Though there is no perfect book, and nobody can claim to be the repository of all knowledge, but if, as an author, you can avert some avoidable errors in your write-up, you will not only be positioned as someone who knows his onions, your book will also be rated as top notch among many others.
Thus, we feel that understanding some of the things that reduce the worth of a book is germane to successful publishing.
==Starting your first line, paragraph or chapter on a weak note.
Your first lines, paragraph or chapter has tendency to influence whether your readers will read your book till the end or abandon it after a while, hence you must give it maximum attention. One of the ways to achieve this is by ensuring clarity. Clarity should be your goal from the onset. Ensure that your Chapter One is well edited. This is vital because, if your first chapter is full of errors, your readers will automatically perceive you as an unprofessional writer.
==Writing without your readers in mind.
If you are really writing with the mind of adding value to your readers, then one thing you must always do is to write with your readers in mind. This will help you to structure your content in a way that will make it easy for your readers to read, even if they only want to skim. Truth be told, not everyone would want to read your book till the end, but you must always do your best to retain their interest by ensuring that your write-up is irresistible enough.
Publishing your book without editing.
==You might be a great writer but you might not be the best editor. Hence to get the best from your book, it is advisable for you to not depend on self editing. So, leave your pride at the door and go in for a ‘third eye’; most importantly, get a professional. We hope you understand that this is beyond proofreading. Professional copy editors do more than mere proofreading. Editors check for structure in line with context, they also check for consistency, redundancy, readability, fact, etc .
==Waiting till your book is published before you start promoting it.
This is mostly applicable to upcoming writers, and those who are yet to be known in the writing industry. It is always better to start talking about your book, even before it is finally published. If you have published your book before you start promoting it, you are late. This is because books don’t sell on their own. No matter how profound the content of your book is, it will still require some forms of promotion. However, you need to be strategic about this, and one of the strategies you could use is to have been connected with your target audience before your book is ready.
==Awkward designs and formatting. No matter how attractive or beautiful you want your book to look, simplicity should still be your watchword. Unnecessary bold letters, italics, or any other excessive design is a minus to your work. This simply constitutes distraction, which prevents your readers from reading smoothly. Consequently, such makes them to lose interest and eventually drop the book.
Hope this has added value to you.
Should you need further clarifications or questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.
I remain your Publishing Partner,
Olamikanra O. Oshunfuyi
