Ten Publishing Questions You Need to Answer
June 27, 2014
Publishing is “simple”. It’s where someone (you might be the one to do this) hits a “print” button or a publish button, and the result is either a physical book or a paperback book.
Now that this is settled, let’s ask these ten questions:
1) Did you edit your work, and then did you have someone else edit it for you? Both are valid, but as someone who makes mistakes, I would sooner have someone keep an eye on my work.
2) Do you know your market? Not everyone will buy or read your writing. Knowing who will makes all the difference.
3) If you’re self-publishing a book do you have both the money and the time to create a professional looking book (cover and interior) and get it looking as close to a traditionally published book as you can? Reading some books on publishing will help you decide this, a good one to read is: From Word to Kindle
by the author or Aiming at Amazon.
by the author or Aiming at Amazon.4) Have you sent out personalized query letters to literary agents or publishers if your plan is to have your book traditionally published?
5) Have to checked your proofs and your edits before accepting your proof as final– you decided to self-publish your book?
6) Do you have a marketing budget that is within your means, and one that you can use to maximize your book sales and still have time to be a person?
7) Have you started on a blog or have worked a social media site and are using it to build your author platform and not your book or blog? Do you even have an author platform? If you have an author platform are you using it wisely?
8) Are you following publishing blogs and magazines so that you have an understanding of what is out there right now- and who has the wins on the awards and how to build your book from there?
9) Do you have the time to re-edit your books as needed before and after they are published? If it’s traditionally published are you willing to do re-edits?
10) Are you willing to have other readers look at your book and be critical about it or about you even if you send them a review copy saying you want and “honest” review? If someone gives you a one star rating are you willing to find out why and how you can improve?
These are, to me, must answer questions because if you can’t really answer them, especially number 10, you can be in a world of trouble, because writing and publishing is one of the hardest fields to be in.
2 Comments
Anonymous
Why would you want to self-publish a book any ways? I don't think that's writing for a living, just dreaming about making money
Rebecca A Emrich
If it's a niche book, there is less of a chance that it will find a home with a traditional publisher. So, it's important to know what works for each book. If it's a larger market and well written, considering the traditional publishing route is more important.