It finally happened! Your paper got accepted. Your hard work has paid off. You will need to review digital proofs and then a few weeks later your work will be available for the world to read. Congrats!
But do not pick up that novel yet. There are some other items that you should do. Here is a brief list:
So—you’ve completed your latest publication. There’s been a lot of sweat, and maybe some tears, but you did it.
Wouldn’t it be great if your hard work was over?
Unfortunately, outside of your immediate circle of colleagues, friends, and family, no one knows about your book. You need to get the word out.
Fortunately, you don’t have to be a marketing expert to create a stellar online presence. There are many simple, accessible ways to make your publication findable online.
Many authors are challenged by the thought of “creating” an author promotional platform, wondering “How do I best communicate with my readers and therefore potential customers about my new book?” Some of the first thoughts that authors have is to contact their colleagues and friends. They may also think of using social media. But one of the best ways that I normally suggest to potential authors to promote their books is to be a guest on various channels that others have created.
The first step in developing your brand is to think about your own identity and what it is you want to present about yourself, says Janet Salmons, a free-range scholar, writer, coach, and artist through Vision2Lead.
When doing so, it’s also important to consider how that is changing, how you are moving forward and what your aspirations are, she says, as well as where your boundaries are in sharing professional and personal information and what parts of your story you want to make part of your brand.
When I ask writers, authors, or publishers about Amazon, I get a variety of responses:
Quite the spectrum. When people think of Amazon, they think of books first, which puts them in a Kleenex or Xerox situation from a branding point-of-view. But as you might know, Amazon is way past books and publishing.
Coming to want to author a book is a slow process. There is likely ruminating, rethinking, internal debating, conflicting feelings, competing agendas, to say the least. Rarely, is it a moment of inspiration and then sudden action. Part of the decision process is thinking about what is already available on the market.
Many prospective authors will say, “there is nothing like this on the market. No competition.” This is very rarely true. There is usually some book, or more likely books, that your idea is standing on the shoulders of, wanting to reach higher. Also, the competition for some customer might be to buy nothing at all.
