A Publisher's Conversation with Authors: The Hard, Long Road to Book Success

It is Tuesday. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side.

Today's topic is About factors that lead to book success (or note). Factos include pre-publication efforts and post-publication efforts. From the time you decide to write a book, factors that pre-date publication are as important as those that post-date publication--and unlike what all too many authors expect, factors that post-date publication are critical.

Pre-publication: Writing is the easy part; revising is the hard part.

• Some authors think that once the last word is on paper, they are done. In reality, the last word is just the beginning of producing the manuscript that will become the book.
• Revision includes reviewing the concepts--is everything well laid out? Here is where a number of other people can help, depending upon the nature of the book: potential readers to pre-read it and provide feedback (author circles can do this, too), editors can help and development editors may be needed.
• Revision includes reviewing the words--the spelling, the grammar, the right turn of phrase. Here is where a good copyeditor comes in.
• Revision cannot be skipped; it is the difference between a high-quality book and just another self-publication (likely not selling well) on the market.

Post-publication: The book launch is the easy part; long-term marketing is the hard part.

• The book launch is exciting and can be concentrated into an easy-to-manage period of time, but generally does not catapult a book into good sales over the long term.
• Actual marketing best begins before publication--a platform that is stable and strong for a period of time (2-3 years, but at last many months) is the best way to ensure a successful launch and continuing sales.
• Far too many first-time authors think that all the marketing efforts belong to the publisher; experienced authors know that publishers alone cannot create book success--authors must help, and publishers expect them to (which is one reason that many, if not most, publishers will not take a risk on a new author without a platform and a plan and clear commitment; the risk is too high.

Bottom line: Book success begins with efforts prior to publication and depends upon long-term commitment.

Lesson for today's Tuesday talk: Don't think only about the easy parts of writing a book; the hard parts are critical to book success.

 Read more posts about publishing HERE.

The Tuesday talks reflect real discussions between the management of MSI Press LLC and our own authors or those would-be authors who come through our doors but don't make the cut--yet. If you have a topic that you would like addressed, leave the question in the comment section. Chances are, in our 18 years of publishing first-time and experiences authors, we have had a conversation with one of our authors that we can share with you.

                             

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