This week’s post comes from Kim Foster, a writer and editor on our team. In this piece, she shares her perspective as an editor on how to sell and scale your book. Enjoy!
When an editor receives a manuscript, there are many questions that run through his or her mind. What is the author trying to accomplish? Where is the author headed in theme and purpose? If I can’t figure out these key elements, my next thought is whether I bought enough coffee.
Great editing goes far beyond grammar and punctuation. A developmental editor looks at the big picture, which is about the positioning, messaging, and long-term scalability of a book—areas professional editors address when working with a manuscript.
For you, writing a book may be more than a bucket list item to check off—it’s a tool with the potential to ignite your business and propel you into further opportunities. If you look at your book from this perspective, it will influence how you approach the writing and publishing process.
My friend Stacy Ennis often refers to publishing as a transformative journey for an author. I agree with her, as I have seen authors grow in skill and confidence as they do the tough work of digging in to make their manuscripts the best version possible.
Benefits of an editor’s perspective
As a writer myself, I value another’s perspective, because sometimes we get too close to our work. I am often amazed at the insight a fresh set of eyes can bring to a project. Editors (ones who are educated and experienced) are trained to look at a manuscript for potential weaknesses—as well as its strengths. An experienced eye can discern potential issues that can rob the impact a book is meant to have.
It’s like the old adage, “You can’t see the forest for the trees.” You have been immersed in the details of your book, and your goal becomes obscured before you realize it. There are key elements that deserve full attention to remove all barriers to firmly positioning your book for success.
Here are a few insights editors bring to the table to navigate authors through potential blind spots:
- The structure is unstable without a logical progression of ideas.
- The author loses sight of the intended reader.
- The theme wanders, therefore diluting the desired impact.
- The author doesn’t fully address pain points and offer practical solutions.
I have read many manuscripts that started with great ideas but ended up wandering away from the main theme or even abandoning it altogether and taking a completely different path. If a reader can’t figure out which way you’re headed, they’ll set your book down and move on. Your manuscript needs to be structurally sound and organized in a logical manner that makes sense to the reader. Then the reader will absorb your message, opening the door to the impact you hope to have.
A developmental editor can help you look at your manuscript and structure it in such a way that the throughline of your theme is solid and consistent. Clarity brings direction and shines light on the path to a successful and impactful product.
Bonus: Add narrative. Personal experience stories plant the reader squarely in your space. You have greater potential for influence and impact if you can connect deeper with your reader. Narrative is one way to do just that. According to research, it’s an excellent strategy to educate and connect with readers and help facilitate retention of information.
How to position your book to sell
Whether you are self-publishing or pursuing hybrid or traditional publishing, having your manuscript professionally edited shows you’ve done your due diligence and are seriously committed to delivering a high-quality book. Agents are flooded with inquiries, and if you show up with a messy manuscript or an undeveloped idea, you are positioning yourself right out of an opportunity.
If you have fully thought through the purpose for your book, your credibility is strengthened because you’ve obviously devoted significant focus to your topic. If you need help in reflecting, Stacy Ennis offers a free visioning guide to help authors as they strategically consider the why behind their book.
Do you need to gain clarity on who your intended reader is? A great exercise is to write down a description of who this person is—their likes and dislikes, their needs in your industry, the time they have to read and absorb content, and their personal or professional goals. You’re getting inside their head, and having this knowledge in mind as you write will help you gear your content to meet their needs—and perhaps uncover a slant you may not have thought of otherwise.
Think of it as having a conversation with someone you want to impact and influence with your message. You’re figuring out what your readers’ expectations are and meeting those expectations head-on with your expertise. If you have a solid, informed foundation for who your readership is and have tailored your manuscript to them, you have a surer footing in positioning your book to sell.
Are you addressing a pain point and providing a solution/approach? What are you hoping to accomplish? It’s wonderful to inspire someone, but remember to bring in practical application of concepts. Give the reader something to carry with them. Create a book that becomes a resource they will annotate because your words continue to impact them.
Scaling your book
A great book starts with great content. It may seem redundant, but if you don’t have quality content, you’re on shaky ground. If you provide relevant information and meet a need, you are establishing yourself as an authority in your field; your credibility is strengthened, and through your platform, others take notice.
A platform is how you reach the world—or more aptly, how the world sees you. Social media, a website, a newsletter, speaking events, trainings—all contribute to your platform. (If you would like to learn more about building a platform, check out Michael Hyatt’s Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World and Donald Miller’s Building a Story Brand 2.0: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen.)
As you offer deep value to your readers, you have set yourself up to scale your book and your business. Your expertise shines through, which will open doors for other opportunities: speaking, expanding your client base, potential collaborative work with others, and even more books!
The path that opens before you can be a surprising one with opportunities to repurpose content for different venues. If you would like to pursue speaking engagements, dig into your content for ways to present various facets of your topic. Develop potential outlines for different approaches to the same topic, perhaps different ways to apply concepts you discuss tailored to the audience you’re addressing. Begin curating a library of resources you can pull from for trainings, podcasts, media appearances—you name it.
And there’s the beauty of it. You can choose how far you want to go with your book as a catalyst for more opportunities.
There are many elements to consider when positioning your book to sell and scale. I have written with an eye to your manuscript, because it all starts with a quality product that clearly highlights and communicates your expertise to your readers.
Comments +