There was a time when getting published seemed to only happen because of a wish and a prayer.
But today, there is no shortage of authors looking to publish their books. Although we’d love for every writer to experience getting a book published, many don’t because of how significant the investment is.
Thankfully, a hefty investment doesn’t have to delay your publishing dreams anymore. Many roads lead to funding for book publishing. The following tips can help you find yours.
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Map Out the Details for Publishing Your Book
Securing funding relies on how clear your vision is for what it will take to make publishing happen.
Explore the following questions to help you map out the details for publishing your book:
- When do I want to publish my book?
- What is my plan for marketing my book?
- Will I be doing a book tour?
- What are my publishing goals?
- How much do I want to make from book sales?
- How will I continue to write while I push to publish this book?
- Who will be involved in the publishing process?
- How will I stay afloat financially until I secure funding to publish my book?
- What’s my ideal publishing scenario?
Also, take an in-depth look at the costs of publishing a book.
Estimate Publishing Costs and Look Over Your Finances
It’s imperative to estimate publishing costs when trying to secure funding. It’s also vital to look over your current financial situation to determine if publishing is a realistic option for your life right now.
List every major expense associated with publishing a book, including:
- Cover art
- Printing costs
- Shipping
- Traveling
- Formatting
- Distribution
- Book tour costs
- Author headshots
- Making an audiobook
- Book promotion platforms
- Hiring additional help for editing, marketing, proofreading, and beta reading
Once you’ve estimated publishing costs, go over all your financial records to determine if publishing is plausible or needs to be postponed.
If your finances are in good standing, create a budget. Allocate amounts for each item in your budget and an amount for any surprise expenses.
Then, spend some time researching all the funding options to publish a book.
Take Time to Research Funding Options for Book Publishing
There are various ways to secure funding to publish your book. You aren’t going to pursue them all, but you should know about most of them. The more knowledgeable you are about funding options for book publishing, the more equipped you are to make the right choice for yourself.
Start with an internet search to research the funding opportunities available to you. Then, ask fellow writers about their publishing journeys. Your first stop will likely be investors.
Engage With Potential Investors
Potential investors in your book aren’t going to be venture capitalists or angel investors. Instead, they’re going to be people interested in helping authors get published or organizations dedicated to helping writers.
For example, a company you’ve done a lot of writing work for can be a potential investor. You can ask them to invest in getting your book published and form a partnership. You can also query agents and reach out directly to publishers accepting manuscripts to land a book contract to secure funding that way.
Whoever your potential investors are, be ready to take meetings with them, either in-person or remotely. If taking remote meetings with potential investors, be sure your space is clean with a touch of personality. If meetings are in-person, dress professionally and show up prepared to sell your book.
Also, examine your digital presence and any media attention you may have garnered. Media can sway a potential investor’s decision to work with you, especially if it’s negative. So, ensure your reputation is mainly positive.
Family and friends are also worth pursuing to secure funding to publish your book.
Ask Family and Friends to Invest in Your Book
Don’t count out family and friends when trying to secure funding for your publishing. Many of your family members and friends are huge supporters of you as an author. They’re probably also excited about your upcoming book.
Think about the people in your inner circle who’ve expressed loads of support for your writing career. And those that are adamant about you getting your book out to the world. Don’t be afraid to approach these family members and friends about helping you fund publishing your book.
Stay open-minded if family and friends, partnerships, and investors aren’t turning out to be productive pathways to securing funding to publish your book.
Stay Open-Minded
Securing funding to publish your book may come down to staying open-minded. In other words, keep your funding options open. Think creatively about how to get funding to publish your book.
For example, consider crowdfunding if you can’t find traditional investors to work with. Look for writer-related grants if small business loans aren’t an option. Think about starting a side hustle or freelance writing to come up with the money to publish your book. Lean into your professional network to find funding options. Or look into self-publishing.
Also, be open to pushing publishing out until you save enough money to cover the costs yourself. There’s nothing wrong with working a full or part-time job to raise funds.
Remaining open-minded in the process could be the difference-maker in becoming a published author.
Conclusion
Getting a book published is a dream come true for most writers. Don’t let funding get in the way of achieving that dream. Work through the above tips to raise the money you need to let your book loose in the world.
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