They say that 80% of people have a book in them. Or, at least they like to think they do. According to an article in Forbes Magazine, between 600,000 and a million books are published each year. Sadly, most of them sell fewer than 250 copies. Total.
So, what’s the difference between you and all of the other people who have successfully published a book? The answer is preparation, preparation, preparation. And, contrary to popular belief, the hardest part isn’t writing the book. Not if you envision your book on the New York Times bestseller list. Sitting down and writing a book is relatively easy if you’ve done your homework. It’s the part where you get to pull words out of thin air, and put them into print. The chance to shine as an artist, displaying your creativity for the world to see.
So, how do you write a successful book?
Successfully writing and publishing an award-winning book begins months or years before you put pen (or computer screen) to paper. Here are a few tips on how to get started writing a great book; one that will win awards and sell all over the world, hopefully making you money. A book you can be proud of while appearing on The Today Show.
Most of these steps should happen concurrently, long before you begin writing.
Getting Started
Before you pull out your old Royal typewriter, or boot up your Mac, ask yourself, “What is the scope of my book?” Are you going to sell your book to the world, or give it to a few friends as Christmas gifts? Answering these questions will determine how big a project you’re undertaking, the time you’ll need to complete it and, most important, how much it’s going to cost. The differences are huge.
Next, decide how you’re going to complete your book. Are you going to do everything yourself (you probably don’t want to do this, particularly if it’s your first book), hire an independent publisher, or try to shop your manuscript around to the big publishing houses like HarperCollins, Random House or Simon & Schuster. Self-publishing is the easiest and fastest. Theoretically, you could write and publish your book in a single day. Otherwise, it can take months or years.
Regardless of which way you go, you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you after your book has been published. Even if your manuscript gets picked up by a major publishing house, unless you’re J.K. Rowling, you’re going to have to do most of the footwork yourself if you expect it to sell.
Are you writing a topical book? Have you written a book about new Christmas recipes or how to sew Easter clothes for the kids? If so, you’re going to want to make sure your book is complete and ready to release to the public months before the specific date or holiday. Otherwise, you can take your time. I’d recommend you pick a date and stick to it. Tell everyone you know that you’re working on a book, and it will be published on XXXX (fill in the date here). If you lag behind, or give up, your friends will keep you honest.
Even before you begin writing, imagine what your book is going to look like, its length and who its intended readers will be. If this is your first time, I implore you to hire a seasoned cover artist. Someone who can make your book stand out in the field. When I was writing my second book, Watching Grandma Circle the Drain, I wanted to establish my brand, or trademark. For me that was going to be my own image, much like Dave Barry and other successful humorists. Understanding that most new releases are crowded onto a single table with a hundred other books, what could I do to make my book leap into prospective readers’ hands? A distinctive cover will do that. I’ve even seen covers that were designed to be displayed upside down. Anything to gather attention.
While you’re writing the initial draft of your manuscript, start noodling titles for your book. But, don’t worry, you don’t have to decide on one right away. When I wrote my first book, Ski Instructors Confidential: The Stories Ski Instructors Swap Back at the Lodge, the title of the book didn’t come to me until literally days before it went to press. But, like a clever cover design, a great title will capture readers and make them want to pick it up.
Have you ever wondered how authors get those witty testimonials on the back cover of their books? It’s simple. They ask them. Think big. Track down celebrities or others associated with the the content of your book and ask them if they’d be interested in endorsing your book. Most of the time, they’ll say yes. While you’re writing your manuscript, start building your professional network. Send your contacts brief excerpts or chapters from your book to see if you’re on the right track. As soon as you have a rough draft (and possibly earlier) start reaching out to people for their endorsement and comments for display on the back cover or the beginning of your book. If you don’t know anyone, you can search for reviewers on Amazon.com. You’ll find hundreds of people willing to help you; usually for free.
The Sweet Spot
Long before you’re ready to publish your book (possibly even before you start writing), start designing your marketing plan. In my opinion, sales and marketing your book is the most difficult part of writing a book. Why? Because competition is fierce. There are hundreds of titles vying for readers’ attention. Long before I saw my first book in print, I started to think about creative, inexpensive ways to get the word out. You can read about some of the things I tried while marketing Ski Instructors Confidential in an article I published in The Writer Magazine. I experimented with affordable services like Facebook ads, where my books were thrust in front of more than 250,000 new consumers a day; most of them in western Europe, a marketplace I’d never even considered.
According to some publishing experts, new books have a two-week sweet spot. That means that your best chances of getting your book in front of readers is 14 days. After that, newer titles will begin to crowd yours out of the market’s attention span. But, there are things you can do to lengthen the sweet spot. If you’ve already contacted television networks, radio shows and other forms of media, you can remain in the spotlight, lengthening the sweet spot.
You do have a website, don’t you? Do you own a domain? No? Then, shame on you. You’re missing out on an affordable, easy way to reach new readers. You can promote and monitor your book on social media and other inexpensive, mass-media outlets for less than $5 a month. By monitoring Google Analytics for your website, you can track how many people are responding to your marketing efforts.
Here’s an example of the power of the media, using a dedicated website:
A year after I published my first book, I pitched it (remember, it was about skiing and winter sports) as a segue into the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. I called my local NBC news affiliate and asked them if they’d be interested in doing a short piece on my book about the antics of people enrolled in ski school. They snapped up the opportunity. So, one morning I appeared in the 6:20 am slot on the news; the time when everyone was at home with their televisions on, getting ready for work. By the time I got back to the office, my website received more than 73,000 hits. All from a 3-minute spot on television. And, it cost me nothing.
For the duration of my marketing, I’m always ON. I include blurbs about my book on the bottom of EVERY email I send out. During cover design and printing, I buy hundreds of small postcards and bookmarks with the cover of my book and my contact information emblazoned on them. I thrust them into the hands of everyone I meet. They’re easy to carry and everyone needs a bookmark, don’t they? Most of mine are probably still stuck in people’s other books, where my sales potential continues for years after initial publication.
Following Up
Are you the competitive type? Would you like to see if you’re as great a writer as you think you are? Then, contests are the perfect vehicle for 
promoting your book and other writing. There are literally hundreds of them. Some are designed for short stories and poetry pieces. Others are designed for new books. They’re either free or charge a nominal fee to enter.
While I was getting ready to submit my third book, Monkey in a Pink Canoe for publication I started looking around for writing contests I could enter. So, I entered a competition for new books hosted by the Colorado Independent Publishers Association, and forgot about it. Lo and behold, one day I was notified that I won an award! I emblazoned the seal on the cover of my book. With print-on-demand books, you can make small changes to your book, even as orders are being fulfilled.
Many people have said to me, “Oh sure. These steps are easy for you. You’re an established writer. But, what about me? I’ve never written a book.” The truth is, none of my books have succeeded as much as my first, when I knew absolutely nothing about how to write and sell a book.
You can easily do everything I’ve done and more. Use your imagination. The key is never be afraid to ask people for something. If you don’t ask, they can’t say yes. Being ego-driven machines, people are eager to find ways to make themselves look good. Your pitch is a great opportunity for them.
These are just some of the tips I’ve learned over the years after having successfully written, published and marketed several books as well as thousands of articles. If you have questions, I’d love to help you get your name in print. Just message me. I’d be happy to help!
This article was an excerpt from, On Becoming a Successful Writer by Allen Smith
