Please click here to download our updated client information pack, containing much practical information and advice from other authors.
Kathryn Gauci's books soon to be available on Audible
Talented local author Kathryn Gauci has news for her readers:
I have some WONDERFUL news to share with you! I am over the moon because seven of my books have been picked up by Blackstone Audio, a division of Blackstone Publishing, US, and will be published as audiobooks in the new year.❤💖 They include: The Embroiderer The Carpet Weaver of Usak Seraphina's song… See more
Kathryn’s persistence in gradually building up a solid readership for her well-written and plotted novels has been extremely impressive, and is now paying off on several fronts.
Birds of Prey by David Hollands
Eminent naturalist David Hollands has released his latest magnum opus and we highly recommend it to all lovers of Australian nature. David Hollands’ Birds of Prey Australia contains a beautifully written chapter on each of the birds of prey found in Australia. The photos were all taken by David in the field. Full of fascinating insights and amazing images, the book is available from his website, and from many bookstores. David has many earlier titles available such as Cranes, Herons and Storks of Australia, Owls, Frogmouths and Nightjars of Australia and Waders, the Shorebirds of Australia, among other titles.
Naturally Supporting Cancer Treatment by Jenny Graves
Author Jenny Graves has just released a very well written and meticulously researched book (Naturally Supporting Cancer Treatment, available here) on supplementing cancer treatments with “evidence-based ways to help prevent cancer formation and and recurrence, and assist treatment”. Jenny plans to promote her book in various cost-effective ways, and emailed us with the following specifics:
“Because of the subject matter, I’m targeting other naturopaths, some of whom don’t have much knowledge about treating cancer patients, and also for them to stock in their dispensaries to sell to their patients. I’m contacting the universities offering naturopathic degrees to see whether they would suggest it to their students as associated reading or even as text books.My local health food store has told me that they will stock it in their two stores locally, but the manager is also on the board of the company (Go Vita) and I’m hoping that they will stock it nationally and publish an article in their magazine to promote it. I have a Business Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NaturallySupportingCancerTreatment and my website, www.naturallysupportingcancertreatment.com.au is due to go live shortly, with plans to produce blog articles regularly on it and a regular newsletter containing those articles to be sent to those who sign up on the website. I have an author page on Books2Read, https://books2read.com/b/3LwPzN?edit=maybe-later and their Universal Book Link, https://books2read.com/NaturallySupportingCancerTreatment. I’m toying with the idea of using a media publicist if I can get over my terror of speaking in public. 😊 I’ve also got plans to submit articles to various websites for them to publish as a Guest Author. I may put my toe in the water with Facebook and Google ads, but I believe that they can be something of a money pit unless you get them right, so I’ve been doing training courses on those.”
Shirley la Planche, author of The Fatal Path
Shirley La Planche emailed with a brief account of the recent progress of her excellent thriller The Fatal Path.
“It’s not easy being a self-publisher but I’ve sold more than 100 books to friends and associates and the reports back have been fantastic – couldn’t put it down, read until finished, great plot, scary – sort of comments that are what a thriller should do. Now I’m looking at ways of getting it into mainstream media which his not easy for a self-publisher because reviewers prefer to deal with a big publisher.”
This excellent, fast-paced book is available via the Mosh Shop and Amazon. Initial reviews on Goodreads have been positive.
Recommended texts for Independent authors:
Independent authors are faced with a bewildering new world when they attempt to promote their books on snd offline. The following authors and sources do an excellent job of making sense of the contemporary publishing and promotional landscape, and all are worth reading.
Euan Mitchell's Your Book Publishing Options
How to Be an Author from Fremantle Press
Let's Get Digital by David Gaughran
Ricardo Fayet's How to Market an ebook
Amazon Ads Unleashed by Robert J. Ryan
Amazon Selling Services from Helium 10
Author 2.0 Blueprint by Joanna Penn
Online Resources and Advice for Independent Authors
If you are a veteran writer who has been in the industry before the internet boom, you may already have known what it was like when writers had to struggle with writing and even more so trying to find a good publisher. This could be why the market stayed relatively small. At least for the talented ones with limited resources and had geographical challenges.
Fortunately, nowadays, with some knowledge and the willingness to labor for your niche and craft, you finally get the opportunity. That is the chance to be able to reach an audience base that would otherwise have taken you forever to find.
Let's look into some of our recommendations of the best sources on resources for Independent Authors.
Let's Get Digital: How to Self-Publish, And Why You Should (Fourth Edition) (Let's Get Publishing Book 1) by David Gaughran
About the author:
Apart from being an author of a practical guide such as "Let's Get Digital," David writes historical fiction and science-fiction books under a pen name. This particular book has undergone revisions to meet the needs of the self-publishing writer of today, And it includes bonus resources as well. His engaging writing style is simple enough to understand but not to the point of being too simplistic. He covers the essential basics such as:
Using tried and tested marketing strategies that work to increase sales of your book
Getting the best editors without spending a ton.
