Plan Your Publishing Road Trip

Have you ever taken a road trip? Outside of some kind of accident or car malfunction, there is no doubt that you will reach the destination if you planned properly for the trip. Let's review the steps.

1. You had a purpose and a benefit for going on your destination.
2. You chose to pursue the destination.
3. You decided where you wanted to go.
4. You mapped out the way to get there.
5. You took action and drove to the location.

As an author, there is no doubt that you can succeed, but the problem is most authors don't plan for the trip. When the goal, purpose, decision, mapping and action has been made, you can't fail. Don't confuse what I'm saying with immediate success.

Like the road trip you must:

1. Be clear on your purpose and what you want to get out of the endeavor. Do you want  riches and fame? (there's nothing wrong with that.  Just be clear about it so that you can get the proper map for the destination.) Do you want to enlighten people about a specific issue and could care less about making money? Don't compare your book to anyone else. Just be clear on your purpose.

2. Make the decision to give it your all--time, effort, and money. No turning back. Becoming an author is becoming a business. The author unwilling to invest in their business is the author destined to fail..

3. Where do you want to go with your book? Who do you want to buy your book? Where do you want to sell your books? How many books do you want to sell every week, every month, every year? Be clear on where you're taking this project whether to the masses or to a niche group. Being a successful author is not measured by becoming a New York Times best selling author. It's determined by reaching the people you set out to reach.

4. Map out how you plan to get to your destination. Does your road lead through at least one major book conference per month, a networking event every week, a public speaking opportunity every day, a workshop, radio interviews or television talk shows? Map out your marketing plan. Give yourself a daily, weekly, and yearly assignment.

5. Take action. All of the rest means nothing unless you take action. Don't worry about being perfect because you'll learn as you go. It has been my experience that the doors of opportunity have motion sensors. THEY WON'T OPEN UNTIL YOU MOVE TOWARD THEM!

Happy Selling!
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