| Writing a book is a lot of work, but if much of | | | | its hardcover or soft-cover. Beware that even |
| the content is already written on your blog it's | | | | successful traditionally published books often only |
| much easier. Trust me, if I can write two books | | | | sell 5000 copies, so don't fill your garage with |
| in the most hectic year of my life, you can write | | | | copies of your book! |
| a book too if that's your goal. Often some of | | | | If cash is tight or if you just not sure how many |
| your blog categories will naturally map to | | | | you can sell, you can use what's called a "Print On |
| chapters, and your blog posts can form the | | | | Demand" publisher, which will print one book at a |
| majority of the content. | | | | time although at a much higher cost per book. |
| You can pursue a traditional publisher, either | | | | Examples include and Book Surge, which is owned |
| directly or through an agent, or you can | | | | by Amazon. There are typically setup fees and |
| self-publish."Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Editors, | | | | per book fees and print on demand publishers |
| Publishers and Literary Agents" comes highly | | | | vary very widely in the services and prices they |
| recommended by many people. A traditional | | | | provide. There are a lot of them, so I'd suggest |
| publisher is primarily interested in your "platform," | | | | you use your favorite search engine and check |
| your already built-in audience before the book | | | | out a bunch of them. |
| even gets into stores. Your blog is part of your | | | | My books are several hundreds of pages long and |
| platform and gives you an edge above | | | | roughly eight and a half by eleven inches, but a |
| non-bloggers. | | | | book doesn't have to be that long and that big. It |
| Also don't expect to get rich using a traditional | | | | could be four by seven inches and ninety pages, |
| publisher, although you will gain lot of prestige, | | | | for example. Or even a smaller booklet, maybe |
| credibility and respectability which can eventually | | | | three and a half by eight inches and twenty-four |
| translate to lots of money. | | | | pages long like many tips booklets are. |
| You can also self publish, which is a perfectly | | | | One extremely important thing to keep in mind: |
| respectable option; plenty of successful books | | | | promoting your book is your job, no matter how |
| don't follow the traditional publishing route these | | | | it is published. Even if you have a traditional |
| days. It's unlikely big brick and mortar stores will | | | | publisher like I do, you'd better plan on spending |
| carry your book, but it's easy to get Amazon to. | | | | time and money promoting your book. |
| Many successful books are self published these | | | | Remember as a blogger, your blog is one of your |
| days and it's even possible a major publisher will | | | | primary book promotion vehicles, and you can |
| pick up your self published book. | | | | also send other bloggers review copies. Some |
| There are several excellent references on self | | | | bloggers will no doubt be happy to review a book |
| publishing, especially "The Self-Publishing Manual" by | | | | by a fellow blogger they have a relationship with, |
| Dan Poynter. It's basically the definitive guide for | | | | especially if you write a great book. With the |
| self publishing. You can pay several thousand | | | | feedback and experience you get from blogging, |
| dollars to have a few hundred or thousand books | | | | you have a much better chance at writing a great |
| printed, maybe $2 a book or $5 a book, | | | | book than most first time authors. |
| depending on the size of the book and whether | | | | |