Steps to Publishing Success
Even if your best friend owns a top publishing
company, giving you an immediate "in," this
does not
guarantee publishing success.
First, you have to write a quality book that has a
clear target audience. And your book must answer a
common problem or need that audience shares. Then you
have to develop a marketing plan, and stick to it for
at least two years.
Let's begin with the process that should commence
before you write your first word. Begin by reading A
LOT. Read both books you passionately love and books
you can't seem to make it past page five. Then figure
out what the author did in the book you loved, and
what was wrong with in the book you couldn't finish.
Write down these points so they are crystal clear to
you. Read other people's books for inspiration and to
discover what you should avoid as a writer.
The next step is to plan out your book. Narrow down
your subject, and then divide it into chapters. Each
chapter should address a specific aspect of the
problem your book is going to solve. In each chapter,
break the specific aspect down into several parts.
This will help your readers take in your information
a
bit at a time instead of overwhelming them with every
bit of information clogging up the pages until they
feel like they're about to go blind. It's not quite
spoon-feeding the information to your readers, but
it's close.
The next two steps are obvious. Write your book and
then revise it. And then revise it again. And perhaps
again. Of course, writing is extremely hard, and
writing a book can seem like an impossible task. There
are many books out there that give you guidelines to
help you become familiar - and even love - the process
of writing and revision. Find a number of books about
writing. Better yet, find a number of books about
writing the specific type of book you aspire to write.
These can serve as roadmaps on your writing journey.
Once you've written your ebook and revised it at least
twice, show it to someone else whose opinion you
respect. If you're lucky enough to know a good editor,
see if you have something to barter for him or her to
go through your manuscript. Or join a writing group
and let the other members critique your work.
Then take all these ideas from other people, and
revise your manuscript one last time. And then stop!
Put down that pen! Get your hands off the keyboard!
One of the most important steps to actually producing
a book is to know when to stop writing and tinkering
with it.
You've finally written your ebook! Pop open the
bubbly! Give yourself a night out on the town!
Okay, now that this necessary celebration is out of
your system, what do you do next?
How to turn your ebook into Profits
Ebooks are a revolutionary way to publish your book
without incurring the costs of print production. All
you need is a relevant and targeted subject and some
inexpensive software, and you can transform your
manuscript into a book.
The problem, in terms of actually seeing any profits
from your ebook, is that the market is overwhelmed
with ebooks, and many of them are not worth the time
it takes to download them. Just because the ability
exists to easily produce an ebook, doesn't make it
good writing.
Make sure your book does not simply rehash old
material. You will injure your credibility as an
author by claiming to offer valuable new insights and
disappointing your audience with material they've read
a zillion times before. So spend enough time writing
and revising your book to make sure it's of the
highest quality and presents the most current
information. A good book will eventually sell itself;
false claims about your book will make it extremely
difficult to sell any future books you may write.
Assuming you have determined that you do indeed have
a
quality product that answers some question or need of
your target audience with NEW information, how do you
know how much to charge for it? Rule number 1: Set a
price for your book equal to its value. An
under-priced book will only give the impression that
your book isn't worth very much.
To figure out a fair price, estimate how much time you
put into creating it and how difficult it was to
transform the necessary information into
understandable and engaging writing. Figure out how
much your time and effort is worth, and then price it
accordingly. The goal is for you to be adequately
compensated for your talent, your time, and your
effort.
Once you've figured out a price that is high enough
to
convey the value of the book, but not so high as to
be
out of the reach of your target audience's mean
budget, then it's time to offer it for sale on your
website. To attract sales, you will need to develop
a
promotional campaign, particularly if you are an
unknown author.
There are multitudes of books about self-promotion
that will guide you in your efforts. Choose a plan
that is both creative and professional. Learn how to
write a catchy yet informative press release, and send
copies of your ebook to sites that specialize in ebook
reviews.
Learn how to write powerful sales copy, or hire
someone to write it for you. This is an essential. You
absolutely need excellent sales copy to sell your
book. Make sure the copy includes all the reasons your
target audience needs your book, and the benefits they
will derive from buying it.
