Why Should People Read Your Book? Or Mine for that Matter?

I was listening to the replay of a Podcast today and came away with a couple really useful ideas. The first comes from one of the guests, Carolyn Howard-Johnson. She was talking about how some people think that (for non-fiction) their potential audience is going to go to the Internet to find what they need. Why would they buy a book?

Her answer was basically this: because books assemble all the information in one place. The author has done the searching, the sifting, the organizing of all the bits and pieces so the reader doesn't have to. If you have a how to book, think about that as you do your marketing- I sure am.

The other thought that came to mind was in regard to questions like how do I become a better writer, how can I sell more books? My answer: take time to find examples, then take time to learn from them. It is often said you cannot be a good writer if you are not a strong reader. The same goes with learning how to sell and promote; there are others out there doing it, take advantage of opportunities to listen to what they do.

While I'm at it, I'll cover a couple of excuses for why you might not get to doing this too:

1. I don't have money to take classes or go to a conference
With podcasts and teleseminars you can do it for free or next to free maybe paying for minutes/a phone call.

2. I don't have time
Honestly, and yes this might be a bit harsh- If you don't think you have time to read or learn, I don't think you have time to be successful either. We make time for what we really want and value in life. If your book project isn't high on the list right now, that's okay. When it is, be ready to give it the attention it deserves.

Good Writing & God Bless,
Cheryl Pickett