From Edie: Book sales eventually slow for most authors. Learn what writers should do next to stay visible, keep creating, and move their careers forward.
What Writers Should Do After a Book’s Sales Slow Down
by Cindy K. Sproles @CindyDevoted
Planning for what comes next sort of sounds like an obituary, doesn't it? No worries. You don't have to pull out the sympathy cards or gear up to send flowers, but that said, any good thing winds down at some point. So does the labor of a book.
There are levels of winding down, just like in our 9-5 jobs. The tide will shift. When it does, the writer needs to know what the next phase is.
Like our favorite foods, most books have a shelf life. The difference is that our books don't spoil. There may be early books we've written that we wish we'd thrown out, but our books are always with us.
When we go back to the explanations for why you may hear a conference faculty member say, "Your book follows you forever," it's true. But why would they say this? Well, this is especially meaningful for those who self-publish early in their career without taking the guidance or help of someone with knowledge. That means never skipping the proper steps when self-publishing. Doing it yourself is fine, but take the time to learn the process before you leap into publishing. In other words, educate yourself on what is necessary for making a good book, a lasting one.
When You Self-publish
- Invest in a professional editor (not your best friend or your college English professor). The art of writing is more than grammar. It's plot, characters, and description. It's solid information, formatted in a way that is readable and digestible for the reader. If you plan to self-publish, hire a professional editor to make sure all your words fall into place and are on the page, not stuck in your head.
- Hire a cover designer. Don't just grab a photo and stick the same old script font with pink highlights. Make your cover professional because it's what draws readers to pick it up.
- Hire or learn about pagination. Find the proper font, font size, and page count. Make sure the lines are appropriately spaced. It's a tough job if you don't know the vocabulary or the methods to adjust the fonts and page spacing.
- Or invest in hiring a reputable company to publish the book, and don't skimp on the above when offered. In other words, make your book beautiful and readable so that it lasts and lasts. When your self-published book begins to slow down and simply follow you, make it something you are proud to trail behind you. Always do your best work.
Publisher Book Clubs
Breaking into publisher-driven book clubs is not only a blessing but can also quickly advance a writer's career, both financially and by breaking you into the publishing world. These topic-driven novellas (i.e., romance, suspense, etc.) are primarily subscription-based but will also be available in big box stores such as Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, and Costco. The print runs on these books are substantially larger because they have a built-in market, but their lifespan is approximately 90-120 days. After the initial run, the reprint of that book is slim to none unless the publisher re-ups it for a collection edition.
Novels and Nonfiction
Unless you are a well-established author with a solid readership, the work will sell well out of the gate and then level off. Publishers tend to hang on to the rights of novels and non-fiction with consistent sales and keep them in their backlist. Libraries tend to hold on to novels for over twenty years and the classics for years to come. In fact, librarians are probably among the best temperature gauges of a book's longevity because they see its movement. These folks see the repeat of books going in and out of the library daily. They know what people are reading, and they can judge a book's lifespan and readership based on that experience.
What's Next?
This information brings us to what's next and how we prepare for it. First of all, unless your book is a complete failure out of the gate, it's a true blessing. This book is a dream come true, and for those well-established authors who publish regularly, it's an even bigger accomplishment. Longevity is what we all hope for.
Still, for the average writer, those books will slow to a crawl, and then what do you do? For one, you never stop being grateful for the opportunity to write and to have written. Secondly, you continue to remind readers of the books that came before. Keep the dream alive in you, and it will remain alive in the reader.
Continue to write. Your interests may vary, and you might try a different genre or head toward the magazine world. Today, podcasts are all the rage. Perhaps it's time to venture into new venues. The point is, you never stop exploring this wide business we call publishing.
Being part of a critique group can lead you to new heights in your writing. A good critique group consists of beginners, seasoned writers, well-published writers, and teachers. Each section teaches those under them while learning from those above them, until they reach a level where their experience lends itself to mentoring and coaching—all the while they continue to write themselves. The writing never stops. In fact, the arts industry probably has more individuals who continue their craft well into their golden years. Why? Because creativity never stops unless you squelch it. The love of the arts doesn't just vanish.
Continue the Vision
One thing you will see in the publishing industry is that writers tend to hold on to their vision. Once their rights to the books come back to them, authors republish the books and continue to market, sell, and reap the rewards of their work. Those works continue on and on. Even writers like Mark Twain had the vision to publish some of their work in installments in newspapers. His love of writing and his creativity in keeping his work alive were outstanding. The point is, you're a writer—be creative with your writing as those things level off. Find new ways to share what you love to do. Prepare in advance. Begin to plan for the work that has some age to it. Refurbish, rewrite, re-create, but never stop using the gift you have. In other words: Don’t sit around WAITING for the next contract. Continue to use your gift. Continue to produce.
It's not the death of a book when it begins to wind down. It's only the beginning of a new phase. Make a new way.
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