Most writers will sit down to write as soon as they get a book idea. However, creating a successful book idea and getting it published often involves more than that. Mapping your way to publication involves looking towards the future. The smart author will consider additional books or spin-off that may come from their original book idea. They will also be looking at the business aspects of the book project early on, before writing is even completed. 

Aspiring authors should create a business plan just as if they were going to launch a new business. A book is a product, after all, and a business venture. To achieve the goal of successful authorship, developing a business plan is essential. The process of developing a business plan can be referred to as mapping your way to publication. 

Authors can map their way to successful publication with the following business plan steps.

The business plan is created before any actually writing begins. A book proposal serves as the plan for the business plan for the author's book. A book proposal is not exclusive to those who publish traditionally; it's also a great idea for self publishers.

1.    Determine the market – Identify the ideal reader and how many of them exist. This helps you write for the market.

2.    Identify the competition – This helps you decide how to make a book unique and necessary in a category.

3.    Evaluating the book idea- Is it marketable? How can it provide more benefit to readers or provide something that isn't already being provided by books in the category?

4.    Evaluate yourself – Do you have a platform—a built-in readership for the book? Do you have the proper credentials? Will you write more than one book?

5.    Create a promotion plan – How will you help sell the book?

6.    Create a table of contents and chapter summaries – This provides the structure and content of the book and is based on earlier steps.

Once you have a business plan centered around the idea of the book, you will have a solid reference point to use throughout the book writing and creation process. At any point, you can look at this business plan and see where they are in the plan's path and what steps you still need to accomplish. 

Creating an Author Brand

Business planning helps authors consider if they will become a multi-title authors as well, and this helps them create an author brand. Are you a multiple-book author? It may be something you have not thought of before so now is the best time to consider the potential of your book. The more books an author writes and publishes, the more they can sell with the publishing company. One book builds off the sales and popularity of the other and so on and so forth. 

Writing books early in your career without knowing if you plan to be a multi-title author is like taking a trip without a map or directions. You can't get to where you are going when you can't see the path. You have a great chance to succeed over time if you create multiple titles, but this requires planning from the early stages of the first book. 

When you plan to publish more than one book, think about your author brand. Just like branding for a company, your author name will be branded. People who purchase one book from you will form opinions that mean they are likely to purchase another. You need to ensure proper branding and that your message remains clear in all of your books. 

A series of books or certain types of books will become your brand. Then over time, you can roll out your books when and how you choose. Everything will fall into place because you have mapped your way to successful publication and authorship.