{"id":3267,"date":"2023-03-22T05:02:09","date_gmt":"2023-03-22T05:02:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.booksandpublishing.com.au\/independentpublishing\/?p=3267"},"modified":"2023-03-22T05:11:59","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T05:11:59","slug":"from-the-asas-guide-to-getting-published-what-makes-a-book-sell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.booksandpublishing.com.au\/independentpublishing\/articles\/2023\/03\/22\/3267\/from-the-asas-guide-to-getting-published-what-makes-a-book-sell\/","title":{"rendered":"From the ASA\u2019s Guide to Getting Published: What makes a book sell?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last month, the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) launched the ASA\u2019s Guide to Getting Published: Understanding and navigating Australia\u2019s book industry<\/em>, a new book-length resource for Australian writers and illustrators, written by publisher and former ASA CEO Juliet Rogers.<\/p>\n

The book is pitched as an accessible, easy-to-use guide that will help demystify the publishing industry and steer you away from common mistakes. As well as explaining how the publishing industry works, the book covers key topics including readying your work for publication, choosing the right publication path, traditional publishing, author-funded publication and key industry organisations you should know about.<\/p>\n

Below is an extract from the book, in which Rogers provides advice on selling your book, including important context for setting a realistic sales target and key questions to ask yourself as you develop your publishing plan.<\/p>\n

ASA\u2019s Guide to Getting Published: Understanding and navigating Australia\u2019s book industry <\/i>is now available to purchase in store and online. For more information visit the ASA website here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What makes a book sell? Extract from ASA\u2019s Guide to Getting Published<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re contemplating funding your own publication, it\u2019s important to understand the qualities that define a \u00a0saleable book. First and foremost, of course, is the content. In fiction, whether literary or mass market, and whatever the genre, the standard of writing, the intricacies of the \u00a0plot, the depth of characterisation and how much the \u00a0reader cares about those characters, all work together to make a satisfying and absorbing book. For non-fiction, too, whatever the subject, the writing must be good, the subject matter gripping and the research impeccable.

Understanding your genre and the market for whom you\u2019re writing is critical (this includes reading widely in \u00a0that genre before you even begin to write.) The public aren\u2019t easily fooled and devotees of genres, such as crime \u00a0and romance, have a sophisticated understanding of how good examples of those genres work. You underestimate their discernment at your peril.

Bad content that is packaged beautifully won\u2019t last \u00a0the distance but wonderful content that has been badly produced may never take flight. It\u2019s therefore critically important that a good book is well edited and well laid out.\u00a0 The cover must be striking and in keeping with the genre \u00a0and the blurb must compel the reader to make a purchase.\u00a0 You must understand your audience and understand what \u00a0they\u2019re looking for.

It\u2019s difficult to obtain accurate data on eBook sales, but most industry pundits estimate that, on average, a \u00a0new eBook sells between 150 and 300 copies. The sad truth behind this statistic is that most of the titles being published aren\u2019t of publishable standard and lack the commercial appeal necessary to generate worthwhile sales. It\u2019s disappointing to have your book fail in the marketplace, whichever way you choose to publish, but \u00a0it\u2019s so much worse if you\u2019ve put your time and hard-earned \u00a0money behind its production.

Given the importance of content, it\u2019s worth reiterating, as pointed out in Part I, that before you start to incur the costs of publication it\u2019s wise to have your work assessed by an expert. Of course, it\u2019s possible to produce an eBook \u00a0quickly and easily, but it won\u2019t attract an audience if the content is sub-standard and disappointing.

Authors often prefer to use beta readers to help them hone their work. This can be a useful tool, but it\u2019s still dependent on the skills, knowledge and experience of those readers. If you simply circulate your work to well meaning family and friends, you\u2019re not going to receive objective comments, partly because they won\u2019t want to hurt your feelings, but also because they may be reading \u00a0outside their realm of experience, making their comments irrelevant or unhelpful. Whichever way you choose to have your work appraised, make sure you send it to the right people.

If you receive a positive assessment from a good assessor, it will encourage you to continue down the \u00a0author-funded path, but if the critique concludes that your work isn\u2019t at the required standard, listen and consider alternatives such as printing a few copies for family and \u00a0friends because it is your money on the line.<\/p>\n

Developing your publishing plan<\/strong>

It\u2019s now time to explore exactly what you\u2019re trying to achieve with your book, so that you can make an informed decision about which self-publishing route is right for \u00a0you. This process is akin to the acquisition proposal that a publisher would prepare. In essence you\u2019re scoping out the parameters of your book, including everything from the right format to the appropriate retail price, so you can \u00a0produce a book that will appeal to your audience.

GOAL<\/strong>

The first step in any plan is to clarify what you are trying to achieve.<\/p>\n