Apr 02 2010

Self-Publishing Tips – Useful Book Writing Tips

Published by Sales System Coach at 5:10 am under Product Creation

If you have decided to go down the self-publishing route, then you have to prepared to handle everything. A self-published author has to deal with all the different aspects of book production, from writing and editing up to marketing and distributing the book. It is an intensely demanding job and you need to be prepared to handle this.

Additionally, you will need to prepare yourself against prejudice. Self-published authors are often mistaken as being “rejects.” There are many people who view self-published books as being second-rate. It is up to you, therefore, to prove the cynics wrong!

Here are some tips on what you can do to help change their minds:

The first tip is to set realistic and achievable expectations. Don’t set expectations that you know are beyond what you can achieve. There is a fine line separating wishful thinking and realistic goal-setting. Do not expect to get rich from your book sales. Take things a step at a time. The first step is to actually make some sales. Then, you can set your sights on getting rich.

Be prepared to face tough competition. There are many people who could be writing about the same topic as you. You can choose to write something that you are passionate about, since having an interest in the subject can be a great inspiration for effective writing, but remember that there is also the reality of the marketplace. What you are passionate about may or may not be something that enough people out there are prepared to pay for to read about in a book. You should balance passion with commercial feasibility, and look for a niche in your area of interest that has the potential to deliver positive and profitable results.

Readers lose interest if a book is disorganized and the events described within it are not properly connected. Organization is crucial. Writing an outline helps to make your book flow and in an organized way. Once you have written and reviewed your outline, you can then decide on the major areas that you would like to focus or highlight in your book. These major areas could then also become the chapters of the book.

When writing book chapters, make sure that you give them good titles. Your chapter titles should grab the reader’s attention easily and drive their interest in continuing to read your book.

Also to keep your book organized, you can use sub-headings and bulleted points. Giving your book a systematic feel can make things easier for the reader’s eyes. If you want to use pictures or illustrations in your book, make sure that they fit in the style and don’t disrupt the flow of your book. Photographs and illustrations are meant to increase the reader’s understanding and supplement the text, not distract the readers from it.

Good writers rarely do marathon writing sessions. Marathon writing usually doesn’t create great material in a short period of time. Of course, there are writers who may find this style highly effective, but it is not a good style for everybody. You can achieve far more with your writing and get better quality results by developing a methodical approach of writing in short, powerful bursts with a consistent daily routine. In other words, try to set an hour or two each day around the same time, where you get your writing done.

Another thing that you should be aware of as a writer, is to avoid the practice of editing whenever you see something wrong. This is called premature editing. Save all editing for the end. This is something that most successful writers do. Keep your writing momentum going and save the editing for later.

Another thing that you can do to make things easy for your readers’ eyes is to pay special attention to the format of your book. Make sure that the words are not compressed. Don’t put too many words on a line. Normally, try to keep lines to about 50 to 60 characters, spaces included. About 250 words per page should be enough.

Also use spaces adequately. Nothing is more terrifying than reading a page where everything is text, text, text and no spaces at all. But also be conscious of using spaces in the context of presenting your writing.

A writer who decides to take advantage of self-publishing may be assuming all of the tasks involved alone or, decide to hire somebody to help them, but they should never disconnect themselves from others. There are many writers who would be able to finish writing their manuscript faster if only they had the support of their loved ones and family. Part of the writing process, therefore, is to ensure that you work in an environment that supports your goals, commitment and creativity.

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