With the continuing development of online publishing platforms, it’s never been easier to get your book out to the wider world. However, the actual publication is only one part of a much-longer process: You still need to write, edit and promote your book, each part of which can present a significant number of challenges. To find out more, we asked a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members the following question:
“What is the most important thing for entrepreneurs to remember when they are preparing to publish their first book?”
Preparing to Publish Your First Book
Here’s what YEC community members had to say:
1. Make Sure You Have Something Original to Say
“I think too many entrepreneurs today are writing books simply as a branding exercise. There’s nothing wrong with this, as long as you have a real message. Consider what your area of expertise is and what you’ve learned from experience. Don’t just rehash what’s already out there. If you don’t have the experience yet, think of partnering with someone else or creating a book of interviews.” ~ Kalin Kassabov,ProTexting
2. Research Every Book in the Industry
“When I first started writing my book, I looked into every single book in my industry and wrote notes on what I liked, what I didn’t like and what I saw myself improving. It was a tedious process and many times I found myself in a room reading all the time. But the research came in handy because it gave me clarity on my subject and the value I wanted to deliver through my book.” ~ Sweta Patel, Startup Growth Mode
3. Make Sure You Have a Great Title and Cover
“It’s a sad truth, but the title and cover of your book are going to be responsible for most of its sales and success. Have a great cover and title and a horrible book, you will likely make a bunch of sales. Have a bad cover and a bad title, but a great story, and your book will likely suffer in sales. Split test several titles and cover ideas before going live with your final decision.” ~ Zac Johnson, Blogger
4. Know Your Audience
“Don’t write the book for you, write the book for your audience. First, identify who your audience will be. Next, use content and verbiage your audience will understand. For instance, if your audience is a layperson, you want to avoid industry jargon and craft words in a way they will understand. Lastly, have an outsider review the book and provide candid feedback from their perspective.” ~ Matthew Podolsky,Florida Law Advisers, P.A.
5. Hire an Editor
“Even if you’re a great writer and pretty good and spelling and grammar, you should still consider hiring an editor. A professional editor will help you polish your book so that it’s in the best possible shape for readers. Plus, self-editing is hard. An editor will be able to find holes and areas where you can get your message across more effectively that you might never have noticed without them.” ~ John Turner, SeedProd LLC
6. Align the Book With Your Personal and Company Brands
“Make sure everything about the book reflects the brand you are building to get more traction, whether it is your personal or business brand or both. Consider how the cover art, title and overall content aligns with your brand.” ~ Angela Ruth, Calendar
7. Temper Your Expectations
“Remember that if your book does not take off and become a bestseller, it’s nothing personal. Writing and marketing a book are difficult, so do not take lackluster interest or sales as a business or personal failure. Instead, re-read your book, get feedback from people you respect and think about what you could have done differently. Look at it as a another learning experience.” ~ Blair Thomas, eMerchantBroker
8. Build Initial Traction
“Entrepreneurs should never neglect the pre-sales work that goes into launching the first book. Setting up a site, engaging your audience months ahead, building a pre-sales email list are some of the important elements. Working with industry leaders to gather reviews and including these reviews in the preface is equally important for credibility. Initial traction is paramount.” ~ Mario Peshev, DevriX
9. Be Prepared for the Work Ahead
“Publishing your first book means creating the biggest deliverable of your career. It’s important to know that creating, editing, publishing and marketing a book is a long and arduous process. No matter how much you rely on others to do ghostwriting and promotion, if the book is published under your name, the creation and sale of the product will require serious time and a commitment to success.” ~ Joey Kercher, Air Fresh Marketing
10. Remember: Publishing a Book is Only the Beginning
“From what I have learned, writing and publishing a book is only the beginning of the journey. Then you need to embark on selling it. This takes a whole new marketing plan which, depending on the book, may include such events are touring, signings and media spots. Be prepared to do that work. After putting in so much effort to write a book, it deserves that attention.” ~ Colbey Pfund, LFNT Distribution
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