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You've decided to take the plunge and become a self-published author congratulations! You have heard horror stories about scams and cheats, as well as dreams that have come true, and now it is time to throw your hat in the ring. It is an exciting path you have chosen to market your self-published book, and with the assistance of the tips below, it can be a successful one as well.

The road ahead of you is littered with barriers, speed bumps and wrong turns, so consider this your roadmap to marketing your literary efforts. As with any journey, the first step is to understand what you have gotten yourself into including knowing what is involved in self-publishing, and what your publisher's role is. Next, you need to define your goals for your book and determine what success means for you. With a set of goals in place, you need to plan how to achieve them, and make a conscious effort to look ahead so you don't hit a stretch of bad road as you start out. Roadside repairs and unexpected expenses can turn your dream trip into a nightmare, so focus on keeping your costs down and understand where and how the best ways are to spend your marketing dollars. Finally, you need to successfully make the transition from an author to a salesperson.

One of the keys to understand your situation as a self-published author is to get rid of your underlying assumptions and verify exactly what your relationship will be with your publisher. There are scores of different publishers out there to work with, and they vary widely on the costs involved, what services are included (and which ones cost extra), and what happens after your book is finally published. The majority of self-publishing companies, vanity presses and joint-venture publishers will put the burden of marketing and promoting a book squarely upon the author. There is nothing wrong with this, but it can come as a brutal shock to the author that thinks their work is done when they finish writing their book.

Ask questions and make sure you understand the answers rather than relying on pre-conceived expectations. Will your book be print-on-demand or warehoused after an initial print run? Will your book be available only through online markets? What role does the publisher take in getting physical copies of your book stocked on local bookstore shelves? What price do you pay to order copies of your book? What marketing efforts will the publisher undertake, and what assistance can they provide to you on other public relations work?

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