What should you do if your book flops?
It isn’t something that we like to think about when we’re first self-publishing our books and are in those lovely, heady days when anything (preferably anything wonderful) could happen: what should you do if your book flops?
It might not be nice to think about, but the truth is that we never know what is going to happen when we publish a book. It could go swimmingly. It could sink without trace. It could rubbished in reviews. It’s worth, therefore, having an idea of what you might do if the unthinkable does happen, and your book flops. Here are some ideas, and do feel free to add your own in the comments box.
Decide whether to give it another go
One of the big decisions you need to make when your book isn’t doing as well as you might have hoped is whether you’re just going to let it go, or whether you’re going to have a stab at reversing its fortunes. If the latter, how are you going to do this? How will you step up your marketing efforts to get your book known and encourage people to buy it? More of the same, or some new tactics entirely?
Evaluate the book’s weaknesses
Even though it might hurt, it’s also important to take stock of the book itself. Re-read it with an objective, critical eye. If you’ve had some negative reviews for it, why do you think that those reviewers said what they did? The answers might not fill you with joy, but they’ll certainly help you to learn a lot so you can improve things for next time round.
Evaluate the weaknesses of your publishing plan
As well as looking at the book again, you should also take a look at your publishing plan. Did you execute it as well as you could? Was there something missing from your strategy? Why didn’t your marketing plan work as well as you had hoped? All of this can provide valuable food for thought that will help to increase your skills and give you the tools you need to make a better job of things in the future.
Write another book
Finally, write another book. Sometimes we just have to accept that our book wasn’t the success that we wanted it to be – but that doesn’t mean it will be the same with the next book. Another book is one of the most powerful weapons we have, so focus on making your follow-up as great as it can possibly be, and apply everything you have learned to give it the best possible chance of succeeding.
