In spite of thousands of publishing advice available for writers, millions of authors have failed to sell their books beyond a few copies because they fail to understand the difference between what’s working for experienced authors and the actual publishing tips for first time authors.
As a beginner author, you must realize that in some cases, what is working for an established author may not work for you. And that could be either because you don’t have their kind of audience, experience or resources to make your book as successful as theirs.
Also as a beginner, from preparing and formatting your manuscript to choosing a realistic platform for your work, publishing for new authors can be a tiring and lonely journey filled with questions and a few missteps.
To make it easier for you and other aspiring authors, in this post, I’ll be discussing the top publishing tips for first time authors and how you can use these insights to improve the success of your book.
Fine-tune Your Manuscript
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One of the top publishing tips for first time authors you and every other aspiring author must pay attention to is to refine your manuscript.
A successful book is not merely a good read; it is a top quality book that’s well refined with structuring and grammatical construction that’s up to par, in terms of standards.
So, before you hit the publish button for your book, ensure that your book is print ready. Revise, edit and get feedback from other trusted readers or writing groups.
In addition to that, you can also hire a professional editor to have a look at your manuscript, get designers and illustrators to create illustrations if your book has need for such. And also ensure that their editing meets up your original ideas about the book.
Explore Publishing Options
Another of the important publishing tip for first time authors is to identify your best publishing options.
From traditional publishing to online publishing on international stores like Amazon and publishing on local platforms, there are a number of publishing options you can take to get your book out there for readers.
But, considering that you may not want to use all of these options at the same time, you have to choose the best publishing platform for your book, best on your own goals and realities.
For example, if you’re merely out to test the waters, you can publish your books on online platforms where you do not get to invest a lot of money upfront.
Also, if you’re writing for a local community, you can opt for local stores in the locality. Whatever your goals are, there are publishing options that can fit in with what you want but you have to get to choose it right. And then search for the pros and cons of each platform before getting started.
Build Your Platform
As a new author, to make the most of your potentials, you need an author platform. This is one of the few publishing tips for first time authors that seem very obvious.
But regardless, you have to apply this with caution. For example, while you need social media handles and pages as an author, you also need a website.
Even though owning a website may not necessarily be your first step, depending on your goals, having one can set you apart and make you reachable beyond your social media. It can also serve as a platform where your readers can learn more about you and also buy your books directly.
Also, cultivating an active and engaged author platform by posting content and engaging with your audience across both social media and your website will attract a better visibility for your book.
Design a Captivating Book Cover
An attractive book cover is one of the top elements that will draw the attention of potential readers to your book. This is one of the pro publishing tips for first time authors.
It’s possible to have a great interior content for your book without having a great book cover. But the problem with this is that regardless of the content of your book, a badly designed book cover will land you fewer readers.
As an upcoming author without a large existing audience, you have to use every means possible to extend the visibility of your book. And one of the ways to do this is to create a book cover that captivates your audience.
For nonfiction authors, unless it’s very crucial instead of using your photograph as part of your front cover design, find alternative designs or images that will be more captivating to your target audience.
For fiction authors, avoid the use of cliché words and images in your cover design. Look out for unique and exciting a design that captures your subject matter and audience’s expectations.
Consider Professional Assistance
As a first timer, there will certainly be questions you’d like to ask and areas you’ll need guidance with your publishing. This is where you can consider hiring professional assistance.
For example, we have experts providing such professional services as cover design creation, formatting, editing and online publishing as well as marketing and promotion of your book. Reach out to us directly, here.
There are also a number of other professionals you can bring in to get your book the right finishing and visibility that will get you to achieve your best outcomes.
As one of the popular publishing tips for first time writers, most writers end up making regrettable mistakes when it comes to hiring professional assistance.
To avoid such outcomes for yourself, understand the pedigree of whoever you plan to hire before hiring them to ensure that they can get the job done.
While self-publishing allows for greater control, investing in these services can greatly enhance your book’s marketability and increase its chances of success.
Review Before Publishing
Before launching your book, enlist the help of beta readers to provide valuable feedback on your work. This feedback could be focused on areas like cover design, interior, plot, storyline etc.
Positive reviews are vital for building credibility and attracting new readers. So you have to seek out reputable beta readers, book reviewers, bloggers etc. in your genre and request honest reviews to generate some buzz around your book.
This is one of the publishing tips for first time authors that can get you ideas on what to do or areas you can improve your work to get it even more successful.
Create your Marketing Plan
Getting successful with your first book requires effective marketing. Although this is not one of the popular publishing tips for first time authors, it is one of those ideas that can get your book on its way to success, despite your status as a beginner.
So don’t just publish your work and go to bed. From the get go, create a marketing plan for your book before getting it published. This is very important.
Find out ways and strategies you’ll use to push the book. Identify niche influencers, thought leaders, bloggers and other experts who could get you some publicity and reach out to them.
Utilize social media platforms, author interviews, book signings, blog tours, and email newsletters to reach your target audience. Engage with book clubs and online communities to generate discussions around your book.
And finally, find out areas you can use paid promotion options to promote the book and get into it.
Conclusion
Becoming a published author can boost your credibility, improve your recognition and elevate your brand. It can as well earn you some income as well as prestige within your circles.
Although the journey to getting published as a new author can be both exciting and overwhelming, following these insights will get you well equipped to navigate your publishing and get your book the success it deserves.
And to get even better visibility and sales with your book, reach out to our publishing team here; let’s get you started on your publishing journey.
Now it’s over to you. What are your biggest struggles when it comes to getting your books published? Drop your comments below.
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