Do you want to become an author? Many people say they have a book inside of them but few actually commit the time, energy and resources to turn their idea for a great book into a published work.
It’s easier than ever to become an author today. The tools are more affordable and easily available than ever before. All you have to do is write your story.
Begin by considering your audience. Your audience has an expectation that the information will be presented in a structured format.
Many authors write books because they have a passion for the subject they’re writing about or the story they want to tell. Although some authors earn a living writing books, the vast majority of authors rely on other sources of income. Even best-selling authors cannot quit their day jobs right away.
1. A good editor is essential to your book’s success:
You may have written a book with a great plot, but if it’s full of typos, missing punctuation, telling instead of showing, and rambling narrative, then readers won’t like it. A trained, experienced editor can help you fix all these things and polish your book to be the best it can be.
2. You also need to self-edit your books:
The cleaner your manuscript is before you send it to an editor, the less you’ll need to pay an editor. The editor will also be able to better focus on issues that you aren’t able to catch. If you don’t self-edit your book, the editor has that much more to fix, and the end product won’t be as good. Always self-edit before sending your manuscript to an editor. This does mean that you’ll be reading your book over and over and over again. I cannot stress this enough – read your book aloud. It sounds different when aloud and not in your head.
3. A good book cover can make or break your book:
The cover is the first thing potential readers see when they look at your book. If it’s not appealing and appropriate for the genre, they won’t buy it.
4. You need a thick skin:
Not everyone will like your book. You’ll get criticism from editors and reviewers, and some of those reviewers may be downright cruel. Don’t take it personally; take the pieces of criticism to improve your work, while keeping in mind that not all criticism is valuable.
5. You should offer your book everywhere:
Offer your book as an e-book; which is easy in this digital age. E-books are cheap to produce, market, and sell. Sell your book on Amazon; the biggest market for all books. Get your book in your local book stores, Offer your book in audio and paperback. With all these buying options available, you won’t miss out on readers who want to buy your book.
6. You’ll need to promote your book often:
Marketing is never a one-time thing. If you want to sell a lot of books, you need to promote them, even if you are with a traditional publisher. The most effective promotion strategy is to temporarily discount one of your e-books.
7. Keep reading:
To write well, you need to be a great reader! Most importantly, read popular books in the genre you’re writing in, to see what sells well. Reading good writing can also help you improve your writing as you come to recognize awkward phrasing, or sentences that tell instead of show.
8. Keep writing:
The more you write, the better writer you’ll become. And the more published books you have out there, the more money you’ll make. Get people talking about you and your work.
“Linda has published sixteen books. She blogs about the publishing world, posts useful tips on the challenges a writer faces, including marketing and promoting your work, how to build your online platform, how to get reviews and how to self-publish. She has mentored many authors and edited their work.”