Less than a decade ago, self-publishing, or indie publishing, had a stigma. Indie authors in general were seen as authors who couldn't get past the gatekeepers, and they weren't good enough to be traditionally published, so they weren't real authors. Now, the stigma is for the most part gone. However, it's still hard to be an indie author, especially if you dream of being a … [Read more...] about A Brief Look at the State of Self-Publishing
indie publishing
Guest Post: 9 Tips to Help Ensure E-Book Success
By James A. Rose - InstantPublisher James A. Rose gives tips on how to be more successful when it comes to selling ebooks. Indie e-book publishing has exploded in the past five years or so and for good reason. It is the best method for new authors on a limited budget to introduce their book to as many potential readers as possible. Right from your home office you can upload … [Read more...] about Guest Post: 9 Tips to Help Ensure E-Book Success
Indie Authors: Gathering Data and Marketing Your Work
You may already know, but I'm a big fan of data. It's so useful, and can help streamline and make book marketing so much more effective, among other things. One great way to collect data is to do surveys. One great example of how survey data pays off is musician Jim Bianco's album, Cookie Cutter. NPR reported that all 17 songs were inspired by a fan who filled out his 69 … [Read more...] about Indie Authors: Gathering Data and Marketing Your Work
What Indie Book Publishing and Indie Game Development Have In Common, Part 3
A while back, I watched Indie Game: The Movie and was struck by how much indie game development and indie book publishing had in common. I had the pleasure of interviewing the talented and inspiring indie game developer, Jonathan Blow. Below is the second in a three-part series that discusses the similarities between developing games and publishing books as an indie. Read Part … [Read more...] about What Indie Book Publishing and Indie Game Development Have In Common, Part 3
What Indie Book Publishing and Indie Game Development Have In Common, Part 2
A while back, I watched Indie Game: The Movie and was struck by how much indie game development and indie book publishing had in common. I had the pleasure of interviewing the talented and inspiring indie game developer, Jonathan Blow. Below is the second in a three-part series that discusses the similarities between developing games and publishing books as an indie. Read Part … [Read more...] about What Indie Book Publishing and Indie Game Development Have In Common, Part 2
What Indie Book Publishing and Indie Game Development Have In Common, Part 1
A while back, I watched Indie Game: The Movie and was struck by how much indie game development and indie book publishing had in common. I had the pleasure of interviewing the talented and inspiring indie game developer, Jonathan Blow. Below is the first in a three-part series that discusses the similarities between developing games and publishing books as an indie. Read Part 2 … [Read more...] about What Indie Book Publishing and Indie Game Development Have In Common, Part 1
Indie Authors: Finding Your Audience
It's not the most glamorous aspect of indie publishing, and it's definitely hard work, but finding the target audience for your book is an important step when it comes to successfully self-publishing. Knowing your readers and who may be potentially interested in what you have to say can make marketing down the line much, much easier, and interacting with fans and/or people in … [Read more...] about Indie Authors: Finding Your Audience
Ebook Review: The Hybrid Author
Dianne Sagan kindly gave me a review copy of her latest book, The Hybrid Author. Full disclosure: she used my article for IndieReader, "Why Traditionally Published Authors Are Going Indie," as part of her research. The Hybrid Author is a great resource, and really digs deep into what the relatively new term means. According to Dianne, there are four ways to publish a book: … [Read more...] about Ebook Review: The Hybrid Author
Issue #40 of Self Publishing Carnival of the Indies!
Every month, Joel Friedlander posts a collection of informative blog posts about self publishing on his site, The Book Designer. This month, my blog post by guest author Ron Glick about using Kindle Countdown deals was included! You can check it out, along with all the other awesome posts, in this month's issue of Self Publishing Carnival of the Indies. Enjoy! … [Read more...] about Issue #40 of Self Publishing Carnival of the Indies!
Freebie Strategies for Indie Authors
UPDATE: Author David Gaughran has also kindly answered a few additional questions. Using free as a tool can be very beneficial to authors. When Amazon first started their KDP Select program, many authors were able to take advantage of the five freebie days offered during every 90-day exclusivity period, and shoot to best-selling status. However, Amazon has since changed its … [Read more...] about Freebie Strategies for Indie Authors