Kat Reed, author of Begin Here: Helping Survivors Manage is Legacy Book Solutions’ newest success story. Just last spring, she was looking for a way to help survivors complete the many logistical and financial tasks that they face after a death. This week she received the first shipment of her beautiful book and is already filling orders.
Kat is passionate about helping people who have lost someone. When we first met, she had a spreadsheet and some notes, but was not sure what to do with them. She had not considered writing a book, and at first was a bit overwhelmed by the prospect. But the more we talked, and the more I assured her that she would not be alone in the process, the more excited she got. Over the next months, with help from the Legacy Book Solutions team, she worked hard to find a way to turn that passion into a book which will, in turn, turn a profit.
Let me highlight four basic things Kat did to make her book project a success:
Conducted Research. Kat read other books telling people how to handle the business affairs of a deceased person. She researched companies that provide complimentary services. She explored government and community agencies. She taught herself about the funeral home industry. She looked at wedding books for form ideas. “Take nothing for granted when you do your research,” Kat advises other writers. “Look at the big picture while keeping your eye on your final goal.”
Solicited Feedback. As Kat developed her idea, she went out and talked to funeral directors, religious professionals, grief councilors, hospice workers, and people who had recently lost someone close to them. She asked people for general impressions. She asked them if they would use the book. She asked what else they would like to see included. Again, Kat approached this with an open mind. “Even if you think what they say is irrelevant, remember this is how the customer is seeing your book. Negative feedback will just make the book better.”
Trusted the Experts. Using experts is always tough for the new self publisher. Kat was stressed out about how the book was going to look, how the forms were going to work, how the pages would flow. Then she talked to the designer. What seemed like an insurmountable problem to Kat was a simple fix for him. “Sure, you probably can do it all yourself. But is it worth your time?” asks Kat. “You will never be as happy with your own work as you are with the work of a professional.”
Created a Beta Version. Creating a beta version helped tackle two persistent problems self-publishing authors face. Like most self publishers, Kat is funding this project herself. She didn’t want to commit too much time or money to a project that might not work for her. And, like most authors, it was hard for her to stop tweaking her manuscript, finding another way to make it even better. Self publishing is becoming more popular, in part, because of advances in print technology that make small runs (where a printer prints fewer books) cheaper.
Kat took advantage of this to create what she calls her beta version. She is printing only 500 books of this beta version. This keeps her financial risk lower and gives her a chance to see how the book is being received and used by customers. Meanwhile, she is keeping track of notes and ideas she has for improving the book. This keeps her from falling into an endless cycle of changes, a trap that is easy for a self publisher to fall into. Kat has a book she is, rightfully, very proud of. And she has a head start on making it even better next time.
You can order Kat’s book Begin Here: Helping Survivors Manage at her website: www.helpingsurvivorsmanage.com.