Use graphics in your promotional materials. Beautiful
graphics have the power to instantly convey the
quality and value of your ebook. Graphics can also
convey the amount of valuable information the book
contains, and your careful attention to detail.
Professional graphics sell professional books. They
reassure the customer that the product is what it
claims to be.
Consider excerpting chapters for articles. You can
offer these tidbits for free on your website as a sort
of demo of your book. Include an order form for your
ebook at the end of the excerpted articles.
Finally, when you set-up your download link, make sure
to simplify the process. It's a good idea to offer a
few bonuses that make your book even more enticing to
purchase, but make sure the bonuses are valuable and
high quality. Too many bonuses that are basically a
load of useless stuff will compromise the impression
your audience has of your ebook. The goal is to convey
to your audience that they are getting a quality
product for a good deal. That means applying
restraint, especially when it comes to adding bonus
items. Too much free stuff offered diminishes your
credibility.
Make sure your book is a quality product. Make sure
it
is relevant and current. Develop an effective
marketing plan that includes excellent sales copy and
excerpted articles. Then offer your book for sale, and
wait for your audience to discover you!
Ebook Marketing Articles
Media Products and Information
I've been involved with media projects for the past 20 years and have run a web site since 1996, so I decided to compile some of the information that has been of great help and interest to me. The following links are to articles that have everything you will want to know about digital photography, HDTV, broadband, MP3, GPS, making money on-line, home-based business, investing on-line, and other internet tips.
DVDs, Videos, Books!
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The Beast of Revelation: IDENTIFIED Who is the dreaded beast of Revelation? Now at last, a plausible candidate for this personification of evil incarnate has been identified (or re-identified). Ken Gentry's insightful analysis of scripture and history is likely to revolutionize your understanding of the book of Revelation -- and even more importantly -- amplify and energize your entire Christian worldview! Ideal for group meetings, personal Bible study -- for anyone who wants to understand the historical context of John's letter "... to the seven churches which are in Asia" (Rev. 1:4). 135 minutes $17.95 |
The Videos
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God's Law and Society This video powerfully presents a comprehensive worldview based upon the ethical system found in the Law of God. Sixteen Christian leaders and scholars answer some of the most common questions and misperceptions related to this volatile issue: Are we under Law or under Grace? How does the Old Testament Law apply today? Can we legislate morality? What about the separation of Church and State? Was America founded as a Christian nation? What would a Christian America look like? Perfect for group instruction as well as personal Bible study. Speakers include: George Grant, Howard Phillips, R.C. Sproul Jr., Ken Gentry, Gary DeMar, Jay Grimstead, R.J. Rushdoony, Steven Schlissel, Andrew Sandlin, and more! Two tapes, Ten parts, over four hours of instruction! $19.95 |
| Massacre of Innocence - The Occult Roots of Abortion This video looks at the spiritual roots of abortion and exposes the myths surrounding child killing. Little known historical facts about abortion and how they relate to modern feminism are presented logically and accurately. Has been effective in converting many to a pro-life position. 85 minutes. $19.95 | |
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Revival Account - Asbury 1970 What is true Revival and Spiritual Awakening? Discover the answer in this eyewitness account by Dennis Kinlaw, President of Asbury College, Wilmore, Kentucky, during a visitation in 1970. Certain to challenge you to greater holiness and a deeper commitment to full-scale revival. Original news and private footage has been included. 40 minutes. $19.95 |
The Books
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Four Keys to the Millennium By Jay Rogers, Larry Waugh, Rodney Stortz, Joseph Meiring. All Christians believe that their great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will one day return. Although we cannot know the exact time of His return, what exactly did Jesus mean when he spoke of the signs of His coming (Mat. 24)? How are we to interpret the prophecies in Isaiah regarding the time when "the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea" (Isa. 11:19)? Should we expect a time of great tribulation or reformation and revival before the Lord returns? Did you know that there are four hermeneutical approaches to the book of Daniel and Revelation? Is the devil bound now, and are the saints reigning with Christ? These, and more questions, are dealt with by four authors as they present the four views on the millennium. And each view is critiqued by the other three authors. High quality paperback, 167 pages. $17.95 |
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