There’s a saying, “Some books seem to be self-propagating, whilst others remain unpublished for years.” Writing a book is, in fact, an extensive undertaking, but publishing and marketing it often feels even more overwhelming.
In the case you are determined to make your book a bestseller, then there is a lot of attention and detail that needs to go into the writing process. In this blog, we will be outlining the different ways one can go about writing, self-publishing, selling, and even marketing their book by sharing tips from industry insiders.
So, without further ado, let’s get started with the first part!
Part 1: Book Writing
Identify the Motivation Behind Your Writing
The first thing you ought to do before you even touch a pen or keyboard is to consider why exactly you wish to write. This sounds simple. However, many first-time writers neglect this approach.
What is the message you are trying to convey? Who are you targeting? Is what you are writing purely autobiographical, or does it have the potential to connect with other people?
This clarity will guide everything: your tone, your style, your pacing. Consider what your audience needs to hear from you.
Create a Plan
Not every writer is a “plotter,” nor is everyone a “Pantsers,’ meaning to write without a plan. Even if you are spontaneous in your approach, writing a classic outline of your themed book can save you time later on. People often make outlines for essays, so why not use the same methodology for a book? The details may not be too specific, but they need to be within an acceptable range, showing the reader and you where the book is headed.
Which direction does the storyline take? What are the most important events? And what points within the story will be treated as the most important ones? Are you going to hire the best content marketing agency to promote your book? You don’t have to be overly strict with your map; however, putting one together will stop aimless writing.
Write Consistently
Similar to muscle, writing is a skill that requires regular practice. Allocate a paragraph or a set number of words to a daily or weekly goal, this will help you exercise discipline and obtain progress over time. It will not be a perfect draft and remember that’s ok. What matters is that you write further, and you can edit it later on.
Writing Strategies
Do not overthink too much; this is where the fun begins. Writer’s block can be quite a pain but just make sure that it does not come in the way of your work. Try the following strategies:
- Freewriting: Timing yourself for a period of 10 to 15 minutes and not worrying about grammar can be quite revealing because it gets those words scrambling together every time.
- Switch Perspectives: If you’re stuck in a scene or chapter and can’t seem to get out of it, try writing it from the perspective of another character or in the format of a letter or a diary entry.
- Walk Away: If you’re highly perplexed, step away from your desk. You may go for a quick stroll, run errands or just take a good nap. The best thoughts present themselves when least expected.
Edit Relentlessly
Remember, once you put pen to paper and draft a document, your work is only halfway done – editing is where the magic happens. A good edit could mean checking if the proper use of fantastical elements in the narrative is inescapable during the creating stages. It is a lot more than fixing spelling and grammar errors. It also means removing unwanted content, improving flow, ensuring pacing, and making sure all plot points are coherent. You can hire a ghostwriting service to help you with the writing part, though.
Part 2: Publishing
Traditional v. Self-publishing: Which is Right for You?
What certain hurdles have you come across? Modern-era narratives always have to contend with self-publishing as well as traditional. Both have their plus and minus; the appropriate one depends greatly on the writer’s goals and resources.
Traditional Publishing: In order to publish your book, you will need to find a literary agent and, with their assistance, a publishing house. It is not easy to accomplish, but the advantages are significant; for example, help with editing, marketing, and publishing as well as access to an already established distribution network. Furthermore, this route can also take a long time to complete.
Self-publishing: With services such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and others, this technique for publishing has recently gained a lot of interest. Self-publishing allows you to oversee every stage of the book, including the cover design, pricing, and marketing, along with a higher share of royalties. The downside of self-publishing is that you need to create a strategy for the marketing, editing, and formatting of your book since there is no one to assist you.
How to Write a Query Letter that Actually Gets Noticed
If you decide to go down the traditional route, the first step is to get a literary agent. To do that, you need to write a query letter and send it to publishers or other agents. Query letters are very important, so even the slightest misjudgement can ruin all your professional prospects.
As a tip, craft your letter in a way that is personal, succinct, and professional. Steer away from broad statements that say, “This is a tale of living.” Be upfront and specific. Describe the content of your book, its significance, and your qualifications to write it. If you are aware of the agent’s portfolio – consider yourself lucky to tailor your query accordingly.
Formatting Your Manuscript Before Submission
Even before thinking about manuscript submission, it’s absolutely vital to have it correctly formatted by a ghostwriting service provider. This can easily be neglected. However, it is one of the most important steps that need to be attended to – publishers and agents do reject manuscripts because of improper formats even if the writing is great.
- 12-point Times New Roman should be used for manuscripts.
- The document has to be double-spaced. It’s important to know that the document.
- Your name and contact details have to be positioned in the header, along with page numbers.
- Guidelines for the publication and agent submission must be thoroughly followed.
A Guide on How to Self-publish
Self-publishing is a do-it-yourself dream; however, it is not as easy as it sounds. It will require you to learn cover design along with many other skills. Having a professionally designed cover is what could lead a buyer to purchase your book instead of putting it back down.
Formatting: It is very important that your manuscript is properly formatted for Kindle, ePub, and print.
ISBNs And Copyrights: An ISBN is your book’s identification in the business world. If you are going the self-publishing route, you may need to purchase an ISBN. What you should steer clear of is selecting Amazon’s free ISBN. It will make your distribution options almost non-existent.
How to Self-publish a Book and Sell it On Most Platforms
Do not limit yourself to just Amazon. Focus on self-publishing and selling your book on many platforms to gain recognition and make sales. Don’t forget other:
- Barnes and Noble Press
- Apple Books
- Kobo
- Smashwords, which are able to market to little-known names
Part 3: How To Market Your Book and Make Sure it Gets to the Readers You Want
Establishing Your Author Platform at an Early Stage
It is important to build an author platform before the release of your book. The earlier you start interacting with potential readers, the better; use social media, your own website, and even newsletters. Provide them with insights into your writing process, a chapter or two, and even what goes on behind the scenes. Try getting in touch with the best content marketing service for deep insight.
Harness the Power of Social Media and Bookstagram
Social media platforms are not only meant for cat videos and memes. Rather, they serve as an important means to market a book. There is a large cohort of people who enjoy books on Instagram and are known as Bookstagrammers, and they can play a significant role in marketing your book. Also, remember to network with your followers.
Focus on Getting Reviews (But Politely Request Them When Needed)
Reviews are your main source of marketing your book and bringing attention to your title. After publishing your book, look for bloggers, influencers, or any readers willing to review your book.
If you have constructed a strong community, this particular step would become much easier. However, do remember to keep policies that help you manage every possible situation, like positive or negative responses for example.
Conclusion
As we have seen, writing, publishing, and marketing a book takes careful planning, persistence, and a little determination. However, by simply setting the right expectations and using the right tools, you can easily turn your concept into a booming success.
If you want to ace every aspect of your literary journey, we have 10 years of experience in the literary realm, and we know how to make your idea a bestseller.
