1/ Quick notes from
"How to sell million copies of your book" lecture at @HabibUniversity
No shortcuts.
Its a long lonely path and you won't end up with a million. You would be lucky to crack 5,000. Most books can't even reach 1,000.
#Authors #Writers #Founders #startups
"How to sell million copies of your book" lecture at @HabibUniversity
No shortcuts.
Its a long lonely path and you won't end up with a million. You would be lucky to crack 5,000. Most books can't even reach 1,000.
#Authors #Writers #Founders #startups
2/ To save time and heart break. Here is a short summary.
If you crack it, it will take 20 years + a portfolio of books that are readable and of great quality. You will be broke, hungry and in pain for most of those 20 years.
And there is no guarantee that you will crack it
If you crack it, it will take 20 years + a portfolio of books that are readable and of great quality. You will be broke, hungry and in pain for most of those 20 years.
And there is no guarantee that you will crack it
3/ Write about what you know and care about. Growing as an author requires you to read and write.
Consume and produce.
Don't just read about writing. Read everything. And practice the art by writing. Starting early helps.
Consume and produce.
Don't just read about writing. Read everything. And practice the art by writing. Starting early helps.
4/ @StephenKing On Writing is the possibly the best book you could read on the craft of writing amzn.to/30ds35W followed by the Elements of Style.
There are more if you interested but start with these two.
There are more if you interested but start with these two.
5/ The craft requires years of practice, rejection and suffering. Not all are worthy of the path.
But if you do have the gift, it's not enough to be just good, you have to be better than the best in your space.
A little bit of luck and a whole lot of practice helps.
But if you do have the gift, it's not enough to be just good, you have to be better than the best in your space.
A little bit of luck and a whole lot of practice helps.
6/ BTW why do you want to sell a million copies? What's the motivation?
Are there shorter, cheaper, less painful ways to reach the same goal?
Explore the alternates before you come this way.
Are there shorter, cheaper, less painful ways to reach the same goal?
Explore the alternates before you come this way.
7/ Assuming you have the gift, have luck on your side and produce a word class product:
It will take between 10 - 20 years to breakout as an author or to get to a stage where you make enough to pay your bills.
Don't quit your day job as yet.
It will take between 10 - 20 years to breakout as an author or to get to a stage where you make enough to pay your bills.
Don't quit your day job as yet.
8/ That is not the only bad news. One work or title is not going to cut it. You need to have a portfolio of books to crack 10,000.
Just to be clear, a portfolio is more than one book.
Just to be clear, a portfolio is more than one book.
9/ How do you get to a million copies. Where do you start?
You start with selling the first 100. Then the next 100...
I warned you it is a long road.
About 10,000 steps of selling 100 copies each step.
There is no other way.
You start with selling the first 100. Then the next 100...
I warned you it is a long road.
About 10,000 steps of selling 100 copies each step.
There is no other way.
10/ More bad news. Friends, family, extended social network and your digital social network are worth only a few copies.
45.6 to be exact. Your mileage may vary but the number is dependent on your reach, their attention span and the conversion rate.
Its not pretty.
45.6 to be exact. Your mileage may vary but the number is dependent on your reach, their attention span and the conversion rate.
Its not pretty.
11/ Sharing it on your social platforms or asking @jehan_ara @Huk06 @alinawab to tweet about it is not going to improve the odds.
The 45.6 sales above assume that they promote it just as hard as you do.
Social influence helps get the word around. Doesn't lead to conversion
The 45.6 sales above assume that they promote it just as hard as you do.
Social influence helps get the word around. Doesn't lead to conversion
12/ Teaching improves odds in many ways. The best authors turn out to be teachers. Best books are written by teachers.
Student feedback on your material improves it. Class notes turn into books over time. Lectures generate new ideas and new materials.
Also captive audiences
Student feedback on your material improves it. Class notes turn into books over time. Lectures generate new ideas and new materials.
Also captive audiences
13/ Selling books is not that different from selling anything else.
You have to go out, meet people, cut deals, speak, present, pitch, press the flesh and shake hands.
You need luck, hustle and call to actions.
And you need the gift of words.
You have to go out, meet people, cut deals, speak, present, pitch, press the flesh and shake hands.
You need luck, hustle and call to actions.
And you need the gift of words.
14/ A landing page does not equal hustle
15/ If you are still here, there is some good news.
You don't need to sell a million copies to feel on top of the world.
All you need to get there is a random note of gratitude from a stranger from across the world.
"I read your book and it made a difference"
You don't need to sell a million copies to feel on top of the world.
All you need to get there is a random note of gratitude from a stranger from across the world.
"I read your book and it made a difference"
15/ One of these is good to keep you afloat for a few months.
Or the speaker you are waiting to hear at #021Disrupt, coming over and saying hey I read your book 10 years ago and I still remember it.
That one is pure gold.
Or the speaker you are waiting to hear at #021Disrupt, coming over and saying hey I read your book 10 years ago and I still remember it.
That one is pure gold.
16/ How to sell a million copies. Or not. A thread
@peshawar2o
@babushka99
@jehan_ara
@alinawab
@faizansiddiqi
@MaroofAliSyed
#authors #writers #founders #startups #Noshortcuts
@peshawar2o
@babushka99
@jehan_ara
@alinawab
@faizansiddiqi
@MaroofAliSyed
#authors #writers #founders #startups #Noshortcuts
17/ And remember. If an author or teacher made a difference in your life,
a) Drop them a note of thanks,
b) Put up a review on amazon,
c) Stop by and say hi.
You never know how your words may help some struggling soul stay on the path.
a) Drop them a note of thanks,
b) Put up a review on amazon,
c) Stop by and say hi.
You never know how your words may help some struggling soul stay on the path.
18/ Better yet. Just buy another copy and move the counter from 45.6 to 46.5
