The following are some Q&A tips and helpful links for aspiring authors.

What do I do if I don't have time to write the book?

Like anything, if you want to accomplish something noteworthy you have to effectively plan for it. Give yourself and write down a deadline as far as when you plan to have your book finished. Plan out certain times during the day or during the week that you will commit to working on your book. Know your ideal writing time, for early risers like myself, my creative peak is in the morning. I have yet to write any book at night because I mentally shut down after 9:00 p.m. However, there are some night owls who write better at night. Know your best writing time, plan when you will write, and work your plan. Work around the schedule you already have, and make it a priority if it's important to you.

Help, I have writer's block!

To be honest, as a Christian Author the term, “Writer's Block” never escapes my lips (unless I'm telling someone else not to use that phrase :0) Do not convince yourself that you aren't in the mood to write because you have writer's block. I have a passion for writing, so honestly I don't have to be stirred up to write, but even if I don't feel like it, I pray before my fingers hit the keyboard, and I just go with the flow. Never confess that you have writer's block; if God gave you the book idea, then He's not going to “block” you from writing it :0)

Okay, so I've written my book, now what?

Now that you've written your book, you must decide if you're going to self publish, or pursue a publisher for a book deal.

What does it mean to self-publish?

To self-publish means to be the sole person responsible for making sure everything gets done that is necessary to make typed pages on a computer or a hand-written manuscript turn into an actual book. The publisher is the chief investor of the project. Whether using personal savings, a line of credit, or borrowing from family and friends, the publisher is the person who pays for the entire project. Some of the things a publisher pays for is the editing, book cover, interior layout design, and the printer.

Also, when you self-publish, you handle the business end of your book. You are responsible for packaging, marketing, promoting and selling the book. You secure distributors and deal directly with booksellers, ship the books, create invoices, maintain inventory, register a business name, handle accounts receivables and payables. It is a lot of work and it's definitely an investment of time and money.

What are some of the things I need in order to successfully self-publish?

• drive and determination
• a good support system
• talent
• faith in God and your God-given abilities
• money
• time
• patience
• good interpersonal skills
• good business acumen (remember this: writing is an art, while publishing is a business)
• a marketing plan
• a budget
• a teachable spirit

What does it mean to pursue a publisher?

To pursue a publisher means you submit a query letter to a publishing house (based on their submission guidelines) with hopes that they'll respond with interest in publishing your work. If they publish your work, you won't have to pay for anything except most marketing costs. You may also be afforded an advance to have your book published (which could help with book marketing costs), and once you make back the advance you get a small percentage of each book sold (depending upon the terms of your contract).

Do you recommend I self-publish, or pursue a publisher?

That question can only be answered by you. However, I believe initially self-publishing is a great way to test your product on the market, and if you book does well in sales, then it may catch the attention of a major publishing house which may be willing to re-publish your book and possibly acquire a multiple book deal with them. There are over 100,000 books published every year, so you have to somehow make your book stand out from the crowd (i.e. catchy title, professional cover, attractive author photo, endorsements,etc.). Also, when you initially publish your own book it shows the publishing house that you are a serious author and if it sells well then you take some of the risk off that the publisher may have by publishing your book. This is not to say that authors are not published at all unless they self-publish, I just encourage self-publishing initially because you learn, hands on, about the publishing industry. However it is a lot of work, and if you have a problem making collection calls to retailers and distributors and asking people for money who haven't paid you yet, then self-publishing may not be the thing for you.

Roughly how much does it cost to self-publish?

Self-publishing is like buying a car. There's no one set price; and it's based on what you're willing to pay for each feature. Roughly, to traditionally self-publish it may cost from $5,000 - $10,000, but technology is now where you can publish using print-on-demand which can be thousands of dollars cheaper. Google: Print-on-demand for a list of print-on-demand companies. Be sure to read the fine print, and make sure you understand all the terms of their contract before you decide to do business with them.

Instead of paying all that money to self-publish, why don't I just go with a publisher?

• If your book sells well, you could make more profit by self-publishing. For example, you may receive up to 10% for each book sold if you go with a publisher, however you could make 40-50% of each book sold if you self-publish and sell your book at a discount to distributors, or 100% profit when you sell to people in person.
• If a publisher accepts your work, it could take another 1-2 years before it hits the market.
• You have no control over the cover, and they may want to change some of your content. When you self-publish, you have total and complete control and there's also tax benefits because as a self-published author you have your own business – your product is your book.

Side Note: To be honest, self-publishing is not for everyone. There's a saying that the easy part is writing your book. Once you write it, then you have to sell it. You have to have a target audience, a marketing plan, and a platform or a message you want to give to the world, and you have to be consistent, persistent, and creative in your marketing efforts.

Okay, so I've written my book and I decided to self-publish. Besides prayer and confessing that the favor of God is on me and this book, what do I need to get my book “out there.”

• Well, in order to get your book “out there” you need to be “out there” (wherever “out there” is :0)
• Join a local writer's group. For those in the Detroit area, I'm a member of American Christian Writers/Detroit Chapter. Email Pam Perry through www.MinistryMarketingSolutions.com for more info.
• If you don't have a local writer's group, join online communities of other writers. Yahoo Chat Groups may have a group of writers who write in your same genre.
• Attend annual writer's conferences and let everyone you encounter come to know you and your book. Take your book, postcards, and business cards with you everywhere (and make sure everything you present is done in excellence, because you're representing the God you serve and yourself) Don't be shy. Be like John the Baptist in the wilderness, don't be ashamed to tell everybody about the book that God birthed through you. It just may be the encouraging word that other person needs, and it just may change their life!

The Self-Publishing Manual by Dan Poynter -
Get and read this book FIRST, even if you hadn't finished writing your book yet. It'll help you decide whether or not you want to self-publish or pursue a publisher, and if you self-publish it tells you everything you need to do, and in what order, in order to self-publish. I used this book when I initially self-published my first novel, He's Fine...But is He Saved? Before I acquired a two-book deal with Kimani Press, which is a Harlequin imprint.

Christian Writer's Market Guide by Sally Stuart -
This book lists all Christian publishers, agents, and magazines who are looking for submission and it also gives their submission guidelines.

1001 Ways To Market Your Book by John Kremer -
He also has a newsletter for free tips to authors on www.JohnKremer.net

Book Marketing Assistance (for Christian books only):
www.MinistryMarketingSolutions.com

Annual Conferences:

• International Christian Retail Show www.ChristianRetailShow.com
• Greater Philadelphia Writer's Conference www.WriteHisAnswer.com
• Book Expo America (general market with a Christian section – largest book expo in the U.S.) www.BookExpoAmerica.com

Organizations:

• American Christian Fiction Writers www.ACFW.com
  (They also have an annual conference)

More info, Article, What does it mean to Self-Publish? By Kim Brooks