by Luana Ribeira
If you are an entrepreneur who is interested in publishing a book, but think you need a publisher, think again. This just is not true!
Many think that if only they’d get a publisher, their book would automatically hit global success, but did you know that you would still be expected to market your own book?
This is especially true for new authors. The publisher’s marketing budget for books will go to the authors who are already well established. What will happen is that you’d be added to certain catalogues and lists and, most likely, that’s will be it.
While we’re on the subject of marketing, I was talking to an author who went with a publisher for her first book and was not happy with the loss of creative control. Her book was marketed in a completely different way to how she markets her business, meaning it was attracting a completely different reader to the one she wanted to attract to her coaching business through her book, and the process just didn’t work. She is now working on her second book and this time she is self publishing!
If you already have the audience for your book, and as an entrepreneur, I would strongly recommend your book is written to fit your existing audience (this is how you will create a good income through your book- not by relying on book sales).
This means that through a publisher will give you hardly any benefit at all, because the bulk of your book sales will be going from your audience… And you will only get a very small percentage from each book. You’ll be giving away a big chunk of your profits when you would have sold them yourself anyway!
Having said that, having your own audience ready to buy the book will make it easier for you to get a publisher. The question is, do you even want to give up the control and profits from your book, when most of the work will still be done by yourself?
Here’s what a publisher can do.
They can get your book into bookstores.
That sounds great, but this in no way means that your book is going to hit the big time, and it’s worth noting that the stores will only stock your book for a month or so and if it isn’t a great seller, they will return for a refund. The fact is that these days, most book sales are made online. Plus, you can pitch your book to the stores yourself if you do want to go down that route.
Some have publicists that can help you to get into the media with your book- but there are no guarantees. You can also pitch to the media yourself.
A plus of going with a publisher is that there are no upfront fees to pay. Awesome! But in the time it takes to get an agent and to be accepted by a publisher (a process that can take years), how much income coming through your book do you think you would be missing out on? Self publish and your book will be available for people to buy in just a few hours!
If you have been thinking of writing a book and have been concerned about spending all of that time writing only to be rejected by the publishers, I hope this has encouraged you to get writing.
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Luana Ribeira Book & Media Coach http://www.eiriancohen.com/
