Who Loves Ya', Baby...
There are a lot of murky areas surrounding self-publishing. Our goal is to shine the light of experience, common sense and business logic on the subject. Today is the first of a series of step-by-step articles that will help any indie author wanting to self-publish and actually be able to sell some books.
So...DO you want to sell your book? Before you write, before you illustrate, before you print or publish, you MUST know one thing:
In an earlier post, I outlined a few basic truths about buyers. First on the list of 'buyer truths' is the concept that "People don't buy what they don't know about". But the NEXT concept is even more important: Are they INTERESTED?
Your job, if you truly want to sell your books, is to develop a crystal-clear picture of who loves ya', baby! Who CARES about your topic? Who is passionate about learning from you? You probably know more than you think you do about this. It's a matter of asking yourself some questions. In addition to the two I listed above, begin refining your answers by asking even more questions. Are there professional associations surrounding your topic? Hobbyists? Magazines? Discussion groups? Collectors? How MANY people would love you if they knew about you? How do you find them?
Think about this as you shape your book. People buy what they love once they find it. You need to think about this a lot - seriously!! It is critical to everything that will come afterward as you begin marketing your book.
Questions? Thoughts? Comment on the blog, or email/call me - I love hearing your feedback!
So...DO you want to sell your book? Before you write, before you illustrate, before you print or publish, you MUST know one thing:
Who would want to buy your book?
In an earlier post, I outlined a few basic truths about buyers. First on the list of 'buyer truths' is the concept that "People don't buy what they don't know about". But the NEXT concept is even more important: Are they INTERESTED?
Your job, if you truly want to sell your books, is to develop a crystal-clear picture of who loves ya', baby! Who CARES about your topic? Who is passionate about learning from you? You probably know more than you think you do about this. It's a matter of asking yourself some questions. In addition to the two I listed above, begin refining your answers by asking even more questions. Are there professional associations surrounding your topic? Hobbyists? Magazines? Discussion groups? Collectors? How MANY people would love you if they knew about you? How do you find them?
Think about this as you shape your book. People buy what they love once they find it. You need to think about this a lot - seriously!! It is critical to everything that will come afterward as you begin marketing your book.
Questions? Thoughts? Comment on the blog, or email/call me - I love hearing your feedback!
-Mary Beth Smith