Source: http://www.bookbuzzr.com/blog/book-marketing/the-extreme-power-of-social-networking-digital-publishing/

Bringing Great Authors To the Literary Realm

Guest Author: Amy Lignor

In 2007, as we all know, Amazon came out and launched an ‘e-reader.’ Many thought this was a joke, but I can honestly say that there is no one laughing now.

Digital publishing and branding have become the ultimate ways to get ahead, or even recognized, in the cutthroat recession-wary publishing world as it stands today. Publishers are looking at the bottom line. Are they poor? Are publishing houses becoming dinosaurs? No. Make no mistake, people, not matter what the agencies and publishers tell you total book sales in the United States last year came in at 13.9 billion dollars. Random House, the top rung of the so-called “Big Six Publishers” reported profits of 2.5 billion. However, a large percentage of revenue is now being recorded as digital downloads. And this area is growing bigger every year.

There will always be those out in the world who want that paper copy – that copy that they can hold in their hands. In fact, this writer feels about books as deeply as a hockey player feels about the ‘smell of the ice.’ I love the smell of a new book, and e-readers take that particular enjoyment away. BUT, there are a great deal of authors out there right now who are truly magnificent, yet they are not getting the opportunities to be published. There are barely any agents or publishers out there right now that would’ve told you twenty years ago that YA would ever be a big market. What they didn’t see coming was J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer, and the like who took the world by storm. One of the most ironic issues about new authors who do hit the market full force, is that most of them were taken on by interns or new hires in literary agency; people who just stepped in and felt as if they had to prove themselves to their bosses. Why is that? Because those new interns still knew what it felt like to read a good book. They were, and are, not yet caught up in the muck and mire of the bottom line. They take a chance and they score – simple as that.

In mid-2010, Amazon announced that they were selling MORE e-books than hardcover’s, which caused a division in the literary society. The division and arguments still abound about the digital world becoming ‘King’ one day, but whether or not anyone likes it, the internet IS the ‘King’ of the 21st Century. Many young adults (and some adults, I have to say) are learning their grammar and penmanship through text messaging – “How are you?” has now become “How r u?” Everyone is on the go, and their e-readers, Kindles, etc. make life a whole lot easier than having to trudge to the library, or spend a greater amount of money in the bookstore. Readers can simply call up Amazon, call up the book they want, and ‘boom,’ there it is on the device that they have grown to love as much as their cell phones.

One of the biggest moments for digital publishing, in my mind, was when the New York Times suddenly realized this growing phenomenon and – whether they liked it or not, and most did not – they began a digital bestseller list; an e-book ‘Top Ten.’ Not only that, although the New York Times Book Review is still a monolith in the publishing world, they are quickly being set aside for the ultimate reviewers – the actual fans and readers who are constantly on Facebook and Twitter.

With the world of social networking, an author can reach millions of people with their synopsis, book trailers on YouTube, announcements, events, downloadable book sites, reviews, interviews, and more. Whereas authors once had to depend on marketing giants, agents, and the publishing company to do the work for them, they now can take matters into their own hands and get the exposure they need for their title. And, let’s face it, the one person who has the most passion for a book – the optimal salesperson for their title – is themselves. With publishers and agents, the author is one of many being served. Exposure is the key element to selling a book right now. Yes, the old names such as King, Koontz, Rowling, etc. will sell no matter what – simply because their name is on the cover and they have spent years gathering millions of fans. But the new authors who are truly writing fantastic fiction but being completely overlooked by agencies and publishers who don’t wish to take a chance on a new name, are building their fan list through social networking; branding themselves through radio programs, websites, the constant Twittering, reaching all their readers out there who simply don’t have time, inclination, or the energy to go to the library or spend hard-earned money at the bookstore. Even well-known authors are now reporting that 20%-to sometimes 40% of their sales are coming from Kindle and e-reader downloads. With the odd part being that if things keep progressing this way, the ‘Big Six’ is going to drop down to the ‘Big Three’ one of these days.

Another issue? Literary agencies. People are stunned at times that agencies are replying with rejection letters that don’t match up with the book the author even sent in the first place. Giving you a personal example, I was sent a rejection letter once saying that my character, Susan, was outstanding but the locations were a little too eerie for them. My main character’s name was Leah – not even a close resemblance to Susan. When I replied to said agent, there was a nice answer of ‘whoops,’ and I was actually told that sometimes they are so busy, they don’t read what is sent.

