This seems like an easy way to make 10 mill, but how did all these authors become known, and why isn't everyone doing it? Has anyone ever tried to get a book published before? With fitness, it must be a pain in the butt putting down a "general" fitness plan. Whew... sounds rough.
This seems like an easy way to make 10 mill, but how did all these authors become known, and why isn't everyone doing it? Has anyone ever tried to get a book published before? With fitness, it must be a pain in the butt putting down a "general" fitness plan. Whew... sounds rough.
Getting a book published is not as easy as it would seem. There is usually a catch 22 when you are looking to get into writing.
For example in order to write for any major publication, you usually have to have writing experience for a major publication.
If you want to get a book published you probably would have to show a lot of work to the publishers. These best selling authors your talking about often got lucky or were associated with someone (i.e. Dr. Phil).
I think the best way to go at it would be to start with a website or blog and test your writing out locally in a free newspaper, etc.
Check out www.activevoice.com , Amanda Vogel teaches fitness professionals how to write articles etc for fitness publications. She has been published all over the place. Maybe she can help you!
I wrote the books for health/fitness pros who have some sort of platform, meaning their names or systems are well known (which is important for non-fiction book publishing).
One person is the founder of a major fitness franchise - Baby Boot Camp. The other is a yoga expert and recording artist with a sibling who's a celebrity. Platform.
I wrote about getting a fitness book published on my blog not too long ago.
One more thing ... Adam speculated that writing a fitness book is an easy way to make tons of money. Not really. Some authors do - like a sought-after celebrity, for example. But the average non-fiction book author does not.
Think of a book as a steady stream of passive income and a way to gain tons of credibility and more career opportunities.
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Amanda Vogel, MA human kinetics
Active Voice Writing Service for fitness professionals
I'm on the Dr. Phil show, and writing my own book, but I'm self publishing
Hey Guys,
So, this is my first "Post" to the JP Fitness Forum. In reading through, I am excited about all the information we are able to provide to each other through this community resource.
I saw a comment about getting lucky or being associated with big shows or Dr. Phil in how you get a book published..
I am Celebrity Trainer, Shawnee Harkins and I am on Dr. Phil's new weight loss-series, "The Ultimate Weight Loss Race" airing now on CBS. I also have another show, called "The Hydra Executives", airing currently on an international level...of course, I've got a lot of other projects going on....but I say this all because...I am currently writing my first fitness book, and of course, I am looking to make it different from all the normal fitness books we already know exists..after research and guidance from top selling authors....I decided as a first time author to SELF-PUBLISH through a small publishing house.
Why? You keep 100 % of Royalties and Revenue, You have full creative control
It is a small investment to self-publish...but it's worth it...REMEMBER anything you believe in, is worth investing in..
So, don't always look to the big boys like Dr. Phil to get your book published or think you have to "be lucky"....GO OUT AND CREATE IT FOR YOURSELF!
I agree that self-publishing can be well worth it! I've made good money with the e-books that I've written and sell through my own website. But the books I wrote for publishing houses provide a certain kind of credibility that e-books sometimes don't. Both options have pros and cons.
Today's self-publishing industry is a great option for a lot of experts and professional writers. However, I do think you still need a certain amount of platform, even for self-published titles.
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Amanda Vogel, MA human kinetics
Active Voice Writing Service for fitness professionals
Working on my first major e-book myself! Very challenging, but great fun! Will let you all know when it is done and if any of you would like to proof read it that would be great!
I work in publishing and I can tell you it's not easy to get a book published, especially if you're writing about something that's already been written about extensively and has a lot of competition. Publishing is a business and no publisher is going to take a chance on a fitness book that is just a repeat of so many others UNLESS the author is a celebrity, which is why you see so many fitness/health books written by celebrities--usually with a co-author who is the real expert. Amanda gives some excellent advice. If you are lucky enough to get your book published, chances are you won't make a ton of money, or much money at all.
Self-publishing is certainly an option, but the problem with that is you have to do your own marketing or pay the firm that published your book to do it. If you're already 'known' that might not be an issue. For example, Shawnee might not have any trouble marketing her book because she is known, but what about the rest of us? And as Amanda said, getting your book published by a publishing company adds a certain amount of credibility that self-publishing doesn't provide. Publishing companies also do the marketing and promotional stuff for you, as well as copyediting and proofreading.
But I never tell people not to write books. If it's something you feel strongly about and there's a market for it, go for it. If you send it to publishers and have no luck, you can always self-publish.
Writing a Best Seller
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