One Man Band
It’s already
known that writing is a singular endeavor. Even when there is collaboration, it
is the individual’s idea that is brought forth to the forefront and only then
is it accepted, changed, or denied outright from steering the direction of the
overall work being produced.
However, for most writers as in the case of those
who begins the journey of placing a thought into action and that action to an
outcome and that outcome to a presentation that is released out to the world.
Some may say that using the world as the final destination is being a bit
overdramatic, but this is the age of the E-Book and electronic distribution
knows no boarders. With this new age in mind also come opportunities for
creative expression no longer being limited to just the author, editor, cover
designer, advertiser, publicist, and interviewer. All these hats can now be
worn by the same person. The one linking factor in all these once diverse areas
is the innovation of the computer (and of
course the internet)Self-publishing or Independent Authorship Companies are only a few keystrokes away. All that is needed to get started is some self-discipline, knowing no one has ever started from the top, and understand that there are other authors out there who are more than willing to share what they know, you can make your dream a reality. AND, here comes the disclaimer. There is no guarantee that you will ever become rich and famous, but there is no reason that you might not. I’ve once read how movie studios choose projects and you would be shocked to know this little insight. Not only that, you will also realize why there are so many complaints from movie goers as to why they don’t see anything new or inventive from the studios very often. Take a look at this list of how movies are chosen (they are not in order of current precedence).
Documentaries, What’s Popular, Remakes, TV Shows, Comics Books, New Scripts, and Books.
I know this was
a bit off topic and yet it isn’t. Here is where that double edged sword cuts
your hopes and desires down to size. Just like that listing of how movies are
being chosen, books are being produced in that same manner. I’ve written
articles on writing from the heart or for the money so I won’t go down that
rabbit hole again. However, for consistency sake I will say this. If you use
any form of metrics to see what is most popular in both content and naming
convention, you have a greater chance of selling your work in the short run. If
you are using your heart, it is a uphill battle with little hope to find where
the elevator’s door is hiding. The fun part is that sometimes you just fall
through the door and it’s not an elevator ride, but a rocket. (Here comes a shameless plug!)
I have an upcoming Novella about this happening to an Indi-Author and all the crap that happens around him. As with this character, he wears several hats and mistakenly fall through a door that is a rocket. The author hat is what we all ware. The editor hat we can wear, but there are many people out there who can do a better job at it than most of us (I’m including myself on that long list). The cover designer hat is actually being taken care of by some of the self-publishing companies that are out there and authors are free to pick and choose or learn how to do for themselves through DIY (Do it Yourself) tutorials on the internet. As far as the Advertiser Hat, Publicist Hat, and Contracts Hat that are combined with other hats or left off the list all together, they are all important , but let’s just focus on the Change Hat, Selling Hat, and Interviewer’s Hat that draw the most attention. Now there are many more hats that you can find that can be added to this list and I would agree, but let’s keep this topic within reason and on the surface. Each of these topics can go into depths that can be and are individual and series of books of their own.
I have an upcoming Novella about this happening to an Indi-Author and all the crap that happens around him. As with this character, he wears several hats and mistakenly fall through a door that is a rocket. The author hat is what we all ware. The editor hat we can wear, but there are many people out there who can do a better job at it than most of us (I’m including myself on that long list). The cover designer hat is actually being taken care of by some of the self-publishing companies that are out there and authors are free to pick and choose or learn how to do for themselves through DIY (Do it Yourself) tutorials on the internet. As far as the Advertiser Hat, Publicist Hat, and Contracts Hat that are combined with other hats or left off the list all together, they are all important , but let’s just focus on the Change Hat, Selling Hat, and Interviewer’s Hat that draw the most attention. Now there are many more hats that you can find that can be added to this list and I would agree, but let’s keep this topic within reason and on the surface. Each of these topics can go into depths that can be and are individual and series of books of their own.
The Change Hat
The final preparation of your book prior to it being sold is one of the most stressful aspect of the creative aspect of your work. This is the last time for you to make your first impression. Unlike presenting a second or third edition, this is the first opinion and it is the one that will be remembered and shared with other. If there is an moment of self-doubt when it comes to your work, this is it. After working to insure the story flows from beginning to end, grammatical errors removed as close to perfect as possible (nothing is ever perfect), the book’s inner design is handled with care (often an area overlooked), and the cover not only stands out from all the rest, but tells a story all of its own. Another area that is overlooked is the final appreciation to your test readers. Send each of them a copy of your book several weeks (or months) before it goes on sale. This is also your last chance to make sure all those little touches doesn’t need additional touches. Just like movies have pre-screening to select audiences of movies and get their opinions so they would have an opportunity to make some changes before a wider audience sees their movie, think of your readers as your very own pre-screening audience. Once you are confident and not looking to get your head stuck walking through a barn’s door, the biggest change of them all will test you in ways you had never known or (in the case of a new author) have ever experienced before. Selling yourself and your book.
