For business professionals there is both good news and bad news when it comes to publishing a book.

First, here’s the good news: With the availability of a wide variety of self-publishing and print-on-demand publishing options these days, it’s never been easier for anyone to write and publish a book.

Now…here’s the bad news: With the availability of a wide variety of self-publishing and print-on-demand publishing options these days, it’s never been easier for anyone to write and publish a book.

Yep, the fact that there are so many easy to find, affordable publishing options these days is both the good AND the bad news.

It’s good news because it’s now so easy for business people to become credible experts in their line of work. But it’s bad news because it tends to result in many, many people writing many, many books that simply don’t sell. And a book that doesn’t sell isn’t necessarily a poorly written book. Here are just a few other reasons that so many people are writing so many books that just don’t sell.

1. There’s no market for the book. Anyone can write a book. But that doesn’t mean there will be anyone out there who wants to buy it – at least not anyone other than family and friends. Yet, so many first-time authors are in such a hurry to write and publish their book that they don’t bother to study the markets first to see if anyone wants to read a book like the one they wish to write.

2. The book has nothing of real value to the reader. True, all any book HAS to do is entertain the reader. But a book that tends to sell usually does MORE than that. It gives the reader some directions or tips that he can apply to his own life or at least something to think about deeply (the book has an important universal theme, for example). A book that tells how the author overcame personal hardships and struggles can be very motivating and inspirational. But the reader will expect the book to include tips or steps that he/she can follow to overcome his/her own hardships and struggles.

3. The author has no marketing plan for promoting and selling the book. Unless the author works with a publisher who has some distribution plan for the book, getting the book in bookstores and libraries is the complete responsibility of the author. And most new authors have no idea how to get their books in bookstores. In fact, many bookstores will not carry self-published or P.O.D. books because they cannot return copies when people do not buy them. Also, many authors simply want to have their own book to sell in the back of the room when they give presentations at professional events. This is a great idea. But it should be only PART of an overall marketing plan.

If you’re thinking of writing a book to build credibility as an expert in your field, gain publicity for yourself and your business, and help readers solve a significant problem in their lives, avoid these 3 common mistakes and you’ll be much more likely to create a good book AND a book that sells.

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