There’s no greater feeling than holding your very own published book in your hands (and let’s be honest, smelling those freshly printed pages). Have you dreamed of publishing a book someday but you’re not sure where to start? You’ve come to the right place.
Believe it or not, publishing a book isn’t as daunting as it sounds. We’re breaking down that big goal into three actionable steps. Read on to learn how to publish a book and get your name and story on shelves.
1. Validate Your Book Idea
First and foremost, how does your book idea serve your audience? Before you put the pen to paper, think long and hard about how your book will help someone else. Validate your book idea by asking yourself 3 questions: why you, why this, and why now. Get crystal clear on why you’re the best person to tell this story and why it needs to be told now. Frame your personal story in a way that helps the reader achieve a transformation. What’s in it for them?
2. Craft a Book Proposal
Next comes the book, right? Not so fast! Your book proposal is the next step before writing the book itself. Your book proposal is essentially a business plan for your book that you’ll hand to a literary agent. For starters, it should include who you are as an author, why your book matters, a chapter outline, marketing plan, and 2-3 sample chapters. Notice how we didn’t say your finished book? In the world of traditional book publishing, you’ll write a few sample chapters and hold off on writing the full book until you get a book deal.
3. Find a Literary Agent
Once your book proposal is strong and solidified, it’s time to start pitching to literary agents. A literary agent is someone you’ll work with closely to get your book proposal in front of potential publishers. You’ll spend a lot of time with your literary agent to fine tune your book proposal and navigate the publishing process together. Typically agents specialize in a specific book genre, so make sure you’re looking for an agent that aligns with your field. It’s their job to pitch your book proposal to publishers on your behalf and ultimately, land you an offer, advance, and a book deal!
Once you’ve landed a book deal, it’s time to write the dang book. Create a consistent writing schedule to hold yourself accountable and stick to it. Your story will be on shelves in no time!
There you have it! A simple step-by-step guide to publishing a book that anyone can do – including you. If you’re ready to take the plunge, look no further than Book Pop Workshop to guide you every step of the way. With 9 modules and over 40 lessons, Book Pop Workshop gives you everything you need to outline your book, create a killer book proposal, find a literary agent, and finish the manuscript.
Don’t just take our word for it. Kaitlyn enrolled in Book Pop Workshop in September 2020. A year and a half later, her book is out and available for purchase on Amazon. This could be you!
