Think Like a Publisher

33 Essential Tips to Write, Promote, and Sell Your Book

By: Randy Davila

Narrated by: Colin Robinson

The publishing world has changed! An explosion in printed books, eBooks, and self-publishing has contributed to more new titles coming to market than ever before. With so much happening, how does a new author stand out from the crowd, not to mention turn a profit?

In Think Like a Publisher: 33 Essential Tips to Write, Promote, and Sell Your Book, Randy Davila, president of Hampton Roads Publishing & Hierophant Publishing, explains the nuances of the publishing industry in plain English and gives authors all the tools necessary to be successful in today's rapidly changing publishing world.

Broken down into three easy-to-follow categories of editorial-, marketing-, and business-specific tips, Think Like a Publisher offers invaluable insight into how publishers think about manuscripts, marketing, and their partnerships with authors.

You will also learn:

• What publishers (and readers!) look for in a manuscript
• The most common writing mistakes new authors make - and how to avoid them
• The makings of a great book title and cover
• The pros and cons of self-publishing versus traditional publishing
• How to build your author platform and gain a following
• The ins and outs of the business side of publishing: contracts, royalties, agents, and more!

For any writer who has felt intimidated by the prospect of bringing a book into the world, Think Like a Publisher offers a one-stop guide to understanding the publishing industry and what it takes to make your book a success!

©2013 Randy Davila (P)2015 Randy Davila

Very insightful

I am working on having my two books published and this has helped me immensely. I’m not a studied author but I a have inspired vision coming to life. Thank you for this book.

Great book for novel authors

This audiobook has great advice and tips for authors that are new in the world of publishing. Although is also a good tool for experienced authors. It served to review steps and concepts in pushing .

Clear and focused. Worth it!

As an unpublished writer and looking to publish in the new age spiritual self help genre I found this book invaluable. Thank you.

God bless,
Carl

Timely

Would you listen to Think Like a Publisher again? Why?

YES. For years I went to meetings and listened to people repeat the same concerns, problems, whining rants, why won't this and why won't that ... all resulting from a slow drain of energy from focusing on the goal. This simple to follow list with calls to action make tackling publishing perspective a lot more compact. Rather than spread out over years of effort. I can revisit a chapter and renew my perspective as I mature in my pursuit of this goal, to publish quality work with industry savvy.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Think Like a Publisher?

Knowing I have years of questions located in one easy to reference space is my biggest aha moment upon reading this the first time. Now, on my second review.

What does Colin Robinson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Perspective and experience. With a cherry on top of this is the industry. What are you going to do about your role? This is what I heard loud and clear.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I don't recollect what point really toppled me over with WOW. I felt a consistent FOMO (fear of missing out) throughout. Like, where have you been all my life sweetheart sorta connection. I'm SO glad to finally know you. This resonated with me pretty deeply.

Any additional comments?

To give an idea of why I connect with the overall context of this book is to understand how long I'd been wanting this. How long I have been working toward this. In a numerical time, line start from I'm 51. Work back. For four years I'd been attending one meeting a month to understand the basics of Self-Publishing. Understanding that even if I go traditional publishing I will still need to understand and be strategic like a self-published author. So, start from this point was my goal. That way I'd be prepared when I publish at any time anywhere with anyone. Ugh, this was painstaking and eventually showed me that hanging out with a small local group, even though some were doing lots in their niche, wasn't getting me the one and done need. Meaning, now I know this let’s move onto something else I can leverage and learn. Impossible when we are reviewing old materials and answering the same questions to new people. No movement was killing me and I felt stagnant. Prior to that, in 2007, while my son was still at home I discovered How to Become a Famous Writer Before You're Dead, by Ariel Gore. This book helped me recognize being published is possible. With steps to consider how to get there. I tabled moving forward until I could focus on just this while doing research along the way. My current parental focus led me to pause action beyond improving my writing and learning as much as I could. So, when ready to launch I'd be prepared with knowledge. Previous to this, I took a children's book course through the mail when my son was small. After losing a pregnancy I walked away from the progress. It's the only time in my life I haven't met a deadline or finished something. It was a tough time. Go back to college and being told, "You aren't college material" by my English teacher. She was right, but wrong. This really struck a chord with me. I was fairly illiterate, but very much smart enough to be in college. I didn't have the confidence to access my own curiosity to figure out how to change my inability at some skills. I dropped out. Went in the military. And, worked my butt off to improve. Taking a library research and typing course first. Plus, worked really hard on my reading skills. Plus, got a full set of Encyclopedia Britannica. Back when they were full volumes. A full size sent (12 by 14) three volume set dictionary. And, the paper back thesaurus and dictionary. This was my google in paper. Whatever it took to overcome my weakness was gonna happen. I was determined.A few years later the first college I enrolled in told me I didn't need basic English course because I outscored everyone on the entrance exam. And, while still in the military they told me I could CLEP out. Or, test out of English after two years of effort. My point, this book takes the obsessive need for piecemeal research out of my equation. Certainly, there's always more and upcoming trends to know, BUT the overall reference of this guide is one of the best I've found so far. Highly recommend using Think Like a Publisher for a tool at any level of publishing.

Great information!

I really appreciate having such a succinct easy to follow guidebook on how to think like a publisher! It’s taking a lot of the fear out of the next steps for publishing my book.