Resources
Be the CEO of Your Book
Should I self publish? Should I query agents? Should I hire a publicist?
If you’re asking these questions, you need this book.
Be the CEO of Your Book is the no-nonsense guide for anyone serious about becoming an author who actually sells books, not just writes them. Drawing on decades of experience in printing, publishing, and PR, veteran ghostwriter Hugh Taylor cuts through the contradictory advice and expensive vendor pitches to show you how the book business really works, and how to make it work for you.
What you’ll learn:
• The real economics of a book sale, and who actually profits from your work
• How to decide whether self publishing, traditional publishing, or a hybrid path fits your goals
• What literary agents are actually looking for (hint: it’s not your writing)
• How to spot predatory publishing services before they take your money
• Why your cover design might be your most important sales tool
• How professional editing works, and when you actually need it
• The honest truth about book publicists, marketing, and what moves the needle
• How to define success for your book before you spend a dollar on it
Whether you’re just becoming an author for the first time or you’ve published before and got burned, this book replaces guesswork with clarity. You’ll finish it knowing exactly what questions to ask, what to ignore, and what it really takes to get your book in front of readers.
Stop wondering “should I self publish?” and start making decisions like the CEO of your own book.
About the Author
Hugh Taylor is President of Manuscript Partners, a full-service ghostwriting and publishing resource. He has written or ghostwritten 14 books over the last 30 years. He has also served as a book publicist over the last 10 years. The experience of trying to interest the media in covering books, which closely parallels the process of selling books, informs much of Hugh’s approach to publishing. Printing and publishing are in Hugh’s blood. At age 17, Hugh started a printing and graphic design business in New York City. After graduating from Harvard College, he spent six years in the entertainment industry, producing made-for-TV movies and learning how books become films. Hugh earned his MBA at Harvard and went on to serve in executive roles at Silicon Valley startups, Microsoft, and IBM—followed by more than a decade as a freelance content writer in the technology industry. His writing has appeared in The Daily Beast and HuffPost, in addition to his cybersecurity blog, The Journal of Cyber Policy.
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