4 Lessons from 4 Years of Self-Publishing
It’s hard work and there’s no magic formula to boost sales, but you’ll also find a passionate audience and a strong sense of accomplishment.
Search Results for: self-publishing
Why Self-Publishing Authors Should Consider Establishing Their Own Imprint
Imprints aren’t just for big publishers; any self-publishing author can invent an imprint under which to operate. In this guest post, consultant and author David Wogahn explains the many ways that an imprint can help your branding and marketing.
The Rewards and Challenges of Self-Publishing Children’s Books: Q&A with Four Authors
A Q&A on children’s self-publishing with authors Zetta Elliott, who has released several books under her own imprint, including picture books; Brent Hartinger, who self-published a young adult series and a new adult series; Cheryl Klein, the author of a self-published a work of nonfiction; and Stephen Mooser, who released a middle grade book on his own.
The 13 Most Common Self-Publishing Mistakes to Avoid
For every new venture, there is a learning curve. When it comes to self-publishing your book, however, that curve can be steep.
Self-Publishing a Debut Literary Novel: The Actions, The Costs, The Results
A self-published author breaks down her expenses and resulting sales after promoting on social media and email, paying for reviews, advertising, and more.
My New Series of Columns on Self-Publishing
I’m writing monthly for the IngramSpark blog, which is focused on the concerns of self-publishing authors and small presses.
The Self-Publishing Checklist: Editorial, Production, and Distribution
This printable and interactive checklist guides your self-publishing project to completion, to ensure you don’t miss any important steps and to help you hit your target pub date.
The Value of Agent-Assisted Self-Publishing
Read my feature article for Writer’s Digest magazine that explores the intersection of literary agents and self-publishing
Self-Publishing Beyond the Book: Serializing, Podcasting, and Merchandising
How an indie author turned a story concept into a full-fledged multimedia universe, including a live blog, illustrated journal, merchandise, and podcast.
Is Self-Publishing a Viable Option for Literary Fiction Writers?
Should literary writers consider self-publishing? How it might affect their long-term careers? Two agents weigh in.
Is Self-Publishing a Good Springboard to Traditional Pub?
Learn about the likelihood of securing a traditional book deal after self-publishing.
The Business of Self-Publishing Children’s Picture Books: Two Literary Agents Weigh In
Two literary agents offer their thoughts on the self-publishing of children’s books and what the future of the picture book might look like.
Self-Publishing: Is It the Most Important Conversation for Traditional Publishers?
Is it possible that all the changes happening in publishing can be encapsulated by a conversation about self-publishing?
Agent-Assisted Self-Publishing and the Amazon White Glove Program
There are no “rules” for agent-assisted self-publishing, but the biggest drawbacks are usually loss of control and loss of royalties. All authors should negotiate a contract beforehand that protects their rights and lifetime earnings.
