The first time I published, I went with Ingram Spark because I heard it would be easier to get into bookstores and libraries. That claim is false. While theoretically your books can be ordered by libraries, it’s unlikely they will – you need to get them reviewed by MG/YA book reviewers or big organizations. You The 3 secrets to...
I see a lot of inexperienced authors saying things like, “If that crappy book can sell a million copies, mine will do way better.” This post will break down all the errors in that statement. First, it’s good to know your competition. But you also need to respect it. Authors who make statements like that often haven’t...
UPDATE: I made a video talking about this stuff but it’s down at the bottom of this post. Scroll down to see it. I’ve been self-publishing for about a decade, and have sold about 50,000 books. I haven’t made a living (yet), and like most self-publishing gurus and experts, I make my living in services The 3 secrets to book...
I talk SO MUCH about book cover design, but I thought it would be easier to just see all the important stuff in one simple book cover design checklist. So before you publish (or if you see someone’s hideous cover and want to gentle encourage them to make a better one) please share and use The 3 secrets to book marketing, and a haunted...
Today someone involved with a prestigious writing retreat requested to join my Facebook group, then immediately spammed us with a last chance offer to join an expensive online writing course. Technically, she was offering something that could have appealed to writers, so I felt bad for deleting the post, but on the other hand… you The...
For a couple years I’ve been telling authors to publish like a business: put out a “minimal viable novel” and get some feedback before betting the farm. Finish 5 chapters before writing the whole book. If you can’t get real readers to love the first 5 chapters, writing the rest is a waste of time. The 3 secrets to...
I have something to say and I feel it needs to be said, though I’m not sure what exactly it is. On the eve of publishing my first fiction, I’m coming to terms with the potentiality of failure, and it’s one of the saddest things I’ve ever known. Maybe it’s because I just watched Me The 3 secrets to book...
It’s a new year! In 2015 I decided to focus on my writing, and this month I’m gearing up to launch my first fiction. I’ve been posting a lot of advanced Amazon hacking and guerrilla book marketing stuff on my blog, but I realized that’s too much for people who are still struggling to finish The 3 secrets to book...
I’ve learned so much about self-publishing in the last few years, and now – as I begin to focus on publishing more books of my own – I wanted to share my appreciation for some of the amazing people who keep me inspired. I started this list awhile back thinking I could get pictures with The 3 secrets to book marketing, and a...
Today I saw that Hugh Howey had posted an article on book cover design. “That’s cool,” I think. Hugh Howey is one of the most successful self-publishing authors in the world. He started out with pretty unprofessional book covers that embody the design tastes of most indie authors (they focus on scenes and symbolism and The...
This isn’t my first book conference, but I’m definitely an outsider here. The London Book Fair is the first book fair I’ve been to that’s firmly for publishing professionals. As a concession to the self-publishing authors who have won themselves a piece of the publishing pie, the London Book Fair has provided a whole...
I was chatting with friends at the London Book Fair when one of them reminded me of a presentation on book cover design; which I felt duty bound to attend. Frankly, I wasn’t expecting much, since I consider the cover design strategies I recommend for indie authors to be avant garde and not mainstream. But Damien Horner The 3 secrets to...
