Tips To Publish Your First Book

My learnings as I write my first book

As I am starting the tedious process of editing my first book, I am coming to the realisation that a manuscript and a book are two very different things.

Perhaps in previous generations where internet was not around, a good book equalled good writing plus a bit of luck, but things have changed.

I work with a very successful international author as my editor and mentor, and one of the first things she told me at the beginning of the process was: “Your book is a marketing product. You are a marketing product.” That really stuck with me.

Of course you need a quality manuscript, but I would dare to say that’s only 60% of the equation. The other 40% is how you market your book and even yourself as a writer: do you have an audience? Are you likeable, or even hatable? You just can’t be vanilla. You want to create a reaction, whether positive or negative. Reactions sell; just look at Twitter or Linkedin: the most popular characters are the ones who leave big footprints behind — I am writing on Elon Musk shortly…

What lessons have I learned as a new writer?

I haven’t even published my first book yet, so this is really from the lens of a keen and curious intruder in a new and mysterious world:

• Start creating your audience now: don’t wait for your book to be published to start building your tribe. Having your own email database will put you miles ahead.
• Build a website, a landing page that becomes your digital flagship and write blogs for people to get to know you and like you.
• Build in public: let the world know you are writing, you are editing, you are working on your cover…you can create buzz from day one and have people join your journey. You can even create polls to involve your followers in the process.
• Most books die in the editing phase: I thought most writers didn’t finish their book. Wrong: they do, but they lose the motivation when it comes to editing and going again and again through the same words. I understand why. It’s tedious!
• Your Sales & Marketing strategy begins the day you start writing your book. You have to start thinking about your ideal reader, who your competitors are, how your book is different, your elevator pitch.
• You can’t be everything for everybody: it sounds counter-intuitive, but the more you niche down, the more you increase your chances of succeeding.
• You have to be ready to become a public figure: go to Podcasts, promote yourself on social media, go to libraries to sign your book, travel on tours…writers become actors too and you have to learn to be your best ambassador.

I will continue journaling my process here and share my learnings on the go. In case you are interested in being part of my launch team to read my book, participate in polls and leave a review to help me, I would love to welcome you! Just leave a comment below.

About my book:

Veronica’s upbring was different from everybody else’s. By the age of 15, she had already lived in 4 countries and spoke 5 languages. Veronica’s memoirs will take you around the world, from the social injustice in Brazil to the early days of China opening up to the west. This book will help you travel continents and time to discover the obstacles that come with being different and how you can always choose to see beauty and turn challenges into opportunities.

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Let’s connect on Linkedin, Twitter or visit me at www.veronicallorcasmith.com.