12 Mistakes Self Publishers Make And How To Avoid Them

Do-It-Yourself Publishing

12 Mistakes

Self-Publishers Make & How to Avoid Them www.doityourselfpublishing.com.au

© Copyright 2014

BEFORE YOU START

1. NOT HAVING A CLEAR PURPOSE BEFORE YOU

stand what niche your book falls into.

COMMENCE WRITING

Identifying which niche your book falls into is essential

Before you begin writing, it is important to know what

for both the structure of the book, and marketing pur-

direction you would like to take. There are many differ-

poses. If you find that your book does not fit into a pre-

ent genres and types of books to choose from, and each

existing niche, and that you are writing primarily for

will have different requirements when it comes to both

friends, family and personal achievement that is okay

research and identifying your target audience. This is es-

too. Regardless of the type of book you are writing, you

sential to identify prior to creating your publishing plan.

will be required to invest time in research and writing; as

This could be anything from personal or professional de-

well as time perfecting your signature writing style.

velopment, a memoir, a cookbook, a promotional book

What is important to keep in mind is that writing a book

for your business or a work of fiction just to name a few

is vastly different than writing as a as an outlet or hob-

options.

by. When you are writing with plans to publish, and for

When identifying which type of book you want to write,

hopes of success in sales, your writing becomes your

consider what you know well. This will help you to write

business. Every successful business, including publish-

from a perspective of a professional in your industry or

ing, has a clearly defined target audience.

field. By asking yourself what the goals of your book are, and identifying a clear direction you can begin to under-

You must clearly identify your goals.

2. NOT TREATING THE BOOK AS A PRODUCT OF

is a significant amount of work. Not only will you need

YOUR BUSINESS

to produce an excellent written work, but you will have

While writing your book may be a personal achieve-

to attract attention, and encourage people to buy your

ment, it is imperative to remember that your book is a

book. This includes sharing enough detail and informa-

professional tool—and a business opportunity. Once

tion about your book, without giving too much away.

you publish your book, you certainly want it to sell with

This will require you to look at your book as a salesper-

great success. Writing a book will open many new doors

son would look at a product they are selling. It may be

for you, and you need to ensure that you are prepared

helpful to identify a USP (Unique Selling Point).

for the external input. Since you are not working with a traditional publisher, you will be keeping the profits

Once you finish writing and your book is ready for the

from your sales all for yourself. However, that means that

marketplace, your job is all about marketing and pro-

marketing your book falls into your own hands—which

moting your book.

©Do-It-Yourself-Publishing – A Division of the Pickawoowoo Group.

BUSINESS 3. NOT DEVELOPINGOAK PLAN FOR YOUR BO Another common mistake made in self-publishing, is

display needs for trade shows, travel expenses related to

underestimating the need for a formal written business

marketing and promotion, editorial fees etc. Your busi-

plan. While your business plan will not necessarily in-

ness plan should outline both your pre and post publi-

clude items such as the need to secure finances from a

cation expenses. If this is your first self-published book,

bank or external investors, you do need to have clearly

there will be much that you learn along the way, and

defined objectives with tactics and strategies. Having a

many expenses you may not have initially planned for.

step-by-step plan of action will help you to measure your

While your business plan is likely to evolve, it is essential

success along the way. Writing a business plan will also

to have a solid starting point.

require you to budget your expenses for book creation and marketing and promoting your book. This could in-

Plan the future of your book business

clude things such as design fees, promotional materials, 4. NOT KNOWING YOUR TARGET MARKET

your book, and not all books are written in a manner that

Everything that sells has a target audience, including

speaks to everyone. This is why it is essential to identify

books. It is easy as an author to hope that people from all

the target audience who are most likely to purchase your

walks of life will be interested in your book, but that is not

book. This is something you should determine before

always the case. For example, if you have written a cook-

you begin writing, so that you can write with your audi-

book packed full of organic recipes, it may be of little to

ence in mind. This way your target audience, USP, mar-

no interest to individuals who don’t mind cooking with

keting plan and author platform will be designed around

non-organic food and processed ingredients.

the same concepts.