Attracting more readers by improving how your brand is presented.
Making your eBooks easy to find, and so much more.
Our Take:
This book will help the new writer who wants to do it right the first time. That is, getting discovered and earning well in the process. Remarkably, it doesn't only cater to newbies but will also be a helpful resource for the more experienced writer who needs updates to this ever-changing landscape of internet publishing.
Overall, this resource is as comprehensive and as informative as you can get. It is a complete go-to reference for both the new and veteran writers alike.
How to Market a Book: Overperform in a Crowded Market (Reedsy Marketing Guides Book 1) by Ricardo Fayet
Ricardo Fayet is an author/consultant and co-founder of Reedsy, an online marketplace that connects authors with editors, cover designers, translators, and publishers. The platform has been successfully helping hundreds in marketing, online ads, growing their mailing lists, and establishing news streams of income.
About the Book
The book itself is a comprehensive distillation of years of coaching and teaching writers to become full-time authors and eventually make a good living out of their writing skills. Just be aware that some points of view of this author are not of an independent publishing writer since he works as a marketer and concentrates on the publishing business.
Nevertheless, you will find everything you need in this book on how to maximize the tools of the internet to snag better revenue and increase readership. He even includes essential tips on logo design to make your book appear even more attractive.
Our take:
This book is all about finding your market and growing it-a practical way of looking at things to help you keep your passion by being profitable too.
Amazon Ads Unleashed: Advanced Publishing and Marketing Strategies for Indie Authors (Self-publishing Guide.) by Robert J Ryan
This book goes into reaching in and tapping into a buying audience and converting clicks into sales. It also talks about what types of ads to avoid and the best practices for optimization. It does a no-nonsense look at how Amazon Ads works. Most of the time, it challenges the effectiveness of Amazon ads and offers methods on how to maximize them and make them work for you.
It takes on a more rigid stance compared to the softer views of other books. Nevertheless, being on top in sales rank and being one of the best sellers in this category does make it a credible source. This is especially if the friend who recommends it to you has already doubled their revenue.
Our Take:
If this book is recommended and in itself has sold more than the others of the same category, then it should be a must-have. Never mind that it is hard to read, provided that it is rich in reference and is an expert in the subject matter at hand, it will profit the author both in the short and long term.
Amazon Selling Services from Helium 10
Helium 10 is an all-in-one Amazon software that will help you sell your self-published book. Assembly recently acquired this software in 2019, which was aimed at helping small businesses increase their revenue through the use of content, education, and community. This software makes use of state-of-the-art resources that contain optimization tools that are intuitive and useful to help you grow your business.
It focuses on research and boosting the visibility of your product in the Amazon search engine.
Our Take:
Helium 10 doesn't claim to produce great listings directly, nor does it promise to increase your revenue for you automatically. But with its advanced management tools puts you in a position that will give you all the opportunities to promote your product on the world's bestselling platform. Not to mention that, currently, Helium 10 is an industry leader in its category today.
With over 1+ million users and 4 billion+ in monthly Amazon GMV, it lets its numbers speak for themselves. And for writers who like real-time marketing leverage using technology, this software is precisely what you need.
The Creative Penn with Joanna Penn
A bestselling author of New York Times and USA Today, Joanna Penn is also a podcaster, speaker, and an awarded entrepreneur. Enough said about her credibility. Ms. Penn has authored over 30 books and sold more than 600,000 copies in 162 countries, translated into 5 languages.
She is offering her book for aspiring writers entitled: "Author 2.0 Blueprint".
She has her website "The Creative Penn."m where she aims to help writers learn the basics of building a "platform" to market a book. She shares her personal experience over the past few years, detailing how she effectively marketed her book and generated and still generates sales as a best-selling author.
Our Take:
Her book "Author 2.0" is now available for free of which can be downloaded directly from her site after you sign up. The book itself is not about writing your best but how to market after writing your masterwork. Learning the pros and cons of publishing with necessary apparatuses like advances, contacts, and royalties, all these coming from the pro herself, is definitely worth the read.
Conclusion
Today, the book publishing landscape for authors has been turned on its head, as it carries both opportunities and some risks. Even minute details like logo design may make or break your masterpiece Self-publishing has finally arrived. And investing in your education on how to do it ultimately pays well in the long run.
Writer: Kieran Fallon is the owner of Logo Design company Éire Graphic Design. We are here to help your organization become more memorable through designing striking logos, eye-grabbing flyers, posters that pop, exciting animated emails and dynamic lightweight digital advertising campaigns – always backed by flexible and insightful support.
Email marketing your book — some practical advice
Some advice to authors planning to market their books via email, from experienced editor and author Dr. Euan Mitchell:
Email programs are getting better at detecting advertising material.
Especially if the salutation is not to a specific person's name.
Including an attachment also increases the chances of it being filtered out.
