Treating your book like a product

Authors and writers, particularly those who are setting out to publish a book for the first time, are often blinded by the sheer amount of passion and excitement they have about not only writing a novel, but putting it out there for others to read.

Unless you are content with writing and self-publishing a book simply for the love of it, you most likely want to get some return on investment from all the hard work you put into your manuscript and then the subsequent publishing process which included hiring an editor, a cover designer/illustrator, and any other expenses.

This is when it is imperative to treat your book like a product. After all, the better your product is, the more copies readers will buy.

How do you turn that idea you have had in your head for a long time and are finally able to get out onto paper into a marketable product?

One draft usually doesn’t cut it

Although some authors (generally those who are established) can get away with writing one draft, for most of us, we find that one draft is simply not enough to ensure that the entire story flows flawlessly, that all loose ends are tide up with regards to the story and plot line, and that it makes perfect sense.

Editing is vital

Some authors (particularly those who operate on a shoestring budget) edit their own work, something I highly recommend against doing. An experienced, competent editor will pick out the mistakes that you will naturally overlook. quite often, writers will get two or even more people (such as beta readers on Amazon) to proofread their novels.

Furthermore, many authors have both copy and content editors, with the former checking the manuscript for typos and grammatical errors and the latter making sure that the entire story works and will give feedback regarding what can be changed or made better.

Sometimes it’s good to judge a book by its cover

We’ve all heard that old saying; ‘never judge a book by its cover.’ But quite often, it’s your book cover that will be one of your biggest selling points. In other words, your book cover is major part of this product you have worked very hard on and want to sell as many copies as possible.

When many authors start out, it isn’t uncommon for them to make their own book covers using GIMP, Photoshop, or some other software. as you get making more money and build a bigger audience, you will want to hire a good illustrator who is also skilled at graphic design to make your book covers for you.

Marketing

You might have the best book in the world. But unless people know about it either through social media or word of mouth, it will remain hidden amongst millions of other titles in the vast Amazon Kindle universe.

Regardless of whether you are going to hire a professional book marketing company, or go organic using mostly free social media to promote your latest work, it is advisable to have a very strong marketing plan put in place.

Conclusion

If you would like to turn your passion for writing books into a profitable career, it is always important to remember that you are building a product.