Even if your book casts a wide net, such as a professional

An eye for the perfect reader (with a narrow focus)

development book that is ideal for professionals of all

will tell you exactly who wants to buy your book.

age groups and industries—not everyone will purchase 3

5. NOT CREATING YOUR AUTHOR PLATFORM … NOW

Your Author Platform will not only establish you as an expert in

Probably one of the most important aspects of your book busi-

your niche or genre, but will increase visibility to your target audi-

ness: getting out there and getting noticed! Many authors feel they

ence (readers). This means that each connection you make, with

should wait until their book is complete to begin marketing—how-

your marketing efforts, it should connect directly to your target

ever, building excitement and anticipation should commence now.

audience and niche. While it may be tempting to peruse any or

This is why it is important to have a business plan that includes

all connections that cross your path—if they are not directly con-

marketing strategies that start prior to your book being available

nected to your target audience it is not a good use of your time or

for purchase.

resources. For example, if you establish a connection to the cos-

You can do this by creating an Author Platform—which is an indus-

metics industry—it will not be helpful if you are marketing a profes-

try term that refers to an author’s direct connection to both their

sional development book geared towards men.

target audience and industry professionals who will buy, sell, and review their books. To establish your Author Platform you should

You have to plan and create an Author Platform,

begin by creating both an online and offline presence. Your Author

failing to do this will be the BIGGEST mistake you can make.

Platform should be a key objective in your business plan. ©Do-It-Yourself-Publishing – A Division of the Pickawoowoo Group.

6. NOT WRITING ABOUT A FAMILIAR TOPIC There are an unlimited amount of topics you can write about, however you will save time in research and in creative efforts by writing about something you are familiar with. When you are familiar with something, it will take less effort to write on the topic, and you are likely to be more excited about a topic you already know well. When you write a book on a particular topic (nonfiction), readers will expect you to be well-versed in the subject at hand, as well as an industry expert. As an author/publisher you will be more confident in your work if it is in regards to a topic you are familiar with. The more confident you are, the easier it will be for you to identify opportunities where you can create online and offline buzz about your book. Word of mouth is an invaluable tool when promoting and marketing your business, so the more buzz you are able to generate the better. The more buzz you generate, the more of your target audience you reach—which will result in more sales. Show that you are the go-to person on your topic. 7. NOT LOOKING BEYOND THE BOOKSTORE As an author, seeing your book on the shelf of a bookstore is likely to be your primary goal, but it is not the only area you should be exploring. Some authors do not look beyond bookstores as they are concerned that other types of retailers will require such drastically discounted prices that profits will be minimal—or that the risk of books being returned will be too high. However, there are many ‘nontraditional markets’ and ‘centre of influences’ that will guarantee no returns, and that will secure your book in such large quantities that the volume of the discounted sales will result in a lucrative income. This is also an excellent area to explore for guaranteed sales, opposed to consignment sales. Bookstores are not the be-all and end-all. Fifty-two percent of all books are not sold in bookstores!

5

NOW YOU’VE STARTED me coming back. There are so go no is e er th , ed ish bl e publishing Once your book is pu s make in regards to th er ish bl pu lfse y an m low. mon mistakes that piled the information be m co ve ha we y wh is process—which

8. NOT HIRING A PROFESSIONAL EDITOR.

es in your manuscript are beta readers and critique part-

Since writing your book is a business that requires a vari-

ners. To get your document up to edit stage you could ‘tap

ety of expenses along the way, you are certainly looking

the crowd’. There are always people out there who know

for areas where you can save money. While you may be

more than you do. Beta readers are friends, colleagues, or

an excellent writer, the fact of the matter is you may not

family members who will read the manuscript and give

be an excellent editor. Even if you excel at editing others

feedback. Make sure you ask specific questions such as

work, it is an entirely different ballgame when speaking

what works, what didn’t, and any obvious errors.

of your own work. This is why it is important to invest in

When writing your book there are three critical stages

editing—especially if you are hoping to achieve the same

in which it is important to reach out for outside opinion.

level of success as traditional publishers. Keep in mind

These stages are—Outline, First Draft, and Final Draft.

that traditional publishers have a multitude of editors

Even when you have edited and read over the same in-

that a book works its way through prior to publication,

formation numerous times, a professional will be able to

such as an Acquisition Editor, Developmental Editor,

provide you with objective feedback, and identify any

Content Editor, Line Editor, Copy Editor, and Print Ready

mistakes that have fallen through the cracks.

