How to Own a Shelf:

Previously, you could publish a single book, observe its reception, and then consider publishing another later. That time has since passed. Now you must continue adding to your authorship list every year or every two years.

(i) Short is the New Long

We encourage authors to adapt to the new writing strategy that short is the new long. Not every book you publish must be lengthy, but it must be of high caliber. How brief is brief? We recommend about 20,000 words to be sufficient for a book.

(ii) Be Known for Quality

The more (high-quality) work you continue to distribute, the more you will “own” your shelf space. This means that consistently delivering high-quality work will establish your reputation and make you stand out from the crowded book space. As a result, readers will trust your brand, be loyal and more likely to choose your books or programs.

What are the non-negotiables in book quality? Good storytelling, Editing, proofreading, layout, foundational publishing standards and print quality. Making an initial investment in the publishing phase will allow you to reap over a long period of time. Please pay someone to do a professional job for you at the beginning and capitalise on that to build a following and gain returns later.

(iii) Capitalise on Having Broken the First Book’s Barrier

By the fact that you are in the ACABA program, it means you already have a published book.

If this is your first book, well done. We acknowledge that the first step is always the hardest. But once you have overcome that initial challenge, you can leverage your success to propel yourself forward. By capitalising on the momentum gained from breaking through the first book’s barrier, you will find writing subsequent books becoming easier and more attainable. So get on to writing…

While you at it, remember to keep building upon your initial publication by exploring different formats, such as audiobooks, podcasts, blogging. e-books etc., think of the next book to cater to a wider range of readers. We will go to more depth on this in the second year of ACABA during the 10-months Authors Training and Empowerment program from February to November.

What You Need to Know to Publish Your First or Subsequent Books

We put together foundational information to help you improve your writing towards owning your shelf. You can interact with the content as and when needed.

Find all the steps here: Publishing in Africa 

Step1: Prepare Yourself to Get Published…
Step2: Let’s Talk About Publishing
Step3: Factors to Consider Before Self Publishing
Step4: Requirements for Self Publishing

Step5: Publishing Steps – Review
Step5a: How to Write a Book Dedication
Step5b: How to Write a Book’s Foreword
Step5c: How to Write a Book Introduction
Step5d: How to Write a Book’s Conclusion
Step5e: How to Write an Author’s Bio
Step5f: How to Write a Book’s Blurb
Step5g: What to Include in the Copyright Page and Complete the Copyrighting Process
Step5h: How to Write an Acknowledgment
Step5i: How to Write a Table of Contents 

Step6a: How to Write a devotional
Step 6b: How to Write a Captivating Novel
Step 6c: How to Use Dialogue in Story Writing
Step 6d: How to use ‘Show Don’t Tell’ in Story Writing
Step 6e: How to Elevate a Flat Non-Fiction Christian Book to Make it personal and Engaging
Step6f: Ethical ways to use other people’s public stories in a non-fiction Christian book
Step6g: How to overcome the challenge of mixed languages in writing a manuscript

In Conclusion
Having by-products from a book can be a bookselling strategy. Having by-products from a book can be a bookselling strategy because it allows you to reach a larger audience and cater to different preferences. By offering these additional products, you are able to engage with readers who may prefer one by-product over another. This not only expands your potential customer base but also increases the visibility and accessibility of your work, cross-selling and up-selling and ultimately leading to increased sales and success as an author.