| Four questions to realistically assess your own | | | | Professionals who make their book a top priority |
| potential for success in the business of publishing | | | | will make the best return on their investment. |
| books. | | | | 3. Is there a network of followers who already |
| It's a tale as old as the printing press: Author | | | | know your name and your work? |
| writes book. Book meets publisher. Publisher loves | | | | The easiest way to start selling your book is to |
| book, and copies are sold in Barnes & Noble | | | | have a group of preexisting networks and groups |
| stores nationwide-Right? Not quite. | | | | to tap into. Are you affiliated with any |
| Unfortunately, the reality of publishing books is not | | | | professional or personal interest groups? Are you |
| as romantic as that. Nor is it simply a guessing | | | | a teacher instructing students during the week? |
| game to determine which books will be | | | | Are you a public speaker with rotating audiences? |
| commercially successful. | | | | These are all sources of already existing |
| Book publishing companies, especially ones who | | | | relationships that are strategic to target when |
| have been in the business for a number of years, | | | | distributing your book. |
| have a definitive list of qualities they look for in | | | | 4. Finally, are you good at marketing and selling? |
| potential authors. As a publisher, I can usually tell | | | | Most authors are good writers-communicating |
| within our first conversation the authors who | | | | quality information to others is usually the primary |
| intuitively have all the right tools for publishing | | | | reason people want to publish. But that is only one |
| success, as well as the ones who may be better | | | | step of the journey. Do you enjoy selling products |
| suited for other avenues of self-publishing. | | | | to other people? Are you comfortable with the |
| I've found four questions to be particularly helpful | | | | networking and follow-up skills of marketing? A lot |
| in determining if you are someone who should be | | | | of authors aren't the best at selling. This can be |
| publishing a book: | | | | fine, as long as they enlist the right type of |
| 1. Do you have a clear understanding of the book | | | | publishing services and outside help for this vital |
| publishing business and process? | | | | selling stage. |
| Publishing is filled with romanticisms and | | | | The Bottom Line: These questions are a good |
| misconceptions-in reality it is a labor-intensive | | | | way to preliminarily assess the marketability of |
| marathon. It is a process that requires usually a | | | | your book and its potential success. Notice that |
| series of publishing services including consultants, | | | | these questions are focused on the characteristics |
| multiple book editors, design consultations, | | | | and motivation of the author, and not the content |
| proofreads, legal research and book printing. Even | | | | of book itself. Levels of commitment and skill of |
| after these steps, a book must be effectively | | | | are huge indicators of the type of success an |
| distributed and marketed to multiple customer | | | | author will achieve. A conversation with a book |
| bases to be successful. | | | | packager and book publishing company will be |
| 2. Do you have enough time set aside to | | | | your most realistic and informed source for |
| complete the journey? | | | | determining the feasibility of your aspiration to |
| I often find that professionals with commitments | | | | publish a book. |
| to other projects may have difficulty setting aside | | | | If you answered the questions above with some |
| enough time out for publishing a book. The book | | | | reservations, or are unsure if you are should |
| editing, layout, re-editing, and proofing process can | | | | ideally be publishing a book today, you may find |
| easily take six months, sometimes a year. The | | | | the article "Different Paths in Publishing: Subsidy |
| packaging of the book is a crucial step and one | | | | Press" to be helpful. |
| that will take a lot of attention and care. | | | | |