When I say “pamper,” I’m guessing one or two images immediately pops into your mind. Luxury in today’s world means manicures and pedicures, gourmet meals, superyachts, and never having to wait in line at the DMV. Most importantly, perhaps, it is seen as something unattainable by all save a select few who hit the genetic lottery or who are otherwise incredibly lucky. But most people don’t get to live this life. Most people aren’t millionaires. To most people, self-publishing authors included, life is a constant series of negotiations between risk and reward, where “success” equates to keeping one’s head above water a little while longer, and “failure” means losing the house. Luxury and pampering is saved for special life events, like honeymoons and year-end vacations, only to illustrate even more clearly how impossible it is to attain these things easily and sustainably.
All this is true. But it shouldn’t stop you, a self-publishing author, from receiving the best services available in the design, formatting, and publication of your book.
I’m talking about premium options. And while it’s easy to see why some of these options, like cover enhancement on your book’s Amazon listing, are desirable. But it’s harder to see, I’d guess, why it’s worth pampering yourself with these options when they’re a kind of luxury. You can publish your book without them. So why pay for something you don’t strictly need? It’s the same old risk vs reward balancing act I mention, above, isn’t it?
I happen to think that certain luxuries are not just attainable for the common author but are revolutionary to that author’s marketing and sales experience. The problem with premium options on Amazon is that they truly are a kind of pampering–in that they’re not something the common author can do by him or herself. They take special access to the Amazon publication system, special design skills, and a killer instinct for the constraints of the form. Basically, the financial obstacles may be easily overcome and the social ones too, but there remains an expertise gap to cross.
Which is why I strongly recommend paying, just this once, for that little luxury–a payment that recoups enormous dividends in the self-publishing author’s sales figures. If you’re wondering about the specifics, premium options on Amazon allow readers to see your book featured in a larger and more eye-catching setup in their keyword search results, to see inside your book and read some front-page material in a preview … and to see your book cover right away, rather than waiting the four weeks or so that it ordinarily takes the images to be processed. These are not small advantages–they are the make-or-break features that often determine whether a new reader clicks their way into learning more about your book and, of course, buying it!
The tweaks may be small, but the effects are huge. They’re at least worth researching, and given my background at Outskirts Press I of course recommend starting with reading up on the enhancement options they offer there. But no matter who you choose, keep your eyes and ears open to new ideas and new opportunities to “pamper” yourself. You’re worth it. Your book is worth it. You deserve the best!
You are not alone. ♣︎
 ABOUT ELIZABETH JAVOR: With over 18 years of experience in sales and management, Elizabeth Javor works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable publishing consultants, pre-production specialists, customer service reps and book marketing specialists; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Elizabeth Javor can put you on the right path. |
Self Publishing Advisor 