10 Reasons Why You Should Write and Publish a Book

Writing and publishing your book sounds like a daunting task.  But don't be put off.

Create a Book Cover on a Shoestring

Don't judge a book by its cover

George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss

One of the most popular quotes of all time is about book covers.

Choosing the Right Topic for Your Book

Everyone has a book inside them.

Christopher Hitchens.

The burning desire to write a book lives within all of us, but most people don't know where to start or what to write about.

A Simple Guide to Upload Your Book to KDP for Publishing

 

The good news about self-publishing is you get to do everything yourself. The bad news about self publishing is you get to do everything yourself.

Lori Lesko

The self-publishing process sounds scary, but once you get used to publishing your own books it becomes automatic.

Amazon allows you to sell your books worldwide and, once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to format and create books ready for publishing.  As I previously stated, once you have these two major steps down to a t, you'll have gained to extra skills to add your writing arsenal.

How to Create a Book on Kindle Create

 

The best self promotion is your next book. And the book after that and after that …

Bella Andre

Who would have thought it.

We're living in a time where you, the writer, can have full control over every aspect of publishing your book.

This opens up doors as well as lots of other opportunities.

We're going to look at the process of uploading your document to Kindle Create, a free book formatting software.  And show how simple it is to create a simple book with very little to no IT knowledge.

How to Create an Eye-Catching Book Cover on a Shoestring Budget

It’s like a big crowded party, and you’re trying to get your face to stand out in the crowd.

Jon Gray.

What Makes an Iconic Book Cover

Here are some of the most memorable book covers of all time.

• Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
• The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
• The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger
• Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison
• Psycho, Robert Bloch
• To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
• The Godfather, Mario Puzo
• Jaws, Peter Benchley
• Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton
• American Psycho, Brett Easton

Book covers not only tell you what genre you're looking at, but also what you can expect when you read the first page.  In other words they give the book its personality.  

Over the centuries books have become objects of desire, leaving people wanting more.  Many things can be found beneath a book cover, not least the knowledge a book can hold.  And all of this is expressed in its cover. 

Self-Publishing an Audio Book, What You Need to Know

 

These days people lead busy and chaotic lives, so it's no wonder the way we consume books has changed.  With the birth of technology, came a huge shift in the way we digest a book.  More and more people are turning to audio books for this simple reason, because it's an easier medium to absorb a book.

Combine this with mobile technology and you have one of the fastest growing markets for selling books. 

Oh and I forgot to mention the ai technology more people have in their homes, such as Google Home and Amazon Echo that contains Whispersync technology which allows readers to go "back and forth between a Kindle book and Audible professional narration - without ever losing your place." (From insidehighered.com).

There is obviously an opportunity for authors to stand-out from the crowd if they include audio books in their selling arsenal.  

Self-Publishing a Print Book, What You Need to Know

 

I'm pleased to say that print books haven't gone out of fashion yet, and there are still plenty of people who love the touch, feel and smell of a book.  Which is reason enough to want to write your own books and have shelves full of your own work.  But most importantly to have the sense of achievement that you've created something that other people can own and read, and know that your name is on the front cover.  

From a marketing perspective it also enables you to offer your readers the cheaper alternative of an ebook instead of the paperback version.  

Print books are handy to have when you're doing talks, giveaways, and as a marketing tool.

Here are some good reasons why you should always produce a print book:

Self-Publishing an Ebook, What You Need to Know

 

Once you've created your ebook you're going to have to decide where you want to sell your ebook.

So Why Self-Publish an ebook?

Print books are usually the first thoughts most writers have when they think about creating a book and putting it into print or in digital format.  But in the digital age ebooks are just as big as print ones and another source of income for any kind of writer.

This is why:

1. Indie Authors or Self-Publishers Make Most of Their Money From Ebooks

With no shipping or printing, ebooks are more profitable, and more attainable than paperbacks.  And plus you're missing out on valuable revenue if you don't publish digital books. 

Why You Should Think About Becoming an Indie Author

What is an indie author

Indie authors are writers who publish their work without the help of an established press.  They can often be called self-publishers, they're in charge of the editing, producing, distributing and marketing of all the books they write.  

Independently published authors are not indie authors, but writers that have dealt with small or medium sized traditional publishing houses.  Not to be confused with indie authors. 

Advantages and Disadvantages of being an indie author:

The Advantages of being an indie author

1. Complete artistic control

Traditionally published authors don't have the luxury of having control over content and design, instead this has been imposed on them.  Making many traditionally published authors turn to the indie route for publishing, allowing them to choose how their book looks and feels.  Indie authors can do any number of changes to their books if they so choose.  Things such as: changing a book cover, choosing a different title, both of these things can be done by simply uploading a new file.

Giving the indie author the chance to grow naturally through their mistakes.

