Every author wants to know, What is the secret to making my book a best seller? Pouring our souls into manuscripts, we work hard hoping to touch hearts rather than make money. We sweat, cry, agonize, and scrutinize every word and paragraph. While not planning to get rich quick, we dream and hope that our books will be read by more than a few.
Malcolm Gladwell in his book The Tipping Point — Little Things Can Make a Big Difference says, "The Tipping Point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire."
Authors can have that "magic moment" when someone of influence (like Oprah) reads your book, loves it, and tells friends who tell friends who tell friends.
Oprah may not be reading your book, but be prepared. The tipping point could happen to you like it did to me in a quiet cafe in St. Petersburg, Russia..
Speaking in a quaint coffee shop to a small crowd, I was approached afterwards by a woman working with Trans World Radio saying, "Can we translate We All Married Idiots into Russian and can you come to my office Monday morning for an interview about your book?"
The interview lasted 90 minutes. Trans World Radio divided it into three 30 minute segments and broadcast them throughout Russia one after the other over an entire weekend. Wow! Book sales didn't tip, but my heart skipped as God's Word for marriages and We All Married Idiots — Three Things You Will Never Change About Your Marriage and Ten Things You Can covered the Russian air. Like a wild fire We All Married Idiots spread from a coffee shop to a continent. My magic moment for sure!
Please pray that Russians who heard this broadcast will change their attitudes and tip couples toward marriage.
I encourage my author/speaker friends to never turn down a speaking engagement because of the size of the audience. Always speak with clarity and enthusiasm and promote the book God gave to you with passion and professionalism. You never know who may be sitting in your audience who will tell their friends, who tell their friends. Or, perhaps you'll have opportunity to tell an entire country.
Remember this: In the long run book sales don't matter. People do.
Splashes of Serenity to all my writer friends!
Malcolm Gladwell in his book The Tipping Point — Little Things Can Make a Big Difference says, "The Tipping Point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire."
Authors can have that "magic moment" when someone of influence (like Oprah) reads your book, loves it, and tells friends who tell friends who tell friends.
Oprah may not be reading your book, but be prepared. The tipping point could happen to you like it did to me in a quiet cafe in St. Petersburg, Russia..
Speaking in a quaint coffee shop to a small crowd, I was approached afterwards by a woman working with Trans World Radio saying, "Can we translate We All Married Idiots into Russian and can you come to my office Monday morning for an interview about your book?"
The interview lasted 90 minutes. Trans World Radio divided it into three 30 minute segments and broadcast them throughout Russia one after the other over an entire weekend. Wow! Book sales didn't tip, but my heart skipped as God's Word for marriages and We All Married Idiots — Three Things You Will Never Change About Your Marriage and Ten Things You Can covered the Russian air. Like a wild fire We All Married Idiots spread from a coffee shop to a continent. My magic moment for sure!
Please pray that Russians who heard this broadcast will change their attitudes and tip couples toward marriage.
I encourage my author/speaker friends to never turn down a speaking engagement because of the size of the audience. Always speak with clarity and enthusiasm and promote the book God gave to you with passion and professionalism. You never know who may be sitting in your audience who will tell their friends, who tell their friends. Or, perhaps you'll have opportunity to tell an entire country.
Remember this: In the long run book sales don't matter. People do.
Splashes of Serenity to all my writer friends!
