Ask HN: What do I do with my written book? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: What do I do with my written book?

5 pointsgraham17767 comments

I have written an advice/career book on the process of doing informational interviews. It's like networking, but without the agenda/sales/please-help-me vibe. I am leaning towards giving it away.

I am looking for A)What should I do with this content and B)If the answer is to give it away, what is the best way to do it?.

Notes: It is probably not long enough to be a full-fledged business/advice book. Closer to a booklet/long blog post. I am not connected enough or really have a desire to go through the publishing process. I don't have major distribution channels. My primary goal isn't to make money, but if that is possible while still helping people, I wouldn't mind!

Things I have seen people do: -Give it out as an eBook -Turn it into a blog post -Give it out in exchange for emails -Self Publish through Amazon (and make no money) -Build a website around it

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A standard self-published e-book model, which sort of combines many of the options you mention above, is along these lines.

First, put the e-book up on Gumroad and/or Amazon or the like, or set up an e-commerce site to sell it yourself (better margins; more work). Also set up a mailing list through MailChimp or the like.

Set up a site about the book, with a blog. Publish a few articles in the blog on the same content that your book is about (but not articles directly from the book itself; you don't want people who buy the book to feel ripped off). In the site's sidebar and at the end of each article, prompt people for their email address to receive a sample chapter of the book and sign up for a mailing list to receive new articles about the topic directly to their inbox for free. Now, as you continue to add new blog posts to the site - twice every month or so - publish them to the mailing list as well.

Finally, end each blog post/mailing list article with a call to action to buy the book. The article will establish your expertise on the subject, and as they're added to your site, will build up your SEO and start driving traffic from search terms related to your topic.

Eventually, if people are interested in your book, write another one. Hey, now you've got a voluntary mailing list full of people interested in your topic to advertise your new book to - it should have much better sales initially than your first one.

Wash, rinse, repeat. I haven't actually done this myself, but it seems to work for a lot of people.

Thanks for breaking down each step in so much detail. Is there any value in going the "give the whole thing away for free" route? I have seen a few folks do this (http://gameprogrammingpatterns.com/)

There can certainly be value if you think that teaching others what you know is more valuable to you than making a (larger) profit. Altruism is a thing.

Another way to give it away would be to play a long game of sorts by requiring people to sign up to the mailing list to get the free book. That way, you're still building up a list of interested people to spa--… market to when you write your follow-up books (and sell those for a profit).

>I have written an advice/career book...

You didn't mention 'why' you wrote this book. Was there a particular goal in mind? We're you trying to help a specific type of person?

You might find some useful take-aways from Tim Ferriss on the subject of publishing> http://fourhourworkweek.com/tag/self-publishing/

Two reasons: 1)I really believe that following these steps can help new grads or unemployed people get jobs. 2)I give this advice all the time (verbally) and wanted a way to give someone the advice in a more helpful, thought-out format.

Can I get a free copy please?

Absolutely! I am completing editing right now, should be done after Christmas. Glad to help! Shoot me an email

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