I put this in so that I can stop one thing from happening. Writers can NOT give up on their books or their dreams because of rejection letters. Sometimes, trust me, they’re not even being read. The rejection letter is mostly now just a ‘form response;’ it is automatic and is simply sent because A) they’re too busy, or B), they want to make sure they don’t make a mistake in their reply causing the author to realize that their query wasn’t even looked at. I shudder to think that if Rowling hadn’t had the courage to continue after receiving rejection letter after rejection letter – and she had placed our beloved ‘Harry’ in a drawer – the entire generation would’ve been the poorer for it.

Is writing skill and talent? Yes. However, it is also 99.9% pure and utter luck. As we all know, there are titles that come out every year (many) where the author received an advance (big) and the plots of these stories are the most depressing things on the face of the planet. AND, they don’t sell. All of this has to do with taste, yet most publishing companies have been proving, as of the last decade, that they need to move their eyes toward more ‘commercial’ fiction – action adventure, GOOD romances, historicals – genres that DO, and have proven, to bring in the big bucks.

The upside for the authors out there is this digital world. The comments and sales the author receives come directly from the readers. THEY are the ones who make the ultimate decision on a book, bypassing a great many people who may have lost that spark of pure enthusiasm when it comes to fiction. Branding is the key, and the billions of people who reside on the internet every single day are finding their favorite new authors who don’t have an agent – don’t have a mainstream publisher – but still have the courage, determination, and passion to achieve greatness by using what the world of technology has provided.

Yes, the dream will always be there.  The call from a huge agent that says, “I’ll take it.”  The call coming in the next day saying, “Here’s the $250,000 contract from Random House,” etc.  But that dream, in the 21^st Century, can be realized elsewhere.  There’s just a whole heck of a lot more work involved.  Keep in mind that Kindle sales are projected to reach 1.6 billion by 2012.  This number is startling.  Facebook has 750 million active users and grows by the minute.  Twitter now has 105,779,710 registered users (2010), with new users signing up at the rate of 300,000 per day.  Nielsen published stats that the world now spends over 110 billion minutes on social networks and blog sites. This equates to 22% of ‘all time’ being spent online.  For the first time ever, social network and/or blog sites are visited by three quarters of global consumers.  MySpace:  57 million U.S. unique users and growing.  LinkedIn: 60 million users, “As of last December, the network had 55 million members, so its grown by 5 million in less than two months.  And the list goes on…

Agencies and publishers are necessary but, in the end, the author putting it out and the reader buying it and bringing in the revenues are the two most important people in the publishing world. That is one fact that has stayed the same since the beginning of time.  And all authors are now becoming quite aware that those readers are out there in full-force on the internet – not in the library or the bookstore.

A new door has been opened for the author who KNOWS they have a great book, but can’t seem to find an ‘in’ with the names that count (or, used to).  Branding is key!

(statistics taken from)
www.web-strategist.com/
www.huffingtonpost.com/
www.facebook.com/

Amy is the author of historical fiction. Presently, her adventure series – Tallent & Lowery – is the newest ‘hot’ book climbing the charts. She’s also working on a YA series, The Angel Chronicles. An avid traveler, Amy considers herself fortunate to have journeyed across the USA, where she’s met the most amazing people who truly bring life and soul to her stories. She is the Owner/Operator of The Write Companion, and Precious Gems Publishing, as well as a contributor to many literary magazines and websites.

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Source: http://www.bookbuzzr.com/blog/book-marketing/book-marketing-tips-what-works-what-doesnt/

Written by: Rai Aren

As an author, your success is ultimately in your own hands. We all have limited time, and that time must be split between writing and book marketing, amongst other things. Deciding how to spend that marketing time to get the best return on our investment is a critical success factor for our books. So which book marketing efforts work, and which ones don’t? These are my top three tips to help you find and connect with your audience and keep it.

1. Consider what’s unique about you and your stories and share it

You are the very best ambassador for your work. Whatever you found compelling enough to write about is likely deeply embedded in your life, your personality, and your interests. The stories you tell are a part of you, and it’s well worth your while share those unique aspects with your readership. If you found something interesting enough to write a book about, chances are there are quite a number of people out there who enthusiastically share that interest.

