“The worst way to make money with your book is by selling it.”
Let’s talk about the coveted book advance… as if there really is such a thing anymore.
Sure, you can get a book advance, but the amount and the value of these advances, not to mention their frequency, has changed.
Dramatically.
In the heyday of publishing, advances were the gold ring. Every author wanted one. When you were given one… magic happened for you and your book.
This is the point: the magic was invested into you, the writer because brick and mortar houses thought they could make money.
But think about it:
No company is ever going to “pay out money” without being assured of a return.
So, what’s changed?
The Internet.
An estimated 750,000 books have been self-published. This switch upended the publishing world. For the worst. And the better.
Better: anyone can publish a book about anything.
Worst: anyone can publish a book about anything.
In the past, “if” you were accepted into a publisher’s embrace, you were going to make money from one stream: your book.
But the interwebs jammed all that up.
Consider this demographic: The majority of printed newspapers are only read by readers ages 75 and up.
Why? Well, it’s pretty obvious. Today, if you want to watch the news, a video, listen to an audiobook, or anything else, you simply hop on the web.
So, the business of printed books ALONE is numbered.
The physical print shops needed to change up the game or get left behind.
They struggle to remain relevant as the unending process of flipping to digital and beyond, continues.
Now let’s consider the sheer magnitude of the competition.
Hundreds of thousands of books jockey for limited availability on a bookstore shelf, and bookstores usually only sell books on consignment.
This means, that if your book doesn’t sell well, they return it to the publisher. For a total of $0 in sales. Zip, nada, nothing.
BUT THERE IS HOPE!
Today, the most lucrative source of income comes from what I like to call the business beyond your book.
Ask yourself this:
“Why did you, (or do you want to), publish a book?”
Raise your hand if one of the reasons was to increase your income.
How about grow your business?
Or expand your influence or your brand?
Get more credibility, or build more authority?
Attract more leads or more speaking gigs?
Or, “Are you subjecting yourself to all the hassle of writing and publishing just to sell books in a bookstore?”
Is it okay if we acknowledge that most authors want their book to make money?
Yes, we can.
So oftentimes, my suggestion to authors is to resist the idea of going with an ancient publisher who will do ZERO marketing for your book.
I challenge you to interrupt your thinking that your book is going to automatically launch you to bestseller status and that the money will just start rolling in.
It’s not realistic.
I know what you might be thinking, “But if I build it, they will come.”
No, they won’t.
You are not Kevin Costner, from the movie The Field of Dreams, and your ideal audience/reader is not Shoeless Joe Jackson.
Instead, I invite you to envision your book as a marketing tool, and as the foundation for expanding your business.
When you realize this, it will truly impact your life — and set you FREE.
This is because now, you’re not looking at just ONE stream of income; instead, you can set yourself up to receive MULTIPLE streams of abundance.
- Your book can expand your client base.
- Your book can level your playing field to match and exceed the influencers in your category.
- It can sell more of your products and services. (If you don’t have any, get some.)
- It can be repurposed into a variety of other additional products and services.
- It can provide you with name recognition, and create passionate advocates who will help you further your brand.
Join us.
Don’t let your head get stuck in the clouds.
Here on solid ground, the business behind your book is full of multi-faceted freedom-inducing opportunities.
This is a good thing.
In fact, it’s freaking GREAT.
Sure, the game looks a little different, but the rewards are bigger than ever.
I work in this field every day and I help turn authors (seasoned and beginning authors alike) into bestsellers on a regular basis.
If you’ve ever wanted to write a book but weren’t sure exactly how to get it done quickly, or how to make it awesome, or how to grow your business and your brand… reach out and say hello.
I can help you.
One more point:
The best time to get help is BEFORE you begin writing.
Think about it.
If you wanted to build a “dream house,” one you were really proud of, would you go into the backyard and start hammering 2×4’s together? Or would you do a bit of planning first? Might you check with some designers? Or an architect?
Or would you just start swinging that hammer?
But that’s a topic for another day and another blog post…
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Excerpts taken from Trevor Crane’s multi-bestseller Big Money With Your Book… Without Selling a Single Copy.
To get your free copy go here: TrevorCrane.com/bigmoney
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