Self-Publishing and Traditional Publishing: Enjoy the Best of Both Worlds
CJ Lyons (@cjlyonswriter) is an award-winning, critically acclaimed New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She practiced pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine for 17 years before scoring her first big book deal, after which she quit her job and decided to become a full-time author. However, a few weeks before her first book was to be published, it was pulled for reasons […]
Commodity Publishing, Self-Publishing, and The Future of Fiction
Many years ago, when I started working for Writer’s Digest, I was put on the self-publishing beat. I started by reading Dan Poynter’s guide, by the godfather of self-publishing, then the Marilyn Ross guide. I attended EPIC, once the leading conference for e-book authors, and sat on a panel with Piers Anthony to discuss the […]
Getting a Traditional Book Deal After Self-Publishing
Today’s guest post is by Judy L. Mandel, author of the Replacement Child, forthcoming from Seal Press in March 2013. I asked her to tell the story of self-publishing her memoir, which ultimately led to a traditional book deal from Seal. Most authors don’t give any credence to luck, but they lie. Luck has so […]
Why Self-Publishing Is a Tragic Term
Today’s guest post is by Ed Cyzewski. You may recall him from his previous post here, When Self-Publishing Is More Useful as a Marketing Tool. My friend Shawn recently released a book that shares his journey into full-time writing. It involves a failed small business, $50,000 in debt, a difficult return to his parents’ basement, […]
Video: Changes in Publishing & Self-Publishing
Some of you may have heard about the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), a new organization supporting self-published authors. I’m one of the advisors, along with Mark Coker (Smashwords), Joanna Penn (Creative Penn), and Victoria Strauss (SFWA), among other well-known publishing professionals. I discuss reasons for moving to VQR, changes in publishing and self-publishing and […]
When Self-Publishing Is More Useful As a Marketing Tool
The turning point of my long-term publishing plans came when I realized I have very little in common with author Joanna Penn. Have you heard of her? I started following Joanna on Twitter because she always shared great writing links, but I also began to follow her self-publishing story. She wrote a novel, released it […]
Writing and Publishing Horror: Q&A with Todd Keisling
The horror author shares what scares him, the authors who taught him the most about the genre, crowdfunding, trigger warnings, and more.
Traditional Publishing Enjoys Its Best Sales in a Decade—Despite Supply Chain Problems
Book publishing faces a very tight printing market at the same time that sales have increased to levels not seen for ten years.
A Writer’s Guide to Fair Use and Permissions + Sample Permissions Letter
If you need to request permissions from an author or publisher, here are general guidelines, plus a sample letter you can customize.
Do I Need Permission for That?
This class is now over and is unavailable for purchase. Sign up to receive announcements about upcoming classes. Learn how to stay out of legal trouble when using other people’s work Is it OK to use that song lyric in your memoir or novel? Will that one line really get you into trouble? What about chapter […]
Research Agents and Publishers Like a Pro
This class is now over and is unavailable for purchase. Sign up to receive announcements about upcoming classes. Learn how to efficiently research and assemble a quality list of agents and publishers who are right for your book. You have a polished manuscript or book proposal, and you’re ready to start pitching agents and publishers. But […]
3 Keys to Freelance Editing: Position, Package, and Price
When you’re starting out as a freelancer, it can be tempting to say yes to every project. But, as in writing, the key to success is often to go narrow.
Amazon Editorial Reviews: Are You Using This Incredible Section?
Editorial reviews are one of the most underrated tools in a self-publishing author’s arsenal. Learn what they are and how to manage them.
Effective Book Marketing for Any Author (Even If You’re Starting From Scratch)
Learn to develop the right strategies and tactics for book marketing that fit your path to publication, your personality, and your resources Whether you’re traditionally published or self-published, every author must give some thought to book marketing. But given how fast tools and techniques change, and how hard it is to attract attention (especially during […]
Writing, Pitching & Promoting in the Age of the Coronavirus
In this Q&A, agents Stefanie Sanchez Von Borstel and Leslie Zampetti tackle the complications of authorship and literary citizenship in the pandemic age.
About
“It takes guts to be gentle and kind.” —The Smiths About Jane Friedman (quickly) Jane Friedman has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in business strategy for authors and publishers. She’s the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential industry newsletter for authors, and has previously worked for F+W Media and […]
On Multi-Genre Publishing: Q&A with Hybrid Author Catherine Stine
In this interview, she discusses writing to trends, the limits of writing what you know, taking the time to discover your identity as an author, and more.
Diversify Your Writing Income: Build a Resilient Business Model for Your Career
This class is now over and is unavailable for purchase. Sign up to receive announcements about upcoming classes. Learn how to develop a diverse mix of revenue streams and future-proof your earnings If you want your writing to produce a consistent living wage, then it’s necessary to consider the business model that will support you—and how […]
How to Start Blogging: A Definitive Guide for Authors
How authors can blog successfully for long-term platform and book marketing efforts, with tips for online writing, strong headlines, and good SEO.
