Sunmark creates a large variation of books, but whatever the category, we recognize that readers want to be emotionally moved. Be it factual revelations, painful stories, loving moments, inspiring characters, or exciting insights. If a book isn’t connecting to an emotion, it’s not connecting to your reader.
How do you recognize great writing? For some, great writing is when a reader doesn’t realize they are actually reading and they simply start to see…they see inside the author’s mind. Great writing isn’t just about the text. It’s about the vision it creates.
If you are not interested in reading the material you are working with, how do you expect your readers to be? Work with text that works for you.
Just as a good book has good characters, we strive to be a publishing company with good character. What is the best character or friend you would like to have in your life? A publishing company can be a friend that your readers connect with and keep a relationship with.
Sometimes great authors do not realize the wider appeal of their writing, because they are too focused in their area of expertise. It’s true that the author may need to be paying all their attention to their one particular area of expertise to provide valuable information. But it is up to the editor to bring this value to as many people as possible. Read between the lines to recognize who will read the lines.
To notice new stories it helps to be excited by every new day. There are new scientific discoveries every day, new world events, new people being born and people passing away. Even if what you notice is simply a new angle on an old story, that is an original insight. Being excited by life and the fresh potential of each new day, allows one to see and feel these new ideas. This is the duty and pleasure of those who create books.
Too many times the visuals for a book become the last consideration. It’s true that a picture can say a thousand words. So for the readers sake, invest time into making the visuals as good as the words. Consider it a thousand more words for the book.
We observe buyers at bookshops around the world. Most buyers give each book cover only a few seconds glance when they are browsing. Eventually they are attracted by one cover, open it and read further. So a book needs a fantastic cover to catch their eyes quickly. Research the target market of your book. Learn what attracts them. Not only this, it is also important to study what else your book is competing against in its category. With only a few seconds to stand out on the bookshelf, it’s important to cover your market.
A book is often only read once. Repeat reading will not only bring about new perceptions, but hence, new learning. Good information can be lost if we are not reminded of it and put this learning into daily practice. For reading or writing, repeat viewing is essential to keep improving.
We like to work with writers who have experienced much in life and bring their precious learning to others. Be it academic or otherwise, truth is what connects. It ideally advances people and society. Back the truth and you always back a winner.
You need to think about whether it's a book that is worth the cost, and if it causes a change or leaves the reader satisfied. Always put yourself in the readers' shoes as you give shape to the most important message of the book.
When embarking on a book, go into it with the mind that you will produce a definitive work that will make even the author say that it's his/her greatest work.
An author's first book is the one that overwhelmingly reflects their energy. Authors who are famous now were once unknown. Editors show their true skill when they bring out that initial explosive power and refine it into a book.
Good books sell well, and there are no good books that do not sell. Simply aiming to make good books is only half the task. For professionals, producing a good book goes without saying. An editor's true ability and even the fate of a book greatly depend on whether the editor can fully devote him/herself to turning a good book into one that will sell well.
If you just edit a book to give it a theme that you think might be popular, you will only end up scattering the energy that the author put into the book. By focusing on an unusual, yet essential part that maybe even the author had never realized, you can produce a book that is full of the author's original energy.
The bizarre, is when things are different from their generational norm. These things actually have the potential to make something that will bring forth the next generation. Just as many living things adapt when presented with a sudden change, new bestsellers come about when there's a fresh new image or surprise.
It doesn't make sense to do an editing job that doesn't go beyond a smooth process. You must think about how to make the most interesting part of the book also the most exciting for the reader. Always have a clear image of the "crux" and produce a book that has a resolution.
People are able to change when they are surprised by something. Change is growth. Strive to produce books that can change readers and eventually the world. Create books that shed light on a future that our generation has not yet discovered.
Bestsellers are created when you provide unprecedented answers that resonate with readers. When we publish books, we don't assume they will sell well because of the author or the content. We believe that books that contain "uncommon sense" are the ones that are really valuable.
Books contain a combined energy of the all people that pour their energy into them. From the author, to the all the people involved up to the time the books reach their readers. The more energy a book contains, the more people talk about it and spread news about it. For that reason, each person working on a Sunmark book plays their part to ensure that the energy reaches its highest level.
It's impossible to produce books that are loved by readers and have an impact on people's lives, unless you always set your mind on work that goes beyond the confines of 'work'. Venture out and don't be discouraged if you fail the first time. Later on, the chances you take will pay off and lead to even bigger success.
The truth is written in simple language that is easy to understand. It's actually easier to write something complicated. You can tell the real ability of an author if they are able to simplify both easy and difficult subject matter into something that people can understand without any difficulty. Allowing one to think about the message, not the medium it is conveyed by.
Once a book gets big enough to have a public response, you can begin great endeavors without fear of risk. It is important to have the attitude to try the right things at the right time, based on your own ideas and without worrying about past events.
If the people producing a book are determined to make it a success, the book is on its way to becoming a bestseller. If the writers themselves don't set their goals high and have a clear vision of the prospects, they won't be able to see the course they should take to get there.
The natural universal principles of life govern more than we easily recognize. Everything from living things, to the rise and decline of businesses and nations, are all governed by natural universal principles. Sunmark keep all this in mind when thinking about the direction that a book is likely to take. We keep our goals high, while being aware of staying in harmony with the natural principles of life.
Even though Sunmark has only 40 employees, by concentrating effort on their work without restricting themselves to areas of responsibility, Sunmark has so far been able to produce 6 million-selling books.
Rather than be content when a book is well received, we constantly think of ways to extend its potential. Even for books that have only been on sale for a few hours, we think about the timing for a second and third release. Once again actively planning how to extend the sales.
In order to change the world through your work, the first thing you need to do is decisively change yourself. Rather than rely only on instructions that were given in the past, refuse to be satisfied with the status quo. Be determined to continue growing day by day and you will melt preconceptions.
For publishers, enduring bestsellers are invaluable. For example, 50,000 reprints of a book are comparable to the value of 10 new publications. Having said that, publishers always need to focus not only on new books, but also on books that are already in print to ensure that they continue to sell for a long time.
The bookstore is where it all happens in our industry. Some information can only be acquired when salespeople head out to the bookstores where they can be closest to the readers. This also allows then to be communicating with bookstore employees as much as possible. Suggestions from bookstores are some of the most valuable insights we learn about our promotions.
All Sunmark employees ascertain the possibilities for a new book and work as one team to actively promote it. By doing so, the one book promotion can lead to 10 times the initial response and at times even more than a hundred times the response.
Even when it seems like the response to a book has subsided, you never know what could rekindle its popularity. Sometimes sales can increase beyond your expectations after a sudden push from TV exposure or when the author is interviewed. For this reason, we always keep the possibility of long-term sellers in mind.