Sadly, authors are often the first to give up on their own book

Having signed many authors to their first book contract I am always sure to ask how committed they are to their own success. Without exception authors tell me they will work hard to establish themselves no matter how long it takes. Yet, a year or so later that same author has more often than not lost all enthusiasm for their own book. Why is that so? I feel it is due to several factors but mostly to impatience. We live in a world of immediate gratification and something that takes time to develop does not compute in today's society.

Eliminating bestsellers from New York publishers which are in a whole other category, if the truth be known many books take years to reach their sales potential. Why is that? One reason is because there are so many new books released each year (somewhere around 300,000). As a result, books that eventually get noticed have to find their own distinctive niche in the marketplace. How to find that niche is the trick. Some titles are adopted by groups or organizations, others are search engine friendly and still others spread by word of mouth.

The important take away point is that however a book eventually finds its audience will depend on the efforts of the author (perhaps with some assistance by the publisher, but don't count on it).

So how might an author go about finding a book's niche or audience?

• Start with a well thought out marketing plan written prior to the release of the book.

• Be prepared to change, rewrite or rethink your marketing plan if the initial plan isn't working.

• If you are not comfortable writing your own marketing plan consult with someone who can help.

• Give your plan the time and effort required to work its way into the consciousness of your intended audience.

You poured a lot of time and effort into the writing of your book. Getting the word out is a large part of the process. Be patient, it can take a year or more for a book to get noticed. If you believe in the content of your book don't give up, it generally takes time for a book to find its market.