A lot of people think about writing a book. In fact, I’d be soooo wealthy and probably retired by now if I was paid for every conversation I get to have with people wanting to write a book. But as I keep saying, it’s not just about the book.
My first question when having those conversations is usually: “Why do you want to write a book?”. My other one is: “What do you want to have happen after you publish your book?” In many instances the response is something like: “I hadn’t really thought about that yet”, or “I’m not sure”. Sometimes, they say: “I’m writing a book so I can get more speaking work.”
One of the first things you have to know when embarking on the road to becoming an author of NonFiction, is there there is a tonne of work to do beyond the writing and publishing if you are going to have the outcomes you’re seeking. And first you have to know what those are. I’m constantly surprised myself, at just how endless the work can be to stay on top of the game regards book sales and marketing. Our company does a lot of work with people who write, publish, and speak. A lot of that work involves managing their brand, social media, workshops, and developing the speaking sides of their business activities. We love it and we’re good at it, and increasingly we find ever more avenues to explore in terms of getting exposure for books, or extending our authors.
If you think in terms of creating a complex ecosystem for your business, then that will include all or many of these things, and each needs management and monitoring. How much will depend on you and what you’re aiming for.
Website (at least a Landing Page), social media (Facebook business page, LinkedIn profile, Instagram, You Tube).
Regular blogging, articles in specific magazines and online, pod case (your own or regular guest spots.
Amazon, and any other platforms your book appears on.
Speaker sheets, media packs, E-Speaker profile.
Then there’s the never ending process of talking to people, getting into the networking swing of things to find people who want what you have to sell/share.
Awards opportunities.
There’s a good chance you’ll also need to update your profile bio, images, and any other relevant descriptions about you on any, or all, of those platforms. Like I said, it can feel like an endless process at times.
But it’s also necessary, if you wish to dominate your industry as an expert, you need to do all that it takes to ensure people are inspired to sit up and take notice of you and what you have to share. A whole ecosystem is what you need to think about beyond just writing a book. The book, in many instances, might just be the beginning. Maybe it’s part of what you’ve already created.
Either way, think about the big picture. What are you really trying to create with your book, and why are you writing it? Why now, and who cares about what you have to say?
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