I suggest the best way is to first send an enquiry email to the organisation concerned without an attachment or any advertising copy in the email itself.
Simply ask who the editor of the organisation's newsletter is. This only takes a sentence or two. In that first email, do not explain why you are asking.
Let them ask. And even if you are starting by emailing the organisation's general email address, you should soon have a reply and a person's name to start with. Importantly, the current person, not someone from years past.
The pitch should not be: "Here's my fascinating book, please buy it." People get similar emails all the time and block the sender.
Start a dialogue with an enquiry email, not an ad. If the organisation has a newsletter then it has space to fill on a regular basis. The author might be able to help out : )
Depending on the organisation's main interest, the author might be able to contribute a few quotes or anecdotes to an article.
These contributions need to be customised to the organisation's interests according to the person who answers the emails.
Funnily enough the contributions can include a plug for your book, even if just a footnote at the end of the article. This subtle way of advertising the book should be more effective than a straight-out ad because the author has first been introduced to the reader by the organisation the reader subscribes to.
In summary, the approach shifts from generic inbox drops to personalised email enquiries (or phone calls) about organisations' newsletters without initially mentioning the title.
Don't lead with your chin. Get a dialogue going first. It takes time but the success rate is much higher.
Euan’s excellent practical guide Your Book Publishing Options is available from Amazon.
Steve Nurse Discusses his New Book "Cycle Zoo"
Steve (right) with Jesse Heath, OzHpv Challenge 2021 Photo John Hagan
There is a saying in recumbent bike manufacture, “The best way to make a small fortune making bikes is to start with a large fortune” and the same thing can be said about self-publishing a book. Its hard to rely on self-publishing to make money. It might happen, but don’t bank on it! In the first instance self-publishing should be about wanting to get your message out.
To get to my book story, I have been building and designing bikes since about 1987, went on the first long-distance rides on bikes I’d built around 2000, and wrote the first version of my Cycle Zoo book in about 2009. Back then I wrote, edited, illustrated and laid out the whole book, and supplied finished pdfs to Publishing Solutions. They then organised the ISBN and printing of about 1000 copies.
After that it was up to me to sell and distribute the books but that was difficult. Sometimes I’d take books to bookshops to sell, and they’d never pay. It was impossible for me to sell all the books, so I still have boxes of books in the back of cupboards at home. However the first edition of the book helped with entry into an industrial design master’s degree which gave me paid work designing bikes for 2 years. Putting it out was worth it just for that.
I’ve stayed in touch with a couple of the contacts I made after the first book. I designed a cycling board game and Anki Toner put that on his cyclingboardgames.net website. Link here. And I was interviewed by Chis Starr at 3cr. I usually attend local recumbent bike gatherings and this didn’t stop. As well I’ve kept on building bikes, and became the editor of the Australian Human Powered Vehicle Magazine Huff.
Somewhere along the way I got the urge to write a book came again, and I had enough new material to add to my previous book so set about rewriting Cycling Zoo. Fairly early in the process I got editor Neil Conning and book designer Luke Harris on board. I conversed with and interviewed a few people involved in cycling to broaden the book’s appeal, and I’m happy how the stories came out. So Adam Hari about spoke about speedbikes, Gayle Potts about refurbishing bikes for refugees, Nell Sudano about electric bikes and teaching cycling, and Alyson Macdonald about boardgames and her cycling.
Publication for the new book is by print on demand, so the book is available anywhere in the world, and is printed in quantities as small as one in the nearest printing centre including Melbourne, the UK and the USA. I have ordered and sell or give away copies for myself, family, friends and reviewers. Normally I will give away books to reviewers. An example is Chris Starr who volunteers for and runs the Yarrabug Cycling show on 3cr.
Where to buy Steve’s book:
After a phone interview with Chris, she mixed the show and put up a podcast page for the show, a resource I can use to let people know about the book. She deserves at least a free book for her efforts. The weblink is here .
Anki Toner really only wants to document every cycling board and card game no matter how obscure, and a lot of these are based on European races such as the Peace Race, Tour de France, Vuelta D’Espana and Giro D’italia. An example is here, analysis of the games is well researched and concise. But he was happy to showcase a new game I had developed and put online, called Cycle Challenge. He’s included a link to my book page in his excellent coverage of my game which is all you can ask for.
Adam Hari features in my chapter about speedbikes, which are fully enclosed, highly aerodynamic cycles designed to break speed records. I was happy to mail him a book at cost, and he was happy to publicise it on his Instagram, showing a video of the book pages involving him and his machines.
Coming up in early October I will be part of the Laidbackbike report Youtube series but meanwhile I will continue improving websites, contacting potential reviewers, contacting those mentioned in the book, and working on ebook versions. I put a book poster on the side of one of my bikes yesterday and have already been asked about it (a mum and her kids caught up to me on their electric bike and were chattering furiously) so will work on improving that too.
