So you want to write a book - Part 8

It’s official – you are an author

There is nothing quite as exciting as holding the first copy of your book in your hand.  It is up there with giving birth!  And in a way, you have.

Now the hard work begins.  Selling the book.  There are several ways to do this.

Pre-orders

One way to offset your expenses in producing the book is to accept pre-orders, then as soon as the book arrives, you just have to mail them out.

Book launch

It’s great to have an official book launch to celebrate the arrival of the book.  Invite family and friends and include local experts and people who have helped make the book a reality.  Be prepared to give away some free copies to people who provided testimonials and readers who had reviewed the book prior to publication.

You should be covering the cost of the event – refreshments, venue, etc.  It is great if you can make the venue appropriate to your book.  For example, one of our authors, Debbie Kerr whose book When cancer takes flight, was launched at a small airport.  Another author whose book was artistic in nature, held her launch at an art gallery.

You may also want to look at a date that fits with your book launch.  One Red Lipstick was a book about women entrepreneurs, so we timed the launch with International Women’s Day.  Another author whose book was on cancer, held his launch on World Cancer Day.  This way you get extra buzz and mileage out of your book launch.

PR

While you can arrange the media release yourself, sometimes it is better to use a PR expert who has knowledge and inside tracks with the media.  It is not just print media but this person can help you get radio and TV interviews.  It is also helpful to get that person’s spin on the book, as sometimes we are too close to see what makes the book different.

Book signings

Much will depend on the book store and how much hype they create.  It can be very lonely sitting in the middle of Chapters as people rush by.

Speaking engagements

By far I find you sell books when you are speaking.  People like what you’ve said and want to learn more.  Sharing some of the stories creates interest.

Find a sponsor

One great way to get your book out there is to find a company that will sponsor your book so it is given away to new clients, as a gift to existing clients or to participants at a conference. You will have to offer a reduced rate to make it worth the sponsor's while, but it gets your book out there.

This post is last part of a series on writing books by Anne Day, President of Full Circle Publishing and author/editor of five books on Women and Entrepreneurship.  Her next book, co-authored with Amy Vodarek will be coming out in Spring, 2017