by Emmanuel Nataf, @EmmanuelNataf
81% of Americans want to write a book in their lifetimes. However, a much smaller percentage actually goes on to publish a book. So what’s stopping them? You’ll hear that it usually comes down to two familiar resources:
- Time
- Cash
Time is the factor that everyone already talks about. But what about that second obstacle: money? The problem is that publishing a book can be expensive. Traditional publishers spend a ton of money to edit, design, market, and promote books. If you’re self-publishing, you’d need to take on those responsibilities yourself — which means that you’d need to take the cash straight out of your own pocket.
Luckily, there is a way to publish a book on a shoestring budget. Here are my three favorite tips for the self-publishers who want to get your book out there and save money at the same time.
Take advantage of book review blogs
When you see a book that’s got a summary that interests you, what do you do next?
Chances are, you’ll scroll down to read the reviews. Then you’ll decide to buy a book based on the number of four- and five-stars you see.
That’s why reviews are so important — and the good news is that you don’t necessarily need to pay for one these days because book review bloggers exist on the Internet.
Who exactly are they? It’s all in the name: they’re bloggers who read and review books — for fun! It’s a win-win for both parties: these bloggers get to read more books, while you get a free book review under your belt. You might need to spend some time researching the right book review blogs for you, but in general it’s a clear (and free) opportunity for you to gain the reviews that your book will badly need.Continue reading