I do quite a bit of writing, but I’ve always been hesitant to take the plunge and publish a book. Whenever the temptation struck, I reminded myself that thoughts such as “I should write a book!” usually fall into the same category as “we should start a band,” or “let’s buy a bar!”
Fear of failure and concerns over what the process would entail always put a stop to the idea; until now that is. Earlier this year, in a moment of weakness, I decided to take the plunge and write my first book, “Enlightened Entrepreneurship.”
As it turns out, the process was unlike anything I expected. Many of my fears proved to be unfounded, while other things I was confident about proved to more challenging than I ever expected.
Publishing is easy
Most of my initial reluctance centered around my lack of knowledge when it came to publishing. Blogging for digital outlets like Forbes.com is one thing; publishing a book is an entirely different matter.
I’ve had many friends who have written books in the past have spoken of the challenges associated with finding a reputable publisher. Since I wanted to make the process as easy as possible and have relatively few contacts in that space, I opted to self-publish instead.
In the past, I looked down on self-published books, thinking they were somehow inferior to works that come from traditional publishers. In some respects, that bias holds true. Self-publishing lowers barriers to entry, which in-turn allows for a lot of poorly written material to see the light of day.
However, in recent years that has begun to change. Mainstream writers, such as James Altucher, have wholeheartedly embraced the self-publishing model. As a great fan of Altucher’s work, I looked to his process for inspiration. As it turns out, he frequently utilizes CreateSpace, Amazon’s self-publishing solution, to produce his work.
CreateSpace proved to be easy to use and incredibly affordable. Their guided process removed the uncertainty that previously held me back, enabling me to produce, edit, and publish the book very quickly. In short, the mechanics of publishing proved to be far easier than I ever imagined.
Marketing is hard
Once the book was published, I sat back and waited for the sales to roll in. I developed a nasty habit of habitually refreshing my sales statistics, watching for someone, anyone, to show interest in the work I created.
Unfortunately, after a week or so it became clear that this wasn’t going to be an “if you build it, they will come” scenario. I couldn’t count on Amazon, the iBooks store, or anyone else to drive traffic to my book. I’d have to hit the streets and market it.
Of course, that is easier said than done. After all, it took me years to figure out how to successfully market my company’s product, BodeTree. When it came to the book, I was starting at square one.
As it turns out, people don’t buy books the way I do. I usually go through four to five books per month and think nothing of spending money to fuel my reading habit. I learned that most consumers, however, read less and are more sensitive to price.
Fortunately, Amazon and other retailers have resources that helped me overcome these challenges. Amazon, for example, supports the ability to host book giveaways and offer temporary price promotions. Both of the require the author to invest, but they increase awareness and ultimately the ranking of your book.
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I write about my journey as a first-time CEO and startup founder.
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
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