A Publisher's Conversation with Authors: How the Most and the Best Become Even More Successful
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.
This week, we share in part what kinds of things help a good book get even more attention and better sales. (Note: typically, more attention and better sales go hand in glove.) So, sharing some things (not research, but ones we have noticed over time):
Success Breeds Success
When books are successful, it becomes easier to make them even more successful.
- Everyone loves success. So, if a book achieves "bestseller" status in any way (on Amazon in a niche category, there is a story! When that story gets repeated by the author, the publisher, and others on various media platforms or in ads, more sales come, and the bestselling label remains and sales grow, meaning that the "story" can be told over and over. Remember, it takes 22 times of seeing a book mentioned, on average, before someone will purchase it. These repetitive "stories" can build to 22 times pretty rapidly.
- Awards are a great way to shout "success." And again, here come the stories and the 22+ times that a reader can see information about a book; the awarding organization will have the book listed (sometimes permanently) on its site, as will the publisher (sometimes in more than one place -- the webstore, the titles information, and a special awards list) and as should the author. Then, the shout can go out onto social media by publisher and author and others, on email lists, and in newsletters (after all, it is indeed news).
- Book reviews are another way to build success. As reviews accrete, more people want to read the book, and when they do, they often write reviews. The trick is to get the ball rolling with at least a couple dozen reviews soon after the book launch. (Re-launches work, too.)
Success leads to permanency leads to success
Some social media posts (or even ads) can be permanent in nature. For example, the obituary we include in all our Cancer Diary posts is always there because it was the prompt for the weekly post. Readers have to click on the link to the obituary to read it, and, surprisingly, they do. It is the most-read post in the past three years. Never overlook the power of some piece of information appearing routinely over and over again: 22 times plus!
Success builds reputation and credibility
This is a symbiotic relationship.
- Once success begins to emerge, a cycle starts in which your reputation and credibility grow. That growth leaders to greater success, which leads to greater reputation and credibility. And on, and on, spiralling upward.
- Momentum builds, and after a time, it is like being on a train, taking you exactly where you want to go.
- Success can open doors to new opportunities, such as networking with influential people, gaining access to resources, or receiving offers for all kinds of projects related to your book, such as Ted Talks and keynote speeches. Your book is your credibility for opening new doors, and the new opportunities create credibility for your book. Again, a spiral!
Learning and experience
Each success provides valuable learning experiences and skills that can be applied to future projects, increasing the likelihood of continued success. As authors gain in learning and experience, they become more confident at taking on more promotional activities, which leads to more learning, experience, and success.
Bottom line: positive feedback loop where each success builds on the previous one, creating a pathway to continued achievement.
See more Publisher Conversations with Authors HERE.
Learn more about publishing from an acquisitions editor -- how to get your book proposal accepted, why proposals are turned down/accepted, and how to find the right publisher for your book. On special sale for $5 while inventory lasts at MSI Press webstore. Also available as an e-book and an audiobook.
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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Julia Aziz, signing her book, Lessons of Labor, at an event at Book People in Austin, Texas.
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