Steps to become a successful Author: Secrets Unveiled

 “Unlock the secrets to authorial success with our comprehensive guide! Navigate the intricate path of becoming a successful author as I unveil my personal proven steps and strategies. From crafting compelling narratives to mastering marketing, discover the key steps that can transform your literary dreams into reality. Join us on a journey where creativity meets business acumen—’Steps to Become a Successful Author: Secrets Unveiled’ is your roadmap to literary Mission!”

Introduction  to Authoring:

Starting a journey to becoming a successful author is no mere jest; it demands meticulous planning, unwavering dedication, and a strategic execution of your literary ambitions.  In the enchanting realm of the story-telling world, where words weave worlds and narratives breathe life, the path to success is paved with the author’s commitment to crafting not just stories but literary masterpieces.

It is due to the lack of meticulous planning and execution most of the authors give up their writing after struggling for a few months.   This is also applicable to Bloggers who tend to fail in most of the cases.     

You would have gone through my first article on how to start your Blog and succeed as a Pro Blogger.   Here, I have framed a step-by-step guide that paves a clear path and direction to becoming a successful Author or a Blogger.    This article is a masterpiece led by a landscape of writing, and publishing, offering insights and strategy required for transforming the dream of becoming a famous author into a tangible reality.  So, if you follow the steps carefully, nobody can stop you from becoming a successful Author, who is recognized by the entire world.

1. Create High-Quality Content to become a Successful Author

Writing or Authoring starts with writing high-quality content. Ensure your writing is not only grammatically sound but also captivating. Develop rich characters, a compelling plot, and a unique writing style. Consider professional editing and beta readers to polish your work, creating a manuscript that stands out in terms of both content and presentation.  Compare various books and articles in your niche, find out the top-selling books, and memorize what they have written in the introduction part of their book.   Read the Table of contents and the presentation style that they have adopted.   Think something new that can be added to their style to make yours stand out from them.  Ensure the quality of your content is high and rich enough to oversmart the content available in the market. 

2. Choose the Right Platform to become a Successful Author

Research publishing options thoroughly. Traditional publishing houses offer established distribution but often require agent representation. Self-publishing provides control but demands a hands-on approach to marketing. Evaluate hybrid models that blend the best of both worlds. Select the platform that aligns with your goals and target audience.  The most popular self-publishing platforms that are available in the markets are Amazon KDP, Draft2digital, Burnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Apple, Tolino, Vivlio, Gumroad and many more.   However, each and every platform has its own set of design protocols which has to be followed and adhered to. Amazon KDP is a user-friendly platform wherein you can self-publish your book in no time.  

However, Amazon is very strict and expects the authors to follow their policy guidelines, or else your account will be terminated without assigning any reason and you can never sell on Amazon.  One important advantage of Amazon KDP is they have an Authors Page, wherein you can portray your growth path and your potential towards writing that will make readers aware of you.  You can CHECK MY AUTHORS PAGE that I have created in KDP. 

3. Set the Right Price to Become a Successful Author

Conduct market research to understand pricing trends in your genre. Factor in the length, genre, and perceived value of your book. Consider offering introductory pricing or discounts strategically, balancing affordability for readers with fair compensation for your efforts.  First thoroughly research the competitors’ books as to how they are priced and you can price your book based on the readers’ market for your Niche.  Keeping too high a price will not mean that your book has superior content, a the same time keeping too low a price will only degrade the quality of content for your Book.  So, it is always essential that you maintain the right price both for an E-book and Paper paperback book.  One advantage of Amazon KDP is they have wide coverage in all the Regions of the world.  You just need to set your price in one of the core regions and Amazon will set the price for the other regions.   

4. Create a Professional Cover Design to become a Successful Author

Invest in a professional cover designer to create a visually striking and genre-appropriate cover. A compelling cover serves as the first point of contact for potential readers, influencing their decision to explore your book further. Match the design to the tone and content of your work. Do you know that 80 % of the readers go with the Book Title and the Cover Page that has the potential to attract them and select the book?  I would rather suggest you design the cover page yourself instead of outsourcing as you can only visualize the reader’s mind and design an attractive cover page. All you need to do is to download Canva and start designing the coverbook.  I am sure during the course of time you will become an expert in designing the cover page for your book.  You have the choice to buy the Canva Pro version that costs INR 3,999 for 12 months or else continue with the Basic version.  A professional Cover design looks something similar to this.  

