April 7, 2010
by Bill Cherry
It has been said everyone has a book in them. I’m not sure about that but everyone can make a fortune writing a book. For those who have always had a book idea, it’s time to start writing it. Whether it is a novel, a non fiction, self improvement, religious or a children’s book it can be a hit.
Tens of thousands of books are published every year and most of them don’t make any money. But for those that are a hit, they can create your fortune. Many famous books started out as self published books and earned a fortune. They did it and you can too.
Because publishers want to make money they would rather publish another book from a proven author. There is less risk because only one in ten new books break even. For that reason you will need to self publish your book. That means you will prepare the book for printing and you will get it printed. You will do the marketing, and you will try to get the book into local book stores and large retailers like Costco.
The thing that makes self publishing work is digital printing. You can print any quantity of your books that you want, even small quantities as low as ten copies. That means you don’t have to have tens of thousands of dollars to print the book like the old days.
Of course the good thing about self publishing is that you will earn all the money and will not have to share with a publisher. Not only that but you will have complete control over how your book is marketed.
There are several things that must be done. First get your book edited. If you can’t afford a professional editor there is another option. Contact a university or college’s English department and find a senior English student to edit for you. Finally, if you can’t afford that, contact an English teacher at a local high school. Even if the editing is not the most professional, it is still better than no editing at all.
One of the most important elements is the book’s title. The title alone can sell thousands of books. Robert Allen’s book Nothing Down was a brilliant title. Short, clear description of the book and very different.
The cover art is the second most important element. If your cover doesn’t grab buyer’s interest nothing else matters. Go to Barnes and Noble Book Store and study the different book titles and graphic design. What stands out? What colors get your attention?
If you have no writing talent there is still hope. Create an informational book. Find different kinds of information that is scattered around in different places like all over the library and gather it together in one book. In my book How to Start a Solar Energy Business I gathered information from all over the Internet and put it together in one book. You can do the same with any information topic. Just ask yourself, “Will people pay $25 for it?”
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