Develop a Plan for How Your Self-Publishing Empire Will Function - Developing a Business Plan Part II

You have made the big decision to self-publish. The process of researching the industry has begun and you are diligently gathering ideas and information for a business plan to insure the success of your fledgling empire.

As you engage in this process, ask yourself how will your self-publishing business function? Is it meant to drive sales and derive income by:

• serving strictly as a source of entertainment for your readers? (fiction)
• serving as a "how to" source of information for your readers? (non-fiction)
• providing a platform for other sales opportunities?
• provide a platform to create other revenue streams?

The answer to this question will determine how you market your book, interact with your readers, how many books you may need/want to write, determine the form in which the book is published and countless other business decisions that you will have to make as a self-publishing author.

Authors often view the book as the sole means of income in the publishing business. A book can actually be just the tip of the iceberg.

Merchandising can be huge for fiction authors, and in come cases this is true for non-fiction as well.
Speaking opportunities can result from a book which often earns an author more than the book itself.

Other products can be introduced and marketed as the result of the success of the book, particularly a how to book or one aimed at a particular niche market where information is valuable.

When you are crafting your business plan, keep all of these issues in mind. Always look for alternate viable sources of income that can be derived from self-publishing your book.