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© 2007 - 2010 Sankofa Literary Society All Rights Reserved.
www.sankofaliterarysociety.org | marketing @edc-creations.com
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Can Anyone Turn a Book into a Best-seller?
Imagine you're a bestselling author. How do you see yourself?
Have you ever wondered why some writers earn millions of dollars and sell tens of thousands of books, while others struggle to earn back even the smallest advances?
Do you know what makes one book outsell another? How do you attract new readers to buy your books in droves? Are you still trying to find a way to get your book published and onto those shelves, in front of readers where it belongs?
I think it will surprise you, too. You see, it is true that almost anyone can write a book - but it really does take something special to turn a book into a best seller.
So ... Can anyone turn a book into a best-seller?
I am sure some of you who are reading this already have a bestselling book. If you are one of these authors, in the spirit of "Sankofa" give back; discuss your journey with the new authors who follow your path. Explore >>>
Please join our literary discussion group and you will find the answer to these questions and many more. Join >>>
What Makes One Book Outsell Another?
By Judy Cullins
You don’t have to leap high buildings to get your book selling well, just follow these eleven tips.
1. Write a book that people need and want. People want how-to books; they want skills. Notice the demand today for eBooks. It's best to see the need and fill it rather than have an idea—then look for an audience.
2. Nonfiction books sell better than fiction. It makes sense to write and market a non-fiction book such as self-help first. Use your profits to finance your fiction project.
3. Short books in any format, like eBooks, guides or special reports are faster, easier, and cheaper to write than full-length books of 150-300 pages. They can be as short as five pages (special reports), to eBooks that can be five to one hundred pages (even longer). Anna Quinlen’s bestseller contained the number of pages that just one chapter does.
4. Women buy far more books than men do, about 75%. If your message benefits women, you'll do well in sales. The Chicken Soup for Women series sold 20 million copies out of 68 million for the total series sold. .
5. Image is almost everything. Choose your title with care. Your front cover and title have around four seconds to impress your potential buyer. Be clear, use metaphor and make sure your visuals connect to your title. Elicit an emotion through your title words (preferably five to seven words). What solutions and results does your book promise?
6. Expand your book into a series. Think of the huge success of the Chicken Soup Series. They have one "brand" everyone recognizes. A series works well for children’s books, self-help, and even fiction
7. Create spin-off products that relate to your book. Some people prefer to learn by listening to an audiotape, or downloading a CD-ROM. I recently bought a serial eBook and loved getting two chapters a week—so easy to digest. These formats can actually help you sell more books. Other spin-offs include coaching, consulting, speaking, seminars, columns, or videos.
8. Impress your potential buyer within eight seconds with your back cover copy. At the top put your headline. It must hook your readers, stir up their emotions, and hit their desire. Headlines usually include the number one benefit of your book such as “Imagine Thousands of Readers Buying your Book Next Month.” What benefits does your book offer? Include these through your testimonials from decision makers and the man/woman on the street
9. Create your written marketing plan before you finish chapter one. This plan covers your first year's launch period and lifetime plan. The biggest mistake new authors make is that they quit marketing after the initial six months. Word of mouth takes a while. Be patient and market your book for up to three years to get the buzz going.. Another mistake is that inexperienced authors wait until publication before they think of marketing, losing a great deal of sales. Your plan could include how many books you want to sell, your 30 second tell and sell, book reviews, news releases, the articles to market your book, the book signings, talks, electronic newsletters, and a book Web site. Without a written plan, an author creates vague results.
10. Put as much time into marketing as you did the writing of your book. Your goal is to have people read and learn from your unique message. Why plant a garden if you don't harvest it? To finish your book project, write down in your organizers one to three High Level Activities you will do. They can include: reading this book, sending a chapter rough draft to an associate for feedback, or contacting a good book coach.
11. Include Web marketing to sell more books. While you can sell your books on other peoples' site, such as Amazon.com or Booklocker.com, you will also will want your own. An author without a Web site is like a person without a name. Put useful information up for your Web visitors—articles, a blog, or past ezines. The more interactive it is and the better the ad copy, the more return visits you'll get. The more visits, the more opportunity for sales.
