There are so many ways to publish a book these days that when it comes to publishing tips, it seems okay to say: choose what works best for you! But it’s great to trust those who have found success before us. Honoree Corder just released her FIFTIETH book and shares practical launch strategies, whether you should use a hybrid publisher, and more publishing tips in this episode! Read more or listen below!

Connect with Honoree

Official bio: Honorée Corder is the author of dozens of books, including You Must Write a Book, The Prosperous Writer book series, Vision to Reality, Business Dating, The Successful Single Mom book series, If Divorce is a Game, These are the Rules, and The Divorced Phoenix. She is also Hal Elrod’s business partner in The Miracle Morning book series. Honorée coaches business professionals, writers, and aspiring non-fiction authors who want to publish their books to bestseller status, create a platform, and develop multiple streams of income. She also does all sorts of other magical things, and her badassery is legendary. You can find out more at HonoreeCorder.com.

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Must-Know Publishing Tips with Honoree Corder Tips for Your Launch Strategy

• Start building your list from the time you consider writing a book. It’s the one thing you need for short-term and long-term success.
• Each book launch may look different. It depends on the outcome.
• The launch starts 2-3 or even 6 weeks before the book with the formation of an advanced reader team. This will be made up of your ideal readers, not just friends or random people who say yes.

PRO TIP: Make sure your ideal reader team is targeted to the audience who would be likely to actually BUY your book because of interest. Not just friends or your mom. Probably NOT your mom. When these people buy your book, it can skew your also-boughts underneath the sale area on Amazon, which means that your book may not get shown to the right audience!

• You can gift a free advance copy to your reader team, but also ask them to buy and review and explain WHY it matters.
• If people cannot afford your book, consider how they might help you out in another way.

Should You Try Hybrid Publishing?

For a moment, let’s define the terms. Traditional publishing is when you have one of the big five publishers or a small press publish your book. They pay you an advance and royalties if you sell more copies than the cost of the advance.

Indie publishing is the new term for what we used to call self publishing. It means that the author takes control for all aspects of the book (though often this means hiring an editor, a cover designer, etc) and publishes the book without an outside publisher.

Hybrid authors is a term NOT to be confused with hybrid publishing. These authors may have some traditionally published books and some indie books.

Hybrid publishing is when a company asks for an upfront payment from authors in exchange for publishing, printing, distributing, or other aspects of the publishing process. The contracts and terms vary.

Why Hybrid Publishing Might Not Be the Best (or a Good) Choice

There are horror stories. Many. I hear them all the time from authors who paid thousands of dollars to get hundreds of copies of their book that may or may not even look professional. At best, you may end up with a book that has been formatted and have a cover designed…both things that you could do yourself or pay someone to do for MUCH less.

For more warnings on companies to avoid, here is a great site! Hat tip to Elle Mott for this one!

But one of the big points to consider is WHAT ELSE COULD YOU DO WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY? (Or even less.) You could hire a top cover designer, editor, and even pay for Facebook ads or AMS ads for less than you would pay a hybrid publisher.

Other Publishing Tips for Authors

• For non-fiction authors, consider how you can intentionally network. (See Business Dating.) Find 11 other professionals who serve the same client or ideal reader, but are not your competition. Then you can support each other and share clients. Intentionally seek them out. Then if you REALLY like them and connect well, ask for referrals. Practical tip: offer them copies of your book.
• For fiction authors, consider making a square cover that you’d be using for ACX (audiobooks) and have your followers and readers change their profile image to your book cover on launch day or as they finish the book. Consider having stamps made with this same image and use them to send mail.
• Ask yourself if you could spend your money in a wiser way.
• But don’t think about trying to be CHEAP. Consider the way you send money as an investment. Your covers will be helping you sell books and bring in money for YEARS.
• Hire a professional copywriter or invest time to learn this. A cover gets people’s attention. Copy converts people into buyers.
• You must write a book. Even if it’s ONLY for your family and the people that follow you.

Can I just say that I LOVE that Honoree burned her own books? There is something freeing there. And humorous.

Links from the episode:

You Must Write a Book 

Amazon’s Media Breakfast Honoree attended

The Prosperous Writer’s Guide to Finding Readers