I had the opportunity to ask questions about the publishing industry and present the theme of my research to Richard Reynolds, our course leader with loads of background experience in the publishing industry. He had worked as an editor and the co-founder of his own book publishing company.
Some of the recommendations and guidance provided by Richard include:
- Using social media as a way to test my content as well as grow a following; sometimes, having a strong following proves there is an audience for that kind of content and therefore, it gives a bit more credibility to the unknown author.
- Prepare a Book Plan, including excerpts of the book, summary of it, the research, audience. Before sending off to publishers it’s important to look into what companies might be interested in reading this.
- Research books with similar topics, check out their publisher – then find out whether they’re open for submissions – get in touch over email – my own personal brand matters. It’s important I come across someone who knows why they want to present the book and why I am the person to share the stories I am choosing to tell.
- Understand my audience, gather data, share excerpts, consider what to change edit and how I want to tell the story
- Finally, if thinking about self-publishing, it’s important to have a carefully laid out plan, time investment will be key. Find accessible platforms and most importantly, plan a promotion plan.
Overall, it was extremely useful to chat to Richard. He gave me some pointers that I hadn’t thought of and made me understand the possibilities through different examples of people he had worked with. The next step is to look into similar theme books and check out their publishers, get in touch with the publishers as an opportunity to create this meetings as interventions. Moreover, to keep writing, get serious, collect stories, knowledge and find the most suitable way of delivering quality content for an audience that needs it.