5. Do Effective Marketing to become a Successful Author

Develop a comprehensive marketing plan that includes a mix of online and offline strategies. Utilize social media, book reviews, blog tours, and promotional events. Consistent branding across all channels reinforces your author identity and helps build a loyal readership.  The first thing after publishing your books is to get a good amount of reviews.   One way is to let your books read for free and in turn, get genuine reviews on your books. 

The platform that provides this feature is Booksprout.com. Here you can upload your books and allow readers to read your books for free and in turn get genuine reviews.  You may have to pay a minimal charge of around $9 per month for publishing unlimited books.  The other way is to join as many groups as possible in your niche and post your book links so that they reach the maximum number of readers.   Even Amazon has got their own sales campaigning for books and you need to pay on a per-click basis.  

6. Create an Email List to become a Successful Author

Start building an email list early in your writing journey. Offer incentives such as exclusive content, pre-release announcements, or special discounts to encourage sign-ups. Regularly engage with your subscribers, keeping them informed and invested in your work.  Gumroad is one such platform that allows you to gather a good email list of your readers.  A typical Email list will be LIKE THIS ONE.  You can also create a subscription popup window on your website so that you get subscribers’ email IDs who have visited your website.  In this way, you can develop an active email list and this will be very useful in sending advance information about your new book release to them.   This will create an eagerness among readers and believe me they will wait for the particular date to see your new Book release.   

7. Create Social Media posts to become a Successful Author

Tailor your approach to each social media platform. Share behind-the-scenes glimpses of your writing process, engage with your audience through polls and discussions, and use visually appealing content to stand out. Consistent and authentic interactions help build a community around your work. As explained to you before, Join as many groups as possible and try to become a top contributor by actively participating in debates sending replies to those who ask questions, and being honest in your reply without sending a reply for formality.    Make creative videos and reels using Canva and post them on Instagram and Facebook before the release of every book.  A typical post about an upcoming book would be something like this. 

8. Promote Reviews and Testimonials to become a Successful Author

Actively encourage readers to leave reviews on platforms like Amazon and Goodreads. Engage with your audience by responding to reviews, whether positive or constructive. Positive testimonials can be showcased on your website or in promotional materials, enhancing your credibility.  As already discussed in Point No. 5 Effective marketing you can use Booksprout to get the initial reviews that are required for getting your book on the first page of Amazon.   However lot more other factors like word selection, title selection, cover, and Niche do matter for ranking your book on the first page of your Amazon listing.   

A word of caution:  For god sake never make the mistake of getting reviews on a paid basis which most writers do.  If you open Instagram and display your book, you will be flooded with hundreds of Digital Marketing persons messaging you that they will write a good review for your book by paying Rs 500 or Rs. 1000 don’t do this as it is not the right way and amazon keeps track of all your contacts and if found that you are buying reviews for money, straight away your Amazon KDP account will be suspended.  So it’s better to use genuine methods like Book Sprouts and other portals to get genuine reviews.  

9. Leverage Your Website or Blog to become a Successful Author

Maintain a professional and user-friendly website or blog. Use it as a central hub for your author brand, featuring information about your books, your writing journey, and upcoming projects. Regularly update content to keep visitors engaged and informed.  If you are an Author, your website must contain a link to E-Books or Books Library on the main menu that is visible to the world.   Upload all of your books and if possible also upload all the Free E-books that you are offering to the public. By doing so you create an image of your Authorship to the readers.    Include your Amazon Author Page link in your About Us page so that readers know that you are a pro Author.  Please note that Unless you present yourself to the world, nobody is going to recognize you as an author.  

10. Offer Samples to become a Successful Author

Provide readers with a taste of your writing through free samples or excerpts. This allows potential readers to assess your style and decide if your work resonates with them before making a purchase. No need to share a Free book that has over 100 pages. You can develop a small guide or a reference book that has 20 to 30 pages.  The content of the book does matter not the volume of the book.  Keep it as precise as possible so that everyone can easily understand your reference guide and provide it free of cost.  It gives a genuine feeling about your Authorship and will go a long way in retaining them as your permanent readers.  You can include a link for Free downloads in your website like the one I did. 

