2023-2024 Key Book Publishing Paths by Jane Friedman

The Key Book Publishing Paths: 2023–2024

Should you self-publish or traditionally publish? This infographic will help you determine the best choice for you and your project.
Start Here: How to Self-Publish Your Book

Start Here: How to Self-Publish Your Book

This is an introductory guide to the major self-publishing options available to authors today, and how to choose the right service for you.
Aleatha Romig

Fan-Friendly Marketing and Kindle Worlds Licensing: Q&A with Aleatha Romig

Primarily an indie published author, Aleatha Romig participates in Kindle Worlds, which allows other authors to write about the characters in her work.
bestsellerdom

How Do Books Become Bestsellers? (Can Authors Increase Those Chances?)

Is a book's success all luck, even if 'luck' includes hitting the right subject matter at the right time, or is it marketing—and can an indie author in any way compete with a publisher?
Indie Author Fringe

Improve Book Sales Through Better Descriptions and Keyword Targeting

Is it better to have a long or short book description on Amazon? What should go in the first line? How do you research appropriate categories and keywords? Learn principles and tools to master the power of descriptions and reach your target market.
statistics about Amazon

9 Statistics Writers Should Know About Amazon

Did you know Amazon’s print book sales grew by 15% in 2016—and the gain was primarily driven by Amazon's own discounting on print?
book distribution

How to Get Your Book Distributed: What Self-Published Authors Need to Know

The most important thing any author needs to know about book distribution is that more than half of all book sales (regardless of format) take place online.
Digital Book World 2017 - photo by Porter Anderson

What the Industry Is Talking About: Best Takeaways for Authors From Digital Book World

My industry newsletter for authors, The Hot Sheet, released a special (and free) issue last week with original reporting from Digital Book World.
Kindle Press

How Kindle Press Made My Novel a Bestseller

In 2015, Kindle Press published about 90 novels. By the end of 2016, it had published a total of 218 books—all chosen through the Kindle Scout program.
Pronoun ebook distribution

Q&A with Pronoun: An Increasingly Competitive Ebook Distributor

Pronoun works with independent authors to distribute their ebooks to the five major online retailers: Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Google Play. Pronoun charges authors nothing upfront, and doesn't take a cut of ebook sales either.
amazon kdp select

Is Amazon Exclusivity Right for You?

There are advantages to selling ebooks only through Amazon, and makes most sense for authors who are just starting out or who are relatively unknown.
marketing roundup

Book Marketing Resources for Authors: The Best of 2016

Every year, I share hundreds (even thousands) of articles and reports on book marketing. Here, I look back on the best of what I found in 2016.
choose type campaign

Using Amazon KDP Ads to Sell Your Ebook on Amazon

Amazon offers two ways for authors to advertise ebooks at their site. Learn how to smartly set up and manage product display and sponsored product ads.
book publishing industry

Looking Back at 2016: Important Publishing Developments Authors Should Know

A round-up of important 2016 publishing news and trends that will affect authors in the years to come.
publishing industry

The Publishing Industry in 2016: A Status Update

Traditional publishers are experiencing a slump, and the decline of Barnes & Noble isn't helping. A look at news and trends in book publishing in 2016.
A white golf tee in a field of orange golf tees

What It’s Like to Score a Kindle Scout Book Deal

Author Ken Brosky discusses his Kindle Scout book deal and his and Amazon's marketing plans for The Proving.
Barry Eisler

5 On: Barry Eisler

Author Barry Eisler discusses the pros and cons (where they exist) of legacy, Amazon, and self-publishing; research and editing; selling book rights; and more.
An antique world map.

Selling Your Books Internationally

Helen Sedwick and Orna Ross discuss selling international rights to your book.
Friedman Penn podcast

Digital Publishing and Authorship in 2016: A Discussion with Joanna Penn

In conversation with Joanna Penn, I discuss digital publishing trends and what authors need to know as they head into 2016.
Mountains at the Glacier National Park reflected perfectly in a lake

How Writers Can Optimize Their Book’s Description on Amazon

Author and editor C. S. Lakin offers guidelines on crafting your Amazon book description to maximize sales.
industry trends for authors

5 Industry Issues for Authors to Watch in 2016

The most important publishing industry headlines and stories that every writer should keep an eye on in 2016.
author business

5 Observations on the Evolution of Author Business Models

As publishing becomes increasingly digital-driven, how are the business models for authorship changing?
Richard Nash

An Interview with Richard Nash: The Future of Publishing

The visionary independent publisher discusses how to make money from writing, why books are not culture, and why it isn’t Amazon’s fault.
Decline in Fiction Sales

The State of the Publishing Industry in 5 Charts

Take a look at 5 charts that reflect current trends in the book publishing industry, and what they mean for authors.
Amazon Publishing

My Experience Working with Amazon Publishing

Author Carol Bodensteiner answers the seven questions she gets most about working with Amazon Publishing.
Picture ebooks

How to Create Picture Ebooks for Kids

Amazon's Kids' Book Creator allows the average Joe to create illustrated children's books for the Kindle and upload them directly to Amazon.
Harry Bingham between houses

Why Authors Walk Away From Good, Big 5 Publishers

UK author Harry Bingham describes the four stages of his career, and why he's decided to self-publish after good experiences with traditional houses.
Long Term Change in US Fiction - Nielsen 2014

How Ebooks Have Changed the Print Marketplace: Digital Book World, Day 3

Nielsen offers specific figures on how ebook sales have affected print sales in adult fiction, adult nonfiction, and juvenile categories.
Digital Book World 2015 panel with Russ Grandinetti of Amazon

Amazon Discusses Kindle Unlimited & Kindle Select Participation: Digital Book World, Day 2

Amazon says that Kindle Select participation is healthy, and that the Kindle Unlimited ebook subscription service is leading to more reading and sales.
audiobooks

Indies & Audiobooks: An Alternative to ACX

If you don't like the terms offered by Amazon's ACX for selling your audiobook, you do have an alternative. Author Lee Stephen explains the path he took.
Writer Unboxed

Serial Fiction: How It’s Changing Publishing

My latest column at Writer Unboxed tackles serial fiction—and how it's changing writing, reading, and publishing. Here's a little snippet:
finding your readers

4 Ways to Find Readers Who Love Your Work

So you want to find those raving fans, right? Awesome. We’re about to give you the most boring advice possible. You’re probably going to be disappointed that we’re not going to offer you a magic way to get a ton more readers, but unfortunately that’s not how it works. Ideal fans and readers are gained a few at a time, and it takes time to build that bond, even if you experience a sudden and serendipitous burst of exposure.
Kindle Matchbook

Amazon MatchBook: How Publishers and Authors Can Work Together to Sell More

Bestselling author Michael J. Sullivan proposes that publishers give authors permission to send free ebooks to readers who have purchased print editions.