So you want to publish a book do you?

The answer to the question in the headline is yes! I do want to write a book, in fact I want to write a whole series of books.

As an IT Trainer who has written lots of technical training manuals over the years, I have long wanted to see my book in print with my name on the cover. Wouldn’t it be fabulous to go in to WH Smith or Waterstones and see my books on the shelf as one of the top selling series about Microsoft Office?

As I have written 8 ebooks which have been published online and translated into 5 languages, I thought that now is the time!

Where do I start when publishing a book?

I had lots of questions:
Should I self-publish?
Should I publish just on Amazon?
How about publishing with the current publisher of my ebooks?
If I want a book to be printed, what is the process and where to start?

I began by asking around. I asked people who I knew in the publishing business and learned some valuable information. I learned for example that the big publishers, will likely have their own cohort of authors and that if they don’t have a slot in their publishing calendar for my book or books they just won’t happen.

I also found out that publishing a book is a fairly costly business, not just in the monetary investment but also the time it takes to write, rewrite, edit, set out the book layout, design and get it printed.

Then there is marketing. The book will not sell itself – wouldn’t that be fun? Imagine the book sitting on the shelf in the bookshop and hopping into people’s baskets all by itself. That however, is a bit of a dream.

I asked the questions above and realised that I don’t want to self-publish completetly, I would need to find an editor, a proof-reader, a designer and someone to set the layout of the book.

Then there is assisted self-publishing where I write the manuscript and then it goes to a publisher, who gets it edited and set out and printed.

I also found another route which is the one I have taken. I am working with mPower Publishing who have book product business called Immersive Publishing. Immersive it jolly well is! Meetings, phone calls, deadlines, Author workshops, Ideas and help with writing. I am being coached through the process. I don’t have to do it alone.

Over the next few weeks, I will share my book journey with you. You will learn where I am up to, what I have been struggling with, what is working and how I have managed to fit it all into a busy schedule.

What is the series about?

The first in the series is about Excel. Matt my main character has a dream and he drives his girlfriend to distraction talking about it. He loves coffee and dreams about creating the perfect coffee chain with the best experience. Sally (his girlfriend) gives him an ultimatum, go and create this coffee chain, get it out of your system and then maybe our relationship can get back on track. So with an ultimatum like that Matt sets out to build Koffee Island a new kind of coffee shop chain.

He enlists the help of Lisa as his Office Manager and Lisa sets out to teach him all about Microsoft Office 365 and building the business.

You can register your interest in the book using the form below. I will keep you up to date about the publish date and where you can get hold of it.

Tune in next week, to read the next episode in my book journey.