Independent authors try to keep their print book prices reasonable, but when book distributors raise their costs, we may have to adjust our retail prices accordingly to maintain the same income. IngramSpark, a worldwide distributor, is increasing printing costs this year. IS sells books at a discount to bookstores and libraries. The lowest discount an … Read more
Audiobook production has its challenges for indie publishers, but it can also be a fun and rewarding experience. Using the platform at ACX makes things easier. Owned by Amazon, this site makes it simple to produce your own audiobook. After you claim your title, upload your book details, add a sample script and an author … Read more
Before you upload your book to the various distributor sites, you must prepare your book description in long and short forms, any review quotes you’ve obtained, keywords and categories, and your author biography. You’ll also need your ISBNs, subtitle, series title and volume number. If you’re going wide, choose if you want to submit your … Read more
You’ve finished your manuscript. Now it’s time to either submit it to a publisher or put the book into production prior to indie publishing your work. Which way to go? Delays Will Happen As I’ve just finished a new series starter, I’ve debated whether to submit it to a traditional publisher or go the indie … Read more
As a writer, setting goals each year will give you a path to follow. Each item you cross off your list will provide a sense of accomplishment. You might add new goals as you go along and find additional tasks to do. Each January, I set myself new creative and business-related writing goals. For 2024, … Read more
I am honored to have an essay in Promophobia: Taking the Mystery Out of Promoting Crime Fiction. Edited by Diane Vallere. Publishing a book can be scary. Figuring out how to promote it can be straight-up frightening. When the seas of book promo make you feel adrift in unfriendly tides, keeping your head above water … Read more
Setting out to create a book box set can be a daunting task. Join the online writing community and gather data on this topic as soon as you think you might go in this direction. Lots of great advice is out there and it will help you with these steps to create your own book … Read more
You want to produce your book in print. What’s the best route to take? It’s best if you can publish directly to any of these distributors. Avoid companies that promise to publish your book for a high fee or with the requirement that you purchase a certain number of copies. If you get involved in … Read more
Is it worthwhile for published authors to enter writing contests? That depends upon your goal. Here are the pros and cons for you to consider before entering your book in a contest. These are paid competitions, where judges actually read your work, and not the ones at conferences where people vote on their favorite books … Read more
Final Thoughts on Indie Publishing Here are my final words on the topic of indie publishing. For Backlist Titles Once you have your rights reverted, you can reissue these titles yourself. Follow the steps in this series. I always make sure to say it’s a reissue in my promo posts and to mention the original … Read more