by Tapiwa Matsinde
There is a saying that everyone has got a book in them. Publishing a book is a great way to share your knowledge, skills, and experience with your world. However, knowing what to do and where to turn to for help can make it a daunting task. As with any project you embark on planning and preparation will make the publishing process a whole lot smoother. So, if you want to publish a book but are not sure of where and how to start here are some of the key things you will need to consider…
1. What is your purpose for publishing a book?
There are many reasons to write a book. It could be to achieve a personal life goal, perhaps you want to establish yourself as an authority in your industry or feel there is an important subject that needs to be put out there. Whatever the reason your ‘why’ is the most important question to ask yourself before diving in. Your why is your purpose and your purpose is what will help you stay the course and complete the process.
2. Who is your book for?
Knowing who is going to read your book will determine the type of book you will publish. Covering a multitude of subjects books serve to educate, inspire, motivate, and entertain and come in different formats and styles. Your reader is looking for something that delivers a least one or a combination of these factors. And with many books available readers are spoilt for choice so getting clear on who they are and what they want will help focus your attention on what you need to do.
3. Your commitment to writing a book
Producing a book can take a lot of time. Be honest with yourself about how much time you have to commit to the process and carve out time in your schedule to make it happen. Putting aside time to work on producing your book will increase your chances of doing so successfully.
4. Which publishing route (traditional or self-publishing) is right for your book?
Book publishing has two routes traditional and self-publishing. Traditional is where your book is published by a publishing house. Self-publishing is where you publish your book yourself. The publishing route you opt for will depend on a number of factors including do you want physical copies of your book or are you happy with a digital eBook; do you want your book to appear in bookstores or will you be selling copies yourself. There are pros and cons to each route. Self-publishing will give your greater control over the production and ownership of your book while traditional publishing gives you access to seasoned professionals and the backing of an established publisher name.
5. Do you need an agent?
If you are going down the traditional publishing route and are less than confident about your writing abilities and find it difficult to express what you want to say in words an agent is there to help you. They will review and edit your manuscript to make sure it is in the best shape to present to publishers. Agents will also get you in front of the right publishers for your book and will help with negotiating contracts to ensure you get the possible royalties and publishing terms.
6. How much does it cost to publish a book
If you plan to traditionally publish your book then your publisher will bear most of editing, production, printing, and marketing costs. I say ‘most of’ because you could still find yourself having to pay for things like your own professional photography, travelling to conduct research, and some marketing activities such as hosting a book launch party. If you are self-publishing you will bear all the costs and when you consider all you need to do these can add up. So before jumping into the process take some to work out a budget. You can find help with this in my book, How To Publish Your Book.
Next steps
You know you have great content that would make a good book but if figuring out how to take it from idea to published is holding you back then let How To Publish Your Book guide through the process. Based on my experiences of publishing several books How To Publish Your Book demystifies the book production and publishing experience and will save you valuable time in having to figure things out for yourself.
Tapiwa Matsinde is the founder of atelier 55 an award-winning platform that shines the spotlight on Africa’s designers and creatives by sharing the stories of their work. Tapiwa curates for and advises organisations, galleries, and museums interested in African design, connecting them to designers for global opportunities that increase their visibility. Through her brand consultancy Let Us Tell Stories Tapiwa helps startup and established creative entrepreneurs develop and grow international standard brands that command attention. Tapiwa is the author of several books including Contemporary Design Africa the first art book to showcase and survey a generation of innovative designers from across the continent and beyond who are putting the diverse expressions of African design on the world’s stage. Tapiwa’s podcast Behind The Design introduces an inspirational series of conversations with some of Africa’s exciting designers.
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