My baby Robin from last spring ready for nesting.
Why the self-published author has to assume entrepreneurial role?
The three prong success.
Part One – Writing
You have written your book and have opted to self publish. Smart move but this is just the beginning. As a writer/illustrator I find this to be the easiest part.
Part Two – Printing
E-book or hardcopy? Choosing the right printing platform or cost effective option. Your book has to be in a tangible form.
Part Three Marketing
Now comes the most important part.
If you can’t stomach sales and marketing for your books; forget about self-publishing. It takes a strong, tough person who is immune to “NO’s” to sell and market their books.
It is an endless task that requires ongoing marketing skills.
Be ready to meet people, make calls, send out endless e-mail and sell your books. Be proud to speak about your books and yourself. You have to promote yourself.
Don’t be put off by the first “no” you hear.
A popular local bookstore in Toronto bought a decent number of my books after a few unsuccessful phone calls and e-mail. Later they contacted me again with a second purchase order.
Don’t take rejection to heart because it’s not personal.
If you want to make it as an Authorpreneur go for it all at once. Learn to take care of your business. Educate yourself, delegate your work and outsource your work to maximize time so that you can write and publish.
Here is a to do list to begin with:
Register your company as a corporation.
Open a business bank account.
Open an Amazon account.
Obtain a phone line, business address and e-mail.
Write a doable business plan and set achievable goals.
Print business cards, postcards, flyers and bookmarks.
Build a self-hosting website, start a blog if you have important things to share with your fans and audience.
Open some of your favorite social media networks.
Market yourself in your community first.
Keep good bookkeeping records on your expenses.
Get an accountant to do your corporate taxes.
Draw up a budget for marketing your books.
Be the publicist and begin by contacting people and start working on your author branding.
If you are blessed with organizational skills, interpersonal skills and an eye for detail, it’ll be an added bonus for your business as an Authorpreneur.
Be professional in your approach to the world of Authorpreneurship.
Invest in a copy of The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing by Marilyn Ross and Sue Collier and keep reading it.
If all the above responsibilities scare you just stick to
printing a few copies of your book at the local print shop for yourself as a hobby and stay out of trouble OR keep sending in your manuscript to the real traditional publisher… for the job of the Authorpreneur is a serious one which requires passion, dedication and a hunger for success.
To be a successful self-publisher an author must be business savvy to reap the rewards. This can only happen if the self-published author is educated
the the wheelings and dealings of running a business; no matter how small it is.
Success will come in time, steadily so be ready to face failure head on and learn from it.
Embark on your journey with the mindset of a successful entrepreneur.
Don’t know where to start – try Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad, Poor Dad.
“I believe that if you love what you do, you won’t ever work a day in your life.”
The money, the fame and the success will find you.
Tough as it may seem, don’t ever give up.”
Be in control of your self-publishing business in churning out books and selling them while comfortably making a profit from your passion to write.
If you can offer other services like I do then by all means expand on them.
Keep publishing and ask me how I can be of help.
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