publishingperspectives.com/2013/09/10-counterintuitive-tips-for-self-publishers/
Leave a Reply
