I’ve been saying it for several years now: It is easier than ever these days to publish a book. In fact, literally anyone can publish a book today and sell it on the internet. It doesn’t even take any money. My cats could publish a book!
But would anyone read it?
So what does it take to publish a truly successful book today?
The first thing you need to do is define success. Is it selling a million books? Is it increasing your name and brand recognition? Is it just being able to call yourself an author?
I’ve helped dozens of people publish their book and each one has defined success differently. But what I find even more interesting is what publishing a book does for the author – and while sometimes the book has brought the person more money, often what I’ve seen authors gain is something different than they ever dreamed about before they published. Here are a couple of stories.
One author used his book as a springboard for a new career. He quit his day job, began promoting his book and himself, and became successful in a whole new field.
A second author was asked to host a local television show. Hosting a television show wasn’t on her “success list” or even on her bucket list, but when the opportunity presented itself – solely because the station manager knew she had published a book – she jumped at the chance and found it gave her a new purpose and a greater ability to make an impact than she had ever had before.
I could continue, but I think you get the picture. There are a few other thing that these two people, and the other successful authors I know have in common:
- They actively market themselves and their book
- They don’t say “no” or “I can’t” when someone suggests something – whether it is trying out a new social media site or making a speech before an organization or learning a new skill.
So what will writing and publishing a book mean for you? Set your goals and go for it. Open your computer and start writing today.