Proofreader. The first line of defense against mistakes and weakness-

Can you afford NOT to get your book edited?

9. DESIGNING YOUR OWN COVER.

sional manner. Since your book cover will play such a

Although you are not supposed to judge a book by its

vital role in marketing and promoting your book, you

cover, a cover speaks great volumes about the pages in-

should invest as much energy and effort into the cover

between. While you may be tempted to design your own

as you do the pages in between. Ensure that the graphic

cover, it is important to keep in mind that the cover will

designer you hire is both skilled in book cover creation

play a vital role in marketing materials and marketing ef-

and the marketing nuances required to achieve a profes-

forts—particularly in the online world.

sional standard.

This is why hiring a graphic designer is a necessary investment. While you may have a general idea in mind, a graphic designer can bring that idea to life in a profes©Do-It-Yourself-Publishing – A Division of the Pickawoowoo Group.

People do judge a book by its cover.

AUTHOR 10. NOT BUILDING AN THIS STAGE. PLATFORM, EVEN AT In mistake number 5 we discussed the importance of building an Author Platform. However, if you did not build your Author Platform earlier in the process, it is never too late. Keep in mind that your Author Platform is not only essential for promoting this book, but for promoting future work. There are hundreds of little steps you will have to complete to build a solid Author Platform, meaning it is an ongoing process both pre and post publication. By building a solid Author Platform you will increase your visibility to your target audience, and establish yourself as a niche, industry expert or a skilled genre writer i.e. ‘an extraordinary mystery writer’. You cannot remain invisible and expect the world to find you or your book.

11. SELLING ONLY AN EBOOK VERSION.

be available worldwide, then POD should be a precedence,

There are many financial advantages to publishing an e-

as a large majority of readers around the world still prefer

book, especially when it comes to the price of printing and

handheld publications. Though e-books are rising in popu-

publication. Even with the increasing popularity of e-books

larity, print remains the foundation of reading habits.

and electronic reading tools, there are many niches and gen-

Also keep in mind that you will save money by investing in

res in which print publications continue to outsell e-books

both a print and e-book campaign at the same time, opposed

by at least three to one. This is why we encourage authors

to seeking them out individually.

to publish both print and e-books—as some readers will purchase your book in both forms.

Provide book formats that your readers want … not all are E-

Print on Demand (POD) paperbacks are no more difficult

Readers!

than setting up a designed eBook and they provide a greater reach into different market places. If you want your book to

12. HAVING ONLY ONE PLAN.

5) Co-publishers / partnership publishing (pay to publish ar-

When it comes to publishing there are 6 common options to

rangement)

choose from. If you are reading this document you have es-

6) Subsidy publishers/ vanity publishers (pay to publish ar-

tablished an interest in self-publishing, however, after read-

rangement)

ing our information you may not believe it is still the best fit for you.

Before making your final decision it is important that you

Although we are advocates for the self publishing industry

understand each of the options above. They each require

there is no right/wrong approach; you must find what works

varied levels of time and financial investment, as well as dif-

best for you. Consider the options below:

ferent levels of risk. Individually, they should be approached differently in order to achieve success.

1) Self-publishing / indie publishing 2) Conventional or traditional publishers

Failing to plan is planning to fail.

3) Implement self-publishing to attract a traditional publisher 4) Independent publishers / boutique publishers 7

Final Thought

too late. u don’t know’ until it is yo t ha w , ow kn n’t do can In publishing ‘You table book coach who pu re a ve ha u yo re su or en Always ask questions s. self-publishing proces guide you through the

An Invitation.

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DO-IT-YOURSELF-PUBLISHING is an award winning business and author services company who prides itself in preparing self-publishers for success. © Copyright 2014 Do-It-Yourself-Publishing A division of Pickawoowoo Group www.doityourselfpublishing.com.au [email protected] Tel: 61 8 97561818