The following is from “Success, Your Path to a Successful Book” by Maralyn D. Hill & Brenda C. Hill.

The following is an exercise:

List the type of stores and places besides bookstores where you can sell your book.

What are your short term goals?

What are your long term goals?

How do you plan to achieve your goals?

What is unique about your story?

Write a 30 or 40 word blurb about your story. Remember it needs a hook. Try it a couple of ways.

Write a 100 word description of your story.

Write a 30 second elevator pitch about your book. Frequently, that is all the time you have to pitch it.

Join social networking groups so you can build an online presence.

List some you belong to or are willing to join.

Do a search on http://www.Amazon.com and determine how many books are listed in your category.

• When your topic covers more than one category, i.e., food and travel, pick the category that fits your book best for placement and be sure your title leads with that category.

• If your book falls into more than one category, the bookstores will not know where to place it.

• Brick and mortar bookstores account for approximately 20% of U.S. sales. This figure changes regularly. More than 7% are sold online.

• Bookstores will give books 30 to 60 days to remain on shelves before returning them to publishers.

• Bookstores and publishers are risk aversive.

• The best margin sales are those sold while speaking.

• Network, network, network and talk about your book.