For example, I have a lifelong interest in Egyptology and adventure and mystery stories. I’m completely fascinated by the paranormal, by space exploration and ancient mysteries. I am also deeply moved by the animal world. I regularly share things related to those interests because they infuse my writing. When you focus on your passions, writing can flow more easily and be one of the most pleasurable things you can do. Share that enthusiasm and passion with your readers. They pick up your books because they interest them, so it’s natural that they will be even further intrigued when you provide a window into the seeds of those tales. It always adds a lot for me when my favorite authors share insights into their stories. I really like the greater depth of meaning I get out of their books when they do.

What doesn’t work? Giving nothing of yourself beyond asking people to buy your books. Don’t make it an empty experience for your visitors. Open up and let people get to know you as an author. People enjoy getting a sense of the human being behind the book, and the opportunity to understand and appreciate where the inspiration came from.

2. Add value and interest at each outing

Personally, I think it’s best to consider every single blog post, tweet, and status update as a public relations opportunity to show yourself in your best light and generate even more interest in your work. I network with a great many people online, and the ones that keep me coming back consistently offer something interesting, something helpful, and an overall positive, fun tone. They stay on course and keep their focus sharp. Your reputation is something that must be painstakingly and lovingly built, then carefully maintained. Its worth is priceless.

It’s also a good idea to remember that people have a huge choice of where to spend their online time. If you want to keep your readers engaged with you, nurture your relationships with them through what you choose to share online, and respond to them. Remember your ambassadorial status with regards to your work and consider how your actions reflect on that. Make valuable contributions and allow yourself to shine by putting your work and your reputation in their best light, always.

What doesn’t work? Being repetitive and only shouting about where people can buy your books, your latest review, your book blurbs, etc., over and over again. People will just tune you out if that’s all you offer. Why should they return if you sing the same old tune time after time? Keep it fresh and develop your online personality into something that would keep you coming back if the tables were turned.

3. Be generous and engage with people

It actually shouldn’t be all about you. I know a lot of authors see every online post as a golden opportunity to sell a book. However, the human race has always got by through helping one another and pooling our collective knowledge and resources into something greater than we could achieve on our own. People like those who help them and who give of themselves freely. None of us goes through life completely independently. We all rely on others to various degrees. Therefore, use your online presence to benefit more than just yourself. Pay it forward. Not only does it feel really good, but it will foster loyalty and warmth. I like to pass along the word about books I like or want to read, authors I find interesting, news items or tips that I think will help others, and a variety of other items that I think add value in different ways.

You will also find others much more willing to help you and get the word out about your work if you are generous and help them, too. Do a good turn for someone else and always acknowledge how others have helped you. Show gratitude, and reciprocate good deeds. Have a generous spirit and people will gravitate towards you.

What doesn’t work? Talking at people and not with them, and making it all about you. Readers and fans especially love to interact with you. Engage with them. Remember, it’s not all about you. It’s also about how you affect and influence others. As an author, you write for yourself, but also to entertain and move other people in some way. So consider, what’s in it for them?

These book marketing tips are what draw and keep my attention in my online book travels. If you are fortunate enough that people stop to check your work out, make their time with you memorable and rewarding. Your writing success depends on much more than simple sales pitches in our globally interactive world. Engage and intrigue and people will happily come back.

Rai Aren loves writing and has an insatiable appetite for reading ancient mysteries, fantasy, thrillers, adventure tales, and anything with a paranormal aspect to it. Ancient Egypt holds a particular fascination for her. She is never without a good book to curl up with and loves to connect with her readers and fellow authors. She is also a vegan animal rights supporter and kitty mom to four adorable, cuddly furballs. Rai and her family look forward to living near a beach one day, penning stories while watching sunsets by the ocean and listening to the sounds of a tropical rainforest…

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Summary: BookWhirl.com joins forces with the New York Review of Books to feature self-published titles.

GREEN BAY, WI (09/12/11) – BookWhirl.com, one of the leading book marketing companies of the self-publishing industry has announced its first specialty marketing service on Wednesday. The company will now feature self-published titles to The New York Review of Books, a premier literary-intellectual magazine published in New York.

