Should all manuscripts become published books? In short, why not? If the above image of this quaint and rustic small-town bookstore draws you in at all, you’re likely a lover of the written word; and if this question was posed to you personally, you might say yes or no, depending on what your favourite genre was, and/or what your literary influences have been to date.

You’d also likely agree that you have indeed read books you didn’t think were quite worthy of being published. . . and some books you would never pick up simply due to your particular taste, even if considered by the so-called experts to be written perfectly. And this supports my comment, why not? Shouldn’t all authors have the opportunity to have their manuscripts published?

Excluding the importance of how well a book is written grammatically-speaking, content today is as subjective as ever. What I like, you might not, and vice versa. Genres that suit I C Publishing’s mandate will not necessarily resonate with another publisher’s specialty and/or area of interest. And that’s okay.

I believe the more important questions to ask are:

  1. What kind of audience does the book’s content speak to?
  2. How does the author want to affect, help, or influence his/her audience? Do they accomplish this in their writing? If they do, great. If they don’t fully, is the strength of message still intact enough that a good writing coach and/or editor could massage and polish the writer’s words—in partnership with the author—while keeping the author’s voice at the forefront?
  3. What are the author’s goals for the book? How engaged are they willing to be in accomplishing these goals?
  4. How established is the author’s online platform and network in general? If relatively new, what are the plans around building or strengthening the author’s position online?
  5. Why does the author want to have their book published (i.e. shared publicly)?

What are some of the varied reasons for wanting a book you write to be published?

  1. To showcase your knowledge and experience in your line of work. Many business experts and keynote speakers use this as an added source of revenue. Others include this as part of their marketing strategies and even their advertising budget, giving their book away at events or including it in coaching or training packages. Some incorporate both these approaches.
  2. To share your personal and/or professional stories and what you’ve gleaned from them, in hopes to empower others who may be experiencing similar situations or challenges in their own life.
  3. To raise awareness (and funds) for the important causes you believe in and support.
  4. To entertain the reader through your fascinating and imaginative storytelling.
  5. To leave your legacy.

Of course, there is deeper process in evaluating an entire manuscript to help you further content-wise; however, it is very prudent to begin your journey by answering the above questions. This will guide you and your publisher and/or editor/editing team to bring out the best in your writing, work within a budget that makes sense for your project, then design and position it online to assist you in reaching your personal and professional goals.

Whether you are considering going it on your own (i.e. self-publishing), exploring the traditional route, or partner publishing with a company like I C Publishing, the above will provide you with a solid foundation from which to make the many decisions you’ll be faced with along the way.

When you’re ready, it’s an extraordinarily exciting journey to bring your book to life and see the impact it can make when it gets into the right hands—those readers you truly intended it for.

Here’s to your success,

Sheri Andrunyk

I C Publishing – Committed to Quality Content, Design, and Platform

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