| All aspiring authors look forward to publishing their | | | | negative reviews mean people are reading your |
| book...until it actually goes to press. Then all these | | | | book, and they care enough to voice their opinions. |
| fears start showing up. What if no one likes the | | | | And not everyone bases their book buying decisions |
| book? What if I never sell a copy? What if it comes | | | | on reviews. |
| from the printer riddled with errors? Tears, | | | | When a review upsets you, consider the reviewer. |
| depression, horror-these are common reactions to | | | | Are they the kind of critic who hates everything |
| such a profound moment in life, and even | | | | they read? What have they written about other |
| experienced authors feel queasy on publication day. | | | | books? And keep in mind that maybe the reader |
| I've seen many of my clients in this situation, and all I | | | | was just having a bad day and decided to take it out |
| can say is that it's completely normal to question | | | | on you. See if you can solicit a few positive reviews |
| everything you've done when you're on the verge of | | | | from readers you trust (this works best on sites like |
| something so big. But you've worked really hard for | | | | Amazon where anyone and everyone can post). And |
| this, and there's no reason to let your fears stop you | | | | if you're sensitive, then just try to avoid reading |
| now. | | | | reviews altogether. |
| Here are my best suggestions for dealing with some | | | | What if I find a typo? |
| of the most common what-ifs new authors | | | | This is a tough one-we all want our books to be |
| experience. | | | | perfect. Unfortunately, mistakes and typos |
| What if no one buys my book? | | | | sometimes slip through, in both self-published and |
| Of all the fears an author can have, this is the most | | | | traditionally published books. I've found misspellings |
| unfounded. Why? Because books don't sell | | | | and typos in books that were undoubtedly read by |
| themselves. You have to take action to get the | | | | four or five different professionals. It's just one of |
| word out about your book and make sales happen. | | | | those things that happens every once in a while. |
| Although you may lie awake at night thinking that | | | | All you can do is your best. Hire an editor and a |
| your garage will stay packed with boxes of books | | | | proofreader. Read through the manuscript (before |
| for eternity, there are ways to move those copies | | | | and after it's been laid out by the interior designer). |
| into the hands of readers. | | | | Ask anyone who owes you a favor to read it too. |
| Make sure you have a solid marketing plan in place, | | | | And if you're really worried, consider printing a short |
| with a few different ways to reach potential readers. | | | | run of the first edition, or publishing your book by |
| And make sure you market your book consistently | | | | print-on-demand at first, so you can catch any errors |
| and regularly. Blog two or three times a week; send | | | | that may have slipped through the proofreading |
| out your e-zine; book those speaking engagements. | | | | stage before investing in thousands of copies. |
| Do your best to get in front of as many readers as | | | | Managing the What-Ifs |
| possible, and your books will sell. | | | | Publishing a book is scary! It's like sending your baby |
| What if I get a negative review? | | | | out into the world, and it always feels premature. But |
| Whether it's a critic in Publishers Weekly or some | | | | every big step toward success involves some risk. |
| anonymous reader on Amazon, negative reviews | | | | And as painful as it will feel at first, you just have to |
| sting. But they happen to everyone, and you | | | | learn how to put the what-ifs aside. Onward and |
| shouldn't let them get to you. Think about it this way: | | | | upward! |