2. Where's the self-publishing shortcut to reach that big audience?
My origin story part 2, lessons from years of research, & picking a publishing path
After my last post, you might be surprised that I call myself an optimist. But truly, every “failure” is really just data to learn from in the book industry. I’ve been down many roads looking for shortcuts, so let’s unpack that…
This post will cover:
My struggle to see what it would really take to market my self-published book successfully, according to what real people were doing.
The myth that, “There must be a book marketing shortcut!”
Self-publishing is CHANGING.
The obstacle that explains why it’s so hard to find what works.
Reality of what has worked for authors I know.
Takeaway: Self-publishing isn’t dead because even Brandon Sanderson is doing it!
So what I did do next with my first book after talking to everyone?
After taking down my book from Amazon, I took time to re-evaluate what it took to self-publish successfully. How in the hell was any other author making self-publishing work for them on Amazon anyway? Is Amazon broken for indie authors after all? Obviously, I was missing key ingredients for success, so I set out to find them.
I went into deep Sherlock mode in pursuit of the truth.
The Myth: Surely there’s a cheaper & faster self-publishing marketing shortcut out there somewhere.
Oh, it’s what every writer longs for; that’s why this myth lives on. Because every writer is suspicious that another writer knows the secret and isn’t telling because they are protecting their fortune.
I will tell you this: There is no foolproof method that works for everyone, and anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to rip you off for every fucking dime they can squeeze out of you.
The biggest new indie-book marketing changes
Marketing your book outside of Amazon was always important, but now it is absolutely critical to get seen in their ocean of books. You cannot rely on anything Amazon’s network to sell your book for you. Before publishing your book, even up to a year before, you need to think about your marketing strategy if you want to sell a lot of books.
Former literary agent turned self-published author Meg LaTorre began her book marketing 1 year ahead of her scheduled publication date. Her book marketing advice on the iWriterly YouTube channel is among the best and most reliable if you’re selling on Amazon and the other most common channels.
Check out Brandon Sanderson’s Kickstarter page to see how he’s kicking some serious self-publishing ass:
Brandon Sanderson, Fantasy Author
Furthermore, think about breaking publishing boundaries:
Consider this excellent post by
:
Elle Griffin's great post on a new self-publishing paradigm.