The newly formed partnership between BookWhirl.com and The New York Review of Books will give an opportunity for authors to feature their self-published tiles. Client authors can choose from different advertising options: Single Saver, Double Saver, Quarter Page, Half Page – Solo, Half Page – Duo, Full Page – Solo, Full Page – Duo, and Full Page Loaded. Each listing will include necessary information about the book and the author, a full-color image of the book cover, ordering information, and a book summary.

“Today, we are embarking on a new journey. The birth of BookWhirl.com’s Specialty Marketing service is a solid evidence of our company’s continuous developments despite a very challenging time. One of the key’s to put an end to our country’s economic crisis is to invest on solutions. We should spend our money on right investments. For the past four years, BookWhirl.com only focused on online marketing. But this year, it will be different. We will be braver, bolder. Print advertising service is a very ambitious project for a fresh company like BookWhirl.com. But today is the right time to make our ambitions come true. And to stay focused and true to our mission: be every self-published author’s lifetime book marketing partner. We will provide the best advertising solutions at the most affordable price,” Johnny Chu, BookWhirl.com’s President and CEO, announced.

For more information, please visit http://www.bookwhirl.com/Print-Ad-Service/The-New-York-Review-of-Books.html or call 1 (877) 207 1679.

About BookWhirl.com

BookWhirl.com is an online book marketing services provider, specializing in providing low-cost, high-quality marketing services for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry books. Through its unique, inexpensive book marketing services, BookWhirl.com helps authors promote their published works more effectively and connect to readers in a more effective, more efficient system.

BookWhirl.com employs an experienced team of online marketing strategists, ad copywriters, graphic artists, and web designers, whose combined talents ensure an effective online marketing campaign at easily affordable rates.

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Source: http://www.authorinsider.com/article.php?subaction=showfull&id=1149871187&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&

Survey entitled, “The Business Impact of Writing a Book,” by Wellesley Hills Group gathered information from 200 authors about the impact of book marketing. All authors had written books for the purpose of building their small business, but the lessons apply to all authors.

Key Points:

• 51% of authors invested personal funds in marketing their book
• The amount authors personally invested in their books ranged from under $1000 to $150,000 with a median investment amount of $4500
• Authors who hired “outside help sold 10,000 copes of their first book and earned royalties of $55,000, compared to 4,500 copies sold and royalties of $25,000 for authors who depended solely on the efforts of their publishers” (Publishers Weekly)
• Most effective marketing tactic: Using the Internet
• Second most effective marketing tactic: generating press in trade publications related to the topic of the book (for non-fiction)
• Book signings were considered not very effective
• Authors who hired reputable firms to promote their book earned hire royalties
• Authors said there were many indirect benefits to marketing their books rather than straight sales

(Source: Business by the Book, Business Week, 4/12/06, Karen E. Klein -and- Documenting the Value of Marketing, Publishers Weekly, 4/24/06, Jim Milliot)

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Source: http://www.authorinsider.com/article.php?subaction=showfull&id=1150387243&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&

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Source: http://goblogin.com/index.php/internet/1203-book-marketing/4082-3-tips-for-book-marketing-success

Written By Rudy

Have you ever heard the expression, ” the quickest way to reach your goals is to help others reach their goals?”

I remember this expression and use it as my Internet book-marketing plan. It has paid off with 3 best selling books for me in the past year.

How does it work in Internet Bookselling? Let me explain.

Websites generally have three characteristics that help them consistently remain in the top search engine standings:

1. Websites must add and change their content often. (Once or twice a day is perfect)
2. Websites must offer an e-zine or newsletter. The top websites offer newsletters and e-zines that are delivered via e-mail every day.
3. Websites will usually have their own bookstore with an affiliation or association with Amazon.com to allow visitors a method of purchasing books that complement the information on the website.

Top websites spend a great deal of time and money to remain at the top of the heap. Everyone wants to be there, but only a few can hold down those top positions.

Understanding these three characteristics have enabled me to achieve my goals by helping websites achieve their goals.

Step One: Search for the Big Guys on the Internet

I have two areas of expertise. I am a hypnotist who writes books and e-books on how to achieve success through hypnosis. I am also an E- book Marketing Consultant and write books on how to write and sell e-books.

In order to find top websites that may be interested in hypnosis, I search on broader topics like “health” and “mental health.” For my books on E-book marketing I search on topics like “Internet marketing” and “E-commerce.”

