J.U. Scribe's Blog, page 3

New Year. New Book!

In my previous post, I talked about all the things I learned from self-publishing in 2020. This year I plan to take what I learned into my latest project. In 2021 I’m releasing the long-awaited sequel to Before the Legend entitled Roman Identity.

Granted some readers may have already read the chapters for Roman Identity posted on Wattpad and FictionPress. Readers may not know that I have made a lot of changes since I first published it for free online. And now that I’m getting it beta-read, you can expect even more critical changes to be made before the final version become available for sale. What can you expect from the 2nd book in the series? Read the blurb below.

Teaser cover

Blurb

Troy is not the same doe-eyed four year old. He’s fourteen going on fifteen. But with growth comes growing pains as Troy must now survive adolescence on top of his new role in the Kingdom. In this coming of age tale, the young prince finds himself thrust in new challenges and moral dilemmas that will test him to his breaking point. Will he rise to the top or sink to the bottom?

Have questions on the newest book? Check out my newly designed page for Roman Identity where you can learn more about the plot. Updates related to this book will be posted weekly so stay tuned.

Want to be the first one to read the latest version of my manuscript? Sign up below and get a free copy of my first book, Before the Legend. Spam not included.

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What I did differently self-publishing in 2020

As we near the end of the first month to a new year, I want to take this time to reflect on the events and lessons learned from 2020.

To say 2020 was an unprecedented year is the understatement of the century. While many were forced to quarantine during March and April I was busy getting ready to launch my most recent book, “How to Self-Publish Without Going Broke.” Despite all the obstacles happening in the world or in my personal life I believed that I had learned enough about self-publishing to share something meaningful to those who wanted to take the plunge into self-publishing after finding themselves at the crossroads of their careers.

Reflecting back to when I first self-published back in 2013, I didn’t know what I was doing before taking the plunge. I knew the basic steps but I did not plan on how to execute those steps like a professional would. Nor did I have a clear picture of who my audience was until months after the book was released!

As you can imagine, I was reluctant about self-publishing again after my first attempt seemed like a failure. There was many things I wish I knew before self-publishing which I covered in an earlier post. But I told myself if I was going to self-publish again I needed to have a game plan. I needed to understand how publishing companies get books ready for a successful launch. That meant following a systematic plan to get the book polished and professionally edited. It meant understanding my target audience and where to find them. What questions would they want to see answered? What steps would they need the most assistance with? What options would be cost-effective and still get the job done?

So I buckled down and did my research. I gathered advice from seasoned indie writers including Cara Stein, David Gaughran, and more. I made a note of all the things I was going to incorporate into my plan the next time I self-published including some of the points I mentioned here and tailor it to my liking.

My goal in my 2nd attempt at indie publishing was to show that self-publishing is still a viable option even in the age of COVID. Even when you just lost your job and living off your savings it can still be done…without going broke.

Here’s a breakdown of the key things I did differently from the 1st time I self-published.

Created a plan

I knew if I wanted to have a successful launch, I needed a concrete plan. In my plan I needed to answer the who, what, why, how, where, and when to my approach. I needed to understand who I was writing to (my target audience), what I wanted to cover in my guide, the reason why I was publishing. I also needed to figure out how I was going to self-publish (e.g. go wide or go exclusive with KDP Select). Since I decided to go wide I needed to decide where my book would be published and when it would become available. Having all of this in writing with a timeline of when I needed each step completed by, helped me to stay on track and make adjustments as needed.

Made my book available for preorder

This is a marketing strategy used by many trade published books. Even indie writers have followed suit. Since I didn’t do it the first time I self-published I saw this as an untapped opportunity to get a head start on sales which would help me land on important lists such as hot new releases. For those not familiar with that list it is a distinction given to rising books on Amazon. If your book does consistently well in its first 30 days of its release date you are likely to be recommended to readers by Amazon for free.

I worked with a graphic designer on my book cover

As I learned the hard way people will judge a book by its cover. Covers not only have to be pretty but they need to fit at least some basic conventions for the genre it belongs to. However paying a professional book cover designer can be pricy. The cost to hire a cover designer varies and can run as high as $4000! I was fortunate to find a friend of a friend who happens to do graphic design as a side venture. He was instrumental in giving me advice and helping to bring my vision to life after weeks of brainstorming. He played a critical role in designing the front cover for free.

Created an audiobook

This was my first time creating an audiobook. As many authors and readers know, audiobooks are the fastest growing market in books! I saw it as an untapped goldmine waiting to be uncovered. So after searching for the right voice narrator, I chose Elliot Bales who’s done other narrations in the past.