Think beyond the box of traditional book selling and incorporate these ideas into your book marketing plan.
Judy Cullins copyright 2007
Book and Internet Marketing Coach, Judy Cullins, author of 13 books including Write your eBook or Other Short Book Fast and The Fast and Cheap Way to Explode Targeted Web Traffic" Get her free eBook "20 High Octane Book Writing and Marketing Tips" and two free monthly ezines at http://www.bookcoaching.com
It Takes Determined, Dedicated and Diligent People to Become Bestselling Authors...
According to Bowker, there are over 150,000 books published in the U.S. every year. Less than 1 percent of the books published make the bestseller list. People are fascinated by bestselling authors who have become every bit as much celebrities as rap superstars or movie stars. Through some mysterious process, these individuals take blank pages and turn them into gold and show up on the Essence Bestselling List or the New York Times Bestsellers List. And many authors do this time and time again. For authors, earning a spot on the bestseller list is the grand, often elusive prize at the end of many years of work. For some their first novel or book becomes a bestseller. But what makes a bestseller happen? What makes the difference?
The whole bestseller thing is 60% the book and 40% marketing and promotions. Most of the books on bestseller lists were propelled there by some serious money being paid out in the marketing department and by writers working hard to promote themselves. If you are a self-published author you may have to foot the entire bill for the marketing and promotions. The readers and the public in general tend to think that when you publish a book you are instantly rich. We may have unrealistic fantasies about authors getting rich overnight, but publishers and authors labor under the same demands for profits as workers in any other business! As avid book lovers, I think we all make a difference in what will become a "bestseller".
The Sankofa Literary Society wants to showcase new authors, small presses and houses, and self-published authors to make sure they gain the exposure that the "big tymers" have without all the cash behind them. Besides, with upwards of 150,000 new titles published every year, authors and small houses need all the help they can get to ensure their book ends up on the shelves of readers - as opposed to those of remainder book shows. Support your local and independent authors in their pursuit to becoming a "bestseller". The Bestseller's List at the SLS does not necessary mean this book IS a bestseller now, it means we will help support these books so that they WILL BE bestsellers one day!
Of course, there are books that make it without the aid of expensive marketing and publicity campaigns, but they are rare and becoming rarer. If there is a key to bestselling success, it is that authors should be original and engage readers' emotions. Readers want to be engaged on an emotional level. Reach out to your fans in person and in verse.
It is also rule that the authors who work hard as part of the publishing and marketing team are the most successful. This usually means going out on the road twice a year, doing author events, participating in forums such as those hosted here and contacting local and regional media to promote their books. It is that kind of hard work and commitment that pays off. Authors who want to have a career need to be professional about it. Yes, it is a business these days, and you do it a massive dis-service as a writer if you don't take it seriously. Becoming a bestselling author takes money, time and alot of support from your readers, community and most of all YOU!
Explore this site for more helpful information. Here is a copy of the EDC Creations Pricelist, please check it out. If you need help getting your book finished and published or need help with the marketing and promotions of your book, feel free to contact EDC Creations today for a FREE consultation.
SLS is the online community for writers and readers of all interests and skill levels. Whether you're an enthusiastic, creative writer looking for the perfect place to store and display your writing online or a casual reader searching for a good story, SLS is the website for you! If you are a new author or writer who would like to publish your articles, essays or short stories on our site please submit to the following address : sankofa_literary_society@yahoo.com
Visit our sister site, Sankofa Literary Society Article Directory, to read articles and interviews to help you learn more about book promotion. We appreciate your help. Thank you!
by Judy Cullins © All Rights Reserved
SLS considers a "bestseller" as those books that made you laugh out loud--made you scream in your own house--made you cry--made you read it time after time, while some answered the unresolved questions in your life. The books that could possibly change your life or at least your view of the world, are the "bestsellers" at SLS.
Most of the books listed on this page can be found on Amazon.com.