Even though there are hundreds of search engines and thousands of directories, I begin with searching on Yahoo. Yahoo is a directory that is difficult to get into and even more difficult to maintain a high ranking.

> From my own experience once I made the top of the heap in Yahoo, under “hypnotism” my web traffic more than doubled and stayed that way over the past three years.

Therefore, I conclude that the websites that arise to the top of Yahoo will be much more highly visited than through other search engines and directories.

Step Two: Help the Webmaster Offer More Content

Once I search under the two major categories that fit my topic, I send e-mail to the webmasters at those sites sending along my article or sample chapter.

I tell the webmasters I would appreciate posting my article for their readers in return for a short bi-line or description on what I do and a link over to Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com or my own website in return for the favor.

Most webmasters jump at the opportunity at receiving free content that allows them to maintain the high rankings on their websites.

Step Three: Help the Website Newsletter Editor

The top ranking websites also sponsor their own newsletter or e-zine. After contacting the webmaster about content added directly to the website, I then contact the newsletter editor in regards to placing an article or sample chapter in the newsletter.

Sometimes at the bottom of a sample newsletter there will be specific instructions on how to submit articles. Many times there is even a section on the website where you can post your articles directly to the editor.

After following the directions in the newsletter, I submit my article or sample chapter to the website newsletter editor.

I have just added more content to their website, again helping the website increase traffic and at the same time direct interested visitors to my book offerings located in the author’s bi-line.

Step Four: Help the Website Bookstore Make Money

Most of the time, you will find that the top websites also have their own bookstore. Usually the Website bookstore will be an “associate of Amazon.com.”

For example: You search on the keyword “health” on Yahoo and are taken to the top five health sites. Let’s call the top website “health.com.”

After navigating around the website you find a Health.com bookstore that offers many titles on a particular aspect of health you are interested in. When you click on a book cover on that website, you are immediately sent over to a book description page on Amazon.com.

If you look at the complete link that shows up in your browser you will see an URL (the Internet address) which looks something like this: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1929695217/healthcom/104-2910323-8772701

The two most important parts of the link are the ISBN number which is the number called “ASIN/” which is Amazon.com’s identification number, and the words following the book’s ISBN number which is “/healthcom.”

“Healthcom” is the website’s Amazon.com Associate identification number. This number allows the website to get paid for any sales that result by someone clicking on the link and then purchasing the featured book on Amazon.com.

The next thing you do is shave off the number off the end of the URL.

Now the URL will look like this: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1929695217/healthcom

If your own book title listed on Amazon.com has an ISBN number or ASIN number of 1585003557, what you do is insert that ISBN number in place of the website’s featured book.

Now the URL will look like this: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1585003557/healthcom

That new URL is going to mean instant book sales for you.

Take your revised URL with your book ISBN and send a short message via e-mail again to the webmaster of the website.

Ask the webmaster to feature your book on the website. Mention that you are including the URL with the website’s Amazon.com Associate identification number.

Within a few days you will begin to see a surge in your book sales as a result of this technique.

Summary:

By helping the webmaster add content, the newsletter editor offer new articles and the website bookstore earn more money from Amazon.com by adding your books, you are helping the website maintain a top ranking.

By helping the top websites achieve their goals you are driving qualified traffic to your own website or to Amazon.com to fulfill your goal of becoming a best selling author.

Source: Wayne Perkins

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Source: http://www.freearticles.com/article/Crucial-Ideas-To-Increase-Your-E-Book-Profit/3817

Having your own Ebook business is a very good idea to earn money. In fact, Ebook creation and marketing is so lucrative that a lot of people have started to put their thinking caps on and started writing about different topics that they are interested in. Selling an Ebook is a-okay; however, making your profit grow from the regular rate is still possible.

There are a couple of ways on how you can profit more from selling your Ebooks. However, how effective one method would be for you can depend on the type of Ebook that you are selling along with your preferences. Here are some ideas on how you could increase your Ebook profit.

Have A Plan

When you’re done writing and when you’ve already got your Ebook, it would be best if you devise a plan, more specifically a marketing plan. With any kind of business that you’ll be starting, being happy-go-lucky is not the right way to do it. Having a plan makes things work. This is how you can get organized with everything that you need to do.

