Accidental Success
by Linda S. Thompson
(Gilbert, Arizona, USA)
Planning for Tomorrow
As a former marketing professional in the corporate world, self-publishing was a foreign entity to me when I embarked upon a new career in public speaking. After a couple of years of facilitating life planning and elder care workshops to corporate employees and members of various organizations, someone offered me a bit of advice. That was, “You need a book to sell in the back of the room.” Okay, what did that mean? Write a book? That thought hadn’t crossed my mind, but why not? So I took my lecture notes, put a lot of extra words around them and created my very first book, Planning for Tomorrow, Your Passport To a Confident Future.
No, I don’t sell insurance; no, this isn’t about financial planning. It is about the fact that everyone is a mere mortal (even if we choose to believe otherwise) and that the unexpected may happen, whether we plan for it or not. It’s all about getting your ducks in a row so that in the most unlikely of circumstance, should something happen to you, your family won’t be left out in the cold.
Okay, so now that I have a manuscript, what do I do next? Being an Internet junkie, I found several coaches who specialized in assisting people get their books published. After interviewing several, I settled on the one I thought best suited my personality. This guy was fantastic. He walked me through how to create an effective cover, introduced me to an editor (and educated me on the importance of having one). He talked to me about shameless self-promotion, and how, even if I were lucky enough to get picked up by a publishing house, I’d have to do the majority of my own marketing.
I opted for the self-publishing approach (or as I choose to call it, be an ‘independent author’). He helped me find a printer who best suited my needs and budget. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I did not need to buy a garage full of books to get published. I could order as few as 10 and, depending upon the quality of my work, have my product look as good as any you’d find on a bookstore shelf.
Once I had my first print run, it was onward and upward. No longer needing a publishing coach, I set out to find a good media relations person. I do not have the budget to put someone on retainer, and am not fond of the concept, so I found a local gal who would work with me based on the ‘pay for performance’ model. In other words, if she got a press release published, she got paid; if she secured a TV or radio interview for me, she got paid. If nothing happened, no money changed hands. I’m proud to say that five years later, she and I still work together whenever I have a new book.
Even though I had facilitated workshops, the next step was to polish my speaking skills. That meant finding a speaking coach. How fortunate I was when I found a true gem in the Phoenix area who has been a member of the National Speakers’ Association since its inception. No, I am not a NSA member, nor do I have plans to become a member, but Bill and I have become great friends and we often call on each other for advice or a brainstorming session over coffee.
I now have a local editor/proofreader who also makes solicitation calls for me. This lady I could not live without. No article, no book, no marketing materials leave my office without her blessing.
The point to this rather long story is that if you want to make it in the world as an author, you need to do your homework. Hire the best you can find to walk you through each step. Learn from them and use their advice to your best advantage. Did I use all of their advice? Absolutely not! One hard and fast rule I have about everything I do is if it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it, no matter who encourages you to go full steam ahead. Your own intuition is the absolute best benchmark you have for your success.
One final thought. Every author I meet is absolutely convinced they have written the next best seller. They are convinced that now there is a book, the sales will come. Folks, take off the blinders. If you don’t tell the world, how will the world ever learn about you? Take advantage of every free social networking site on the web. This particular site is fabulous for us independent authors. (From Steve: Thank you, Linda!) There are far too few who promote our work and I applaud them for taking this step. And last, but not least, remember that 70% of all books sold are not sold in the traditional book stores. That’s a bunch, right? But, back of the room sales, word of mouth, referrals, and, yes, the Internet is where it’s at today.
Visit Life Path Solutions, Linda's internet site.
