Writing is only 10% of your job

Mark Victor Hansen, one of the most successful mega authors of our time, states that just 10% of an author's job is to write the book. The other 90% is marketing. In fact, he's got a list of 37 things that you can do to earn money from your book that don't rely on actually selling copies of the book.

If you've heard me speak, you know that I am a huge fan of creating multiple streams of income from your book idea. When your perfect reader finishes your book, she will want to get more of your excellent information. If you don't help her with an audio, teleclass, coaching program, workbook, or live seminar, you have missing a great opportunity to share your message in a deeper level AND make some additional income.

However, if you've never created products before, it may seem impossible. Here's some good news- if you can write a book, creating follow up products is easy, once you know the formula.

It breaks my heart to see authors spend time and energy on a book and not give any thought to creating products that can go along with it. I made the same mistake myself the first time. Who knew?

I've worked with my mentor and coach Andrea Lee for the past three years to learn how to create products and use the Internet to build my business. If it weren't for Andrea, there would be no Book Bites, Book School, radio show, or any of the other things I'm doing in my business.

Write It and They Will Come - NOT!

One of the saddest things I see is when a writer creates a marvelous book but has no way to tell people about it. That event sucks all the joy away from the initial launch of the book and may lead to an author giving up on a book prematurely.

To prevent this disappointing experience, consider building a list of people who are interested in your book topic before you finish your book. That way, when your book is completed, you'll have a group of eager buyers ready to purchase.

Also, create a realistic time frame to measure the success of your book marketing efforts. Regardless of what you read on the internet, marketing a book is not a get rich quick scheme. It is a process that takes both time and continuous effort. Allow yourself 18-24 months after publication to create a steady stream of book buyers.

A book is a business or an arm of your existing business. Certainly you want to give it enough time, effort, and nurturing to grow. If you are passionate about your message, spend the time to share that message in every forum you can.

That's how a successful book is marketed; with time, creativity, and a variety of strategies, consistently applied.