I\u2019ve been working with a client who, like many of you, has just one thing to say and needs help spitting it out. Oh, she knows her topic and she has a thumbnail sketch of her audience, but she is completely overwhelmed and a bit disheartened by the process of producing a book. <\/p>\n
She got hoodwinked into giving someone quite a large sum of money up front to organize her material into a book and ended up without a book or the money. <\/p>\n
When I first met her to discuss the project, she indicated that she had a following of people eager for this nonfiction book. Now, she says she doesn\u2019t have a clue as to how to market it. Neither does she know how to go about getting it printed. <\/p>\n
Yes, she has a copy of my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book<\/em><\/strong>, and she has read it and continues to refer to it, but she seems to need some personal assistance to guide her at this point.<\/p>\n So this morning, I outlined a plan of action for her. Here\u2019s what I suggested: First, let me say that I will be organizing and editing her book. (Actually, it is a booklet\u2014probably around 50 pages\u2014targeted to a fairly specific audience.) <\/p>\n 1: I suggested that she start getting price quotes for printing and binding the book in a variety of ways\u2014saddle-stitching, comb binding, spiral bound, etc. I recommended that she check with a few printers as well as the folks at a local business center. (This book\u2014at least the first incarnation\u2014will not be suitable for libraries and bookstores.) <\/p>\n 2: She needs to establish a business\u2014get a fictitious business name, sign up with the State Board of Equalization so she is prepared to collect and pay sales tax.<\/p>\n 3: Once she has an idea of costs, she can begin approaching those individuals who have asked for this book as well as the organizations, associations, agencies and institutions who would be interested in it. She needs to develop some marketing material to send as well as hone an elevator speech or a 30-second commercial that she can present by phone and in person. I told her that, if she takes pre-publication orders, she will have a clear idea of how many copies to print up front and she may be able to pay the printing bill. She also needs to give these folks a projected delivery date.<\/p>\n 4: I urged her to get organized\u2014keep accurate and complete records reflecting who she contacts and when, their response, when she made a follow-up call, how many books they ordered, her price quote, whether or not they paid up front and so forth. (There are templates in my bookkeeping chapter in The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book<\/em><\/strong>.)<\/p>\n 5: I advised that she concentrate only on local sales for now. She doesn\u2019t have a website and probably won\u2019t anytime soon. It makes sense that she tests her book in familiar territory\u2014within her comfort zone. I further encouraged her to ask each individual she approaches for referrals. Organizations and institutions may have affiliates or branches, for example. She needs to contact each of them.<\/p>\n This is my client\u2019s assignment for now. If you are working on a narrowly targeted book or booklet, this plan might benefit you, as well. <\/p>\n Once the book is a book, I will suggest that my client first make sure that her customers get their orders. Then she can deposit any checks she collected for prepublication orders. I would also advise that she visit appropriate gift shops and stores (in this case, it would be hospital gift shops and pharmacies) with her book. Next, I\u2019d like to see her contact all websites related to the theme of her book and arrange for book reviews, interviews, etc.<\/p>\n Order your copy of my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book <\/em><\/strong>here: http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/rightway.html<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I\u2019ve been working with a client who, like many of you, has just one thing to say and needs help spitting it out. Oh, she knows her topic and she has a thumbnail sketch of her audience, but she is completely overwhelmed and a bit disheartened by the process of producing a book. She got […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"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