This week's focus:

In today's publishing climate, nothing influences a publisher's interest more than the strength of an author's platform. If publishers don't think you can help sell books, then they will pass on your proposal and choose someone else. This mentality applies to every author, including first-timers struggling to get a contract all the way to former bestsellers seeking to land a new deal.

The problem is that most authors spend over 80% of their time writing a manuscript but less than 20% preparing for how they'll market that book. Yet, it's the marketing part that usually determines whether or not a book ever gets published. Publishers gravitate to books that they believe will sell in the marketplace. How do you convince them that your book is worth the financial risk? Show them a solid marketing plan.

Marketing a book requires hard work, but the process itself is fairly straightforward. You can boil it down to three simple questions:

1. What the value of my book?

2. Who needs this value the most?

3. Where do readers who need my book's value congregate in large groups?

When you clarify answers to these questions, your marketing path will get clearer. However, your answers won't do you any good if don't put them into a plan of action. You can't market a book in a lackadaisical fashion and expect good results. It's one thing to know what to do, but another thing to execute effectively.

That's why there are numerous benefits to creating a written marketing plan. By taking the time to spell out what you're going to do, how you're going to do it, and when you're going to do it, you show publishers that you can be an promotional ally, rather than a financial risk. When publishers view you as an asset, then more likely they'll offer you a contract and open the doors to their promotional resources.

How do you write a powerful book marketing plan?

If you've never done it before, don't waste time trying to figure it out on your own. Get a copy of my new "Marketing Plan Templates for Fiction and Non-Fiction Authors." These easy-to-use templates guide you through each step of writing a professional-quality book marketing plan. When you finish, you'll have a powerful promotional tool that's sure to impress literary agents, editors, and publishers.

After all the time you invest in writing a manuscript, don't forget to invest in writing a marketing plan that insures your success. Click here for more information about my expert guides for fiction and non-fiction authors.