Planning would entail you to have both short and long term goals. Short term goals are the ones that you want to attain within a short period of time. This can include your daily tasks concerning your Ebook. Long term goals are the ones that you want to have as an end product for a certain period of time, maybe half a year or so.

With your goals clearly stated out and being in mind, for sure you can have a motivating factor in selling your Ebook.

Take Advantage Of The Internet

The Internet is a place that has a lot of opportunities to offer you. What most people do not understand that all these offers are can actually be a really big advantage to them, most especially if it is an online business that you’ll be having.

Advertising can come in a lot of forms. For instance, there is you can have keyword optimized articles written to use as leads towards your main Web site. Additionally, blogging is another good way to promote your book, since it has a more personal touch in which you can relate more to your readers.

Nowadays, advertising comes cheap online. There are a lot of sites in which you can advertise that can charge you with a very minimal fee. Remember, the key here is for you to get much exposure so that more people can go to your site.

These are just some of the crucial ideas for you to earn more Ebook profit. So, if you want to have a successful Ebook creation and marketing venture, then you better start planning and advertising now!

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Source: http://www.freearticles.com/article/Marketing-Your-First-E-Book-With-No-Budget/3852

The great thing about ebook creation and marketing is that you do not need any money to start. Several online businesses, companies and individuals have relied on the different approaches and techniques concerning ebooks since these are highly informative and able to generate good income. Make sure you know how to properly advertise your first ebook for more readers.

Means Of Distributing

There are several ways to make your ebook visible and distribute it well. PDF format is highly recommended by the experts since it is very readable and systematic. Upload the PDF ebook first to your webhost if you have any. You may also make use of a number of free reliable file-hosting services on the internet. You will be able to upload huge amounts of data at no cost. Rewards based distribution is one approach in making your ebook available to a particular group or buyers. Control of access to your work is important to maximize profit and avoid risks and complications in the future. The particular group may be able to access your document after completing an action, subscribing or paying.

Viral distribution is an effective method wherein people actively share and spread your ebook for more profit and visibility. Some readers are willing to share your ebook within the document or pass it on to their contacts and friends. There are a few things you need to know about viral distribution as well such as editing the file name by adding “ReadandShare” to the document filename. Make sure that potential readers understand that the ebook is free to download as you provide it in forums, emails and static pages by changing the context.

Finding Resources

There are several persons and web sites that are willing to advertise or create links to your ebook for free. Instead of spamming, it may be more useful to search for affiliates and understand how the program works since these individuals are capable of distributing and sending your work to people who are actually interested rather than random advertising. Ask readers to host and introduce your ebook through a variety of mediums like email, independent web sites and social networking sites.

Ebook creation and marketing requires you to make an email list for fellow ebook owners wherein you can exchange links and leverage your target market. Control and target the right traffic by publicizing your work in web logs and web sites. Look for free online sites that contain several users that will potentially buy your work.

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Source: http://www.go-publish-yourself.com/archive/articles/book-marketing/pypersj2.php

Written by: Joni Pypers

You want to write a book – a very exciting and challenging undertaking. Good for you. You have a great book idea – an idea that you believe needs to be in print. You believe that other people have an interest in what you have to say. You believe that many people will buy your book, and if you do the job of writing correctly, many people WILL buy your book.

It is your dream to have your book in every bookstore in the country, perhaps even in several countries. But wait, have you planned beyond bookstore sales? Many authors are unaware that there are many markets for books beyond the bookstores. The bookstores may be your first market, but there are many other “hidden” markets, and here are some key book marketing tips to help you tap into those markets.

Let’s begin with the job of writing the book. When you put “pen to paper”, it is important that you focus on one audience but write for many markets. Let’s begin by identifying why you are writing a book. Some people merely want to be a published author, giving them claim to a copyright and their name on a book. That is satisfaction enough. They don’t care about the financial return or the development of writing or publishing as a career. Other people just want to write a family history and sell it to their extended family. Some people are interested only in selling to the attendees of their seminars. Many others, however, want to sell thousands of books in as many markets as possible. Decide at the beginning of the writing process why you are writing so that you can determine whether or not you are creating a business venture.