The final preparation of your book prior to it being sold is one of the most stressful aspect of the creative aspect of your work. This is the last time for you to make your first impression. Unlike presenting a second or third edition, this is the first opinion and it is the one that will be remembered and shared with other. If there is an moment of self-doubt when it comes to your work, this is it. After working to insure the story flows from beginning to end, grammatical errors removed as close to perfect as possible (nothing is ever perfect), the book’s inner design is handled with care (often an area overlooked), and the cover not only stands out from all the rest, but tells a story all of its own. Another area that is overlooked is the final appreciation to your test readers. Send each of them a copy of your book several weeks (or months) before it goes on sale. This is also your last chance to make sure all those little touches doesn’t need additional touches. Just like movies have pre-screening to select audiences of movies and get their opinions so they would have an opportunity to make some changes before a wider audience sees their movie, think of your readers as your very own pre-screening audience. Once you are confident and not looking to get your head stuck walking through a barn’s door, the biggest change of them all will test you in ways you had never known or (in the case of a new author) have ever experienced before. Selling yourself and your book.
The Selling Hat
Marketing and Publicity are very important elements of getting your work noticed. Although, there are no guarantees that even if you had the finances to hire the best of the best that you will have a best seller, but one thing that is indisputable. Marketing can make or break the release of your book and how well its sales over the long run. Publicity actually differs from marketing. Where marketing is a strategy that take account of everything from choosing a Target Market, Market Loyalty, Brand Management, Avenues Of Distribution, and Pricing, publicity mainly deals with increasing public awareness through free and paid advertisement(Printing, Publication, Broadcasting, and the Internet), personal or written interactions (live tours, blog tours, book signings, and press releases), and lastly promotional events (giveaways, contest, and prizes). Putting together a Press Release (Upcoming Reasons &Realities), Written interview for book sights, and the use of social media are strategies that allows you to cover a wider area of public awareness of your book quickly and are excellent places to start. What is most important is that your book isn’t the only thing you are selling. You have to sell yourself with just as much zest because it is easier to remember the name of an author (which is only one) than the author’s book (which may be many).
Marketing and Publicity are very important elements of getting your work noticed. Although, there are no guarantees that even if you had the finances to hire the best of the best that you will have a best seller, but one thing that is indisputable. Marketing can make or break the release of your book and how well its sales over the long run. Publicity actually differs from marketing. Where marketing is a strategy that take account of everything from choosing a Target Market, Market Loyalty, Brand Management, Avenues Of Distribution, and Pricing, publicity mainly deals with increasing public awareness through free and paid advertisement(Printing, Publication, Broadcasting, and the Internet), personal or written interactions (live tours, blog tours, book signings, and press releases), and lastly promotional events (giveaways, contest, and prizes). Putting together a Press Release (Upcoming Reasons &Realities), Written interview for book sights, and the use of social media are strategies that allows you to cover a wider area of public awareness of your book quickly and are excellent places to start. What is most important is that your book isn’t the only thing you are selling. You have to sell yourself with just as much zest because it is easier to remember the name of an author (which is only one) than the author’s book (which may be many).
The Interviewer’s Hat
This singular topic has many forms of manifesting its existence. There is self, others, and pre-recorded interviews at your disposal. You can place a self-interview on your personal and other peoples’ blogs, and also free and pre-paid author/books websites. There are numerous places on the internet where you can download a standard list of questions you can answer or you can look up the interviews of some of your favorite author and use the questions from the person who had interviewed them (always check to see if you need to get permission from the reporter’s company before you use their property). In most cases, you should use your own questions you would like to know about your favorite authors and have a family member or a friend pick the best ones or add some of their own. As previously discussed in both the advertiser and publicist hats, going on a virtual book and publicizing your book, don’t forget that you have to promote yourself as well.
This singular topic has many forms of manifesting its existence. There is self, others, and pre-recorded interviews at your disposal. You can place a self-interview on your personal and other peoples’ blogs, and also free and pre-paid author/books websites. There are numerous places on the internet where you can download a standard list of questions you can answer or you can look up the interviews of some of your favorite author and use the questions from the person who had interviewed them (always check to see if you need to get permission from the reporter’s company before you use their property). In most cases, you should use your own questions you would like to know about your favorite authors and have a family member or a friend pick the best ones or add some of their own. As previously discussed in both the advertiser and publicist hats, going on a virtual book and publicizing your book, don’t forget that you have to promote yourself as well.
From the first
thought to the concept to the outline to the finished manuscript, remember this
is the Author Hat and the one that is only the tip of an iceberg. The
percentage of this first hat is very small compared to the total work needed
for a book to be successful. What is most important is that a single person can
be a one man (person) band and can succeed
in making the dream of being a published author a reality. SD Tracy Harper
Illustration; www.desicomments.com
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