Have fun promoting your book. Selling oodles of copies and making money might be your initial aim but you might come away with something more valuable..
Leaning trike with poster.
Amazon KDP now printing in Australia
After years of printing in the US and shipping all the way to Oz, Amazon has finally opened a printery in Australia to service print on demand customers. This is very good news for independent authors, especially that subset who want to concentrate on Amazon. IngramSpark’s service has many pluses, but it interposes a layer between the author and Amazon, and costs a good deal more, particularly when authors wish to upload updated book files. With the new printing facility, Australian authors will finally be able to order author proofs and copies.
With the new printery, postage costs will be reduced and turnaround times improved. Here is the Amazon page addressing the topic.
8 Steps to Self-Publish Your Book Like a Bestseller
Guest post contributed by Chloe Harris
If you have an idea under your belt that you genuinely believe should reach a wider audience, consider publishing your own book. Historically, authors need an agent who can convince a publisher to take a look at their manuscript. In fact, many publishing companies work only through established agents, which makes it difficult, especially for first-time authors.
Self-publishing may sound outlandish, considering all the work needed to be even noticed by readers. But with meticulous planning, creativity, resourcefulness, and proper implementation, your book can be the next bestseller.
1. Edit Thoroughly
Even you’re self-publishing, the book will go through the hands of people who will judge it. Minor errors can hinder its success. If you’ve never edited a book before, here’s a guide on how to edit a book.
Do the following to get you started.
Wait at least a week before editing so that you can look at the book with fresh eyes.
Review the plot and characters. Take note of significant structures. For example, do the characters have dynamic personalities? Is the conflict sensible? How is the audience going to feel about the ending?
If you’re not ready to edit the significant elements, start with line edits. Are you using the right voice?
2. Ask for Feedback
Feedback is invaluable. The book may sound perfect to you, but are you sure that’s how readers would feel? Share your manuscript with trusted individuals and ask for feedback.
To help them make more candid feedback, create an online form to share opinions on specific elements. Also, ask them how you can improve.
Feedback may be obtained from friends, family, book critics, and writing communities.
3. Format Your Book Properly
“A professionally-formatted book sends a good impression. This part can be a bit more complicated for self-publishing authors because your book must be 100% ready for publication after this. Many authors are anxious about formatting; after all, it’s an entirely different skill from writing.”, explains Direct Appliance Rentals CEO Karina Wolfin.
Here are some formatting options.
Free formatting software: Apple Pages and Kindle Create provide free templates. However, they also cater to their own platform, which means all or some formatting options will be discard when you upload to other retailers.
Paid formatting software: Vellum ($200) and Scrivener ($45) creates beautifully formatted print versions and E-books. Plus, you can format as many files as you want with a licensed account.
Professional typesetters: For print on demand, authors usually hire a typesetter to ensure immaculate formatting. This is the most viable option, especially for printed editions, because you don’t want unevenly spaced text and images.
4. Choose a cover that converts
The cover creates the first impression to the readers. A strong cover is attractive and lets those who see it know that the book was made for them.
Consider these tips for the book design.
Striking yet sophisticated. Whether it’s a photo, an illustration, or typography, the cover should look professional.
Indicative of the genre. Some design elements are associated with specific genres. Your book cover must conform to these principles to reach the right audience.
Spine and back cover. This is only for printed versions.
Unlike formatting, the cover should be made by a professional. This is your most crucial marketing tool, and you shouldn’t take risks.
5. Maximize Your Book Description
The book description is another element that can attract readers. Here are the basics of writing a good description.
Hook the readers. Use a dramatic headline, such as a quote from a book or a strong review from a known critique. The point is to intrigue the readers.
Introduce the storyline. Don’t give away everything, though! Instead, give readers a sneak peek of what they’re going to find inside.
Create a cliff-hanger. End the description with a hint of a shocking twist or an intriguing question.
Read the descriptions of some bestsellers of the same genre, and you’ll definitely see a pattern.
6. Prepare the launching
The launch will raise awareness and jumpstart the hype about your book—just like a movie trailer.
Consider including the following in your launch plan.
Build a website. A large fraction of modern-day consumers rely on the internet for information; therefore, your book should be there. Hire a web designer to build a dedicated website for your book and follow the pointers we gave for the cover design.
Ask for the support of family and friends. People will be looking for social proof, so it would be beneficial if your family and friends promote your book on their social media accounts.
Ask for book reviews. Contact known book reviewers and politely ask them if they can review your book.
Organise a virtual launch party. Partner with influencers and send them party packages. Give a speech and ask attendees to share their thoughts about your book.
7. Publish
You’ll be glad to know that self-publishing can be fast on Amazon and other platforms.
For printed editions, the process is a bit longer. But you should have no trouble if all the materials are ready.
8. Market Your Book
The work doesn’t end after publication. The marketing campaign has started during the launch, but you still have more legwork to do.
