ebooks

Should you self-publish or traditionally publish? This infographic will help you determine the best choice for you and your project.

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

Word doesn't export to EPUB, but you can still produce an editable file quickly, without buying software or using a "meatgrinder" conversion.

Libraries represent a valuable opportunity for a book discoverability and sales, but librarians may not know your book exists without marketing outreach.

Author, publisher, and book marketer Julie Smith shares what she loves to write—and read—in a mystery, how her writing obsession evolved into marketing, the mistake many authors make with their book covers, and more.

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

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?

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.

In this post I regularly update the best resources I know of related to learning to publish an ebook, finding the right distributors and services, and staying on top of changes in the industry.

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?

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

How a self-publishing poet achieved visibility for her book—and landed a book deal with traditional publisher Andrews McMeel.

When embarking on a process that is new or unfamiliar, often you don't know what you don't know. A checklist helps you recognize what you don't know, so that many months later, you're not beating yourself up for complete ignorance. Without further ado, here are some of my most favored checklists, from sources I trust.

Last year, I began regularly contributing to Publishers Weekly on the topic of independent authorship and publishing. Here's a list of all my columns so far:

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.

I'm writing monthly for the IngramSpark blog, which is focused on the concerns of self-publishing authors and small presses.

If you're looking for an alternative to ACX and more control over your audiobook production and distribution, then ListenUp Audiobooks is worth a look.

For years, serialization has been discussed as a significant area of opportunity for reading and publishing in the digital age.

What authors need to know about current marketing practices and emerging business trends in the book publishing industry.

Writers' collectives can help independent authors gain an advantage in quality, cost control, and marketing.

The majority of authors will not benefit from paid book reviews, and should invest their time and money elsewhere. Here's why.

In conversation with Joanna Penn, I discuss digital publishing trends and what authors need to know as they head into 2016.

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

I am thrilled to announce that my 24-lecture series on how to publish your book is now available from The Great Courses.

Writing coach and author Angela Ackerman discusses techniques for identifying and connecting with your target reading audience.

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

Accessing the library market remains difficult for self-publishing authors, especially those with limited visibility. Here's what authors need to understand before spending time and energy on library distribution.

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

How an indie author turned a story concept into a full-fledged multimedia universe, including a live blog, illustrated journal, merchandise, and podcast.

Editor Jessi Rita Hoffman explains how to craft professional and compelling back-cover copy for your book.

A growing number of authors with serious literary cred are finding greater financial success—and a welcoming community—in the romance business.

SELF-e offers self-published authors a way to distribute ebooks to libraries, but without any pay. The team behind SELF-e addresses the money issue.

A group of literary authors have launched a limited edition box set of novels. How did they make the collaboration work?

You can find marketing inspiration in what others have done, but also know that the less advertised “strategies” might actually be the ones worth pursuing.

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.

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

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.

Giving away your work isn't a problem if you've developed a strategy around it, and know how to turn new readers into fans.

Nielsen offers specific figures on how ebook sales have affected print sales in adult fiction, adult nonfiction, and juvenile categories.

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

Nielsen offers fascinating insights into how the children's market is driving growth in the overall publishing industry.

Old post alert! This was published in 2014 and some aspects of Kindle Unlimited have changed. If you're investigating whether

Note from Jane: Today's guest post is by Beate Boeker (@BeateBoeker), whom I met at the International Women's Fiction Festival in

Note from Jane: I am very grateful to Ed Cyzewski (@edcyzewski) for today's guest post, where he shares valuable insights