Writing A Book – Your Calling Card

If you’ve heard me speak you will know one of my strategic 4 ‘C’s is Content Creation (the others are Clarity, Confidence and Connections) and in addition to encouraging experts, entrepreneurs and small business owners to create great informative content to connect with their potential clients and customers, I also talk about the fact that writing a book in order to share your message and promote your work can be a brilliant calling card.

I usually give the example of working in a newsroom or TV production office where when an expert is needed to comment on a specific topic, if no-one immediately springs to mind they would then start googling authors who have written on the subject – the assumption is that if you have written a book you are an expert on the topic.

Add three letters to the word Author and you become an Authority…  

AUTHOR + ITY = Authority

Sometimes in order to get you going all you need is some encouragement and support. I’m thrilled that one of our sponsors in the Platinum Awards is AuthorCraft, a network founded by Chris Day, which is very much about supporting writers whether they self-publish or are with a mainstream publishing company.

AuthorCraft is the professional network for authors and is a member of the National Association of Writers Groups. At its monthly meetings in the Institute of Directors, London, it recognises the achievements of its members by holding book launches and provides independent and impartial advice on all aspects of origination, production, publishing, marketing and social media. 

Chris Day gives his top tips for would be authors ….

1. Don’t start writing until you have complete clarity of who you are writing for – and what benefit they will get from your book.
2. Be clear as to what potential readers are searching for online – for which your book has the answer. What key words will your book need to have for it to be found in these searches?
3. Always work with a writing coach or an editor to help bring out the best in you – and get your manuscript well-polished and ‘oven-ready’.
4. Never do your own proof reading or rely on a relative who was once a teacher. Proofreading is a professional job, don’t cut corners or spend the rest of your life apologising for typos!
5. Unless you’re a qualified designer, don’t design you own book cover. People can spot a ‘self-published book’ from two streets away. A professional design is essential.
6. The most important thing on your book cover is not the picture, but the heading, the title and the strapline. These three need to tell an unambiguous story.
7. Choose your book category with care. Look at other books similar to yours and see what categories they are in. If you’re after the same readers, be where they are looking!
8. Never fill you garage with boxes of books. These days you don’t need to as you can print to order. But buy well. For your book to make you a profit the raw print price has to be below 20% of the cover price. You just need to shop around.
9. A book publicist is a great investment. Their personal contacts in the media will get you coverage that no general press release will ever achieve (ahem …Janey Lee Grace?)
10. Every new book is a start-up business and needs to be treated just like any other new business. Your business start-up costs need to be spread over your first year. Make sure you make a profit from every book you sell.
11. Become known on social media as a go-to expert in your field. You would not believe the difference to your standing in the marketplace that becoming a published author will achieve.

Contact AuthorCraft and attend one their monthly meetings, first time visitors can attend for free.  www.authorcraft.co.uk

If you want help getting clarity on the book you want to write, get in touch, and it goes without saying if you want help promoting your book let me know www.janeyleegrace.com

Create the book that puts YOU and your brand on the map!

In 6 months, plan, design, write and PUBLISH hard and digital copies.

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