What should a business plan for self-publishers include? What does the process of writing on entail? If you plan to self-publish a work of fiction or have been writing a textbook, investigative report, or collection of non-fiction accounts, you definitely have an uphill battle ahead of you, but you've chosen the right path. Great artists with the written word are still more likely than not to be shunned by professional publishers, as the volume of writings out there far exceeds the capacity of publishing companies to sign and distribute them all. “Going it alone†may seem intimidating at first, but it may well be your most viable solution – and your quickest path to a published work. But what does the business plan for a self-publisher need to show? Start here:
• Who is your intended readership?
• How do you envision the distribution working?
• Will you have ecommerce functionality for the book sales?
• Are there future works underway?
• What is the cost to make a volume vs. its sale price?
The business plan should also look at the competitive threats in the market (leading publishers and smaller works that are a lot like yours) in addition to outlining the risks associated with a self-run venture. If you don't know the costs, make calls to small-scale publishers or do research online to try to learn the likely expenses you will face. These numbers should then be integrated into a pro forma model that tries to estimate the potential profit you could derive within 3 years by selling this work (and, possibly, others). You'll also need a marketing strategy, bio piece, and novel description, in addition to the standard executive summary introduction. Want help? MasterPlans can take the heavy lifting off your plate. Call 877-453-2011 today.
