Some bloggers don’t start a blog to make money. They start blogging, because they have a message that the world needs to hear. In other words: Some bloggers blog to get published.
Reasons to work with a publisher
Although self-publishing can work just fine, there are still some legitimate reasons to go traditional:
- Marketing: A publisher will offer its resources and knowledge to help you not only promote your book, but consider the marketability of it before it’s published.
- Editing: A publisher will help you with the actual writing, as well as proofreading and copyediting. Normally, you would have to pay someone to do this or do it yourself.
- Authority: There is still a great deal of social clout when it comes to having a published book from a reputable publisher. Publishing a book will make you more of an authority in your niche.
Step 1: Build a platform
All publishers want to know the same thing: Do you have a platform?
In other words, are you “legit”? Do you have the audience and authority to speak on a particular topic? Money is so tight in publishing that if authors don’t bring their own marketing chops, they have little hope of succeeding.
A platform can range from a podcast to a television program; however, in our case, we’re going to assume it’s a blog.
Step 2: Release a manifesto
Once you’ve built a blog and starting building a decent audience, you can now work on something that articulates your core beliefs: a manifesto.
A manifesto is a short, actionable ebook that you give away for free. The point of it is to spread idea and help you connect with your tribe (i.e. people who share your beliefs).
This can also be a great way to capture attention, by exchanging the ebook for people’s email addresses. I grew my email list from 75 to 1000 subscribers in a week, thanks to a manifesto. And it also caught the attention of my publisher. It works.
Step 3: Connect with people through social media
Social media is a great way to find fans and create advocates that will spread your work for you.
The great thing about social media is that it’s social (obviously), which means it can lead to other meaningful interactions, including real-life relationships.
Step 4: Establish your brand by adding value
Every author needs a brand—an established voice that makes his or her content unique.
Blogging can help you do this, because it allows you to practice in public. It also attracts an audience, which can help you in defining (and building) your personal brand as a writer.
You’ll be publishing a book in no time.