Are you thinking of self-publishing your novel or collection of short stories or poetry? Read this short book before you go any further!

Why read this book instead of the dozens of others out there?

I’m not a cheerleader for self-publishing. I’m not going to blow sunshine up your butt. I’m going to tell you the truth. That said, I love books, I love authors, and I want to help you set realistic goals and stay sane in the Wild West of publishing.

Most people writing books about self-publishing are actually trying to sell authors various expensive services on the promise of making them the next best-selling, self-pub sensation. I need you to know right now that for 99% of self-publishing authors, those services are not going to yield results. You won’t recoup your investment cost, you’ll end up frustrated, and you won’t want to admit it publicly because those who speak out about the downsides of self-publishing get bullied all over the internet and called losers and the one or two mega-success stories that prove that FAME AND FORTUNE ARE POSSIBLE!get thrown in their faces until they go home, tail between their legs.  

Here’s my promise to you: I’m not trying to sell you anything. I’m not even trying to sell you this book. I’m trying to give it to you for free in hopes that it will help you. Via Smashwords and all its distribution channels, this book shall forever be free. Amazon doesn’t allow authors to make their books perma-free, but usually they price match. That said, if Amazon is charging $0.99 and you’d rather pay $0.00, try a different seller.

I know I’ve just painted a bleak picture of the typical self-pub, self-help tome, but this book is definitely not all about raining on the self-publishing parade. I’m not anti-self-publishing. I have self-published two books of which I am incredibly proud, and self-publishing has opened up many fantastic opportunities for me. I want to tell you all about ways you can feel proud of your books and take advantage of opportunities that being a published author will provide.

But self-publishing has also been difficult, confusing, and lonely, and most of my efforts to find guidance have led me to people trying to profit from my dreams. That’s why I’m writing this book. I want to help you enjoy all the upsides, avoid the worst of the downsides, and stay sane in the process. 

Topics this book will address:

● Goal Setting
● Manuscript Preparation
● Book Formatting
● Cover Design
● Distribution Channels
● Planning Your Book Launch
● Marketing
● Getting Reviews
● Dealing with Bad Reviews

If that sounds good to you, download this book. I promise to keep it brief. Your time is valuable, and I only want to help.

If you write nonfiction, this book probably isn’t for you, as marketing nonfiction is much more straightforward than fiction. Frankly, it’s easier to find your audience and make sales in nonfiction than in fiction, which is why the majority of marketing advice available for self-publishing is geared towards nonfiction writers. My chapters on goal-setting and book-formatting might be helpful to you, but much of what I have to say applies most directly to those of us trying to make a living by making stuff up.