Self-Publishing Tip—Have a plan: Map out a defined strategy/vision for your book, develop a detailed budget, create a realistic time line, know your target audience, do your research on industry standards and trends, and above all, PROMOTE!...to read more, visit my blog,
When I began my publishing journey I was as green as grass. All I knew was that I wanted to have the story I’d spent endless nights creating, published into a book. I spent 2 ½ years sending out query letters and doing research on the publishing industry before I finally decided to self-publish my novel, Unexpected Interruptions. But before I published my work, I knew I had to have a plan.
How I developed my plan:
The first thing I did was write down my vision for my work, which ultimately turned into my strategy. I determined what goals and milestones I wanted to achieve, and what kind of reach and exposure (regional, national, international) I wanted to accomplish. I also knew that in order to fully realize what I had envisioned, I had to have the money to do it, so I developed a concise, detailed budget. My budget was based on the extensive research I had done on the publishing industry. Through tedious homework each night, I learned what was required to properly publish a book and the many costs involved. After I knew what kind of expenses I would likely incur, I developed a time line. This step was invaluable and extremely helpful because it kept me on track with each task in front of me. It was my road map!
And above all, I PROMOTED! From the moment I decided to self-publish, I began telling everyone I knew about my book. The minute my book cover was complete I posted it on my newly designed website (every author should have a website!), uploaded it to bookselling and literary websites, made bookmarks and postcards, reached out to book clubs, and started setting up a book tour.
I followed my timeline and stuck with my plan (as closely as I could), and I believe to this day that it was a great factor in the success of, Unexpected Interruptions. Having a plan doesn’t ensure success because as we know, life doesn’t always happen the way we want it to. But, if you have a road map in front of you, you’ll have a good idea of where you need to go, and you’ll avoid a lot of pitfalls!
Visit me at www.tricehickman.com
