More Tips On How To Get Your Book Published

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Rick_Frishman]Rick Frishman

Describing Your Book’s Benefits

To clearly describe your book, you must know what it’s about and whom it targets. What it’s about will be what you’re selling, and whom it targets identifies the audience to whom you hope to sell it.

Agents and editors tell us that a surprisingly large number of writers can’t clearly explain what their books are about.

These authors usually can detail their motivation, philosophies, and their personal dreams, but they can’t describe the specific benefits their books will give their readers. For example, they don’t say that it will teach novices to hook up computer networks, to bake mouth-watering lemon squares, or to design stylish children’s sweaters.

When authors can’t clearly describe their books, agents and editors usually conclude-with good reason-that they can’t write a salable book. And if writers can’t describe their own books, how can they expect agents or publishers to sell them?

Instead of describing their books, many authors tend to litter their descriptions with unverified – and often unbelievable – superlatives. They might say, “This is the best, the most informative, the most up-to-date, or the only book on . . .” Or they will claim that it will become a runaway bestseller, an all-time classic, or a great TV series. In describing your book, forget the hype and stick to the facts. Simply state what it will do.

To create an effective publicity campaign, understand your niche. Since the public has so many options and listens so selectively, your first big hurdle, which can be huge, is to get their attention! To make them stop and listen, you must know:

Â• What your book is about

Â• Exactly for whom it was written

Clarify who your audience is – identify the specific group or groups that will be most likely to buy your book and why they would buy it. If you believe that your book has a broad or universal appeal, name the demographic groups that would be most interested in it, according to their size. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that it will appeal to everyone, because it probably won’t, and it will distort who your audience actually is.

Authors tend to mistakenly believe that it’s better to appeal to wider, broader-based audiences than smaller, more defined groups. They don’t want to overlook any potential buyers, thinking that if they pitch to larger groups, more people will buy their books.

However, publishing experts tell us that the opposite is true: The shotgun approach seldom attracts as many readers as tightly targeted methods do.

Know you niche. Identify the principal audience that will most likely read your book, and then focus your publicity campaign on it. Then, if you believe that your book will appeal to additional audiences, decide what resources, if any, you will commit to reaching those additional groups.

Your Book’s Benefits

Readers buy books because of the benefits they hope to receive. They may want news and information, mental stimulation, or just to escape. Often, they may want to learn how to solve particular problems such as putting up a website, making electrical repairs, or preparing holiday dinners.

When you’re competing in such a crowded market, tell potential buyers the precise benefits they will get from your book. Explain specific problems your book will solve, new information it will provide, or hidden secrets it will reveal. Draw up lists of the important facts contained in your book, and clearly identify material that is controversial, shocking, or groundbreaking. Be prepared to rattle off a dozen specific issues that your book addresses.

Don’t fall into the trap of generalizing or being vague when you can be precise, even if you think it could attract more readers. In reality, readers whom you address specifically are usually the only ones who listen to your words. So, be specific, exact, and leave no room for doubt. Enumerate the concrete benefits your book will provide.

Robyn Says

First, after you’ve defined your audience, list the core benefits your book will provide to that audience. State that by reading your book, readers will learn to network at business events, to prevent disputes with teenage children, or to respond promptly to life-threatening illnesses.

Some book titles clearly explain the benefits they provide, such as The EverythingÂ® Guide to Writing a Novel, but most are not that clear. In an attempt to be catchy or clever, many are vague as to what they provide. Many books overcome the problem by explaining the benefits in their subtitles. For example, in Rick’s Networking Magic, the subtitle is Find the Best-From Doctors, Lawyers, and Accountants to Homes, Schools, and Jobs. In Robyn’s The Giftionary, the subtitle reads An A-Z Reference Guide for Solving Your Gift-Giving Dilemmas . . . Forever!

Get your free million dollar rolodex at http://www.rickfrishman.com

Rick Frishman, the founder of Planned Television Arts, has been one of the leading book publicists in America for over 30 years.

Working with many of the top book editors, literary agents and publishers in America, including Simon and Schuster, Random House, Wiley, Harper Collins, Pocket Books, Penguin Putnam, and Hyperion Books, he has worked with best-selling authors including Mitch Albom, Caroline Kennedy, Howard Stern, President Jimmy Carter, Mark Victor Hansen, Nelson DeMille, John Grisham, Hugh Downs, Henry Kissinger, Jack Canfield, Alan Deshowitz, Arnold Palmer, and Harvey Mackay.

In addition to his work at “PTA” Rick has now taken on the new role as Publisher at Morgan James Publishing in New York. Morgan James only publishes non fiction books and looks for authors with a platform who believe in giving back. Morgan James gives a portion of every book sold to Habitat for Humanity. ( http://www.morganjamespublishing.com)

Get Million $ rolodex at http://www.rickfrishman.com

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