Reach out to relevant blogs and ask if you could write a guest post to promote your book.
Organise events at bookstores. This can a signing, reading or Q&A.
Work with a third-party advertising agency. Self-marketing can be exhausting, especially if your fan base is still in its early stages stage. Instead, consider hiring the services of an ad agency that specialises in reading materials.
With so many titles being released each year in Australia, it can be hard for your manuscript to find its way to the publisher’s desk. If you think self-publishing is the best method for you, contact WorkingType for design and print solutions.
Useful Texts for Independent Authors
Independent authors face a tough road promoting their work, but there is a huge amount of information out there to assist them. The following four titles bring order to that information — I highly recommend all four:
Recommended texts for Independent authors:
Euan Mitchell's Your Book Publishing Options
How to Be an Author from Fremantle Press
Let's Get Digital by David Gaughran
Ricardo Fayet's How to Market an ebook
Tips for Marketing Your First Book
Guest post by Chloe Harris.
Marketing your first book is never easy. And it so much harder for self-published authors these days. Thousands of titles are published in Australia each year, and Amazon alone offers around 30 million books on their website.
But don’t despair! With the right blend of marketing techniques, you could become the next best-selling author.
1. Start Marketing Months Before You Launch the Book
Creating a buzz just two weeks before the book launching won’t build the momentum you need.
According to Alister Clare, Credit Capital’s senior financial planner, the marketing should start at least 6 to 12 months before the book is released to the public. He says, “This way, you have sufficient time to build momentum. You need months to collect followers and earn their loyalty. There should also be intervals between marketing stunts so that your book can properly permeate the mind of the audience.”
2. Establish Your Brand
Figure out the persona that you want to portray. Do you want to be a mysterious whodunnit writer or an all-smiling romance novelist? Ensure that your persona reflects on the book cover, website, teasers, emails, social post, etc.
Consider asking the guidance of a branding expert on effectively building a persona.
3. Ask for a Review
Many readers base their decision on what they should read next on the reviews. Approach a respected journalist or book critic for their insights. You can also find Australian book reviewers and bloggers here.
It might take a while before they get back to you, consider thousands of other writers are also asking for their review.
4. Build a Website Dedicated for Your Book
Did you that, as of January 2021, there are already 22.31 million internet users in Australia? So, if your book still doesn’t have a dedicated website, it’s probably losing many potential readers.
Solidify your book’s online presence by investing in a professionally designed website. Make sure it has the necessary plugins to allow sharing through social media platforms.
You don’t have to load the website with information; just input the following:
● Your biography with a recent photo
● Summary of the book and a few teasers
● Links to your social media profiles
● Links to online stores where the book will be available
5. Intensify Social Media Presence
Engage more with potential readers through social media. Tell them to drop questions, and you’ll answer as much as you can. Reply to their comments on your post. Share the posts where you’re tagged. Create a unique hashtag. It’s only essential to maintain your brand voice.
6. Consider Paid Advertising
Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, Amazon Ads, Bookbub Ads, etc.
Calculate if you can afford daily paid to advertise. If yes, it’s advised to hire an expert on these types of ads to maximise your investment.
Various factors can affect the performance of your ads. These include the targeted audience, relevance score, ad copy, social proof, and timing. All of these should be aligned to get the best cost-per-conversion.
Working Type is an established provider of design + layout and print solutions. Through our expertise, creativity, and passion, we’ve helped numerous authors reach the right audience.
Inspired by a Greek Island
Local author Tony Whitefield has just simultaneously launched both his mythical tale “The Queen of Limnos” and his historical saga “George’s Cafe” at Golf House Hotel in Ballarat. Both books draw upon the history and culture of the beautiful Greek island of Lemnos. Tony and his wife usually spend several months a year living in Lemnos, and will no doubt continue to do so once Covid 19 abates. Both books are available online.
Ebook version: https://www.booktopia.com.au/george-s-cafe-tony-whitefield/ebook/9780645100853.html
Print on Demand: https://www.booktopia.com.au/george-s-cafe-tony-whitefield/book/9780645100822.html
Also available from Amazon, Dymocks, Book Depository and other outlets.
How to be an Author — an Invaluable Resource
Highly recommended by an author client, How to be an Author’s blurb begins with:
This is an indispensable book for writers. Between its pages is everything you need to know about the business of being a writer, from people who live and breathe books. Keep this book by your side as you pursue your publishing dream.
“‘From Nandi Chinna’s advice on how to tackle the dreaded writer’s block to Natasha Lester’s tips on how to gracefully accept rejection, this book provides both the expected and unexpected advice on questions many have pondered or never considered.’ ”
Available from Fremantle Press.
Essential Marketing Tips for New Authors
A Guest Post from Chloe Harris
Despite the bells and whistles of computer games and streaming platforms, 95% of Australians still read for pleasure or interest.
But with thousands of titles released each year, how can you make it to their shelves?