11. Optimize  Book Title and Keywords to become a Successful Author

Research relevant keywords for your genre and incorporate them into your book’s metadata, website, and promotional materials. This optimization improves your book’s visibility on search engines and online marketplaces. Ranking of your Books purely depends upon the Title of your Book and the Keyword should always match the Book Title and the sub-title of your book.  Before deciding on the Book Title, go through various Book Titles of your competitors and see how effective are they in the search results.   Accordingly include those keywords in your Book title by changing the words.  

You can take the help of AI for Keyword and Title Generator that provides numerous examples that are suitable for your Book. Just key in your Book Niche and the rest of Ai will provide you with a suitable Title and Keywords. Then test and try those titles and keywords in Amazon and implement the same in your book.  While uploading your book, you have the option to select 7 different forms of keywords in Amazon KDP. Use the most effective keywords that are mostly searched and relevant to your book.

12. Run Promotions to become a Successful Author

Strategically plan and execute promotions to boost visibility and sales. Consider limited-time discounts, giveaways, or bundling options. Promotions can attract new readers and re-engage existing ones.  Amazon and Gumroad offer excellent promotion opportunities.  On Amazon, you can make a book series for relevant topics and include it as a single bundle and fix a combo price for the bundle.  Similarly, Gumroad allows you to keep discounted prices on special occasions.  A typical example would be a discounted sale that I recently offered on Gumroad in lieu of Black Friday. 

13. Maximise Networking to become a Successful Author

Actively participate in writing communities, attend literary events, and connect with fellow authors, agents, and readers. Networking not only provides valuable insights but also opens doors to collaboration and promotional opportunities.   I  personally spend at least 1 hour in Facebook groups responding to various queries and postings relevant to my niche.   Try to be a top contributor to social media sites.  This will attract new people to contact you by sending friend requests to you.   Receiving Friend Requests is an indication that many people are interested in you.    Once you receive a Friend Request it’s up to you to take it forward by motivating them to be your permanent followers.

14. Monitor and Adjust to become a Successful Author

Regularly analyze data and feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of your marketing strategies. Adjust your approach based on what works best for your target audience and your goals. Flexibility and adaptability are key in the ever-changing landscape of publishing.  Take the advice of your fellow Authors and follow successful Authors’ pages try to read their journey and follow their best practices.  There is no end to learning and every day you learn something or other from your fellow Authors.  

15. Publish in Multiple Formats and Platforms to become a Successful Author

Consider releasing your work in various formats such as e-books, audiobooks, and print. Distribute across multiple platforms to maximize your reach. This flexibility accommodates different reader preferences and expands your potential audience.  While Amazon offers formats like E-books, Paperback books, and cover books, portals like Draft2digital offer more formats like PUB and MOB files of your E-book to be uploaded that can be read in Mac book and Tablet PCs and mobile phones.  You just need to convert your PDF file into an MOB file and upload it to the Draft2digital portal and the rest will be taken care of.   You can also consider creating Audio Books that are most popular on Audible.com.

16. Protect Your Work to Become a Successful Author

Familiarize yourself with copyright laws and take steps to protect your intellectual property. Consider copyright registration and, if applicable, trademarking elements associated with your brand. Vigilance in safeguarding your work ensures you can continue to benefit from your creative efforts.   One most important points that every Author should know is to include the Copyright and Disclaimer page in your E-Book and Paperback book.   It should have the disclaimer statement and the copyright information by mentioning your Name as Author and the year of publishing.   This is very important because copyright is the one that saves you from duplicating your hard work and reproducing it from someone else.

However, in the US, there is a concept called FIRST SALE DOCTRINE” which is nothing but an American Legal concept that limits the rights of an intellectual property owner to control the resale of products embodying its intellectual property. This only means that a person or a company can purchase your paperback book and resell it in their portal as a library at their own rate.  Here the copyright of the Author does not matter as the person has already purchased your book.  However, E-books that are freely available in Amazon KDP Unlimited cannot be resold by someone.  Here Copy copyright plays a vital role and hence don’t forget to include the copyright page in all your books.

Conclusion

In concluding this insightful journey through “Steps to Become a Successful Author: Secrets Unveiled,” I hope you have found not just a guide, but a companion in your aspirations. Becoming a successful author is not merely about mastering the craft of writing; it’s about embracing the tenacity to persevere, the courage to share your unique voice, and the resilience to weather the challenges inherent in the literary world.

As you progress on your Journey of Authorship, remember that each and every word you pen is a step toward your literary destiny.  Remember to follow the above steps and I am sure you will be one of those successful Authors who have graduated from Amateur Writer to a Pro Writer.

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