Tag: advice for indie authors

If I Was Starting Over as an Indie Publisher

indie author starting overI’ve been publishing for just under three years now, so although not a grizzled veteran of the publishing wars, I’m not a noob, either. Like most of us, I hang out in a lot of the places writers gather: internet message boards, Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups, Google+ groups, etc. It seems inevitable, when I meet someone who is new to self-publishing, that I get some version of this speech: “You were lucky. You got in while “free” was still a goldmine/when reviews were easier to get/when the competition wasn’t so tough.”

I don’t feel defensive when I hear that, because, maybe they’re right. Maybe, if I was launching my first book into today’s climate, I would struggle mightily to get any traction at all. The more I thought about it, the more I wondered — what would I do if I was starting completely over? Continue reading “If I Was Starting Over as an Indie Publisher”

Are You Prepared For Your Launch?

rocket-launch-67641_640You’ve got a new release coming out and you want it to be a massive hit. You’ve arranged a publicity campaign and told everyone about it, sorted various events, planned a big online launch party and sent emails to the press. You’re pumped and geared up to launch this baby way into orbit. Just before you go racing off in a frenzy of activity, take a moment to read this little post. Publicity is good. You need publicity, but alone it is one small part of a bigger strategic plan necessary to give a book and author a better chance for significant sales.

While book publicity plays an important role in creating awareness, there are several factors that positively or negatively impact book sales in spite of your valiant efforts. In order to have the best possible chance of attracting media attention and potential book buyers, authors need to consider doing the following to set books up for the greatest chance of success. Continue reading “Are You Prepared For Your Launch?”

Learning the Indie Game

Guest post
by A.C. Flory

n00b [also newbie] n. Gaming term for inexperienced players.

After ten years of gaming, I consider myself to be something of a veteran, so heaven help anyone who calls me a n00b! However in the world of self-publishing I have no illusions; I am a n00b. So when Kat Brooks, a.k.a the Blurb Doctor, asked if I would do a guest post, my first thought was ‘Yes!’, closely followed by ‘What have I done?’.

Kat suggested I write about becoming a debut author. But what could a n00b like me possibly write on Indies Unlimited? Talking about my experiences would be like trying to teach my mother to boil eggs… embarrassing for both of us. Continue reading “Learning the Indie Game”