Naturally, new authors need to work harder in marketing because they still lack an audience. Whether you’re backed by a traditional publisher or working on your own, it’s unlikely to get morning show interviews, TV commercials, or full-page ads in renowned literary magazines. The important thing is to be discerning with your marketing methods—no matter how small.
Here’s how to increase readership for new authors:
1. Create A Brand Identity
Effective branding is the foundation of any audience-building strategy. It is even more critical when you’re about to release your first book.
A brand is a concept that captures your uniqueness, relevance, and significance. To put it simply, your brand is your promise. And because this is a promise, you need to be consistent with the tone, design, colours, etc., to be recognisable.
Cultivating a persona is also an effective way to establish a relationship with the audience.
2. Approach Newspapers and Magazines
“Newspapers and magazines are still deemed as trustworthy sources of information. Having your book reviewed by an established critic or journalists can be a good start in drawing the readers' attention. They’d think that if the critic or journalist took time to read your work, there must be something about it.”, recommends Shane Perry, a financial consultant at Max Funding.
Remember not to push too hard and not to expect an instant response.
3. Create a Website
According to a survey, 60.8% of Australians say their primary source of news is the internet. As a new author, you must seize this opportunity and create a website through which the audience can find important information about you and your book.
A professionally-designed website with a brand persona gives an impression that you’re serious about your craft. With specific plugins, the audience can easily share your website through social media platforms.
The site doesn’t have to be elaborate; it simply has to contain relevant information, such as:
Your biography
Your photo
Summary of the book
Excerpts from your book
A link to sites where they can purchase the book
Links to your social media profiles
Reviews or a short clip of you talking about your inspiration
4. Book Launching and Signing
Book launching and signing is a traditional way to gain traction for new authors. You’ll have to bring out some cash for this, but a well-thought event can be effective in stirring the audience.
Start by setting a budget for an invite-only or an open house event. Then, choose a venue that’s accessible for your expected audient. Consider partnering with bookstores and libraries where many readers are always on the lookout for new authors. If you want a more casual event, strike a deal with a local bar or café.
5. Join Literary Events
As a new author, it is essential to connect with industry professionals. Taking part in literary events is an opportunity to gain fresh perspectives and get to know other emerging authors.
Working Type has been helping authors create deep emotional connections through customer-focused design and layout. Using our experience, expertise, and attention to detail, we ensure that your book correctly represents its content and reaches the right audience. Contact us now to know more.
Thoughts on a Year as a Self-Published Author
Independent author Gail Meath writes well-researched historical romances. She has summarised her first year as a self-published author in some detail, with plenty of practical tips and advice, and has kindly allowed us to post her thoughts below.
My First Year Self-Publishing:
All or most of these sites are probably familiar to authors, but my purpose is to share my experiences and, in part, to give great credit to some sites that have either been good promotional sites or simply because their customer service was so outstanding, I wanted to pay tribute to them for helping me in my self-publishing endeavor this past year.
(I compiled the following list from my own experiences during my first year of self-publishing. Everything listed should not in any way be misconstrued as advice, suggestions or any type of guidance to other authors. I am a new author, not a best-seller or veteran, and these are my opinions only.)
Goodreads:
A great place for both readers and authors. Actually, it is an excellent place for authors!!! My definition of this site, “The best place ever where Indy authors come together to help one another.”...through endless groups and discussions. There are also some great author blogs that help you promote your books even more. And, of course, a lot of fantastic readers!!
Thank goodness I found Goodreads even before I started publishing. I won’t go on as most/all authors know about the site, but I can’t believe how everyone has been so wonderfully helpful and I’m so grateful to all!
A couple things to remember:
Groups have Rules! Yes, I shamefully admit that I’m guilty of posting a link where I wasn’t supposed to (oops).
Don’t contact readers directly to promote your book.
Try not to change your book covers too much....you cannot get rid of the old ones!!
Sometimes, scammers infiltrate Goodreads, so beware. There is a ‘flag’ option for inappropriate posts (needed that once the past year).
I’m sure their giveaway promotions are great. The cost has been out of my reach.
AllAuthor.com: Free to upload books
I cannot say enough nice things about AllAuthor.com. First, it is an extremely professional promotional website for authors that includes creating your own marketing mockups of your books: even GIFs, if you’re premium, which is about $40, I think, for four months. Uploading and updating a book is a breeze, the author page is great with tabs for awards, reviews, etc. And free. They have several different promotional packages that are very reasonably priced and worth the cost.
While the site is run by a ‘Team AllAuthor’, I have only had contact with Mady Joshi, Business Development Head. He is fantastic to work with, answers all your questions, sends unique book mockups every week for premium and they have instagram and Facebook accounts that you can join for additional promotion opportunities. He is exceptional. If I were rating these sites, AllAuthor would by far surpass all others.
