You can have the greatest book in the world, but if you don’t put it out into the world, the world will generally ignore you and your bright ideas. Did you know that more than 150,000 books get published every year in the United States? But, if they don’t “make it” within the first two years—that is “break even” with the publisher’s financial cost to publish the book—they get pulled and remaindered or turned into pulp.

Since the average American buys only one to two books a year, being a successful book author can feel as likely as winning the Lottery. All this is to say, if you want to sell your ideas in the form of a book and do it in a big way, you’ll have to be willing to come out of your shell.

Authors who sell lots of books do so because they are willing to “go public” with their ideas and do a great deal of marketing footwork. Some people say the easiest part of publishing a successful book is writing it; as much as 95% of its success comes from self-promotion!

Book publishing in this increasingly-competitive marketplace requires more than just turning in your manuscript and leaving it up to the publisher to make the work visible. I’ve found that you have to work harder and smarter than they ever would to get the right people's attention.

Because I’ve worked in book marketing for a number of years and have a ton of experience with publishing and marketing my own books, I’ve learned lots of techniques to overcome the bleak odds for the average book in this competitive marketplace.

Because I love to see people succeed, I want to pass along a little of what I know to you. Your book can be just like your business card, it introduces you to others in a very intimate and thorough way.

Take and practice these tips below:

• Test the marketplace to see if your book ideas are relevant and unique—are there too many books with your insights, your chapter headings, or even, god forbid, your title?

• Write a short description (a short paragraph or what’s called a blurb) of your own book. What’s the gist of why your clients/customers must read it? This will be your vehicle for sharing it briefly.

• Get ideas for your blurb from the descriptions on the back of your favorite books.

• Write a short bio for the back of the book and to introduce yourself to your readers and advocates.

• Make a list of your top three favorite book authors: their publishers, their emails or addresses; publishers often have their authors addresses and will get your query to your specific author.

• Write authors of similar books and ask them what they wish they did in the first year of their book’s debut (you’d be surprised how many of them will feel flattered and even write you back).

• Pick one chapter and cut it down to the highlights for tip sheets to get your name out there and a line at the end of it that says, excerpt from forthcoming book…

• Know that you do not need an agent to publish your own book with a small press. Of course, I recommend self-publishing for the greatest control as an author.

• Don’t be afraid to self-publish; you’ll be joining the best selling authors of what are considered to be "classical works": James Joyce, Beatrix Potter, Friedrich Nietzsche and the more modern authors: James Redfield of The Celestine Prophecy, Irma Rombauer of The Joy of Cooking, along with Julia Cameron of The Artist’s Way.

• Be willing to interview those “just right” buyers by hanging out in sections of the bookstores where your book would be placed—find out their favorite authors in this genre, where they shop, what magazines they read, what radio programs they love, etc. This will enable you to reach out to these same venues.

• Become a well-known speaker in your community.

• Create a website dedicated to selling your book and link it to your Blog with aspects of your book’s message, framework and philosophy.

• Your book, like your business, needs to focus on the “just right” buyers.

• There are tons of affordable ways to get an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) which will get your book online and in bookstores.

• Build your mailing list and get your book into the hands of those who will give you great testimonials—this can go on the back of your book AND the front of it.

• Use the right key words to reach audience in your electronic promotions.

• Be willing to give up anonymity. A lot of writers are not extroverts, but, they'll have to bust out, that is, "get over it" unless they expect to give away (not sell) their books.

• If you're willing to give away one book a day to people of influence (Doctor's offices, Chiropractor's office, meeting planners, book reviewers), you'll create a buzz. You're investing in your long term goal of being a broadly read author and a visible expert.

• Find out the name of the book buyers in your favorite independent or blockbuster stores and ask them if they’d be willing to let you give a reading or have a place on their shelf.

• Get visible in multiple arenas that are free to you: local radio, local access TV, local Chamber of Commerce or the business venues in your area.

• Join business networks and give a party for would-be authors and share how you brought your book together and to the public.

If there’s anything else you want to know about succeeding in your book publishing, marketing and promoting endeavors, please know I’m your number one fan—in a non Stephen King kind of way!

Copyright 2008, Jennifer Manlowe. All rights reserved.

To make contact with Jennifer, phone: (206) 617-8832 or email: jlmanlowe@comcast.net   RETURN TO HOME PAGE

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