So, you’ve satisfied your wanderlust and decided to write a book about it. Much as you want to, however, you’re finding yourself sharing the fate of many wannabe writers. You can’t get past the eagle-eyed gatekeepers of the best publishing houses out there.

The predicament is actually more common than you think. Experts detail about 81% or 200 million Americans want to publish their own book but very few know how much does it cost to publish a book.

The truth is getting your book published isn’t just about the writing process. It’s a business decision. That’s why widening your perspective should bid you well. Below are five essentials to help you take a step towards becoming the next Bill Bryson and make your travel book a reality this 2021.

Know Your Onions

In whatever you do, knowing the basics is very important. You have to know what you are doing every step of the way. You can’t keep guessing and taking chances. There always has to be a level of certainty when you start.

Find out the publishing rules. What does it take to write a book and get it published? Find out the estimated budget if you are getting the book published. That way you are ready for whatever comes your way on the journey of publishing your book.

For example, if you will be printing the book, getting an International Standard Book Number will be important. Well, that will cost you to shed about$125.Start here.

Choose a Suitable Travel Genre

Next, choose a suitable genre for your travel book. This comes with due diligence.

What would you want to achieve with your travel book? Is it going to be a memoir of your travels? Is it going to be a science-fiction fantasy based on your travels? Funny howJ. K. Rowling, the multi-millionaire author, hatched her idea for Harry Potter while traveling on a train.

Moreover, you might want to check the kind of travel books people are into so you know what would be profitable. This is a business strategy when writing your book.

Choose a Catchy Topic

The golden rule is coming up with a catchy topic to draw the readers’ attention. Without a catchy topic, a lot of work would have to be done when marketing. So, just make things easier for yourself and your publishers and go for a topic or topics that will tickle everyone’s fancy.

Once the topic is ready, then start writing. Writing may not be as easy as it seems. You need to gather your thoughts, create a seamless outline, and the discipline to put time into your work.

Hire an Editor

Once your manuscript is ready, it will need editing. Send a copy of your manuscript to an editor. You may think you don’t need one but think of an editor as your mirror. Without one, you could be way over your head, and you wouldn’t know it.

The editor will not only check for grammar and syntax, he will also make sure your book has a good flow and easily comprehensible.

Some people opt for beta readers, and they are pretty good. Getting the perspective of a third party provides fresh insight. Listen to all they have to say, and then make necessary changes you are okay with.

Get Published

The last stage is publishing your book. It may sound crazy but there are two ways to go about it. There’s traditional publishing and then self-publishing.

Traditional publishing gets you knocking at the gates of the big publishing houses. It has its perks when you get the approval; you’d be working with the big boys. These people have the experience and the machinery to make you the next New York Times bestseller.

But self-publishing book printing serviceshave their merits, too.For one, it’s faster. Plus, it’s not as expensive and stressful as going for traditional publishing. Even better, you’re given complete creative control, from book cover aesthetics down to the last word. And best of all, you don’t get rejected. Your copy is printed as you want it.

Of course, publishing a travel book isn’t an assurance you’ll get your audience to like it. However, it’s a start.

Take note. Even the great Bill Bryson had to find his way. He worked in a psychiatric ward in Great Britain, then found a wife and became a journalist writing from America.

It’s his humorous way of writing for a British newspaper about his repatriation to the US that got him an audience. And the travel books followed thereafter.

Author

Northern girl Laura is the epitome of a true entrepreneur. Laura’s spirit for adventure and passion for people blaze through House of Coco. She founded House of Coco in 2014 and has grown it in to an internationally recognised brand whilst having a lot of fun along the way. Travel is in her DNA and she is a true visionary and a global citizen.

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