To understand whether writing and publishing a business book is a success or a failure, let’s revisit our understanding of publishing success.
For centuries, publishing companies have defined success as selling a shedload of books. Makes sense. The more books sold, the more money a publisher (and the author) make. It’s still true today… from the traditional publishers’ point of view.
But digital publishing allows a new definition of success for authors.
Digital publishing allows authors to eschew a big audience and focus on a niche. It creates a NEW category of “non-celebrity authors”, who are NOT known around the world, but are well known—even famous—within a niche audience. That niche might be vets. Or it might be vegan vets. Or it might be even more niche: the vegan vets who live in the Melbourne suburb of Brighton.
But how can such a niche make commercial sense? The answer to commercial success for independent authors lies in having more to sell than the book. A coaching or mentoring program. Online or in-person training. Vet supplies.
Even the global bestseller author, Tony Robbins, who is traditionally published, uses this model. He sells events, partnerships, supplements, training programs as well as his books. According to Forbes magazine, Robbins’ net worth is USD500 million.
An independently published book does not fail on the grounds of numbers of copies sold (the old definition of success). What matters is that the author becomes a name within their niche and in demand for their other services, such as coaching, training and speaking.
If you wrote a book, how would you define success?