by Penny Sansevieri
Sometimes, while the re-release sounds like a fabulous idea, it’s not always clear whether your book would really benefit. Let’s have a look at some of the characteristics of an ideal re-release candidate:
- The topic isn’t quite right. Maybe you got it wrong. Maybe something changed. Maybe pop-culture references are out of date.
- Sales have dropped off. If your sales are lagging or if they were never what you hoped for, then maybe this is a good time to redo and re-release the book.
- Very few reader reviews. This is a problem, as I mentioned above, because the older the book gets, the harder it is to get new reviews for it. Honestly, readers often give up simply because it looks like the author did, too.
- Trending topics. Maybe there’s a topic that’s trending right now or it’s in the news. Maybe your book was slightly ahead of its time! If you can anchor your book to something current, you may want to consider a re-launch.
- Book cover. I see a lot of bad book covers that bury really excellent books. Trust me when I say that potential buyers DO judge a book by its cover. If your cover isn’t up to par, as in it wouldn’t stand a chance next to the books on the shelf at Target, this may be a good time for a redo.
- Major industry changes. Some industries change rapidly. If your book screams “dated,” but you’re not ready to give up on its potential, update it.
If you think re-releasing your book may be a great way to boost sales or help out your backlist, then I encourage you to check out my book, How to Revise and Re-Release Your Book: Simple and Smart Strategies to Sell More Books, for more ideas and inspiration.
Penny Sansevieri, CEO and founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc. (AME) and an adjunct professor at NYU, is a best-selling author and internationally recognized book marketing and media relations expert. Her company is one of the leaders in the publishing industry and has developed some of the most cutting-edge book marketing campaigns.