Is your book idea really a good idea? Are you sure? Just because the concept is new and exciting to you doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mean that it is a truly fresh idea\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthat it hasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t been done before. <\/p>\n
It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s easy to get a book published today. Sure, you can produce a book on any topic, in any style and from any perspective. But it still doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mean that it is a good book\u00e2\u20ac\u201da needed or worthwhile project. In fact, folks, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m seeing more and more manuscripts that probably should never become books.<\/p>\n
Before you get too excited about your great book idea, Stop, Look<\/em><\/strong> and Listen<\/em><\/strong>. <\/p>\n Stop <\/em><\/strong>and think about your topic or your story. Is it really different enough and still within the realm of what readers need\/want? Here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s where the Market Analysis portion of the traditional book proposal comes in. The process of completing a comparison study of books like the one you have in mind will help you to answer this question before your book becomes another failed book. <\/p>\n Look<\/strong><\/em> at books like yours. Okay, there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nothing out there like yours. You keep telling me that. Then, perhaps you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re wasting your time writing a book for which there is no established category or interest. Hmmmmmm????!!!! Now that I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve, hopefully, made an important point, I want you to go to the area in a nearby mega-bookstore where your book might be shelved. Order a latte, because you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be there for a while. <\/p>\n With your eyes, scan the books in this section. Are there any titles similar to yours or that suggest books on your topic or storyline? Maybe your book focuses on the power of attitude and how changing your mind can change your life. This might be a new concept for you, but I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m pretty sure that you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll find a plethora of books new and ancient by a wide variety of authors known and unknown on the shelf. Perhaps your thriller features a swamp ogre that won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t die, but you find that dozens of other books in this genre do, too.<\/p>\n Sure it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s discouraging to discover that your clever idea is nothing new, but it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s also a blessing. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s something you want to know before you ever start writing your book. Why? So that you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t go down the wrong path that so many other new authors take\u00e2\u20ac\u201dso that you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t write a book that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s destined to fail. <\/p>\n Once you gather the information you need about your competition, Liste<\/em><\/strong>n to your logical voice. Hopefully, your voice\u00e2\u20ac\u201dand the professionals you trust\u00e2\u20ac\u201dare telling you, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t quit. Regroup and rethink your project.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n Study your competition thoroughly. Scrutinize dozens of books. Continue your comparison work online and don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t forget to look at similar books in your home library. <\/p>\n Maybe you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll discover that, while there are plenty of books by well-qualified authors on your topic, there are none featuring real stories of famous people experiencing epiphanies in their lives. Or perhaps there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a need for a workbook. <\/p>\n You might find a way to give your thriller a reprieve through a really unique storyline. Bring your most creative friends together for a brainstorming session and see what you can come up with. Whatever it is, be sure to use the Stop, Look and Listen technique before committing your story to paper.<\/p>\n It has been said for thousands of years, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nothing new under the sun.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d But, as authors, we can tweak our ideas and stories in ways that, perhaps, haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t been done before\u00e2\u20ac\u201dor at least in recent years\u00e2\u20ac\u201dor at least in a particular genre or topic\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n If you want to receive more publishing wisdom and\/or guidance, contact me at plfry620@yahoo.com. View my credentials at http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/consulting.html<\/a>. Order my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book<\/em> and the companion, Author\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Workbook <\/em> http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/rightway.html<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Is your book idea really a good idea? Are you sure? Just because the concept is new and exciting to you doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mean that it is a truly fresh idea\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthat it hasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t been done before. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s easy to get a book published today. Sure, you can produce a book on any topic, in any style […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2,3,4],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t