Dos and donts for debut authors

Dos and Donts for Debut Authors

When a writer decides to write a book, it involves thousands of emotions and expressions, but he will segregate them and selects the best one to be included in the book.  Writing a book, is not just pen and paper, it's a journey. The most difficult journey, with number of obstacles to block your way of writing the book. But it happens, your pen has created a piece, a masterpiece, which needs to be nurtured like a baby.
But, what I have undergone and experienced is when its the first book, the excitement level is at cloud 9.The debut authors like me, are not aware of how to chose the best publishing house, marketing plan, package etc for the book. The prime aim initially is just publishing the book, rest is next. So, instead of nurturing your baby, you forcing it to jump in the well and swim.
No, its not the way. Publishing should be the final step. The first and foremost step is the best manuscript. Be confident that yo have read your manuscript at least 5 times and edited it completely. The manuscript is very crucial before it is published so dont handover it before editing it thoroughly, because the world going to read it. So the first step is perfect manuscript.
Then, you would search for a publisher. And in most of the cases, a debut author is in a hurry for publishing the work. In hurry they ignore the pathway through traditional publishing and gets attracted to self publishing. Self publishing is good if you select the highest package, but if your budgets are low then self publishing is going to make things a little difficult for you. In limited budgets editing, marketing and promotions are not possible. Only publishing and distribution will happen. Though its understood that, it is very difficult to approach traditional press. They dont accept the manuscript so easily, but still try for a traditional press if you are confident about the book. The manuscript is everything, work on it, dont hurry. Till you have your manuscript, you have the power to decide.
Now marketing of a debut book. My personal experience says that even though you spend a lakh rupees on marketing, its not worth. A debut author struggles in the world of books and readers.Why do you think a reader will spend his time and energy on a debut author? Just think why, may be your creative marketing might impress a few, but negative reviews would kill your sale. Hefty marketing strategies might generate traffic but not true buyers. True readers for a debut piece could be approached only through trust. An author has to develop trust in the minds of his readers. This process is lengthy, but is the only way how you can market your work successfully. Word of mouth is the best weapon to deal with marketing issues. This strategy works in the best way for the debut authors. It is very similar to movies in a way, because you would watch a movie which has good reviews, but might be not marketed so much. Good reviews counts a lot, it attracts buyers.
Huge country, like India has the mass. But, in this mass very few are reader and fewer are writers, you are one of them, so cherish yourself.
Happy writing....