Being an author can feel very vulnerable especially when you are nearing the stage of sending your book baby out into the world. If you are wondering if your book is ready for publication look closely at these tips below before you press go.....
1. Proofread one more time to check for any inconsistencies. Although you may have hired an editor you still want to be sure you take one more thorough look through your book. This is important to ensure that nothing was overlooked and missed. Remember you know what you're looking for with this book and editor may not know exactly what you need.
2. Give your book to someone else to read. As authors, we are way too close to our work and therefore often unable to see those gaping holes. Give your book to people who you trust – family, friends, or an accountability group/partner – and see what they think. Make sure you find honest people who will give you feedback to help you succeed.
3. Ensure You Spoke to Your Ideal Reader. Take a minute to reflect on-Who are you writing for? This question should always be at the front of your mind throughout the writing, publishing as well as the marketing process.Review where you are and see what the individuals think of your title, story line or concept and even get their thoughts on your cover. This is a wonderful final step to ensure that your book will speak to your market once you publish it.
4. Remind yourself that not everyone will love your book. That is normal and that is okay because you're not writing to everyone. It can very overwhelming or vulnerable to publish your book especially if you think people will hate it, but trust the process and know that the people that are meant to read your book will and they will love it.5. Determine your publishing aim. Sit down for a minute and ask yourself: "What do I hope to accomplish with this book being published?". And may I dare you to dream BIG. When you recall your BIG dreams that set you out on this path, to begin with, it will give you the motivation you need to market your book in a manner of which you are proud.6. Talk about your book with a stranger. Yes this is weird and the first time you do it, it will be awkward but it gets easier with time. If you're going to be a proud and successful author you must get comfortable talking about your book quite often. I call it book bragging! BTW you deserve to brag after all of your hard work.
7.Be prepared to work hard. Writing your book is only the beginning of a life-long relationship that you’ll have with your book. Be ready to put as much work into the marketing stage as you have with your writing and trust me, you’ll do fine as long as you remember your purpose for marketing your book.
8. Order a physical copy of your book. A lot of authors get so excited and miss this step, but it is imperative. You never know what the book will physically look and feel like unless you order a copy. This is important because there may be color changes, formatting changes, blurred pictures and the like. You want to ensure that when you publish your book you are putting the best work in front of your reader.
Before pushing your book out into the world make sure you follow these steps. You will be grateful that you did!
