The Slow Burn

Earlier this month, Wheatmark tallied up all the Great Expectations authors, authors whose books have sold 2,000+ copies, to see who was doing what.

As we scanned the titles, the sales numbers, the publishing dates, and the dates the letters welcoming them into the program were sent out, there was one very surprising and, frankly, exciting trend.

It can take months even years for a book to become a success.

While the meeting went on and my attention strayed, I couldn't help thinking about how this was such a different concept than traditionally published and released books.

With traditionally published books, the book is pushed out for a season, if that long. Since most of us aren't James Patterson, when our books are put on the shelves, they rarely get the long-term shelf life most of the famous authors do.

This means books, particularly ones without huge marketing budgets behind them (don't assume your publisher is going to offer marketing support for very long) get kicked out to make space for the newer titles.

When you publish your book yourself, you have control over its life expectancy. The title will be available for purchase unless you decide to cancel it.

The independent author's best channel for sales is online. Without having to fight over shelf space, you only have to fight for an audience--what we call your author platform.

Building an author platform and audience can take time. With self-publishing, you have that time.

Most of the Wheatmark titles do bang up business the first few weeks the book is out. Friends and family of the author dutifully order the book and authors often buy up a bunch for their own sales, signings, and such.

After the initial extravaganza however there is usually a slowdown. In a bookstore, your slow-selling title would be replaced on the shelves. But because you have control, you can double up your efforts and begin marketing your book to other online audiences, take time to find radio interviews, and have a flexible speaking schedule because you aren't dealing with a make-or-break deadline.

Everyone knows the fable of the tortoise and the hare. Self-publishing your book makes it possible for you to be the tortoise: slowly and steadily building your reader base to help drive demand to your book.

And we all know who won that race.

For more marketing tips and to help plan your marketing strategy, check out our free marketing workbook.