The Savvy Author’s Guide to Publishing
You wrote the book. Now learn how to make smart decisions about what happens next.
Publishing has changed. The old rules don’t always apply. And much of the advice aimed at aspiring authors is based on a publishing world that no longer exists.
This free e-book gives you a clear-eyed look at how publishing actually works today so you can make better decisions about your book, your money, and your path to readers.
YOU DON’T NEED MORE PUBLISHING HYPE.
You need to understand the business.
You have probably heard it all.
Build a massive platform. Hire a publicist. Find an agent. Self-publish. Don’t self-publish. Spend thousands on marketing. Chase bestseller status. Rewrite your query letter again.
The problem isn’t that all publishing advice is wrong.
The problem is that much of it isn’t right for your particular book.
Your goals are different. Your audience is different. Your budget is different. Your definition of success is different.
This book shows you how to figure out what actually makes sense for you.
Inside the Free e-Book
Understand the economics of publishing
Learn where the money actually goes when a book is sold, how royalties work, and why the economics of different publishing paths can be dramatically different.
Choose the right publishing path
Traditional publishing, self-publishing, and professional publishing partners all have advantages and tradeoffs. Learn what each path means for your money, time, control, and access to readers.
Stop following someone else’s playbook
A strategy that works for a bestselling novelist may be completely wrong for a consultant, entrepreneur, memoirist, or professional author.
Learn how to match your publishing strategy to your actual goals.
Understand the importance of audience
Publishers care about platform for a reason. Learn what reach, relevance, engagement, and resources really mean, and why knowing your audience matters before your book reaches the marketplace.
Avoid expensive mistakes
The publishing world contains legitimate professionals—and plenty of expensive advice that may not actually help your book.
Learn how to evaluate pitches, services, promises, and publishing opportunities with a more critical eye.
Get your manuscript publication-ready
Understand the four essential stages between having a draft and having a book that is genuinely ready for readers: manuscript preparation, editing, design, and formatting.
Understand today’s publishing technology
Digital publishing, print-on-demand, Amazon, and generative AI have fundamentally changed what authors can do themselves. Learn what these changes mean for your publishing strategy and budget.
Think like the CEO of your book
Your editor can advise you. Your designer can advise you. Your publicist can advise you…But you make the decisions.
You are the CEO of your book.
Being the CEO doesn’t mean doing everything yourself.
It means understanding enough about the business to know which decisions are yours to make.
- Your goals.
- Your audience.
- Your budget.
- Your publishing path.
- Your definition of success.
The smartest authors don’t blindly follow a universal publishing playbook. They align the book, the audience, the publishing path, and the budget around a specific goal.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
01 — The Reality of Modern Publishing
Why the publishing industry looks radically different from the world most traditional publishing advice assumes.
02 — The Economics of a Book
Who gets paid, how royalties work, and how the money moves through a book sale.
03 — Choosing Your Publishing Path
The real differences between traditional publishing, self-publishing, and professional publishing partners.
04 — Finding Your Audience
Why platform matters and how to think about reach, relevance, engagement, and resources.
05 — Understanding Your Category
Why a thriller, memoir, business book, children’s book, and professional reference book should not be marketed or published the same way.
06 — Preparing the Book
How manuscript preparation, editing, cover design, and formatting fit together.
07 — Getting to Market
The practical mechanics of getting your finished book onto Amazon or into the traditional publishing system.
08 — Building a Realistic Budget
How to spend money where it actually matters instead of simply spending more.
09 — Navigating the New AI-Assisted World
Where AI can reduce the time and cost of publishing—and where human judgment and professional expertise still matter.
This book is for you if…
- You’re writing your first book.
- You have a finished manuscript but don’t know what to do next.
- You’re confused about traditional versus self-publishing.
- You’re worried about spending thousands of dollars on the wrong services.
- You’re an entrepreneur, consultant, coach, executive, or professional using a book to build credibility.
- You want your book to generate business opportunities.
- You want to understand publishing before signing a contract.
- You’ve been overwhelmed by contradictory advice.
- You simply want to make smarter decisions about your book.
STOP WAITING TO BE “CHOSEN”
Technology has removed many of the barriers that once kept authors dependent on traditional publishing gatekeepers.
That creates an extraordinary opportunity.
But it also creates an enormous amount of competition.
Being able to publish a book has never been easier. Being noticed after you publish it has never been harder.
The answer isn’t necessarily to spend more.
It’s to become savvy.
GET YOUR FREE COPY
Be the CEO of Your Book
The Savvy Author’s Guide to Publishing
By Hugh Taylor
Get the complete ebook and learn how to approach publishing with clearer goals, better information, and a strategy designed for your book—not somebody else’s.