Traditional Publishing (Big 5)
Small Press Publishing
Hybrid Publishing
Indie Publishing
Each of these paths have
Writing is the easy part. Editing,
proofreading, beta reading, synopsis writing, book design and layout, cover
design, and don’t forget marketing!
If you’re a savvy author who’s fully
immersed themselves in the publishing world, you’re a leg up. You might already
have a plan of attack and can progress confidently down the path you have
chosen to publish
However, most of us, at least when
we’re starting out, have no clue of the complexity that is the publishing
process.
This is where a book coach comes in.
A book coach is a jack-of-all-trades
and wears many hats. Part manuscript critiquer
Book Coaches
·
Help you clarify or construct a book outline
·
Work on character development issues
·
Critique your manuscript draft and point out
areas to revise
·
Coach you on plot, pacing, and story structure
·
Coach you to overcome writer’s block
·
Help you craft your book synopsis and query
letters
·
Help locate agents for query submission
·
Help build an author platform and devise a
marketing plan
·
Set realistic expectations for book publishing
·
Help with book layout and uploading to sales
distribution networks
What are the benefits of hiring a
book coach?
Yes, it is literally putting words on the page but a good
story has a structure. You can put lots of words on a page but that doesn’t make
it a story. There exists a certain structure to storytelling that not only creates
optimal flow; it also keeps readers up late at night unable to put down the
book.
Stories are comprised of three key elements: Characters,
Setting, and Conflict. All three elements work together to create the journey.
That journey is the story your audience will immerse themselves in. But this
can only be achieved if you have developed those three key elements well. A
book coach can work with you to make sure your story is not just words, but a
full and complete world with characters that readers will care about.
2 DIY PUBLISHING ISN’T AS EASY AS
YOU THINK.
There are literally thousands of books on publishing. You
can read them. I did in the beginning. The problem with trying to publish DIY,
at least the first time around, is that information overload leads to mistakes.
Everyone has “the way” and they are not always the same. To the uninitiated
this information overload leads to mistakes. And in this business, especially
when self-publishing where you’re funding 100% of your book’s production,
mistakes can be very costly. That means your book has a lot of earning to do in
order to break even.
With the guidance of a book coach who’s done it before,
preferably more than a few times, you can avoid the problems that come with
information glut, and streamline the process and reduce the overall cost of
your book’s production.
3 AUTHORS NEED A PLATFORM
We live in an age of social media. Authors are expected to
be out in the open and socializing with their readers. They need to understand
the social landscape, have a web presence, and must actively work to build
their newsletters even before their first book is published . Whether
traditional or indie publishing, an author cannot avoid taking an active role
in marketing and promoting themselves and their work. A seasoned book coach can
help navigate all these social media platforms, identifying which ones are best
to focus on and work to craft a marketing plan that the author can easily
maintain.
Book coaches are an excellent
resource for new authors as well as seasoned authors who are feeling
overwhelmed by all the tasks they must undertake. Remember that even
traditionally published authors are expected to handle their marketing. There
are plenty of books coaches offering an array of services; it is up to you, the author
to determine exactly what you need. Do your homework and find the right person
to help you achieve your publishing goals.