5 Truths Every Author Should Know

Dealing with some of the best new authors every day, the marketing staff at Tate Publishing often answers the same questions and covers the same details with new, first-time authors. As in any field, being educated concerning the publishing world is a significant element to success.

Here are 5 truths every author should be aware of entering this exciting and rapidly changing industry:

1) The Competition is Fierce

With now over 1,000,000 new books introduced into the marketplace every single year, there is more competition than ever before in the history of publishing. It can be difficult to stand out from the pack, shelf space at bookstores is limited, and Oprah is quite selective. With only a handful of bestsellers compared to the overall number of books available, it can feel like an uphill battle. There are no short cuts, and there is no magic bullet that will make a new book an "instant classic." This is why Tate Publishing is so selective in choosing manuscripts – we have to find authors with a great, marketable manuscript and attack both the retail and niche markets to engage readers and tap into the core audience for each and every book.

2) Distribution is Key

Without distribution through a number of crucial platforms, a book will struggle to succeed. This is why Tate Publishing stocks every title published with Ingram/Spring Arbor, the world’s largest book distributor. We also work with Baker & Taylor, Appalachian/STL, Anchor, American West, and others that give us the channels we need for placement in bookstores like Barnes and Noble, Borders, Hastings, Mardel, Lifeway, Family Christian, and others. With so many new books released, it is not possible for every store to shelve every new book, but we team with distributors, buyers, and store management to ensure that we create demand, which generates the supply to stores.

In addition, today’s author must have an open door to the e-book market, which is why all Tate books are available as e-books on our site, through Amazon’s Kindle platform, and even the new Apple iBook store.

3) The Industry is Changing

In 2009, for the first time in history, more books were sold outside the walls of brick and mortar bookstores than inside. Certainly this reflects the strength of online retailers such as Amazon and bn.com, but it also reflects the truth that there are a variety of ways for an author to reach the intended, target audience. Bookstores are one element of success, but in bookstores, readers must find the book and author. Finding the target audience for a book involves taking the book to the reader, engaging the reader, and being proactive, not reactive, in the pursuit of success. No one attacks the niche market for their authors the way Tate Publishing does for our fine authors. This month alone we have scheduled over 500 niche events for Tate authors, helping our authors engage the community and create broad visibility in a variety of markets.

4) Authors Must Know Their Audience

Some authors state that their book is “for everyone.” But normally that is not the case. If it’s a book on homeschooling, a stay-at-home mom might be a great target, but a businessman in his late fifties generally would not. They key is finding your audience, understanding where they are, and getting your book in front of them. Coffee shops, movie theaters, health food stores, ice cream parlors, schools, churches, and museums are just some of the places where targeted readers can be found. Niche audiences can be very passionate about their interests, so every good author needs to tie in closely with their audience and recognize that it is rare to have written a book “for everyone.” Tate authors have an advantage that no other authors have in teaming with our marketing staff to aggressively pursue events and opportunities in a variety of venues and channels.

5) Don’t Underestimate the Power of the Internet

Are you blogging, tweeting, or engaging the online community in any way concerning your book? The internet has made the world incredibly small. The entire online community is literally at your fingertips, waiting to be engaged. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and a variety of other online forums make it easier than ever to promote your book and meet people in the comfort of your own home. In addition to the online social networks mentioned above, Tate Publishing authors have access to a variety of online tools such as websites and book trailers. The best news is that it's easy to start – simply look for online forums or communities discussing the topic of your book, and chime in. Offer some advice. Share your opinion. Oh, and don’t forget to mention your book.