Self Publishing Advisor

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing!

• The Story Behind ‘B is for Bitcoin’, an ABC Book for Kids

Justin O’Connell of Forbes brings us this fun article about the publication of viral sensation B is for Bitcoin, a picture book about cryptocurrency that’s as much for the adults who actually buy the books on behalf of their children as it is for the children themselves. This notion, that adults hold the purse-strings, was one that author Graeme Moore came to early on in the book’s formation:

“I was thinking, what would I want to read to [my niece]? I don’t want to talk about apples and boats and all of that kind of stuff. I want to talk about Bitcoin to my 2-year-old niece who is about to learn how to talk. And that’s how she’s going to learn the alphabet: A is for Altcoin, B is for Bitcoin, C is for Consensus, and D is for Decentralize.”

According to O’Connell, Moore is also an advocate for self-publishing. Writes O’Connell, “This new realm of self-publishing has made it so easy for anybody to create a book, Moore told me. So easy he says, ‘you don’t really realize how easy it is until you actually do it.'” Moore describes and O’Connell relates the process through which the book came into being, including the illustrations and upload for distribution. Moore also notes that “‘Having that excitement, realizing I could be a part of something very special, and then figuring out in what way I could contribute—this was the best way that I knew how.'” That speaks well of both him and the process, don’t you think?

• Susan Miles Gulbransen: Self-Publishing in Today’s World

This article, from Santa Barbara’s Noozhawk, serves as a timely reminder of where self-publishing came from and where it is now, with columnist Susan Miles Gulbransen guiding Noozhawk readers through the facts. She also asks an important question: “Three experienced local authors have recently written good books but skipped finding traditional publishers. Why?” She then covers her interviews with self-publishing authors Barbara Greenleaf, Hendrika DeVries and Jeanine Kitchel, each of whom was drawn to self-publishing for different reasons and through unique pathways. Together, the three authors represent a rich range of genres, styles, and approaches, with Gulbransen’s article providing a coherent and useful entry point for those looking for anecdotal evidence that they’re doing the right thing or working in a field that will welcome them.

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog each month to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing!

• How Do You Promote Your Book If You Choose To Self-Publish?

This article from Keith Pearson of MinuteHack is exactly what we needed this morning: a useful list of reminders of how best to market our self-published book during the busiest season in publishing (September to December), when sales and therefore the competition is at its peak. Pearson’s recommendations, which include lots of bits and bobs related to editing, refining one’s attempts to reach a specific audience, and advertising on various digital platforms (BookBub, Amazon, and Facebook). One particularly useful insight is that these advertisements are themselves most effective once an author has released multiple books. Writes Pearson,

Experiences will differ for every author, but I didn’t generate enough income to consider writing full-time until I released my fourth novel. If you want to make a career out of writing, it’s highly unlikely you’ll do that with just one book to your name. Therefore, the most effective way to sell more books is to write more books.

As a bestselling self-published author himself, Pearson has both the experience and the platform to know exactly what he’s talking about.

• How to self-publish a best-selling book, by the author who knocked JK Rowling off the top spot

Now here’s a fascinating piece on the rise of LJ Ross, the indie author whose self-published books recently surpassed JK Rowling as the most widely read author on Amazon. Put out by Deborah Arthurs of Metro.co.uk, the article covers both Ross’s backstory as well as her recommendations for aspiring authors, which include thoughts on finding inspiration as well as one’s story in a world full of noise and distractions, as well as recommendations to keep reading, take breaks, and trust one’s instincts. On self-publishing, Ross notes that:

I chose to self-publish my first book, rejecting a traditional publishing deal because I wanted to be in control and protect the originality of my work – while a traditional publisher would have the right to change almost anything about it. […] Now that traditional barriers have come down, you can give yourself permission to be creative and put your work out there, letting readers be the judge.

As with Pearson, Ross knows what she’s talking about. And not only is Arthurs’ article interesting to read, it’s also packed full of useful points for authors to make use of as they pursue publication.

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog each month to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing!

• How Erika Latanya Became a Bestselling Author — and How You Can, Too!

Despite this being a slow news day (in the book world, not the larger world—our thoughts are with those currently facing down Hurricane Dorian) this beautiful gem from Black Girl Nerds caught our eye. Written by self-publishing author Erika Latanya, the piece chronicles Latanya’s journey from self-publishing to traditional publishing and back again, a fascinating little insider’s glimpse into the reasoning behind these decisions. Writes Latanya,

So, I’ve been self-publishing books for a little over two years now. In between, I signed with two different publishers because I wanted more exposure for my work. Not only did I want more exposure but I also wanted to become a bestselling author. Aye, it’s every author’s or aspiring author’s dream. Being able to claim “bestselling author” is the equivalent of earning a verified badge on social media.

But things didn’t quite go according to plan. Latanya goes on:

I wrote my first book and I just knew I’d sell a ton of copies. Ummm — that did not happen. When I signed with two different publishing companies, I assumed they could get me that badge. Ummm — I still didn’t get a badge.

Despite Latanya’s unflagging optimism, elbow grease, and even the leg up that traditional publishing is supposedly supposed to provide those authors who pursue it, selling her books remained an uphill battle. And finally? She broke out of the rut by returning to self-publishing, this time putting her own name down for the publisher and mixing up the kinds of books she was writing. But the main difference, Latanya notes, between her first (not bestseller) book and her second (bestseller) book was something else entirely:

I asked myself, “What did I do differently this time around that I hadn’t done before?” The answer is: Promote. Promote, promote, and then promote. I ran ads, held a giveaway, and even gave some books away for free. Word of mouth helped a lot, too.

While many things about publishing and self-publishing are universal experiences, much also differs from person to person. We love to raise the profile of authors who have something to say for those who are looking to get into self-publishing themselves, and Latanya is certainly fully in control of her own narrative. It’s empowering—and enlightening—to read her story. Many thanks to Black Girl Nerds for hosting her story!

• Self-Publishing Helps Parents Share New Books with Kids

Our second article for the day comes from NewsUSA by way of The Brownsville Herald, and it touches on one of the reasons why more people than ever before are moving from reading to writing self-published books. As the article puts it, “some parents are seeing gaps in the available options of topics they want to share with their children. To combat this, there is a growing trend of parents who have taken matters into their own hands and turned to self-publishing to fill these holes themselves.” Because self-publishing is a safe and welcoming space for books targeting niche audiences or covering material that isn’t quite one-size-fits-all (the way that the United States public school system must necessarily attempt to be), these parents are looking to self-publishing as a place not just to find educational and entertaining books that do what no Big Five publishing house can do, they’re ready and willing to dive into the creation process themselves! While the article is very specifically pro-KDP, its principles apply to all self-publishing companies. The article closes, “These parents have been able to create the books they couldn’t find for kids and found financial success – and sometimes a whole new career – in the process.” And that’s an idea we can get behind.

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog each month to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.