Ahead of Self Publishing Industry Day on Saturday 18 April, we asked some of the established self-published authors who are speaking at the event to share some tips.
Many of these writers also share their self-publishing and writing expertise on podcasts, courses and in workshops. They will be going into much greater depth at Self Publishing Industry Day, alongside experts from Kindle Direct Publishing, IngramSpark, Bookvault, and Alliance of Independent Authors.
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‘Get early reviews. Use beta readers (there are sites where you can make your book free) and if you get bad reviews, change the book! This is one of the best things about self publishing. It’s not a one-shot deal. You can improve the book as you go along.‘ – Suzy K. Quinn
Ebony Ali – self-published author, entrepreneur, speaker, coach, and workshop facilitator
What’s the first step newly self-published authors should take?
I recommend that newly self-published authors create a press release and reach out to your local media outlets ie. Newspapers, magazine, radio and even TV. I also recommend they have a book launch, where they invite family and friends. This is a great way to generate a buzz and make the public aware of your work.
What’s one tool or resource you’d recommend?
Join ASPA – the Association of Self-Published Authors – There is a lot of useful information and resources available for free.
What piece of advice would you give to a new author who is considering self-publishing?
You don’t have to do it alone. If you can, get a mentor or join a community of writers. I would also advise researching the different self-publishing platforms and to make a list of pros and cons to weigh out your options.
D.E. White – writes bestselling commercial crime fiction. She started self-publishing in 2013
What’s the first step newly self-published authors should take?
I would honestly say self care and building that community support system. It’s a big thing putting a book out in the world, and the publishing industry is full of ups and downs. You need friends to celebrate the ups and help you through the downs. Personally, I find the book community on social media, especially IG, incredibly supportive and understanding, but equally I have my book bestie too.
What’s one tool or resource you’d recommend?
I’m a big fan to the SOA and have often emailed them regarding legal advice or publishing queries.
What piece of advice would you give to a new author who is considering self-publishing?
Think carefully about why you are putting your book out there, be realistic in your expectations, use professional resources, and then enjoy the ride. Being self published can be amazing!
James Blatch – is the host of The Self Publishing Show Podcast, the founder of Learn Self Publishing courses and a founder of Vinci Books. James writes Cold War thrillers.
What’s the first step newly self-published authors should take?
When you’re getting close to publication, start a newsletter mailing list. Yes, you’ll be talking to yourself for a while, but you need the infrastructure and a mailing list remains the most important marketing asset.
What’s one tool or resource you’d recommend?
I love Vellum for formatting. I use it to create book interiors that are indistinguishable from traditionally published books. (It is however, only available on Mac).
What piece of advice would you give to a new author who is considering self-publishing?
Choose your genre/sub genre carefully. Identify crossover in the Venn diagram between what you love to write and what readers want. Then stick to it. Changing genres just makes life harder.
Suzy K Quinn – writes romantic comedy / cozy mystery and has sold over 1 million books worldwide.
What’s the first step newly self-published authors should take?
Get early reviews. Use beta readers (there are sites where you can make your book free) and if you get bad reviews, change the book! This is one of the best things about self publishing. It’s not a one-shot deal. You can improve the book as you go along.
What’s one tool or resource you’d recommend?
Amazon KDP is the one-stop tool for all your self publishing needs. It’s free and offers a very fair deal for authors.
What piece of advice would you give to a new author who is considering self- publishing?
Write a series. They’re much easier to market than standalone books as you are essentially selling a £10+ profit product (when all the books are bundled together) versus a £1-3 profit product. But the marketing will cost the same.
Anna Hayward – writes historical fiction under the pen name Anna Lucia, drawing on her Italian heritage. Anna is a writer-mentor, editor, course and retreat leader.
What’s the first step newly self-published authors should take?
Ask yourself what’s unique about you and your book – get clear on your pitch, brand and where you fit in the market – you will be the person putting yourself out there and it’s much easier to do this with confidence if you work this out before getting into production mode. This will be an ongoing process too, refined by reader feedback, but if you focus on this early on it will help everything from cover design to blurb to metadata (how your book is described on Amazon) to publicity.
What’s one tool or resource you’d recommend?
When starting out, I found it helpful to be a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors to ask some basic and later more detailed questions of other members on the forum. ALLi produce how to guides, webinars and there are vetted ALLi partners who you can outsource parts of the process to.
What piece of advice would you give to a new author who is considering self-publishing?
Be clear on your goals – what do you want to get from being published and what is within your control? Write a simple plan to cover the main areas – editing & proofing / beta readers / formatting / cover design / distribution / website / pre-launch promotion / social media / publicity / networks / awards etc. Be realistic about the time and budget, if applicable, you are willing to put against each area. Whatever time you think you have, there’s a lot to learn – build in contingency or get support from others. And go into it all with a spirit of learning and adventure, there is a great deal of personal enjoyment and satisfaction to be gained.
Hear more from these writers, we well as industry experts, at Self Publishing Industry Day:
Self Publishing Industry Day
Self Publishing Industry Day | Saturday 18 April | The Old Courthouse | Price: £45
