5 Vital Pieces of Advice for First-Time Authors

Nowadays people like to say that “Everybody has a podcast” or “Everybody has written a book.”  You might not have done one or both – yet – but could very well be thinking about heading in that direction.  In 2024, a lot of people are using one or both of those to enhance their brand and expand their reach, regardless of what field they’re in.  (After all, how many guests have you heard on the weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast talking about, sure, the newest single or album they’ve released, but also their book that just came out?)  If you intend to express your voice in writing and not through a microphone, let’s get you ready with some tips to help point you towards success.

Put Your Reader First  

You need to write your book with the reader in mind. If you’re writing fiction, you need to meet reader expectations: What are the tropes for the genre? What is the typical word count? (I recently received a free novel that was a whopping 43 pages with an obviously incomplete storyline. That’s not a book.)

If you’re writing nonfiction, what will your readers want and need to know?

The bonus of doing all this while you’re still writing? Your book will be more likely to contain what your readers want to see.

You don’t want to fill a book with fluff just to make a minimum word count, but you also want to make sure people don’t feel short-changed. Your book needs to deliver everything your description promises.

Start Your Marketing Research When You Start Writing Your Book

For too many authors, the actual marketing of their book is an afterthought. Gone are the days when you could simply put your book up on Amazon and it had a chance at getting some traction. Over 11,000 books a day are uploaded to Amazon—your book will get lost in the crowd.

You need to start your marketing early, at least six months before the book is released. Early activities include building an email list of targeted readers, joining groups that include potential readers, perhaps starting a blog, podcast, or YouTube channel on your topic. You want to build a social media following, but know in advance that social media “likes” aren’t guaranteed to convert to sales.

Now is also the time to learn about book promos and author swaps, start making a list of podcasts that interview authors, and to build relationships with other authors in your field. Take this time to read up on marketing strategies and how to best launch a book.

Spoiler Alert: You never stop marketing.

Hire a Professional Editor

Trust me: You need an editor. I’m an editor and I need an editor. Your 16-year-old niece who is “good in English” is not an editor.

There are several types of editing: developmental, line or copy editing, and proofing. Different editors work in different genres and niches. You want to get the right editor for your book.

At the very least, you will need to have your book proofread. Know upfront that there will always be typos. The proofreader’s job is to catch as many as they can. Some always slip through, even in traditionally published books. It’s the nature of the beast.

Don’t Overpay for Publishing

Sad to say, the publishing business is a lot like the acting, modeling, or music business: There are a lot of scammers just waiting to take your money along with your hopes and dreams. Vanity presses disguised as publishing companies will tell you that your book has merit and deserves to be shared with the world. However, they are going to need you to “chip in” on the cost of publishing, anywhere from $2,000 to $12,000. They offer packages which will include things like editing (they run it through spellcheck and Grammarly), cover design (poorly produced, often AI or non-licensed artwork), ISBNs (free from many platforms), and exciting things like “10 Free Author Copies!” and allow you to order more through them at an “author’s rate” which is anywhere from $3 to $5+ more than what you would pay a print-on-demand platform.

Before sending any money, have the contract vetted by an attorney. Many first-time authors have found that they have either signed away the rights to their books or the vanity press disappears, and they can’t access their books or royalties.

Publishing your book on print-on-demand platforms is free, but you should expect some expenses. Expect to pay for things like editing, cover design, interior formatting, and ISBNs (optional but recommended). Prices for these services vary from very cheap (do NOT recommend) to very expensive (meaning out of most people’s reach). But you can find affordable editing, interior formatting, and cover design.  

If you need help with the publishing process, there are services that do that. They will tell you upfront that they are a publishing service, not a publisher. You should have full access to your ISBN and author accounts, and royalties should come directly to you.

Manage Your Expectations: Oprah is NOT Going to Call

This is perhaps the most heartbreaking mistake of all. Authors work for months and years on their books, pay for editing, cover design, and finally have their book go live only to experience… crickets. All those people who said they would buy your book suddenly disappeared. Oprah will not call to say she wants to interview you.

The average book sells 250 copies in its lifetime. If you’re making a royalty of $5 per book, that’s $1,250. Not much over the span of say five or ten years.

Unless you already have a large following (meaning tens of thousands), you’re going to have to work hard (and spend some money) to sell your book.

Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, as a first-time author expect to hit a learning curve. The more you can do before you publish, the greater your chance of having financial success with your book.

Barbara Grassey is a ghostwriter and book coach with over twenty years of experience. She assists business leaders in writing, publishing, and marketing their books. Learn more about writing and publishing your book at https://barbaragrassey.com/.