With millions of books to choose from, why would anyone choose to buy an experiment?
If the author treats a book like it’s an experiment, the quality of the content, packaging, and marketing will reflect this. Customers will see it.
- It’s not worth putting a fantastic cover on a book that’s an experiment.
- It’s not worth perfecting the editing or formatting for an experiment.
- It’s not worth crafting a most wonderful story for an experiment.
- It’s not worth marketing an experiment.
- The author won’t be confident in or passionate about an experiment.
So why bother making an experiment?
If you just want to know if your writing appeals to others, simply share drafts of it or join writing groups.
It’s not Necessary to Experiment First!
Why not? Because there are already millions of books on the market. Researching those, especially successful indie books, will prove far more valuable than any experiment you might do yourself.
- Sales ranks and reviews can help you gauge which kinds of books are or aren’t popular.
- Repeated comments in a subgenre can help you learn specific things that many readers do or don’t like.
- Writing samples in the Look Insides can help you see what kind of writing appeals to readers.
- Covers of bestselling indie books can help you learn how to attract your target audience and signify your subgenre.
- Look Insides of bestselling traditionally published books can show you what a nicely formatted book should look like.
- Product pages of bestsellers can show you how to make the most of your book’s detail page.
- Author pages and websites of top indie authors can show you a variety of marketing possibilities.
- A ton of free and low-cost publishing and marketing resources can help you perfect your book.
Study books that have succeeded. That’s experimental data that you have right at your fingertips.
It’s a Mistake to Experiment First!
Why? Because your first impression is very important. A big part of marketing is the author’s brand. It takes time to build credibility as an author.
If your first effort is an experiment, many shoppers who come across your book and were interested in it may remember your book or name in the future. The next time they see one of your books, even though it may be much better, they may pass on it simply from their first experience.
Success in the publishing business is difficult to come by, so start out by putting your best foot forward.
About My Blog
I started this blog to provide free help with writing, publishing, and marketing. You can find many free articles by clicking one of the following links:
Chris McMullen, Author of A Detailed Guide to Self-Publishing with Amazon and Other Online Booksellers
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