6 Reasons You Want to Give Away the First Draft of Your Book

There are many ways to promote a book. Giving it away seems to have become a poplar one. Many authors choose to do this with the hope that the book will than garner some on-line reviews or build up some word-of-mouth reviews so sales increase. I’d like to suggest that you begin giving your book away from day one, from the moment you begin writing it. In fact, write your book in the public eye on your blog.

I now this seems counterintuitive, as does giving away all or part of your book at anytime. But giving it away before it’s even finished somehow makes less sense to most writers, so let me explain why blogging a book, writing it post by post on your blog, makes total sense.

Here are six reasons to give away the first draft of your book:

1. As you writer your book in cyberspace, you gain loyal readers who will become  book buyers. These blog readers become part of your author platform; the more blog readers you  have, the more likely you are to land a book deal. Publishers look for bloggers with successful blogs. (Yes, these readers will, indeed purchase the finished book. They will want a souvenir from their favorite author as well as the edited version that will also contain some new material.)
2. As you blog your book, you promote yourself and your book. Blogging has proven to be a superb way for writers to promote themselves and their books, and their is no better time to start creating a buzz about your book then when you first get the idea.
3. You can build a mailing list as you blog your book. You blog provides the opportunity to develop a mailing list of potential book buyers. You will then let these fans know when the book is released; hopefully they will purchase the book. If this list is big enough, it can help you land a book deal. (Publishers like large mailing lists.)
4. Your blog readers become your best critique group. Unlike a critique group made up of people who might not write in your niche or category (or be interested in it), your readers want to read your book and have an interest in the subject matter. They are the BEST critique group ever because the have already “bought” your book when they started reading your blog. They will give you great feedback and insights into what they need and want in your book–if you ask. You can then revise before you publish. (You might also crowdsource your readers for case studies.)
5. You blog readers become reviewers. If they like what they read for free on the blog, you can ask them for reviews of the book as well–before the printed or digital  book ever is released.
6. Your loyal readers will spread the word about your book. If your readers find benefit in the first draft of your book, which they are reading on your blog, they will share that information on their social networks–and elsewhere–as you write and when the ook is released. That’s going to create more fans before the book gets published.

Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles

If you live in N. CA and would like to learn how to BLOG YOUR WAY TO A BOOK DEAL, join me for a 3-hour workshop on October 27. Click here for more information.