Question
I want to make a living out of publishing online. I have what it takes -- passion, talent, and content. I'm just not familiar with the ins and outs of the trade:
- How do I market successfully?
-Which platforms should I post on?
-Where do I go to promote my books?
My books will mainly deal with a wide variety of non-fiction topics, revolving around the humanities and arts. In general, if I'm interested in something, I write about it.
Answer
I've published 4 books (Wiley) and sold around 100,000 copies total. There is a reason why publishers ask you for your sales and marketing plan for your book before they publish it... you have to have a platform to sell to. A built in audience.
It is almost impossible to sell any copies of a book from someone that doesn't have a following, let alone make a living from it.
There is no quick fix/tool. You need to create a following/audience based on your subject expertise. I'm not talking about a Twitter following, but a reading following. Do you currently have a site/blog? You need a way to capture readers email addresses and build and nurture that list. If you don't you can use a place like Medium to start posting and put out consistent quality writing, but make sure they have a place to go to at the end to sign-up to hear more from you.
