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No matter which publishing package you choose, you’ll receive individualized attention from our team of Publishing Consultants, custom cover design, custom interior design, ISBN assignment, books, online listings with leading retailers such as Amazon.com, 35% royalties on online retail sales of your trade paperback book, and low wholesale prices for books when you buy directly. Total Design Freedom packages start at just $799!

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Identifying and connecting with a target market can be a challenge for authors, but with dedication and research, finding your book’s audience and thinking of ways to fill their needs can expand your book's sales opportunities. For Lynn Hardy, author of Prophecy of the Flame: Love’s Dawning, hosting a book signing at a creative location frequented by potential readers with a variety of interests led her into a new media opportunity- a contract to produce her book as a video game.

In the months before her book was completed, she forged a connection with the manager of her local video game shop, thinking her book would appeal to his customers. It was this connection that is now propelling Prophecy of the Flame to success in the online world.The manager of the store had existing plans to launch a video game company of his own, and after reading Hardy’s book, he felt that the story would create the perfect debut game for his video game company, Hypocrite Games.

Prophecy of the Flame falls between two genres, so in developing her marketing plan, Hardy had to make decisions about which target audiences would be most responsive to her marketing. “After conducting more research, I realized that my book is equal parts fantasy and women’s fiction,” she says. “Not only did I have a group of [characters] melding magic with twenty-first century technology, but a love triangle as well,” Ultimately she chose to specifically target male and female readers who gravitate towards the fantasy genre by playing video games or attending renaissance fairs.

While a sequel to Love’s Dawning is in the works for release at the same time as the video game, Lynn is looking forward to writing the alternative endings to the book to be optioned in the game. She attributes her success to being in the “right place at the right time,” but it is her dedication to learning about her readers and meeting them on their level that helped her successfully network her way into a video game contract.

Her advice for authors? “A self-published author should always be networking and making the most of every opportunity; never stop promoting your product. You never know who you are talking to. I sell three or four books every time I fly across the country- one of these trips, I may be sitting next to my soon-to-be agent or producer!”

The deadline for the 6th Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Award is fast approaching. Have you submitted your entry? Authors of self-published books published between 2003 and 2008 are encouraged to enter any of the nine categories for a chance at $3,000 and other prizes. Whether you are a new author or your shelves are filled with your works, this yearly competition is exclusive to authors of self-published books.

Entry Fee: $100 for the first entry, $50 for additional entries. One copy of your book must be included per entry.

Deadline: May 1, 2008

Click here for more information on this exciting opportunity.

Some authors think that upon completing their manuscripts, their responsibilities for the success of their books are complete, but as a self-published author, you know better. As your book and cover are being formatted and designed, take a moment (or two) to consider developing a business plan for your book. By exploring the five following elements and how they relate to your book, you’re putting yourself in a position to succeed.

Step 1: Market Research- Any solid marketing effort should begin with research- discovering publishing and distribution channels and costs, learning what other books will be in competition with yours. This foundation for your plan should involve as much data gathering and fact finding as you can do. Are there titles similar to yours already available? What can you do to differentiate yourself from them? Tailoring your efforts to the preferences of your readers will provide them with added value and incentive to purchase your book.

Step 2: Create a Mission Statement- Developing a powerful, purpose-driven mission statement for your business plan is essential to helping you keep your goals and objectives in mind. A mission statement is a clear and compelling summary of goals, intended to focus your efforts in a specific direction defined by three elements: the purpose of your work, what steps you are taking to achieve the purpose, and the motivating factors behind why you plan to achieve your purpose. Your mission statement should inspire you to remain committed to your purpose, so be specific in describing the actions you plan to take.

Step 3: Document Your Goals, and Create Objectives to Achieve Them- When you make goals, you choose a destination on a map; by creating objectives, you choose your route to this destination. By putting your goals on paper, you will be better able to create solutions to achieve them. Will the number of copies you plan to sell be affected by the size of your target audience? Will you need to invest in a wider variety of marketing initiatives to compete with the number of titles in your category?

Step 4: Determine Your Distribution Strategies- Most self-publishing companies provide distribution channels online, so consider special sales outlets beyond online and bookstores. If your book is specific to a town or state, consider targeting retailers in that area for distribution. Gift shops, airports, or even restaurants are often eager to stock books that relate to them specifically. To determine the best channels for your book, seek out places your target audience shops frequently and begin networking with managers and decision makers.

Step 5: Strategize Specific Promotional Tactics- It’s important to think about how you will sell your book in advance of your publication date so you can take advantage of early sales. The momentum you build at the beginning of your promotional efforts will set the tone for future sales. As you form your business plan, determine how much time you can dedicate to each of the following areas: publicity, advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, and printed materials.

For more information on creating a business plan, visit the Small Business Administration.