Writing books is not easy by any means. But putting a book out there in the market and hoping for a large readership is even more difficult. Some authors get this just right, while others make a lot of mistakes. Here is how you can avoid making some common mistakes that can generally alienate the reader.
1. Not doing research
So you have decided to write on a topic and have a good idea for the outline of a story. Don’t automatically sit down and start writing. Any good story needs a lot of research to back it up, and a lack of it is one mistake authors often make. If you are writing a detective story, make sure you understand the methods used for detection. Writing historical fiction? Get the nitty-gritty of the era right. Science fiction is your forte? This too requires a lot of research. Do not assume that readers will not pick out small inaccuracies.
2. Skimping on an editor
Another mistake that writers often make is to skimp on the services of an editor or a proofreader. This is a small investment to make, but it yields powerful returns. No reader will enthuse over bad grammar, typos and other mistakes, no matter how good your story is. A good editor will also help you cut down on unwanted elements in your story and help you produce a crisp narrative. And remember, the worst editor and proofreader in the world for your book is yourself.
3. Disregarding the covers
The old adage says not to judge a book by its cover. Nevertheless, a lot of people actually do make decisions on whether to purchase a book or not by its front cover. The front cover is the first thing that will impress a potential reader, so it has to look good. This is another good investment you will be making by hiring a professional. Many authors make the mistake of putting their own faces on the back cover. This is actually detrimental to your book sales as most people do not care what you look like, but they care what the book is about. Putting up a small blurb of the book on the back cover is a much better idea.
4. Overlooking marketing
Marketing takes time. It takes weeks, if not months, of spreading the word to your target audience before you can even be sure of any kind of response. Whether you have a publisher who will market your books for you or not, it is important these days to be in direct touch with your readers. The right time to start marketing your book is before you start writing. One of the most effective ways to gain a loyal readership is to start a blog. Getting an author page in Facebook and Goodreads is also a good idea. This is more important if you can’t afford spending on traditional marketing, or if you don’t have a good publisher who will take care of these things.
5. Bad social media persona
After cultivating your readers, and working hard on your book, don’t make the mistake of criticizing your readers. So many authors go online with the right intentions and then quickly things escalate. Be very careful of what image you are projecting out there. It is understandable that you feel tempted to comment on the negative reviews, explaining why the reader just did not get it. Don’t! Leave the negative reviews well alone. They will help your sales too. Readers are wary of a book that has only five star reviews. And follow the golden rule: never criticize another author in public.
Image credit: Tim Pierce on flickr and reproduced under Creative Commons 2.0
Kavitha is a freelance content writer and French translator, and has been working in this field since 2008. She has degrees in computer applications and international business and has a background in business and international trade. She enjoys learning languages and is currently learning Japanese. Her interests vary from books and writing to travelling and history.