Creating Income and Connecting with Readers Using Short Fiction
This class is now over and is unavailable for purchase. Sign up to receive announcements about upcoming classes. How writers can maximize revenue and relevance Short fiction is enjoying a market resurgence and provides opportunities that can benefit you again and again over the long term of your career. It builds your author brand, grows […]
A New Book Publishing News Feed for Authors—Continuously Updated
A book publishing–focused newsfeed gathers headlines from across the industry; it is free to all and continuously updated and maintained by Jane Friedman.
The Complete Guide to Query Letters
The query letter has one purpose, and one purpose only: to seduce the agent or editor into reading or requesting your work. The query letter is so much of a sales piece that it’s quite possible to write one without having written a word of the manuscript. All it requires is a firm grasp of your story premise.
How to Self-Publish Your Book: Primer for First Timers
Sorry, this class has ended and the recording is only available to registrants. If you’d like to know when this class is offered again, sign up here. Learn to navigate the service landscape and avoid spending what you can’t earn back Many thousands of authors self-publish every year, often with the help of a publishing […]
Knowing When You’re Ready to Submit: Q&A with Adela Crandell Durkee
In this interview, she discusses discovering writing in mid-life, how she knew when her writing was ready, why she opted to self-publish, and much more.
How to Convert Book Readers into Email Subscribers
Obtaining readers for your book is hard enough. Once you have their attention, how do you make the most of it? Dave Chesson suggests “reader magnets”—incentives that turn strangers into subscribers.
The Key Book Publishing Paths: 2019-2020
Should you self-publish or traditionally publish? This infographic will help you determine the best choice for you and your project.
From Romance Novelist to Literary Novelist: Anna Schmidt
In this Q&A, Anna Schmidt discusses how she became a romance novelist, the nearly accidental way she acquired her current literary agent, her journey from successful romance novelist to self-published literary novelist, and more.
Public Libraries: How Authors Can Increase Both Discoverability and Earnings
Libraries represent a valuable opportunity for a book discoverability and sales, but librarians may not know your book exists without marketing outreach.
Indiana in July: Beginner and Advanced Workshops for Writers
In late July, I’ll be returning to my home state of Indiana to offer two workshops: one for beginning writers and another for published authors.
Identifying the Best Self-Published Books by State: The Indie Author Project
The Indie Author Project identifies the best self-published fiction by state; thirteen states participate so far. This year’s national winner is Ran Walker.
Changes to Amazon Advertising: What Authors Need to Know
Amazon has updated its advertising tools for authors, with mixed results. Kindlepreneur’s Dave Chesson breaks down the pros and cons of the new advertising modes, improved dashboard, and better ad targeting in Amazon Ads.
How to Define and Describe Your Readership: A Confusing Issue for Nonfiction Book Proposals
If you’re pitching a nonfiction book, at some point, an editor or agent will expect you to describe the readership that your book is intended for.
Take Charge of Your Creative Life: The SWOT Analysis
When you understand your SWOT as an author, you can take control over your time. You can stop fighting fires, and start focusing on the things that will truly help you in the long run.
How to Understand Your Reader’s Level of Awareness to Grow Your Fanbase
Readers start their journey to find new books in a broad sense, but eventually gain experience and understand more about what they are looking for. By understanding the awareness level of a reader, we can better position our books and gain long-term fans.
5 On: Russell Rowland
Author Russell Rowland discusses the big mistake he made with HarperCollins, whether the journey of writing is truly its own reward, why his Indiegogo campaign worked so well, and his experiences with publishing—from one of the Big 5 to self-publishing.
6 Questions to Help Nonfiction Writers Find Their Niche
No matter how many books have been written about a topic, there is probably some important facet that has not yet been covered thoroughly or well. A key driver behind success is understanding how you fit into the existing landscape, what distinguishes your work, and why it is likely to appeal to a particular audience.