Writers are often taken by surprise when they’re asked for a “detailed marketing plan” before a publisher has even taken them on.

It’s a skill worth developing – as many successful authors write their marketing plans before they even set pen to paper.

In Part 1 of my article, you learned how to get started with a marketing plan for your book. Today, you’ll be finding out how to complete it. Read the full story

Increasingly, agents and publishers are asking authors to help with the marketing of their books.

Many writers are taken by surprise when they receive a request for a “detailed marketing plan” – often before an agent has even taken them on.

Don’t be daunted. Treat this as an opportunity rather than a hurdle. Many successful authors draw up a marketing plan before they even start work on their book. Read the full story

If you’ve written a book or if you want to get your message out to the world, there has never been an easier time to become a bestselling author. The Internet has provided writers with an unprecedented opportunity to spread their message and reach more readers at a faster rate than ever before. Read the full story

The legendary bookseller, E. Haldeman-Julius was one of the biggest publishing sensations of all time. He sold over a 100 million books during the 1920s – which is an eye-watering amount of sales by anyone’s standards.

In all, he published around 2,000 titles as part of a series called Little Blue Books. What’s particularly interesting is that all the books were packaged in a similar way. They all had blue covers and there was little to distinguish them. Read the full story

Rich writers understand that writing a book is only the beginning, not an end in itself. They are often marketers first and writers second.

Marketing may sound like a dirty word especially to literary or academic writers. I understand that. I used to feel the same.

But let me ask you this. What’s the point writing a book if you can’t sell the darn thing?

If you really want to make a successful career as a writer, you can’t afford to ignore marketing.

What I recommend – if you haven’t done it already – is to think about ‘joint ventures’ to sell or promote your book. Don’t be put off by the business jargon – this just means looking for other people who can help sell and publicize your book for you.

So, for example, if you’ve written a book about childcare, are there any professionals who could promote you to their list of clients? If you’ve written a book about dogs, are there online vets or dog schools who could promote your book to their customers?

Why would they do it, you might ask? Simple. If your book aligns with their service, they are adding value to their clients by telling them about you.

Now listen up – some businesses have ‘lists’ running into hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions. Most mainstream publishers on the other hand are happy if they sell five thousand books – this is considered a ’successful’ print run!

Do it today. Right now. Write a list of 50 potential joint venture partners.

Feeling nervous or a little intimidated? Yes, we all do. Even with 20 years experience, I still get butterflies at times. But if your goals aren’t making you even a little scared, you’re probably not setting yourself big enough goals!

Breaking through that ‘fear barrier’ is what separates out bestselling authors and millionaire writers from the rest. Even if 40 business owners say ‘no’, and 10 say ‘yes’ this could make a massive difference to your book sales.

Is this book your passion? Does it make your heart sing? If so, can you afford not to take this step today. Try it – what have you got to lose?

Writers and authors often wonder how many literary agents they should submit to at one time.

Faced with a cut-throat publishing environment, it’s tempting to try to ’speed up’ the process by sending a mass mail-out. However, this is a strategy to avoid at all costs.

I recently heard of one writer who submitted to 200 literary agents in one go. Two HUNDRED! I nearly fell of my seat… This reeks of desperation, as well as a total lack of confidence, in both your pitch and your book.

If your pitch and manuscript is strong enough to attract a literary agent’s or publisher’s attention, then you only need to send it to three or four agents at a time. Or, if you’re really impatient, to half a dozen, maximum.

Sending a pitch randomly to 200 agents is NOT the way to go.

First of all, it will wind them up enormously if word gets about. (And it does – publishing is a small and incestuous world). You will very quickly be ‘blacklisted’ and anything you send from that point will be ignored.

Secondly, should you really be sending out your pitch if you’re that uncertain about it?

On the other hand, if you believe hand on heart, that you have a fantastic pitch, do you really want to print 200 manuscripts and send them to 200 literary agents when the feeding frenzy begins? Is that really the best way to spend your precious time?

What all writers should be aiming for is precision marketing. That means a precise and targeted campaign where you have maximized your chances with a killer pitch and a submission letter that hits them right between the eyes. This way, you are confident of getting results before you even start out…

If you find yourself thinking of a random spraygun approach, then something is seriously wrong. Get your pitch right BEFORE you send it out to literary agents. It is no good crossing your fingers and hoping for the best.

Understand what they are looking for, what will sell in the market, and then deliver… Read books, attend seminars, get a mentor, and learn as much as you can. This is what will open doors for you.