VoraciousReadersOnly.com: Free Intro/$20 Evergreen Program
This is a great site if you’re looking for an inexpensive way to reach new readers and gather some reviews...if you’re willing to give away books. For me, I limited my book giveaways and received more reviews from their FREE intro offer rather than their $20/month Evergreen program. They send review reminders to readers who receive your book, but during the six-week program, I received very few. Much more during their intro.
But Larry is wonderful to work with. He’s the man behind-the-scenes and he will answer all your questions quickly and personally. I was involved in this when I first started publishing and I was able to compile a nice start-up mailing list. I grew tired of giving books away, but it was a nice place to start
ReaderFavorite.com: Free to upload books and request reviews
I do love this site, too, although I believe that their ‘free’ reviews come few and far between. For $59 you can receive a professional editorial review, which is what I believe they hold out for. They do offer paid promos and contests...one of my books won their 2020 western, so that may explain why I’m partial to them.
But, despite that, I had a book that I worried wasn’t as good as my others and contacted them to see if I could pay for a review and write a message to the reviewer beforehand asking them for a brutally honest review so I could determine whether to publish the book or not. One of their reps instantly contacted me. He understood my dilemma and was willing to ask their top reviewer to look at it, knowing the person would be, well, brutally honest.
To me, he went above and beyond my expectations, so I highly recommend this site to anyone interested in what they have to offer. I don’t believe there is anything better than having internal people/reps who are willing to help authors in any way they can.
Bookbub.com: Free to upload books
Another very professional site and very easy to upload books with a nice author page. They also offer different promotion opportunities, from reasonable to costly. I have two complaints.
To change a book cover, description, etc., you need to send them a note then wait until the change takes place. At least a few days – AllAuthor, it is instant.
Also, I set up a five-day-promotion for one of my books and used their ad template, rather than uploading my own. My promotion began and within less than 6 hours, I received an email from them saying that I should halt my ad and change it as there hadn’t been any ‘clicks’ to it. Huh. I tried uploading my own ad template, but it kept getting rejected. I gave up.
I do know that Bookbub is supposedly a great place to market books. Unfortunately, I am one of the few where it was not.
Amazon KDP/AuthorCentral:
Like Goodreads and Facebook, all/most authors are already using these sites so there isn’t a whole lot more for me to add. I use Kindle Create to upload books to Amazon Kindle and it’s a breeze, including paperback. I had changed some book covers and a month later, I ordered author paperback copies so I could have a copy of the new cover and I received the old cover copy. I contacted them and their rep was so very helpful. They tossed the leftover old cover paperbacks and assured me that only the new ones would be sent in the future. They were great.
I do like Author Central’s new ‘author page’ setup. They’ve been very helpful to me a couple of times. Lately, I keep trying to bold the first line of my book descriptions and once that’s done, their fine for a while, then bold disappears again. I need to contact them about that, but otherwise, I have enjoyed working with them.
Draft2Digital.com/Books2Read.com: Free marketplace for books
Only recently I discovered these sites. They go hand-in-hand...Draft2Digital to upload books, Books2Read to connect to different retailers. It was extremely easy to upload my books and kind of fun to watch all the retailers accumulating.
I did have a little trouble (surprise!) after customizing my UBL (universal link that gives buyers a snapshot of all retailers/costs for your books), I ended up with 2 UBLs each. Their rep was super helpful, corrected the problem, walked me through each step and sent me a cool easy reference page of instructions. I love great customer service people.
I haven’t been on this long enough to say much else, but I was so very impressed by them.
Smashwords.com: Free marketplace for books
I have a few books on this site. Uploading books is easy, until it comes to being approved for the premium version. This was pretty time-consuming and confusing, at least for me. I struggled a ton with the Table of Contents. You can download a huge file of instructions, but I finally contacted them. One of their reps responded and was very helpful...apparently, there were hidden bookmarks in the Table of Contents and I finally, after a great deal of time, was able to fix that.
They have a nice reporting system. And promotional opportunities at a reasonable cost.
Facebook:
Well, this one is universally known, so I cannot add much about it. They do offer reasonable promotions where you determine the cost and choose targe audience. I also belong to several other FB groups that focus on my genre of books and those are great to meet other authors and promote your books to readers.
Pinterest.com: Free to join and post
I use Pinterest for book specials/promos only. You can set the amount you’re willing to spend and choose your target audience. I usually do a $10-20 ad for a few days. I don’t have a huge following there, but I know I have sold several books every time I advertise there.
Alignable.com: Free to join - Local business contacts
I believe this is available nationally, I’m not sure. It is a sort of local business yellow-pages, although you have your own ‘page’ and can earn other business’ recommendations. I’ve been using to connect with people in my area. I’ve made a lot of friends there and I post my book promotions for free under ‘events’. They also offer a paid promo through their weekly newsletter. It’s an additional site that doesn’t consume a lot of time.