Self-Publishing: What You Need to Know About DRM

DRM (or Digital Rights Management as it is known) is the method used by Amazon to physically prevent any user from copying Kindle book files.  This means you can only read an ebook on a Kindle device or device running a Kindle app linked to your Amazon account.  Not every author chooses to enable DRM on their ebooks, limiting the purchaser to the amount of devices the ebook can be viewed on over time.

Where Does the Idea of DRM Come From?

Kindle ebooks work on a similar foundation to computer software, which means you do not exactly buy the book, but rather purchase a license to read your ebook on one or more devices.  This is why Kindle Direct Publishing offers it's author's the ability to enable DRM on their books if they wish.  The DRM code is found within the ebook itself, and has to pair with the specific device before it can be read.

Know Your Income Options After You've Published a Book

 

What many first time authors don't realise is how life changing publishing a book can be. 

The common belief is that when you've finished your manuscript and published your book, that is all you have to show for it.  But that's not true, there is more to it than that.  I'm going to show you how publishers make their money, and how you can do it to.

Book publishers are here to make money to give handouts

Publishing houses are full of people who have a passion for books and writing, this shouldn't detract from the fact that publishers are there to make money.

Let's take a look at how rights work for authors, and how you can turn one book into numerous income streams. 

1.  Ebook edition

A hugely popular way to read books these days, creating an ebook gives you the option to sell your books on platforms such as: Kobo, iBooks, Kindle, Nook, Tolino, Scribd, Smashwords and plenty of other retailers online.

2. Print edition

With the introduction of print on demand, you only sell what is printed, which means you don't have to pay an upfront fee for a warehouse to hold your physical books.  Services like Kindle, or Ingram Sparks allow you to sell your paperback books through massive retailers like Amazon or Barnes & Noble.  You make royalties by whatever system is set in place.  This system differs from company to company.

3. Audio edition

Audio books are another publishing option, and can be commissioned by you, giving you the option to split the royalties with the narrator.

The Simple Guide to Self-Publishing

 

Blog post updated 12/08/2019.

Defintion of Self-Publishing

To publish independently at one's own expense.

These days you can easily publish your own work on platforms such as Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords and Kobo.

A Brief History of the E-Book

With the rise of e-books in today's market a self publisher can take up 30-35% of all books sold in the US market today with 60% or more of all US book sales (both print and digital) going through online retailer Amazon.

5 Book Marketing Tips for Self-Published Authors

 

Some of the most basic issues of book marketing can easily be overlooked in the rush to sell your book.

There are numerous ways to gain book sales, but not many work unless the groundwork as been laid beforehand.

Check out my 5 simple book marketing tips to give your book the greatest chance of selling.

1.  Detailed Listing of Your Book

The top of list, and rightly so, make sure your book is listed correctly, on Amazon KDP, along with all other retailers.

Take care to ensure you've chosen the right categories, and keywords in both your description and book title.

Even after your book has been published, look to see if you can make anymore improvements to give your book a better chance.

8 Self-Publishing Companies for Authors

 

If you're looking for self-publishing companies, look  no further than these.

Since the arrival of the internet, publishing has been turned upside down.  Giving rise to a new breed of author, and thousands of talented writers who were once overlooked, now have the power to publish their work as they see fit, without the need if any middle men or agents.

See below the 8 best self-publishing companies to build your name as an author:

Xlibris

With a classic interface that will will help inspire confidence in any author.  Along with a ton of useful advice, testimonials, and author awards,  go hand-in-hand with professionalism, and attention to detail.  Try this self-publishing service for size.

7 Reasons Why You Should Give Your E-Book Away for Free

 

Every 90 days one of my eBooks is priced at $0 on Amazon, sounds crazy, here are my reasons for pricing my eBooks at zero:

7 Reasons Why You Should Give Your eBook Away for Free

1. New authors need as many eyeballs as possible reading their eBooks.

2. According to Amazon rankings there's no difference between a bought e-book or a free e-book. Either way the more people download it for free, the higher your book will be ranked.

3. New readers will recommend you to their friends and family.

4. More people reading your book, the more chance of a review.

5. A great way to promote your book, and inexpensive way to attract attention to your work.

6. Free isn't forever.

7. Think about what your future sales could be, just by giving your e-book for free.

How to Select the Right Price for Your Book

 

When you self-publish a book you have no printing costs, publishing fees, postage or packaging costs to worry about, this is all taken care of when you decide to publish your book through a platform such as Amazon.

So bearing all that in mind follow the 8 points below to help you decide on how you want to price your book.

 1. What is Your Objective as an Author?

A lot of writers see themselves as authorpreneur's, instead of  just authors, and expect a large return on their investment.  Their end game is to price their book like any other earnings based business.

