There are certain steps to publishing your creative work. But there is also peripheral information to consider.

And I’m discovering these additional steps as I follow this path of writing, self-directed publishing and coaching.

While talking to a fellow the other day about his writing project and the steps involved in publishing his work, he brought up a great point, one that writers don’t often consider in our excitement to get our book into print.

Who else has my title?

Most writers, of course, research other publications that may share the clever or ingenious title that they have already become attached to and do not want to change.

Books can share the same title.

Maybe a tweak here or simple modification there in order to set your book apart.

But

What this fellow writer found was not another book with his witty title, but a website.

That may pose a problem.

Or not.

It definitely has to be factored into the equation before you publish your book.

And not only your book

When you set up your ISBN account, you will come up with your publishing name.

This may be the name of a company you already own and run followed by the word Press or Publishing. It could be the combination of letters from your children’s names, like Guy Kawasaki did for his Nononina Press. It could be the name of your beloved childhood hamster, Rex, or your kid’s Minecraft account: squishyunicorn123 Press. You get the idea.

Once again, you need to research who has this name before you register it as your own.

I called my publishing arm Anna’s Angels Press. Partly because I had about 10 minutes to come up with something and still make my publishing deadline, and partly because I hadn’t yet read Guy Kawasaki’s book APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur. The merging of my kids’ names would have made a great (and unique) publishing house name.

A few days later, I decide to see where else Anna’s Angels appears on the inter webs.

Of course, charity events appeared as did dog rescue books and organizations. That made sense. But, I didn’t expect the UK-based escort service. Thankfully, they have yet to publish a best seller and aren’t on the top of the Google search heap.

My point… and I do have one

Know how you are going to use your book. Not only for marketing but in your business.

Will you have an author website to showcase all your books? Or will you create a website around your book brand?

Does your book complement your business and will you need to secure the title as your website and marketing? Who else shares a similar title to your book? What is their business? How are they using it? Is there a trademark or copyright involved?

Search it!

Do your due diligence.

Don’t publish your book only to discover someone else has an awesome and well-followed blog with a similar title – especially if it’s in the same industry as you.

It’s tricky, I know. With the sheer number of books and services available, coming up with a distinct name or title can be a challenge.

But I believe in you, my friend. You’ll create something awesome.