Got reviewers lined up before the book went live

This was suggested by a fellow self published writer, Cara Stein who’s helped other indie writers have successful launches. She put together the Bestseller Launch Blueprint, a PDF comprised of insightful tips for a successful book launch. In the Blueprint she actually recommends getting at least 5-10 the week the book goes live. Many authors including myself realized I needed get as many reviews right out the gate when you first self-publish. Why? Reviews are very important to any writer but especially if you are an unknown writer and don’t have an established fanbase numbering into the thousands. Early positive reviews are critical because they can sway readers to take a chance on your book. And if the reviewer has a following (e.g. YouTube or Goodreads) they can create early buzz for your book.

Sent advanced reader copies.

Having early reviews is important but finding willing reviewers can be tricky. No you don’t want to ask just anybody. Asking a close relative like your momma or a sibling may actually backfire when Amazon finds out the reviewer is related to you and takes the review down! Even your close friends may not be the best choice either especially if they don’t read your genre. Another caution against choosing your friends and family is that their reviews are more likely to be biased because they don’t want to hurt your feelings (unless they are brutally honest). Having a bunch of 5 star glowing reviews saying “This book is great” may evoke suspicions among readers browsing on your sales page. As an author you want people to view you as credible. That includes your reviews.

In the Blueprint the author even recommends reaching out to people in your writing circle or mailing list (if you have one). Ideally you want to come up with a list of people who could write an editorial review. This is more of an in-depth review that is featured under the Editorial section of your sales page or on the flap of your book. Ideally you want to find similar authors, editors, or other influencers that could add credibility to the review.

She even demonstrates how to reach out to reviewers and even what to include in your email message which could work for possible editorial reviewers. You’re at an advantage if you have connections to big names in the industry (e.g. book blogger or a person that runs a popular podcast) or belong to an active writing community. But don’t overlook the people that supported your book whether it’s an editor you worked with or a writing critique partner. Chances are if you have a good rapport with them they would be more willing to write a good review for you (but don’t pressure them).

And of course the most common reviews people read on a sales page are customer reviews. A great place to find ones to write a customer review are your followers. If you have a mailing list like on Mailchimp, you could kindly ask them to leave a review when your book comes out. Another way to find reviewers is sending an advanced reader copy to readers before the book goes live. Even with a mailing list I only had a few people interested in my nonfiction book (since most subscribers were there for my fiction works). That’s when you need to reach out to sites specifically catered towards readers looking for upcoming books.

Sites like Bookfunnel and BookSprout are good choices if you are having trouble finding reviewers. I personally used BookSprout as it was more suited for nonfiction as well as fiction. How it works is that you fill out the details about your book, upload the electronic formats your book is available in, provide the deadline for the review, check off the sites you want the reviews posted and voila the site does the rest to put your advanced copy in front of readers! I personally recommend BookSprout because you can spell out where you would like your reviews posted. It will even send automatic reminders to the participants when the review deadline is drawing close so you don’t have to chase people down.

Waited two weeks before running a 99 cent promo after the official release date.

This was advice I’ve heard after reading the Bestseller Launch Blueprint. One thing that was stressed was waiting a few weeks before discounting the book for your official launch. While some people make their books free when it first goes live it’s important for the official promotion to raise the price to at least 99 cents. While free downloads help, it’s the sales that will have a direct impact on your sales rank. Your sales rank is what moves your book to the top of the list for its respective category. A higher rank = more visibility. Having your book discounted will also encourage new readers to take a chance on your book and hopefully generate some excitement.

While you should still promote your book in those critical first weeks, I saw the wisdom in waiting before reaching out to sites to promote my heavily discounted book because 1) it gave me time to fix any formatting issues or errors missed during the vigorous rounds of editing and 2) gave me time to rack up enough reviews before you do any marketing. Again this is important because it’s hard to promote a product with no reviews!

Without giving too much away, here’s a breakdown of the strategy in the Blueprint:

3-6 months out: Build relationships with editorial reviewers, people in groups you belong to online3 weeks out: Research competitive categories that fit your book Write a compelling sales copy Send requests for reviews Schedule different days your book will be promoted and on what sites (e.g. Bookbub, BookSends, etc.) Night before:Drop the price from full price to 99 centsRun your launch!

Obviously there’s more to this list but you would have to check out the Blueprint for yourself!

So did it work?

For any launch to go well you have to get the packaging right. That meant having an eye-catching cover, good sales copy aka your blurb, professional editing and formatting to name a few. Once I got all my ducks in a row, it was time for the official launch. But would it actually work? Did I rise to the top of my respective categories.

For a period of time, yes!

Granted I had no help from presales. So in my case I had to bank on having a strong official launch. Having early reviews trickle in those first two weeks was a major confidence booster. Although I didn’t get enough reviews in time to be accepted by BookBub, I was able to find other promo sites (BargainBooksy) with the few reviews I managed to get thanks to BookSprout. More than half of the readers left reviews which is impressive considering most reviewers tend to forget to leave a review when launch time comes.

