Why Shouldn't You Publish a Book?
People love to tell you why you should write your story and publish it. As a literary consultant and publishing coach, I'm guilty of doing such. That's only because I believe at some point in everyone's life, they have lived through or endured something worth sharing. Everyone has a story, idea, thought, concept, or message to tell in any form they choose (fiction, non-fiction, journal, planner, how-to, etc.). That doesn't necessarily mean they should package it up and sell it in a book.
No matter which path to publishing you choose (self-published, traditionally published, POD, vanity press, self-publishing companion company, or hybrid publishing), being an author involves hard work. Even with a major publishing house behind you—even with a printed, audio, and/or eBook distributor behind you—it's your job as the author to let readers know that your book exists. And that is no easy job!
Some of the tasks involved includes the following:
Author branding
Promotions
Author platform
Book signings
Attending conferences/book fairs
Virtual book tours
Chats and interviews
Marketing
Video promos
Blogs
Social media presence
Author website
Email marketing
Author newsletter and more!
All of the tasks listed above (and quite a few that are not listed, such as writing the book itself) are a must no matter what type of author you are. If the path you choose for publishing is anything other than traditional, then there is an even more extensive To-Do list that precedes the one above.
No matter how many reasons you've been given as to why you should publish a book, a reason why you should not publish a book is because you become an author. Being an author means that after writing the book, the real work just begins. And if you are not willing to put in the required effort, then you should not publish a book.
You must be honest with yourself and be realistic as to the time and money you are willing to dedicate to be an author. And being an author involves more than writing a book.
Yes, there are numerous tasks involved in publishing a book and being an author, and you have to do quite a bit of them if you want to achieve literary success. But the good news is that you don't have to do it alone. There are industry professionals such as myself who can chauffeur you along your literary journey, completing some of the tasks on your behalf, or giving you the tips, resources, links, direction, and information for you to do so. But even then, there will still be work for you to do. So, if you are not willing to put in the work, then you should not publish a book. But if you are, join me at the "Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business" 2018 Conference, where I'll be teaching over 200 authors how to publish like pros, turn their book into a business, and create multiple streams of income to sustain their book business.
You can still benefit from the "Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business" 2018 Conference by visiting www.pathtopublishing.com/conferencestore