Last month, the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) launched the ASA’s Guide to Getting Published: Understanding and navigating Australia’s book industry, a new book-length resource for Australian writers and illustrators, written by publisher and former ASA CEO Juliet Rogers.

The book is pitched as an accessible, easy-to-use guide that will help demystify the publishing industry and steer you away from common mistakes. As well as explaining how the publishing industry works, the book covers key topics including readying your work for publication, choosing the right publication path, traditional publishing, author-funded publication and key industry organisations you should know about.

Below is an extract from the book, in which Rogers provides advice on selling your book, including important context for setting a realistic sales target and key questions to ask yourself as you develop your publishing plan.

ASA’s Guide to Getting Published: Understanding and navigating Australia’s book industry is now available to purchase in store and online. For more information visit the ASA website here.

What makes a book sell? Extract from ASA’s Guide to Getting Published

If you’re contemplating funding your own publication, it’s important to understand the qualities that define a  saleable book. First and foremost, of course, is the content. In fiction, whether literary or mass market, and whatever the genre, the standard of writing, the intricacies of the  plot, the depth of characterisation and how much the  reader cares about those characters, all work together to make a satisfying and absorbing book. For non-fiction, too, whatever the subject, the writing must be good, the subject matter gripping and the research impeccable.

Understanding your genre and the market for whom you’re writing is critical (this includes reading widely in  that genre before you even begin to write.) The public aren’t easily fooled and devotees of genres, such as crime  and romance, have a sophisticated understanding of how good examples of those genres work. You underestimate their discernment at your peril.

Bad content that is packaged beautifully won’t last  the distance but wonderful content that has been badly produced may never take flight. It’s therefore critically important that a good book is well edited and well laid out.  The cover must be striking and in keeping with the genre  and the blurb must compel the reader to make a purchase.  You must understand your audience and understand what  they’re looking for.

It’s difficult to obtain accurate data on eBook sales, but most industry pundits estimate that, on average, a  new eBook sells between 150 and 300 copies. The sad truth behind this statistic is that most of the titles being published aren’t of publishable standard and lack the commercial appeal necessary to generate worthwhile sales. It’s disappointing to have your book fail in the marketplace, whichever way you choose to publish, but  it’s so much worse if you’ve put your time and hard-earned  money behind its production.

Given the importance of content, it’s worth reiterating, as pointed out in Part I, that before you start to incur the costs of publication it’s wise to have your work assessed by an expert. Of course, it’s possible to produce an eBook  quickly and easily, but it won’t attract an audience if the content is sub-standard and disappointing.

Authors often prefer to use beta readers to help them hone their work. This can be a useful tool, but it’s still dependent on the skills, knowledge and experience of those readers. If you simply circulate your work to well meaning family and friends, you’re not going to receive objective comments, partly because they won’t want to hurt your feelings, but also because they may be reading  outside their realm of experience, making their comments irrelevant or unhelpful. Whichever way you choose to have your work appraised, make sure you send it to the right people.

If you receive a positive assessment from a good assessor, it will encourage you to continue down the  author-funded path, but if the critique concludes that your work isn’t at the required standard, listen and consider alternatives such as printing a few copies for family and  friends because it is your money on the line.

Developing your publishing plan

It’s now time to explore exactly what you’re trying to achieve with your book, so that you can make an informed decision about which self-publishing route is right for  you. This process is akin to the acquisition proposal that a publisher would prepare. In essence you’re scoping out the parameters of your book, including everything from the right format to the appropriate retail price, so you can  produce a book that will appeal to your audience.

GOAL

The first step in any plan is to clarify what you are trying to achieve.

• Fame and fortune?
• Cost recovery and steady sales?
• Enhancement of your reputation?
• A calling card for your business?
• A memento for family and friends?

Most authors don’t have unlimited resources, so determining your key driver will help you to establish how much time and money you’re willing to invest in your publishing project.

TARGET MARKET

It’s essential to research your target market before the publication of your book because, just like in a publishing house, the information you gather should inform key decisions: the cover and book design, the format, the title, the blurb, the pricing and so on.  To define your target market you’ll want to find out the following about your readers:

• Gender?
• Age?
• Where do they buy their books?
• How do they find out about the books they want to buy?
• Whose opinion do they trust?

Most authors write in a genre they personally enjoy, so thinking about your own answers to these questions is a  good place to start your research.

Once you’ve defined your market, study your competition to find answers to these questions:

• What format/s are best suited to your readership:  print and/or digital?
• If the answer is digital, on which platforms do your  readers buy their books?
• If your readers prefer print books, where do they  buy: mass market stores, independent bookshops or  online?
• What price points seem to be the most popular?
• Is there a better time of the year to publish?
• What style of covers dominate? What layout best  suits the genre?

When you’ve gathered this information, you’ll have all  the elements needed to brief the services company or freelancers who will work with you to produce your book,  and to inform your marketing and promotion strategy.