RWA.com: Contests & Membership - For Romance Authors Only
I was first introduced to RWA through entering one of my books into their 2020 contest. I was not a member and the cost for me was $35 to enter. After I won for the historical genre, I joined the group. The cost was $124/year (I hated to spend the money, but...I was so thrilled to have won! I received a really cool plaque and supposedly, I will be invited to an awards ceremony in FL next spring.)
This is a huge group and for a more social romance author, it’s probably worth the cost. They do send out a booklet with a lot of great writing information, but it does seem to me as though they spend way more time deciding upon/voting for new admin people, than anything else. And all their conferences, contests, etc., cost additional money rather than being included in the membership fee. Which I kind of resent.
BookSirens.com:
In this site, you request approval of your book before any cost passes to them. All I can say is, they have quickly rejected all my books without any reason or explanation or even an email informing of the rejection. I needed to go back onto the sight to find out, so I gave up on them. Honestly, I would have thought at least one of my books deserved inclusion. But that’s me and obviously not. I would not rule them out until you try!
There are sites like Netgalley ($$ over my budget) and Bookviral (over $200), and several others, that are too expensive for me to even consider their promotions. They are probably super sites for authors, but I cannot afford the cost.
Several ‘smaller’ sites that offer Twitter-only to promote:
I have not had any luck with these, but perhaps other authors have. I didn’t want to post specific sites here, but I have been, shall I say, suckered into paying $20-50 for a few of these in the past with zero return. Again, other authors may have had better luck.
How to Promote Your Book—5 Strategies for Authors
Guest article from Chloe Harris
Books with compelling content are often passed over due to ineffective promotion. Convincing people to read a book is quite different from convincing them to buy clothes, cars, and houses.
We’ve gathered a few useful strategies to promote your book:
Choose a Professional Book Cover
The old saw runs “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” But people do judge a book by its cover. A 2017 study revealed that a whopping 52% base their decision on the jacket artwork.
Work with professional book cover designer in conveying the right message, attracting the right audience. Your ideas will be the basis of the design, while the artist manipulates the elements to arrive at a professional, attention-getting result.
Author-designed covers run the risk of potential readers identifying the work as self-published, and therefore passing over it.
Use Social Media Effectively
“As of January 2020, over 3.8 billion people are using social media. This means that by simply introducing your book through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, you could stir the interest of many. However, you will have to optimise social media use for this happen.”, said Alistaire Clare, Credit Capital’s business consultant.
Social proof is vital in earning recognition. With an official page, it will be easier for potential readers to find your book. Make sure to include the following:
A high-resolution photo of the book
A photo of yourself with a short biography
A snippet about the book
Some testimonials from those who’ve read your book already
Facebook ads are also useful in reaching specific targets in terms of location, gender, age, and preferences.
Organise an Event in Local Bookstores
Avid book buyers visit local bookstores to hunt for old and new masterpieces. So, make sure not to miss this fanbase. Here are 21 charming bookshops in Australia.
Many local bookstores regularly feature new authors. Often, they also have a relationship with local book clubs that could review your book.
Prepare a good pitch, explaining how the bookstore can benefit from your book.
Ask if you could display promotional banners and posters.
Plan an entertaining presentation
Hold a live Q&A
Sign books for free or hold small contests
If things go well with local bookstores, you might contemplate further events in larger venues.
Reach out to Book Reviewers
It’s essential to gather as many reviews possible, mainly if you’re selling online. Books with more reviews get more visibility. They also create an impression that the content is promising.
Search for book reviewers who are interested in your genre. Ask them to leave an honest review. You might have to send a free copy, but that’s totally worth it, especially if the reviewer has a large following. Here are some great choices:
Aussie Reviews
Booktopia
Ragamuffin Books
Readability Australia
Lost in a Good Book
Goodreads
Also. try sending a letter to Australian Book Review. ABR is an independent, non-profit magazine that publishes book reviews.
Are you an independent author who wants to have a professionally-designed book? Working Type offers design, layout, and print solutions that can transform your manuscript into a best-seller. We also assist in e-book publishing and digital and print promotions. Contact us now for more information!
David Gaughran is the Bomb
In a world of hucksters and over-promising, David Gaughran stands out for producing material with some integrity and a lot of detail. He produces a great deal of free material (alongside paid information) relating to the effective digital marketing of books — an essential part of book promotion these days, accelerated still further by the covid debacle. His free Starting from Zero course should be an essential starting point for any digital marketing neophyte. He approaches the Amazon borg with curiosity and humour, and demystifies the algorithms that increasingly rule our online lives.
From Lakes Entrance to the Isle of Man
The indefatigable Pat Kelly, author of several engaging historical novels has released Beyond the Seas, available on Amazon and other online booksellers. As usual, she has been promoting her latest book effectively around her hometown (Lakes Entrance) and also much further afield. As a former resident on the Isle of Man, she has used her connections there to organise an article in a Manxian publication. The reference to South Africa is a little astray geographically, but otherwise, a great summary of Pat and her work.
