Over the past few months, we have seen more authors taking steps to share their stories with the world by publishing a book. Staying at home has given many authors a chance to reflect and work on book projects they may have been putting off for years. This is a great way to use the time at home—but how do you know if your book will be well-received by readers?
The market for self-published books is saturated with countless do-it-yourself projects. It may be cheap and easy to put your book out there, but it’s tough to get any attention, unless it can stand alongside traditionally published bestsellers in terms of quality content and design. How can an author plan out a systematic approach to publishing, before investing thousands of dollars in a project?
A manuscript assessment offers an accessible way to figure out if your book is ready to be published, what kind of additional work or editing it might need, and its potential in terms of marketing and audience. You can get feedback from a seasoned professional on whether or not it’s worth it to move forward, or whether you need developmental editing or to work with a writing coach. There are plenty of vanity presses out there that will happily take your money and publish literally anything. You owe it to yourself and your project to find out what it really needs to succeed, before making that leap.
Can an author submit their book to a traditional publisher and expect feedback? Probably not. Many publishers, including traditional publishers, just reject books without telling the author why. If a manuscript is not going to be picked up by a publisher, it’s not worth their time to give detailed feedback. This often leaves an author wondering why their manuscript was rejected and how it can be improved. Sometimes, an author has a great book, but it’s their first novel and they do not have a platform or social media presence to help sell the book. At Izzard Ink, we outline opportunities for improvement as well as the strengths from manuscript to marketing.
When looking into a manuscript assessment, it is ideal to have it reviewed by at least two professional editors with traditional publishing experience, as well as proprietary artificial intelligence software that can spot problems and gauge overall quality. This provides a holistic and data-driven approach help guide you to position your book for success.
From there, we advise authors to keep in mind these ten-steps for self-publishing:
- Assess the market
- Create a quality first draft
- Finalize that draft with feedback
- Choose an editor with great chemistry and experience in your genre
- Hire professionals to guide you
- Seek out reputable book endorsements
- Find an experienced cover designer
- Decide between self and traditional publishing
- Distribute and market your book as widely as possible
- Don’t give up on your book, stick with it long-term
With print-on-demand, each copy of your book can be printed to order, avoiding the need to manage and store an inventory, and the costs that come with a press run. At Izzard, we can put your book into networks of book buyers, giving it the chance to end up in brick and mortar bookstores in addition to online retailers—although you’ll still need to generate interest among buyers and readers.
Publishing a book, the right way can be daunting, and that can stop people from even getting started. But there’s never been a better time to start a book project. With professional support, proven processes, and hard work, it’s never been easier to publish a top-quality book.