Fiction authors want you to love their books, and tend to sell their books at a lower price, not minding the low rewards.

The third kind of author falls in between both of the above categories, who loves writing but wants their books to make money, and be loved by all. 

How to Design a Book Cover on Fotor

 

Never judge a book by its cover.

As the old adage goes, but book covers are a vital selling point for all authors wanting to grab the attention of future readers.

To do that you need an exciting book cover.Thankfully you can create awesome book covers with the help of online services such as Fotor, and  don't need to be a book designer to create the perfect book cover.

Take a look at 5 brilliant book cover design points that will spark your audiences imagination, and get your books into the hands of potential readers:

1. Plan Your Book Cover Design Around Your Chosen Genre

First things first, you need to understand which genre your book falls into, then start looking for some inspiration for your book cover.  Your book cover needs to stand out for all the right reasons, fiction or nonfiction, so look at other authors book designs, and embrace their chosen styles.  Your cover is there to entice your readers, and grab their attention from the outset.  So make your book cover count!

Distinctive Looks for Different Books

Every genre and sub-genre has a particular trend, for instance a nonfiction book is their to acquaint the reader with the subject matter, so the cover should get straight to the point.  This is done through strong colours and typography, instead of complex illustrations.

Fictional books have a more detailed cover with the use of illustrations, and a mix of media.  Usually they include elements of the story on the front cover to give the reader an idea of what to expect inside.

Be Inspired!

A good place to start is by looking at authors in the same genre as yours, get to  know the kind of covers that are out there, and start to piece together how your book cover is going to look.

2. Know Your Audience

Know what your readers want, what information or story do they want from your book?  Self-help  and sci-fi books have two totally different audiences.  Your book cover needs to reach the right one with the right visual and title.

Does Your Book Cover Need to Provoke Emotion With Your Audience?

If its fiction, I'm guessing it will, for example horror brings about terror, you may want to use darker colours, and dramatic shadows to set the tone for your horror fantasy.  Books that are written to make the reader feel calm and happy, such as romance novels, will use lighter pastel colours.  Colour is powerful, use it wisely!

3. Focus on a Particular Element of Your Book

A good place to start is by concentrating on one particular element of your main theme, and highlighting it.  This may be an image, photo, or font.  By creating a single element, this helps your readers to understand what the essence of your book is all about. Fotor have an abundance of templates to choose from, that cover lots of different genres, all completely customiseable.

Choosing the Right Photos and Images for Your Book Cover

It can be really difficult looking for graphics and photos, especially when they need to be high resolution.  After that you need the right fonts, borders or even extra illustrations.  Fortunately Fotor provide you with lots of different templates covering a multiple of genres, all customizable, to fit with your needs.

There are other places you can get free images, apart from Fotor, these include Pexels, Unsplash, Barnimages, and Pixabay.

4. The Design Hierarchy

The design hierarchy is the order that the information should be seen on your book cover, usually this is by size.  For instance, the title is the most striking bit of text on your book cover, and holds the most valuable information.  All other information like sub titles should be in a smaller font so that the two aren't confused.

So What Goes on Top?

Should the title be bigger than the authors name?  If your Stephen King or Shakespeare, then yes.

If you've created a series of books its important to know where these particular elements go.  You may choose to add them on your cover, or leave them out.

Make it Readable!

Choosing the correct font is paramount, making it clear and direct.  Fonts such as serif and san-serif are always safer options, because they look clean and clear, and can be read no matter what size they are.  Fonts such as script should be big and bold to make them more clear on the cover.

11 Steps to Self-Publish an eBook

 

Blog post updated 11/08/2019.

Finding the time to write a book, can be really difficult, and the ongoing task of building relationships with other bloggers, writing guest posts, responding to every comment that comes your way, can be quite a handful. So even thinking about writing a book can seem pretty insane. In your mind you you know how beneficial your book would be to you and your business.

Before you think about writing your book here are 6 great reasons why you should self-publish your own book:

1. You Can Follow Your Own Program

Sending in letters to agents and discovering you're not what they're looking for, can be really disheartening.  But this is only the beginning of the process, it can be as long two or three years before your manuscript may ever be accepted.  This isn't even a guarantee to any kind of a book deal.

It took J.K. Rowling 12 tries before she got taken seriously by a publisher.  With Kindle Direct Publishing and other self-publishing platforms, you get published straight away, and you can see your work in print within a matter of days.

How to Write, Publish and Sell a Book

 

Where Do I Start?

A question a lot of would-be-authors ask everyday, the very thought of sitting down, and thinking of a subject and writing something, terrifies most people.

The Good News You Can Start Writing Your Book Today

There's no catch to writing a book, anyone with the presence of mind can write a book.  There's nothing financially binding about writing a book.  These days even publishing your book is taken care of, leaving you with very little to worry about.