Once you have established your reason for writing, move on to what you are writing about. Don’t try to be all things to all people or the encyclopedic source of all information on a subject. Choose an area of a subject with which you are very familiar and develop your topic well so that you don’t overwhelm or bore your readers. For instance, if you are writing a cookbook, don’t try to be The Joy of Cooking – that’s already been done. Instead, write about a category of recipes, such as heritage recipes, or recipes of a region or culture, or recipes from famous restaurants, etc.  Your goal is to make your book different, and better, than other cookbooks.

Having now decided on the why and the what, focus on the who, meaning who will buy your book. You believe that many people will be interested in your book, but let’s define “many”. Do you mean all of the people in your interest group, your church or your workplace, or do you mean everyone? A word of caution, though -   there is NO book that is for everyone. Sure, everyone may need your book but not everyone will want it. If your book is a healthy lifestyle cookbook, everyone might need it, but only people who actually want to be healthy will buy it. Do some research on who those people are and where they are likely to actually buy your book. Understand their demographics: age group, income level, shopping habits, activities, etc. Now write for them. What information are your target readers looking for? Is their a gap in the information about a subject that is very familiar to you or in which you have the credentials to fill the gap? Make sure that your book solves a problem or problems for the reader, or make sure that your book will increase the well being of the reader. Avoid falling into the trap of writing to make yourself feel better – you are not the one who will buy your book. Or if you are, you are the only buyer that you will have!

The why, what and who now being defined, you can turn your attention to the where you can sell your book. Because there are many markets for books, decide early in the writing process just what those markets are and write to sell your book in those markets.

It is likely that the first market that will come to mind is traditional book stores, and of course they can be a vital part of your sales. Do your research in getting to know your competition on the book store shelves, i.e., look at the other books that have been written in your genre. What writing style is most appealing to a wide audience? Is there a gap in the information provided in the other books? Are there problems that have not been addressed? Find the needs and fill them. When you are satisfied with the information that you are providing, think about what will attract the book store buyers. They will want to know about your planned publicity campaign. If you want people to buy your book in book stores, you are responsible for letting people know that your book is available, thereby driving buyers to the stores.

Besides book stores, books are purchased in the nontraditional book market by display retailers, book clubs, catalogs, gift retailers, volume buyers (think Costco and Price Club), corporations, foundations and foreign markets. These markets are considered “hidden” because they exist outside the usual bookstore market, yet they account for many millions of dollars each year in book sales. In fact, we sell thousands of books to buyers like these every year (for more about our Book Marketing tips and secrets click here: Book Marketing Tips). These markets, however, do not buy any and every book. They are looking for books that appeal to their customers.

For instance, if you are writing a book about spiritual experiences, think about which of those markets will likely buy your book.  Will you approach book clubs? If yes, which book clubs – those that specialize in spiritual books only, or those that market to the general public? Will you approach the gift market or catalogs? Each market evaluates its purchases for its own clientele. Book clubs that target the religious book reader have a greater interest in spiritual books than do general interest book clubs. Volume buyers, catalogs and gift buyers (unless they target a religious market), display retailers and corporations will very seldom buy a spiritual book. Foreign markets, however, are often very interested.

Even if your book is written for the general book trade, you can still think of corporations that might be able to use your book as a promotional item. Make a list of corporations that could be interested in your book and make sure that your writing supports their products or philosophy, and that what you are writing about will solve some problems for the corporate clients. For instance, one cookbook was targeted at busy people who want to follow a healthy lifestyle. It became a bestseller very quickly in the traditional book trade, but sales exploded when it was sold to pharmaceutical companies who used the book as support information for clients who needed to achieve a healthy weight. The book also sold successfully in foreign markets, to catalogs, as fund raisers and to shopping malls as a customer reward.
The point is: you need to know how to slant your writing for your markets. You can sometimes get around the road blocks by giving your book the look and feel of a gift book rather than one that is a “serious read”. Don’t give your book the look and feel of a thesis. Many volume buyers are looking for broad interest books that people buy on impulse as gifts. This approach to writing increases your market tremendously, so if you want to appeal to a very large audience, approach your subject from a much “lighter” angle.

However, if you are a professional speaker who knows that you have a very good chance of selling your book to your seminar attendees, and perhaps to the corporations who hire you, writing for a very broad market is not necessary. You are not even trying to sell to the impulse buyer. Your buyer is already looking for a source of expertise such as yours.
If you are planning to sell your book primarily from a website to a specific type of buyer, someone who is searching the internet for answers to a concern or problem, you can be as specific as you like. The general public, again in this instance, is not your market – you already have enough buyers to make you very successful.

