Publishing and Marketing Pain Points
Writing a book is a great achievement. However, it does nothing to prepare the author for the tasks of getting the book published. This is especially true if the author plans to self-publish the book. As for marketing the book, that is another task most new authors are unprepared for.
The unvarnished truth is that the internet is filled with inaccurate or mis-informed guidance. It is also true that the web swarms with scam artists looking for newbie authors.
Surveys have indicated that self-publishing and book marketing have a number of pain points that authors must face. The major pain points are listed below:
- Formatting
- Mis-information
- Finding competent professional help
- Social media (in general)
- Finding a target audience
- Free advertising
- Keywords
- Promotional avenues
- Social media marketing
So what is the best way for a new author to overcome these pain points and get his book self-published and marketed without exposing himself to the perils of the internet?
Possibly, the author already knows someone who will answer questions. Another approach is to hire a mentor who will coach the author on what to do and when to do it. This can be a costly alternative since the mentor’s time is valuable and the process can require a big chunk of the mentor’s time. A third approach is to find a website created by an experienced author who has developed a series of training courses on self-publishing and book marketing.
Since the courses will involve fees, the author should query the website creator to determine the level of experience the mentor has.
This question of finding competent, affordable coaching is still one more pain point for the newbie author,
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The Writers & Authors Resource Center is an website inexperienced authors can find useful content. https://hanque.gumroad.com/
Another useful site is https://padlet.com/hanque/zpr8rv4gdb4iv5bn