Why Authors and Entrepreneurs Must Think Like a Publisher
When I got started as an online entrepreneur over a decade ago things were very different than they are today in regards to writing and publishing. There was no discussion around the concept that one must think like a publisher when it came to their writing.
In those days authors went through traditional publishing houses to publish their books, information product creation was in its infancy, and entrepreneurship was still attached to the brick and mortar world of business. These days one person can wear all three hats, and it is very common for someone like myself to be an author, publisher, marketer, and entrepreneur. When you think like a publisher from the very beginning will serve you well over time.
**Scroll to the bottom to download a checklist on How to Choose Your Book’s Category**
The writer as a publisher is not a new idea, and before the 1950s self-publishing was widely accepted. For a period of fifty years this strategy was looked down upon to some extent, and since about 2010 it is once again a widely accepted method for authors all over the world to become published. When you think like a publisher you are in control of your destiny.
Also, when you think of yourself in these terms the future of your business opens up in a way that was not even possible years ago. For example, I created Hunter’s Moon Publishing as my own publishing house back in 2010. This immediately enabled me to have the final say over everything I wrote and wanted to publish. I was also able to help other authors and entrepreneurs to publish their books more easily.
Information products also fall into the realm of publishing. You are, in effect, teaching someone the solution to their problem in written format. Once you think of yourself as a publisher of this type of information than as simple an information marketer, your business will evolve to the next level more easily. Being a publisher is very different work than what is required and expected of a writer.
Once I began to think like a publisher many doors opened up to me that I could not have expected. I was asked to speak more often on the topic of self publishing, instead of being limited to discussing writing as a stand alone topic. There was also an air of mystery and intrigue to what I was doing online in my business. Having been previously referred to as a blogger, with a sometimes negative or disdainful connotation, I had now moved up the ranks to being someone others wanted to hear about, learn from, and get involved with when it came to marketing in general and online marketing more specifically.
Make a list of the ideas and messages you wish to convey to your target audience over the next three months. Create an outline to work from and write down everything you will include, along with the information you will exclude. Then plan out an eBook or short report you could publish on your topic, information products that would make sense, and a full length book that could be the ultimate goal for your business. Also, don’t forget about creating an online course where you teach the content contained in your information products, reports, and book. When you think like a publisher, your horizons are broadened.
Take some time to incorporate the ideas I am presenting here into your own business. I truly believe that online entrepreneurs must take it upon themselves to elevate their status to that of a publisher so that their businesses will grow. It also changes the thinking and allows you to take full responsibility for your life and for your business. Amazon alone is responsible for making it possible for people all over the world to become respected authors and publishers of their ideas through content marketing. Once you begin to act and think like a publisher rather than an author and/or information product creator and marketer you will experience a new world of opportunities.
Download a checklist on How to Choose Your Book’s Category here…
I’m bestselling Wall Street Journal and USA Today author, marketing strategist, and entrepreneur Connie Ragen Green and I would love to connect further with you to help you to achieve your goals. If you are interested in learning how to optimize the syndication of your content, please take a look at my popular Syndication Optimization training course and consider coming aboard to increase your visibility, credibility, and profitability.
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