In the next two years I want to do a print book.

Not going the traditional route with an agent, a publisher, and all that stuff.

I’m in travel mode right now, and I need to control my own destiny at this point. So having a traditional publisher wouldn’t work for me.

Instead I plan to self-publish.

It’s really not THAT expensive. If you know how to shop around, you can launch for under $2K.

And besides, what’s the fun of calling yourself a writer/author, if you can never show a real bookstore book for your efforts.

Don’t get me wrong, ebooks make fantastic money. And ebooks will always be my corner pocket strategy, because I love money wa-a-a-ay more than I love fame.

But we all know that print books have a certain endearing legacy. In the eyes of the general public, you’re a real star only when you can pull out a print book with your name on it.

The only stumbling block in this process is that I can’t come up with a good topic.

Like my Desperate Buyers Only formula, I have a certain criteria for doing a print book.

Willy nilly “lets-just-try-this” ideas are for ebooks – not print books that I’m paying thousands of dollars to publish.

So as of right now, here’s my criteria for publishing a print book topic. If you’re thinking about self-publishing you may want to create your own such list.

* It must be something that appeals to a large enough audience that I can do radio and possibly television interviews.

Radio interviews sell books. Provided you know what the heck you’re doing when you get on the air. And the topic is interesting enough.

I’m a chatterbox, and I love an audience. (As if you couldn’t tell.) So I think I’d do well on the talk show circuit.

BTW, Radio-TV Interview Report is a well-known publication for authors seeking on air publicity. Highly recommended.

* It must have a good blog audience.

I want a topic where blogs are already running rampant. This is another good source for publicity.

* It’s gotta include information that makes people say, “Oh shit… REALLY!?!”

There are like a gazillion print books published every year. I don’t want to do one that’s normal and safe. Let’s leave that to the experts.

When people hear what I’m talking about, I want them to drop what they’re doing.

That – I believe – is the making of a bestseller.

* Preferably I want a book that can be backended with a subscription web site or a newsletter.

Hey, if I’m going to do all this, I might as well go all out.

Print book or bust!

Alexis Dawes

P.S.- Amazon is now in the beta stages of Fulfillment by Amazon.

You send them your inventory. They store it. Ship it. And handle post order customer service. The price starts at only .50 an item if it’s under $25.

Just one more incentive to hit the print book highway.

Filed under: Bullet Point

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