Bookmaking for Authors

One question we answer all the time, ”How long does it take to make a book?“

Before we can answer, its important to ask, “How long have you been working on your book?”

In many cases, a book has lived in the author’s mind as an unpolished idea. “So how do you finally manifest your book idea into a physical book, ebook, blog, pdf, or narrated title?”

Step One – Manuscript Testing

Procure your manuscript. Does your book’s manuscript need to be tested by a familiar audience? “Yes!” We would politely suggest having your friends and loved ones read your most complete draft. It’s essential to provide them some simple guidelines in what you wish to accomplish.

For example, When reading your book, does it flow? Is each chapter easy to read and understand? Is your subject matter or characters identifiable? Are there grammatical suggestions that might improve the overall content? What comes to your reader’s mind after they have finished reading? And lastly, How did the book make your reader feel? Was it a satisfactory reading experience? How long did it take to read through the entire book? Feel free to be as concise or as elaborate as you would like.

Give this process anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks, depending on where you are in your manuscript versioning process.

Step Two – Creating a Visual Mood Board

Have you assembled a mood board to accompany the look and feel of your book? In other words, have you imagined what the characters look like or what the subject matter feels like? A mood board can consist of your research findings, personal ephemera, sketches, drawings, paintings, family ephemera, personal collection highlights, and photography. Affix this information to a board or wall, layout this information on a table, and study your visual collection often. Feel free to reorganize your findings, adding to the overall visual book map to help you determine your book’s vitality. Sometimes eBay is a great place to locate hard to find ephemera needed to creatively motivate you during this process.

Give this process anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months while writing, editing, or launching your book project from the start and before writing the first page.

Step 3 – Preliminary Book Marketing

At this point, have you considered marketing your book? This is vital, as we believe a book marketing should start well in advance of your expected publishing date. The build-up of your title should generate audience, excitement, and a desire to have this title in their hands. Your pre-marketing efforts often determine how many people might want your book. 

Give this process 8 to 12 weeks. 

Step 4 – Evaluation and Determination

Guesstimate how many books you could sell. Please be conservative in your estimation if self-publishing your book. If you are working with a publisher or book distribution resource, offer links where your book is being promoted. Think of this step as the business of your book title. And keep in mind, authentic content reigns supreme on the web. 

Step 5 – Book Promotion

Add your book title on all social profile pages — Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and including updating your professional profile set up on LinkedIn. If you are on to something big, I would suggest creating a separate profile for just your book title. There are many author and publishing platforms out there, and we can talk about that in a later post.

Step 6 – Book Marketing Program

Outline a possible marketing program around your book title. Keeping in mind, promotion is vital for the health and well-being of your book sales and distribution. Your ultimate goal, claim ownership of your title and work in concert with your entire team—designer, publisher, friends, family, draft reviewers, editors, artists, content makers, etc.

Drive your marketing program with your community, reach out to your community often, once weekly or biweekly, and share content quotes, promotional headlines, and targeted marketing keywords and hashtags. The more you outreach, the better. Your marketing plan never quits and works during the entire development, production, book release, and sales cycle phases. 

Step 7 – Book Press and Promotion

Press and PR is a significant marketing arm of your book marketing program. Although it’s excellent, you do not necessarily need to be featured in your local news to get attention. Niche-specific bloggers who complement your content to a targeted audience is essential. Targeted ads pointing back at your book website or blog post with a link for purchase is just as great. Elevate your book title while attracting more attention by posting a chapter read through on YouTube, and provide links on all of your different marketing platforms.

Steps one through seven is a overview, and deserves your close consideration. Commit your time to the entire process and market yourself and your title daily. As a result, you will become an author and social influencer who attracts a dedicated audience willing to share and promote your book authentically.

Professional Bookmaking Services for Authors, Artists, Galleries, Museums, and Publishers

Have you ever considered teaming up with a designer? Murphy Design is instrumental when attracting target audiences with you and for your book title. Design is also an authentic influencer for book promotion. It’s crucial to identify a competent graphic design professional proficient in cover design, book design, print, and online production. 

Murphy Design is here to help you with your book and have a varied experience working with authors, celebrities, publishers, and vendors vital to the bookmaking process. We are proficient in both book design, and book marketing.

We believe in consistency and apply the look and feel of your book campaign to online graphics, emails, social platforms, and supply you with graphics needed to attract the right audience to your book. If you would like to learn more about the book design process, please read Book Design Steps.

Murphy Design can evaluate your book project and guide you through design, production, and marketing. Let’s get started today.