Recently I asked you guys if you had any publishing questions on this post: “Ask me anything about publishing – please!”
I answered a lot of questions on that post, but I also decided to put them altogether into an ebook.
And it’s free!
I’ve sent it to my list already, but if you aren’t on that, just sign up to the right and you’ll get access to a page that has several other free books. Please review it if you have time, here’s the Amazon page:
100 Common Publishing Questions Answered
(I’m making it available for free on Amazon too, but if it shows with a price, just sign up to my list and the thankyou page will have a link to download it for free).
I’m also going to post videos answering all the questions, to build up my YouTube channel, in case you prefer to hear people explain things.
If you have other questions that didn’t get answered, you can post them on this page.
Excerpts from the book
Why would anyone buy your book? Because they’ve enjoyed your content (which you’ve published for free and put in front of them), because they like and trust you (because you’ve been building relationships, making friends and helping people), because you’re committed to a cause or movement that they agree with (which they read about in your author bio), or perhaps you’re offering a prize or contest (but they won’t really care unless the prize is huge or they know you). What you need to do is put out so much value into the world and do so many free favors for so many people, that when you publish your book you’re not “asking for” a favor, you’re just “calling in” all the favors people feel they owe you because you’ve showered them with positive, life-improving benefits for so long.
If you are blogging on your own new blog, or Tweeting without followers, or Facebooking without followers, then you’re standing in the woods alone by yourself shouting but nobody can hear you. They are all at the party. You need to make friends first and get followers; you do that by NOT talking about your book, but instead being friendly, helping people and sharing great content, either your own articles or other people’s. Also, what are you posting? If you’re posting a lot of marketing crap about your book everywhere (“Buy my book on sale NOW!!!!”) that’s a smoke screen that’s blocking people from actually getting to know you. If they don’t know you, they won’t care about you and your book. If you’re doing the work but it isn’t working, you probably don’t have any friends. If you don’t have any friends, it’s probably because you’re trying to sell shit to strangers.
It’s a complete myth that you need to be extroverted or great at conversation to be good at social media. Most authors prefer to spend their time alone writing; that means we are better writers and usually excellent at expressing ourselves with words. If you feel uncomfortable with social media it’s probably because you have no idea what to say, or who you’re talking to. When you post something it may feel like you’re just shouting into the void and nobody will ever hear you. You don’t know how to “stand out.”
But you don’t need to be polished or professional or clever or even particularly interesting to be good at social media. You just need to show up and be yourself. You don’t need to comment or like absolutely everything people post. You don’t even need to read other people’s stuff if you aren’t interested. And you certainly don’t need to (nor should you) “market” or promote yourself on social media. So relax.
The mistake most authors make is they jump into social media and start promoting and selling: that’s like ringing the door-bell with a big advertisement covering your face. Nobody can see you. They aren’t looking for what you’re selling. And you’ve interrupted dinner. They just want you to go away. Properly done, the right strategy is to move in across the street. Go over with a plate of cookies. Volunteer to walk their dog. Babysit their kids. Then after they trust you, you can make your move.
I’m a philosophy dropout with a PhD in Literature. I covet a cabin full of cats, where I can write fantasy novels to pay for my cake addiction. Sometimes I live in castles.
1 Comment
May I suggest that when you update it – you add a table of contents? I gave up looking for things pretty quickly.
And I’m wondering why you chose to put traditional publishing first – I would think most of your customers would be indies.
Other than that, quite interesting.
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