Seven Secrets Of Writing A Book That Sells

 

It's one thing to write a book, it's quite another to write a book that is a marketable, viable, marketable product. Ensuring the success of a book is something that even the biggest publishers have never been able to guarantee. Extenuating circumstances, flash trends and world events will influence buyer preferences. That said, there are still ways to use the sales factor to your advantage, and here's how to do it.


1. Know your readers. We're not just talking about whether your readers are male or female. You will want to know countless factors about your audience. How old are your readers (age range)? Are the readers married, single or divorced? Where do your readers (generally) live? What do your readers do for a living? What other books/publications do they read? Create a profile that includes where they shop, what clubs they belong to, etc. These elements will help you incorporate these aspects into your book *and* help you discover significant marketing opportunities (ie publications and deals). 


2. Know your market. What is the market for your book? Is there a trend you're into? Do you read all the publications related to this topic/trend? Are there any “holes” that your book could fill? What is the future of this market/topic? For example, let's say you're a writer and want to publish chick lit. Go into any bookstore and you can't help but notice the cute, pink, cartoon covers. Many thought this trend was dying out, but recently it has seen another surge. What do you know about trends related to your book/topic/audience? 



3. Similar books. What else has come out on your topic? Have you read all ten books in your category? If not, you should. You'll want to know everything you can about what's out there and how it's perceived in the market. It's never a problem to have a similar theme. When I published No More Rejections – Get Published Today, I knew there were other marketing books out there. I read them all - then I aimed my book differently.


4. Obtaining and maintaining current status. What's happening in your industry today? What are some heated buttons? what are people looking for? What's next on the horizon for this topic/audience? If you can't seem to get this information through traditional channels, why not research your target audience? There are a number of places to take free surveys, Survey Monkey is one of them: http://www.surveymonkey.com


5. Monitor the media. What is the media talking about these days? Follow the media frenzy - what they pay attention to and what they write about. Delve beyond the front page of the paper to the second or third page and see what fills the pages. If you manage to get foreign papers, do a comparative review. Do you see a trend in coverage? Is there something that seems to be getting more buzz even though it's on page six? 


6. Speak, teach, listen. One of the best ways to connect with your audience was by teaching a class and speaking. When I was putting together my book, Get Published Today, I found that the courses I taught provided valuable information for creating a great book because it allowed me to connect directly with my audience!


7. Timing is everything. When do you plan to release your tome? Are you releasing around a holiday or anniversary? Could you use an upcoming event and/or holiday to launch your book?


Thanks for reading my article


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