Tips for New Writers on How to Publish a Book

Effective Strategies on Marketing Books for First-time Authors

Oct 18, 2009

Every aspiring writer needs to know the fundamentals of the book publishing industry, how to market books independently or through an agent and what those processes are.

Even before authors start writing, important aspects such as marketing, strategy and publicity should be considered to ensure a successful book. Some writers decide to self-publish, others with the help of an agent, or some follow a non-standard route like bloggers who have attracted a large readership producing a book based on their website. Either way, here are a few handy pointers to keep in mind.

Start Early With Marketing Strategies

Strategy for success begins long before any manuscript is ever submitted. Some publishers demand a good deal of planning written down on paper to make sure that any manuscripts it accepts will become worthwhile, successful books. This is also advisable for authors who plan to self-publish.

One of the main steps a publisher may ask of potential author is to write a detailed proposal about their book. One reason is that it helps the author envision the entire book ahead of time, to see "the big picture" before writing the individual paragraphs and sentences.

"It’s never too soon to think about marketing strategies,” Tina Jordan, vice president of the Association of American Publishers said in an interview with Suite101. “The first marketing strategy is marketing and honing your pitch to a literary agent who can broker your story concept with prospective publishers.”

“The pitch itself is an art form, and many writers consider enlisting freelancers to help them craft their pitches in addition to helping them craft their manuscripts, so the earlier a writer begins strategizing about marketing, all the better.”

But most of all, “Every story has to have a hook that will engage readers, which is what any agent or publisher will be interested in finding in a work,” Jordan stressed.

Find the Right Publisher

“A literary agent, typically the traditional approach to helping a writer find a publisher, can help find the right publisher based on the type of book that’s been written and can also assist with the contracts,” Jordan said. There are many resources that help identify agents including publishersmarketplace.com and the Literary Marketplace Directory.

There are three major things to remember when finding a publisher for your book. First of all, remember the process of publishing a book takes time. Be patient as book publishers are quite busy and may take a while to reply. Also start big and work down. Submit books to the largest publisher first, and then work downward. Chances are if a large publisher signs a deal the more money will be seen in return. However, don't get too stressed when the first notice arrives with a negative reply.

An easy way to get started independently and be rid of dealing with publishers is to find a publishing company who will do it for free without the advertising. A great place to start looking is at cafepress.com. They have a great selection of book styles and offer a great pricing for Self Publishing.

Self Promotion, Public Relations

Getting a book out to readers after it has been published is a collaboration of the author and publisher, and many writers benefit from independent marketing initiatives as well, Jordan said.

“Some self-marketing include creating your own web site, reaching out to readers through social networking sites, traditional publicity to newspapers and magazines both on and off the book pages, making event appearances in your local bookstore or library are among many other avenues,” Jordan said.

While some writers choose to use print-on-demand services and self-publish, the traditional route involves working through an agent experienced in navigating the book publishing community on a writers behalf. PR is always critical before, during and after a book is published. Publishers assist in that process and many writers do their own independent publicity as well.

Planning Before Writing Your Book Is a Major Key to Success, Kathy Dempsey, October 14, 2009

The copyright of the article Tips for New Writers on How to Publish a Book in Book Publishing is owned by Yahan Wu. Permission to republish Tips for New Writers on How to Publish a Book in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.