| The effort involved in self-publishing is never trivial. | | | | Take Chip MacGregor's advice. Look at your |
| But in the end you might discover the secret to | | | | book, and see which direction you could extend |
| successful self-publishing. | | | | what you've started. Here are some ideas: |
| The Journey to this Point | | | | - If your book presented a theory of something, |
| Of course, even to get to the point of having a | | | | you might create a workbook to complement it. |
| book ready to go to press, you may have: | | | | - If you wrote a history, think about a biography |
| - started a publishing company, | | | | of the most important figure of that era. |
| - opened bank accounts, merchant accounts, | | | | - If you created a self-help book to address the |
| Paypal accounts, and created an identity for your | | | | needs of a specific population, what other |
| company, | | | | challenges is that population likely to face? |
| - registered your company with RR Bowker and | | | | - For a follow up to a business book, think about |
| the Books in Print database, to get your ISBNs, | | | | creating a book of case studies. |
| - figured out how the book distribution system | | | | - To follow up on a book concerning social issues, |
| works, or might work for your company, | | | | create a sequel that tells how the story has |
| - established a presence on the internet and in | | | | continued to develop. |
| social media to promote the launch of your book, | | | | - Novelists write sequels, prequels, stories in the |
| - found freelance service providers for editorial, | | | | same era, or simply in the same genre. |
| design and production help, or if not, | | | | We Live in a World of Complex Connections |
| - worked out how to edit, layout, proofread and | | | | Every discipline connects to the world at |
| paginate your book, then make a PDF for your | | | | numerous points, each of which are fertile ground |
| printer, | | | | for further work. Each facet of the problem that |
| It Was Fun While it Lasted | | | | you study and write about, that you explain to |
| Putting a book together is a creative and exciting | | | | your readers, constructs a bigger, and more |
| activity. Picking covers, typefaces, categories, and | | | | complete picture of your study to your "tribe." |
| trying to position the book in its genre exercise | | | | Once you have published a book, two books, or |
| some fine faculties. But when it comes to | | | | three books, or perhaps a whole series of books |
| marketing and sales, for most people it becomes | | | | on your specialty, you gain authority and influence |
| a long, hard road. | | | | in your field. The cost of every promotion you do |
| Here's something I read last month by agent Chip | | | | is spread across all your titles, giving you that |
| MacGregor, in response to a question. | | | | much more chance to succeed. |
| Publishers basically sell in lines-that is, if they are | | | | You have many pillars to help support your |
| currently selling a lot of fitness and health titles, | | | | publishing enterprise. By diversifying, you have also |
| they're going to want to publish more fitness and | | | | spread your risk. You learn from early missteps, |
| health titles in the future, since they know how to | | | | and become more efficient, savvier with each |
| market and sell those. | | | | book. You learn to listen to your market, to find |
| And this is the secret to success in self-publishing: | | | | solutions to their problems, satisfaction for their |
| Start thinking about your next book today. Right | | | | needs. |
| now. | | | | |