Every five minutes a new book is published on Amazon. That sounds like a lot of books, but what does this mean? As a reader, you’ll never run out of new books to try. However, as an author, it’s harder than ever to stand out amidst the noise and connect with an audience.

If you’re new to the world of publishing, this may sound discouraging at first; however, it’s not meant to be. I want to help new authors like yourself know exactly what challenges may await you as you write a book and how you can rise to the occasion.

As the author of four books and the publisher of many more, I’ve had to opportunity to analyze what factors will help make a new book a success. But what are they? Drumroll please…

The three keys to writing and publishing a successful book are: passion, platform and persistence.

If you want to take your writing seriously and create something of value, this is how you can write a book that will matter to the world. Of course, like anything that’s worth doing, it’s easier said than done.

People have asked me what I mean when I say passion, platform and persistence, so I wanted to start shedding some light on how you can do this too and create your own book that matters.

Passion

Rome wasn’t built in a day, as the saying goes; your book won’t be written in a day either. It takes a lot of energy and commitment to do a book well. You have to be passionate about your subject and passionate about reaching an audience in order to see it through. No matter what you’re writing about, your passion and your motivation will be the foundation for any book project.

Platform

Do you know why selections from Oprah’s Book Club have been so successful? Most people like to read books that are recommended by other people they like and trust. While you certainly don’t need to become the next Oprah, if you want to create a book that matters, you will need to create, or at least have access to, a platform that will help build your book’s audience. You need to cultivate a group of people who want to hear from you and read what you have to say.

Persistence

For a book to be successful, it must be marketed persistently and consistently. You don’t need to do anything you don’t want to. However, you need to pick marketing actions that are consistent with your personality and then do them over and over. You have to be persistent in your marketing if you want to keep your book on people’s radars and produce the results (and book sales) you are looking for.

If this is new to you, it may seem like a lot to take in. However, I promise that it gets easier and more worthwhile. You can write a book that people want to read!

I’ll be talking more about the keys to writing and publishing a successful book in future blog posts. In the meantime, feel free to shoot me an email at Info@DudleyCourtPress.com. Also, check out our newest online programs Writer’s Sprint, Memoir Writing Made Easy and Aspiring Author to Published Pro.