Learn Self Publishing Book Launch Mistakes You Must Avoid with Writat.com, Self Publishing
When you are a new author and have little or no experience in marketing and self-publishing, unpreparedness could soil your book launch. While Writat’s team of experts is here to guide you for a successful book launch, there are certain marketing dos and donts that you can follow to ace the game.
This blog will address the don’ts of book publishing that aspiring writers should be mindful of.
Rushing Your Book Launch
You spend months, if not years, writing your book. But the moment you put the pen down, you hurry to publish it. While dilly-dallying doesn’t get us anywhere, rushing the launch process may also make the delivery worse.
In fact, the actual work begins after you type ‘The End’ – proofreading, editing, cover designing, marketing, and hundred other details are there to consider before ‘The day”.
What is more important? Getting it done perfectly right or getting it done imperfectly quickly?
Giving yourself a small break between completing the book and preparing the launch is particularly important for self-publishing. This will clear your mind as a writer and wear the cap of an editor, marketer, and publisher, and breathe through the schedule.
Self-Editing and Proofreading Book
Agreed, self-editing and proofreading can be tempting; after all, you would want the best for your book. Besides, it is cost-effective. But you are invariably digging a hole for your success.
As the writer of the book, you may overlook typos, paraphrasing and formatting errors, and grammatical mistakes; you may probably not read it from a fresh angle. A professional editor will not only spot mistakes but also refine sentences to improve the reading experience.
Self-publishing is easier and cost-effective than traditional publishing. But a book is a book. The readers are the same, no matter what plan you draw.
Therefore, do not make the mistake of not hiring a professional editor. At the minimum, use an automated Editor Tool to check your work.
Ignoring Your Potential Readership
Did you know, your social media followers and potential readers are the biggest contributors to your book? So whether you complete your book or not, your goal should always be to engage your audience in the process.
As people invest their time in creating and publishing your book, it will make them feel a part of it and place a higher value on it. This means they will be the real promoters of your book for a successful launch.
The bottom line is that you must not ignore the power of your readers’ contributions and consciously build a readership community and trust before you even start working on your book.
Not Researching the Market
How do you know what your readers want if you don’t bother to find it? To optimize your book’s success, market research is imperative.
The research will establish the groundwork of your book writing and launch process, as it will answer the following questions:
- The length and format of the book
- General structure of the book
- Genre and sub-genre
- Book price
- Whether readers like eBooks or paperbacks
- Places where readers look for reviews and updates
- Social media platform target readers use
Going with the Flow Without Establishing Proper Goals
Launching a book is as important and strategic as launching a business – You CANNOT go with the flow and ignore establishing short-term and long-term goals.
While targets vary for different writers and books, it is important to start small with your milestones. For instance, the following questions will help you determine the short-term goals – by when do you want to launch your book, what do you want to achieve from the launch, how many books you’d sell by the end of the year, what is your social media marketing strategy, and how many people would you like to invite for the event?
Your launch should be a small element of your big writing career. You will have to create your visions and goals as you grow bigger.
Launching without Proper Formatting, Designing, and Optimizing Meta Data
Self-publishing authors must take extra care of the design, format, and metadata of the book. Each type of book entails a different sort of layout. If you are a first-time author, understand that formatting, designing, and marketing don’t always come naturally.
It often depends upon the self-publishing platform you are using. Research your market to ensure you are on the right page with the publisher. If there’s a quality issue in your manuscript or the story, it would be a good idea to delay the launch rather than become a victim of ridicule.
If you aren’t sure of any of this, our Designing and Formatting experts can help you in your launch process. Check our Assisted Publishing Services for more information.
Confusing Your Target Audience
This probably ought to be on the top of your checklist. You cannot start writing without knowing whom you are writing for. Moreover, a launch party without the right reader community attending will be nothing but a group of lost souls cheering for something they don’t believe.
A rationale mistake authors make: ‘I don’t want to miss out on any reader. So I want to invite all.’
But when your book is genre-specific, applying a one-size-fits-all strategy for book launch doesn’t make any sense.
Therefore, it is important to identify and engage your real audience – the people who will connect with your book message and values, and be a flag bearer of your work.
Observing what other established authors in your genre are following will give you a good head start.
Making Your Launch a One-Day Event
The book launch is part of your book marketing process. Therefore, the day after your book launch and the weeks following is as important as the event day. The launch has triggered momentum. You have to continue it with post-launch promotion and marketing strategies. Now is not the time to celebrate the big day with a break. It gets harder here. Look for new opportunities to market your book on different digital channels.
Besides, you must analyze the outcomes of your launch to measure success. Then, any loopholes can be covered with a better advertising plan.
