While living in LA I joined IWOSC, a writer's group out of Culver City, CA. As part of my membership I attended several writing seminars to improve my knowledge and understanding as an author in the writing community. Being a part of a writing community helps to equip you with all of the tools needed to embark on your writing journey. One day I will use these tips, and the information I learned to publish my own self-help book, a conversational guide to engage in difficult topics dealing with relationships. In the meantime, here are some tips and resources to get you started:
Join a Writers's Group or an Association - Membership fees are relatively low for the year, most are less than $100 and feature webinars, workshops, guest speakers and marketing services for your projects and enhance your visibility as an author. Search the webs for local groups that service your area and your niche market.
Promote Yourself and Your Product - Ensure that you have a strong hook when you promote. Think of it as your slogan or tagline. How can you incorporate the concept of how your audience will utilize your book in one sentence?
Use Your Platform to Your Advantage - If you have a large audience (followers or subscribers) they will be the potential consumers of your written project. Use your platform to drive and determine the content for your book. Ask them what they want and need to know. Find out what their struggles and areas of need are and include it in your upcoming book.
Network in Your Industry - I can't stress how important it is to connect with other people and build your village. There are individuals who know more than you and are willing to support and collaborate with you on how to best appeal, serve and market in your industry.
Research, Research, Research - Learn all that you can about your industry. Make sure to provide your readers with the most up-to-date and useful information. Interview and collaborate with other experts and researchers. The goal is that you are providing your readers with value that they will be willing to pay for.
Website, Mailing List, Blog - Generate foot traffic to your site and build an audience of people that will be interested in your book once it is released. Collect email addresses to send out marketing emails, notifications and special offers for being a part of your community.
Freebies - Everyone loves something free. Consider giving a book away for free when promoting an eBook. The free items can directly connect to another product that your buyers will want because you hooked them with the free stuff!