Which Dessert Would You Choose?

by Kimberly A. Cook                                 (Twitter @WarriorTales)

My client finished writing and editing his book. Less than one week later, I heard from a former student who also finished his book. Must be the season. Both wanted publishing advice.

With all the chaos going on in the publishing world, how do writers figure out how to publish their books?  I faced this dilemma in 2006. Self publishing with a print on demand publisher and an ebook was my choice.  I am building my career using that path. But the more I participate in the publishing business, I feel writers are asking the wrong question when they’ve completed a manuscript.

After finishing a book; all the re-writes, edits, and polishing, finally fini. Bravo!

 Now before deciding whether to get an agent or not, what type of product to produce (ebook, paperback, hard back), which publisher to contract or query, how much time to publication (18-24 months vs. hours), your money and time budgets, marketing on and offline, which social media to use, how to build your brand and platform, and which legal form to use to do business – what is first?

Put your head between your knees and take a deep breath. Maybe get a paper bag to inhale and exhale into? Before all those other questions, “start with the end in mind,”  as author Stephen Covey says and it works.

What is the most important question to ask first?

What do you want for dessert?

What is your goal? What is your own personal writer dessert?

Do you want a cookie? To publish one book.

Do you want a cupcake? To publish two books.

Or do you want the entire pie? A career as an author.

A recent blog post by bestselling author Bob Mayer talked about how to launch an author/writing career. Mayer recommends writing three books, make them the best you can.  Next publish and promote the heck out of those books, while writing more titles to build a career. 

Because when you finish writing a book; the edits, polishing, re-drafts, and print out the final page or view the last screen, you’re in a very exclusive club. Period. Writing and completing a manuscript is a long journey and lots of hard work. Celebrate! Margaret Mitchell took twelve years to write Gone with The Wind.  Worked out pretty well for her, but it might not get published now.

With approximately 1,000 books being published every day in the United States, you need to know what you want for dessert. There are a bunch of folks out there who want to make big dollars off your book dreams, without making you any money in return. You have to be careful and know how this book fits into your life. Know what you want the book to do for you. Be honest with yourself.

If you’re a one book cookie, fine. A two book cupcake, perfect. A whole pie career author, go for it. But figure out which dessert you want first, because that drives all the other important publishing decisions. Life is short; pick dessert first!