December 19, 2012
Some people say that anyone can publish a book, but I have to disagree. I know many people, young and old, who could never write a book, let alone publish one. And that’s okay. Not everyone can cook a gourmet meal. Not everyone can fix a car. Not everyone can build a house. Okay, you get it… There are professionals who offer those services and plenty of people who buy the services. Similarly, there are professional companies willing to help you self-publish your book if you’re one of the many writers out there wanting or needing publishing assistance. MindStir Media is one of those companies, and we’re happy to help…
I’ve said this many times over the phone to prospective clients: There is a risk involved with self-publishing your book. You may or may not see a return on investment. Your book is a product. It could sell tons of copies or sell few copies or maybe land somewhere in between. In the end, the success is up to the market … and the quality of your product (and marketing, of course)! So what can be done to improve your chances of success in self-publishing?
- Use a custom book cover design. The key word there is “custom.” The design should be original, not template-based. A book cover is not something that should just be thrown together. If your cover looks amateurish, readers will assume the book’s content is also amateurish!
- Your book should be edited. Even if you can’t afford a professional book editor (via our Gold Package, for instance), your book should be edited. Join writers’ groups, network, find friends to help you with the editing if you have to. Do whatever it takes. Every traditionally published book has been edited — some better than others, sure, but they’ve all been edited.
- Select a memorable book title (and subtitle if appropriate). A proper attention-grabbing title and subtitle can attract sales, especially if your book is non-fiction. Choose wisely.
- Publish in multiple formats. Do your best to publish your book in multiple formats. More options for readers oftentimes mean more sales. Paperback and ebook are a good start. They are the two least expensive formats to produce and therefore your retail prices can be low, encouraging a high volume of sales.
- Take full advantage of free book marketing. Try implementing available free book marketing opportunities before you decide to buy additional book marketing services.
Don’t take the easy (or cheap) way out and bypass these crucial elements. If you can handle it correctly all by yourself, great! Do it. If not, hire self-publishing professionals.
J.J. Hebert is the bestselling author of Unconventional and Weepy the Dragon. He’s also the founder and president of MindStir Media, a full-service self-publishing and book marketing company.
