You Can Be An Author

We all have an area which we have more experience and knowledge than the person next to us. What many don't realize is that there's frequently a hungry market out there ready and willing to cover the information we have to offer. Yes, it takes an enormous amount of effort to find a publication to end and printing, but it's well worth it.

Some things I've learned through the experience:

- Start small. Don't try to handle a 400-page work for your first book. You'll also save yourself a bundle on printing if you keep it small. I suggest a leaflet under 50-pages to start your career as a writer.

- Enlist the support of others who are more seasoned. If you know someone who has published anything, ask their advice and help. You'll gain invaluable information from them and save yourself many headaches. Moreover, request help from others for editing and proofreading. No matter how meticulous you are, it's always good to have other eyes review the final draft before it goes to the printer.

- be ready to take care of disappointment. When you put your heart into something just to hear,"We are not interested," it is easy to take it personally. Nonetheless, you should remind yourself that this is part of this package deal in self-publishing. For each"yes" you get at least five"no's" (or so it seems). Learning to humbly and graciously accept rejection, not let it get you down, and keep pressing forward is an absolute must in self-publishing, especially at the start.

- The more you promote, the more you sell. You can publish an fantastic book, but unless people know it's available, you can't expect many buyers. The possibilities for marketing are endless. Check out all of the books on marketing the regional library offers. These will provide you some amazing starter ideas. Send out an email to friends, family, and business partners announcing your book's publication date and give a limited-time pre-publication special. Join self-publishing groups and inform them about your book. Ask other people to market your book. Be pro-active and don't be afraid to try novel ideas.