strategy
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On Fear
I don’t exist out of thin air. I didn’t just pop up out of nowhere teaching this through Google and YouTube University. I teach this because I’ve lived through it. And, while much of what I discuss is well-known on the tail end of 2023, it wasn’t when I first started. Self-publishing has been around… Continue reading
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The Amazon Bestseller Approach: A Warning
In the words of James Baldwin, “If I love you, I have to make you conscious of what you don’t see.” Here’s the Game: Once upon a time, when print-on-demand publishing became more popular thanks to companies like Amazon and Lulu, self-published authors discovered a powerful manipulation tactic: they could reach a higher ranking by… Continue reading
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Should You Put Your Book Up for Preorder? It Depends.
What is a preorder? A pre-order is when you make a book available for purchase before its official release date—typically a week to a year in advance. Traditionally, publishers have books available for preorder as early as six months to a year in advance. They do it because strong pre-sales tell retailers the book will… Continue reading
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What Indie Authors Can Learn from Jada Pinkett-Smith’s Book Launch
As an author, I cannot help but to look at the book marketing side of celebrity book launches of this magnitude. And, because it’s such a controversial launch, I want to give a disclaimer. Disclaimer: This post is not about dissecting the morality of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, condoning how she has gone about… Continue reading
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Self-Publishing: Understanding Copyright and Distribution
Copyright First-time self-publishers often worry about copyright or that someone will steal their idea. This is typically the first sign of a novice self-publisher. However, new and established authors might worry about someone stealing their books now that AI is here. First, you should know that you own the copyright to your book at the… Continue reading
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Dear Self-Published Author, You Have Options!
While Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing is excellent, there are other options for print-on-demand publishing that self-published authors can explore. Draft2Digital Draft2Digital is a gem. D2D is an aggregator that distributes your books to major retailers online, from Barnes and Noble to Apple iBooks to Baker & Taylor. They have merged with Smashwords and now also… Continue reading
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Dear Self-Publishers, Don’t Limit Your Potential
The Martian started as a self-published book. Its author, Andy Weir, said he didn’t think the book had mainstream appeal and was surprised anyone was interested. It began as a series on Weir’s website, and when readers complained it was hard to read the stories sitting at their computer, Weir listened to his audience and… Continue reading
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