So, before you begin the writing process, make an outline of your book. Then, look at your list of potential buyers. Have you filled their needs? If not, can you add information or chapters to your book that will increase the likelihood of sales to those buyers? If you want to sell thousands of books, think about the end user of your book and write for them, not for yourself. That is the ultimate book marketing tip. See you on the bestseller list!

© Copyright 2004 Ink Tree Ltd.

Ink Tree Ltd. helps authors publish, market and sell books. We have all the tools you need to succeed in book publishing. Let us help you make your book a success. http://www.inktreemarketing.com

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Source: http://www.go-publish-yourself.com/archive/articles/self-publishing/jacksonc.php

Written by: CF Jackson

With the large increase of books being published by self-publishers, and the up-rise of print on demand, there is still a lot of death taking place in the publishing industry. Thus far, 175,000 books have been published in 2005.

Are you a part of this population? There are many aspects that make up these individuals. However, let us target just three that are undeniable to anyone reading this article.

As in anything we do, a large portion of it is about taking risks. Are you a risk taker? You’ve completed your manuscript or just published your novel; it is time to open the entrepreneur portion of your brain.

Risk takers do not mind the possible end result because the thought of success in pure motivation. Many writers and authors remain reclusive within the safe haven of their creativity. What makes this ideology costly? It is the slow return on their investment.

Are you wondering if you fit into this population of authors? Sure you have published your work for the whole world to read, even critique. But that is just the beginning of this venture. What makes you any different than the other hundreds of thousands of writers and authors?

Sure you can play it safe and hope your extraordinary opportunity hits you over your head. Why not become a risk taker and take it by authority?

Becoming a risk taker you must be:

— persistent

— creative

— passionate

Another obvious bludgeon death is the lack of knowledge.

Yes it is lovely to remain in your creative world and just produce book after book. Can you imagine leaving all the other hoopla for others to sort out?

No one whose a true business person would dare allow themselves to walk blind in their business. Prime examples are Oprah, Donald Trump and Bill Gates. However, many writers and authors are just that, blind.

In order to be successful, you need to be savvy on all levels in the literary industry. If you are not, just like buying a car, you are going to get taken every time. Do your homework, rather than relying on third party hearsay. Why would you find knowing unimportant? For example, POD (print on demand) writers. Many have shouted foul play. The pitch is knowing the short and long term of POD. Before signing any contract, may it be for a car, house, student loan, or what have you, the rule of thumb is to know what it says. If you do not know, you will swing at a curve ball because the only pitch you anticipated was the fastball.

To become knowledgeable:

— ask questions

— take the time to research

— make sure you understand

Lastly, the beast of all beasts, is marketing. It is amazing how many authors who are not marketing exhaustively.

This reverts back to the second point of lack of knowledge. Too many authors belief that a publisher will sign them and they will promote and market their book. Happy to inform you, that is not always the case.

This is your business and these publishers have invested enough in you, such as, advance, printing, and a brief promotion run. After this, it is the author’s job to build a website, create news releases, get interviews and so on.

There are many authors and writers out there with published works who are at a lost. Many assume self-published authors must deal with marketing and promoting. If no one has informed you, allow me: that is not true. All published authors, in any realm must market themselves.

How else will your book or novel sell without getting out to the masses? Your readers?

To market, you must:

— think-outside-the-box

— market everyday on some level

— address all angles of your novel or book

— have a user friendly website

Take a look at where you are and where you desire to be in this literary world. Determine if you are killing your publishing career.

This is going to be a challenge, but you have to have enough energy, passion, and juice to make it past the trying moments.

As a writer or author, make sure you are multi-dimensional. You are becoming an entrepreneur, so know where your hats are and when to wear them.

C.F. Jackson is the author of the ebook The Self-Publisher’s Little Black Book: The Resource Book to Self-Publishing for Writers, Authors and Poets: http://www.thepublisherslittleblackbook.com This author has been Nominated Atlanta Daily World Reader’s Choice for Author of the Year – 2005 for the suspense fiction novel, Won’t Be Denied. Visit http://www.cfjackson.us to learn more about this author and or contact.

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