I’ll list the mistakes I made when I first tried to get published as a budding author, but it’s going to do two things: 1. Depress me, and 2. Depress you. I want you to feel encouraged about publishing your brave words today, so you’ll also find everything you need to know to avoid all the rookie mistakes.
I made all the mistakes in 2012 when I hired Balboa Press to help me with my first book baby. If I knew then what I know now, I would’ve done things differently and saved myself a few headaches, as well as the time, energy, effort, and money it took to republish that first book when I realized it basically got nowhere in terms of readers.
Ugh, you guys! I want you to experience much more success than I did the first time! And you can.
I know your words are world-changing, as I knew mine were. I know you have powerful, profound, world-changing messages and work to share that’ll transform people’s lives. I know that when you think about writing your book you’re thinking about the legacy you’re leaving in the world. And you should!
This is big-potatoes stuff! This matters! This is how we help people wake up to what’s possible. And that is my mission.
I watch mistakes in published books happen, and I cringe (like when I spelled a word wrong on my own book title—yes, the front cover) because those are printed.
But the biggest mistake writers make can be avoided and corrected before those beautiful words go to print—planning out your strategy and the business behind your book before publishing!
The first book coach I hired, the first one who told me valuable stuff I use today, helped me understand that if I was writing a book, I had a business. And she helped me craft a book that helped build that business and made sure that the foundations of that success were complete and solid well before I launched that amazing book.
I’m proud to say I was able to re-launch my first book baby after learning those skills, to a number one bestseller in multiple categories on Amazon. I was very happy knowing it would be more than just my mom and BFF reading that book the second time. Your launch can be very successful. You must do some planning first.
I’ve talked to a lot of you about your book ideas. They are amazing. But you’re going into this blind. Don’t make the mistakes I made.
Mistakes Authors Make
1. Ignoring their platform-building activities
2. Not thinking about the business behind their book
3. Not understanding the costs of publishing a professional book that stands out among the rest
4. Not understanding their publishing contract
5. Trying to launch their book without the right support
6. Not having a strategy for book promotion beyond the launch
7. Having no website or social presence to promote from
8. Having no community before launching
9. Not thinking about partnerships and launch strategies
10. Not hiring a book coach to help you through the steps
Here are a few more details to give you what you need to succeed.
Your platform
If you don’t start thinking about building your email list now, you’ll regret it. Better said; you’ll be thanking me a million times over for this when you take it to heart and build your list every day. I have an awesome free platform-building resource in the Brave Healer Resources Vault for you! Grab it!
The book business
If you have a book (any book, including a children’s book), you have a business. Which means you need a website and an email list.
Know the investment
An awesome, professional book costs money to produce and publish. And you’ll recoup that investment and then some if you do this right. Do it right.
Read your contract
I admit I’m guilty of not reading all those tortuously small words. But that’s a mistake. Make an appointment on your calendar for when you’re fresh, and read it all. Ask questions to get clarity. Know what you’re getting into.
Hoping isn’t a launch strategy
Your launch happens when you create a community and hire the right support and partners for your launch (and your business). If you don’t know what this means, you’re maybe trying to do everything yourself, which is the hard way.
Create a strategy
When I get on a discovery call with prospective authors, and they spend the first 25 minutes telling me their book idea in detail without pausing to ask me one strategy question, I’m patient. However, it’s the strategy you should be thinking about first. How will you get this world-changing work into the world and keep it alive longer than the launch day? You’re going to need to journal out your strategy. And if you’re lost about this, I have great free resources in the Brave Healer Resources Vault!
You need a website
There must be somewhere for your fans to find out about you, buy your books, and sign up for your email list. Stop resisting and get a basic website done. The investment will pay you back forever.
The community makes it a bestseller
If you’re not building a community, you won’t have a great launch. Just like platform-building, community-building activities are crucial. Mine started as a free group on Facebook.
Partnerships can make your business
When you devote time to networking and building relationships and business partnerships, everything (including your book launches) gets very interesting. Don’t resist networking. Find groups that are the right match, that turn you on, and that can help you build your business.
You can do it all by yourself
But you shouldn’t. Hire a great coach. Learn a thing or two. That knowledge and experience will pay off so many times over. I used to think I was successful only when I did it by myself. I was so wrong about that. My team and community are how I’m successful. Lifting you all up higher is how I’m lifted higher. The energy is bigger and more powerful when we come together. I have several book coaches and experts that help me grow personally and professionally. When I outgrow them, I shift. It’s a dynamic process that helps me evolve.
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One of the reasons I built the Brave Healer Productions empire was to make sure my community has all the resources they need to publish their brave words and books in a bigger way and the right way, avoiding mistakes and celebrating the wins.
The Writer’s Circle was born to help ensure you’re making your writing come alive—the first thing you must do on this journey! A poorly written book will be shoved aside by your readers, who nowadays have a lower attention span than they used to.
The collaborative book programs we put into place (celebrating our 54th Amazon bestseller this month) were created to give you tips for improving your writing style and the writing, launching, and publishing coaching you need to move on to publish your solo books. This program is a powerful way into the world of publishing because of the coaching but also the community you’ll be invited to join and engage in.
Brave Healer Productions is one of the best book publishers out there. This isn’t because we have the most experience (yet). It’s because we create a safe space for writing and publishing to be part of your healing journey. It’s because we understand the mistakes and know how to avoid them. And it’s because we’re learning every day, and paying that knowledge forward to our community every day. I want you to win. I want your brave words to be out in the world and for you to be proud of that effort and accomplishment. I know the ripple you begin when you’re brave enough to publish.
This isn’t about us anymore. That fear of not-good-enough is boring to me. What if that thing you’re still a little afraid to share is exactly the thing someone needs to read to change, or even save, their life?
Let’s publish your brave words!
