Books are written for a variety of reasons; could be to fulfil a life-long goal, sharing your hard-earned knowledge on a subject or, for the prolific writers amongst us, just for fun or to test whether your so-called hilarious writing style actually is funny.
While making money may not always be the sole reason behind putting pen to paper, (or fingers to keyboard!), profit can and should be made from your hard work in creating a book.The way to make money from a book has changed over the years and it’s no longer a matter of just befriending the local bookshop owner to buy your title and place it in the shopfront window. This is a good thing because there’s now a lot more opportunity. There are multiple angles and scenarios in which your book can create an income for you.
Bringing in the cash:
Let’s take a little time out to investigate 5 proactive ways to generate book income:
1. Get up to speed
2. Engage Ideas central
3. Embrace the world wide web
4. Go beyond the book
5. Be a part of the inter-connected world that sells
Get up to speed:
Regardless of whether you choose to self-publish, work with a publisher or a mix of the two, don’t just go with the flow when it comes to making a profit. Hopefully if you’re working with a publisher, they’ll be thinking these things through too but even if so, give some time to consider new and innovate ways to promote your work to the non-fiction market. Conduct your own research: even if it doesn’t have an ultimate outcome, getting a feel for what attracts people to certain books will help get you in the right frame of mind to sell. Ask yourself and others what the last book was they bought, where they bought it and whether they bought it based on a recommendation or through searching for it themselves.
Jump online and search for a book you’d like to read. The first link will probably take you straight to a purchase point but keep searching and see where the links to information about that book are coming from. It’s likely that if they are marketed well you’ll find reference of them in social media, blog forums, review documents, online bookstores, referenced in news articles and the like. This process will show you just how significant the internet is in promoting your book.
Engage Ideas centralRemember to think outside the box and find the methods that suit you best. Here’s some ideas to get you started but don’t stop here:
Get yourself and your book in front of an audience. Impulse and emotional buying is a trap for many but when it comes to people buying your book, embrace it. If you are an expert, or even just well informed. Could you teach a workshop which relates to the topic of your book?
Check with community centres, libraries and educational organisations to find out about courses that you could get involved in teaching. You might not always get paid to teach a class but could request to sell your book at the session.
If you don’t have a publisher, send your manuscript out to some that you consider would be interesteed in your work. make sure they are already publishing books to your chosen genre. Or better still; contact a few publishers who have published books in congruence to your book’s content and share your ideas with them and explain why your book is unique and valuable to their marketplace. Convince the publisher you have a loyal platform of prospective book buyers in your niche. Tell the truth though, don’t promise what you can’t deliver.
Look into having your book added to a curriculum or recommended reading list. Again, contact education facilities, community centres and search the web to see what opportunities are available.
Embrace the world-wide webThe internet isn’t going anywhere, in fact it becomes more complex and interconnected every day. All this change doesn’t make it less accessible but more!Use the internet to:
1. Offer your nonfiction book in downloadable form. Some authors cringe at the thought of this but remember it’s not everyone’s cup of tea (or luxury) to sit back in a hammock with a book. Many people carry their life around with them on their laptop, phone or iPad, including their books!
2. Spread the word about your book. Jump on board the social media bandwagons, blogs and review sites to gain exposure. If you are not so web-inclined, take a seat in front of the computer and give it a go – you’ll be surprised at what the novice can achieve – especially with some guidance from more experienced friends.
3. Create your own website. This might be just about the book and you as its author, or you could get creative and create a multipurpose site to showcase your career or business and have a feature on your book included. You could consider creating an online store and developing a blog-site.
Go beyond the bookIt’s a common misconception that the only way to make money from a book is by selling each and every copy at a bookshop. While there is no doubt that this is a key income source, there are other ways to maximise profit.
-Spin-off items; think about what other product or service can be provided in relation to your book. Think creatively and in line with your own relationships and connections. If you’ve written a book about the art of juicing for example, could you convince a café to offer a bundle deal for customers to buy fresh juice? A small pocket-sized juicing guide that ties back to your book could also work here. Think outside the dots!
- E-books and manuals; could sections of your book be split into electronic books (e-books) or a training manual? Could your book provide information helpful to a certain trade or industry?
Be part of the inter-connected world that sellsIt’s important to remember when it comes to selling your book, no effort exists in isolation. Every thing said or written about your book becomes part of its overall image, including the spin-off items associated with it. So, get out there and promote your book – the more people are talking about it, the more money you will be making.
To ensure you have gained some value from reading this article, assess your understanding based on identifying the correct answer or answers from this multi-choice quiz…
Question 1:
The best way to make money from a book is by getting it on a bookstore shelf?
a. Yes, this is the way real books are sold and will make the most profit
b. Yes, bookstores are the most common place for people to buy a book so it makes sense
c. Bookstores are on the out – it’s best to just focus on internet sales
d. Maximise your profit everywhere – people buy books and book products in a variety of ways – don’t limit your sales by sticking to one.
Question 2:
Do spin-off products take away from the credibility of a book?
a. It depends – use your own wisdom to decide whether a product will add value or trivialize a book.
b. No, most people think if a book has an extra product, it must be important
c. Yes, off-shoot products tend to be tacky or diluted forms of the real thing
d. No, people don’t associate off-shoot products with the actual book.
Question 3:
Is an author teaching from or in relation to the topic of their book a good idea?
a. Yes, but only if they are a teacher or trainer too!
b. Yes, the more exposure the better
c. No, authors should stick to their writing and leave the speaking to those that know how.
d. It depends on the person, their confidence and their willingness. A good presentation can do wonders for book sales
Question 4:
Do you need a publisher to make money from your book?
a. Yes, the publishing world is cut-throat and only those on the inside can make any money from it
b. Yes, there are too many mountains for authors to leap over on their own
c. A publisher will help make money from a book but profit can be made without them too.
d. No, an author is better off without a publisher so they can protect their own interestsNo peeking at the answers!
Cover this section with a piece of paper and don’t uncover it until you write your answers down.
Answers: 1 (d.), 2 (a.), 3 (d.), 4 (c.)
How did you score?
Now you know the answers, go do what you now know and maximize the profit potential of your nonfiction book.
Extracted from the ebook and self-learning manual: ‘How to Write, Publish and Promote Your Nonfiction Book’ by Terry Anthony Smith.
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