Despite all attention being focused on today’s digital world, there are some surprising success stories from the analog world. One is books, where eight in ten are still purchased and read in physical form. It keeps the book printing service booming as the annual number of books sold increases. eBooks and audiobooks have their audiences, but printed books are still king. The other good news for authors and publishers is the percentage of younger people who are active book buyers and readers. The numbers are healthy and increasing. It bodes well for the future of publishing compared to other media firms.
Getting more authors’ voices into the mainstream and seeing that groups previously under-represented in publishing are welcomed is also vital. Part of what drives the process is book sales, and as readers become more interested in alternate voices, more find success. The self-publishing revolution also continues democratizing book publishing by allowing more authors access. If you’re thinking about writing and publishing a book, keep quality in mind, Readers want the same experience they have with a traditionally published title. Therefore, you need professional editing, cover design, and marketing.
Print-on-demand (POD) also receives a lot of attention these days, and it’s worth a look if you’re publishing your first book. It shields you from inventory costs and gives you an order fulfillment system in exchange for giving away some of your profits. You also may face limitations on how your book is printed; depending on your goals, it might be okay. For image-driven authors like self-help gurus and consultants, it may be challenging to be satisfied with POD. For those authors, other methods are available that allow them higher caliber books and branding with their order fulfillment.
Like anything else, writing your first book is a learning experience, and there will be things to change with any future ones. Making the first one a success is important because it often determines whether future ones will be well received. Some authors hang in there after a mediocre first book, but they’re resilient. Many people today become authors for purposes other than selling books to earn a living. They want to promote themselves and their businesses by achieving an author’s stature. Book PR campaigns also open doors with the media that can otherwise be challenging.