On the first day of my official launch I made 11 sales. And for a hot minute I even claimed the #1 spot in hot new releases for authorship reference on Amazon which was one of my two categories! It was surreal seeing myself on the hot new release list even if it only lasted a day. While the sales rank dropped towards the end of my promotion I could say this promotional launch strategy helped me far exceed the launch of my 1st book. A more detailed breakdown of my official book launch is covered here.

Overall not getting reviews on time hindered me from using the promotion sites that had larger segmented mailing lists that your book could be sent to. A number of the ones she list needed at least 5 or more reviews such as BookSends. Bookbub doesn’t specify on their site the exact number of reviews but they have high criteria on what books get accepted be promoted request (e.g. high star rating, editorial reviews, etc.). While I reached out to numerous interested people and had automatic reminders sent for my ARC, you cannot control if or when people post reviews.

In theory, the principles outlined in the Blueprint are logical and produce results when followed closely. The variables that involve people (aka reviews) though are unpredictable. The success of your launch hinges on making it lists such as “New Releases” to continue the sales momentum, which is something that I struggled with after the promotional period.

It then becomes critical to even double the amount of people you reach out to even if that means and waiting a little later to promote when you do have at least 5 or more reviews. Even then I still believe the points she makes are spot and there are enough gems that you’ll find useful when it comes to launch your book.

Thankfully when I went to promote my how-to book during Black Friday weekend, I sold more than double what I sold during my official launch in July not to mention over 1200 downloads during the free days. Having a few more reviews, and using book promo sites like Bargain Booksy and BookSends, was an investment that paid off!

Overall I stand by the steps in my book because they helped me deliver a stronger, polished manuscript the first time around vs. having to redo things months later. When writing I thought about how I was helping others but in turn I ended up helping myself. I plan to take what I learned during the process of writing and publishing How to Self-Publish Without Going Broke and apply it to my next book coming out this year!

Stay tuned for future posts as I reveal more info about my upcoming project!

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Want to learn what I’m working on next? Are you looking for coming up with creating your own plan? Join today and you can get my free eBook Before the Legend and a copy of this exclusive publishing planning guide.

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Cyber Monday = Double the Savings

[image error] (Disclaimer: Delays in pricing for some retailers may occur)

It’s been roughly 7 years since my self-publishing debut and this year I decided to do something I’ve never done before. As you guessed it by the banner, two of my books: Before the Legend and How to Self-Publish Without Going Broke are on sale just in time for the Black Friday weekend leading into Cyber Monday.

As I near the end of my free run and reflect on the results of my performance I can honestly say both books benefitted greatly from the boost. As I enter the next phase of my promotion, I’m feeling optimistic about my 99 cent deal particularly for “How to Self-Publish Without Going Broke” which is the very first promotion I’ve done for my latest book since its official launch back in July. Here is the day-by-day breakdown for my promo:

November 29th



Before the Legend $2.99 (USD) $.99 | Amazon Kindle (only on Amazon)How to Self-Publish Without Going Broke $4.99 $.99 (USD) | Amazon Kindle | Apple | B&N | Kobo | (Don’t see your retailer? Check out my book’s sales page here).



November 30th (Cyber Monday)



Before the Legend $2.99 $.99 (USD) | Amazon KindleHow to Self-Publish Without Going Broke $4.99 $.99 (USD) | Amazon Kindle | Apple | B&N | Kobo |

Everything you need to know to start a career as a ghostwriter

In my last post, I dished on what a ghostwriter is and why you might consider one for your next book project. For those reading this and thinking that sounds like something I want to get into you may be wondering where do I even begin?

In my quest to learn about ghostwriting and how to start with little to no experience I learned a great deal from G.B. Scholander’s book Where are the Ghostwriting Jobs? The book gives you not only the framework of establishing yourself as a ghostwriter but concrete steps on how to build your portfolio and where to find those opportunities. Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know when you are starting off in this career path. But before you dive in let’s start with an important disclaimer.

Expect to remain anonymous

To recap, ghostwriters get paid to write other people’s stories. While the ghostwriter does most of the heavy-lifting in terms of writing a polished completed manuscript, the client who pays you get credited for the book. While you may be listed as an “editor” you will not be credited as the author.

But here’s the interesting part most people don’t know.

You may often be forced to sign a confidentiality agreement. The terms of that agreement may stipulate that you won’t be listed anywhere on the credits. It may also stipulate the details you share about the book you just worked on. Granted this will vary from client to client but don’t be surprised if certain clients forbid you from discussing your project (their book) to other people. This is something the author cautions you to give careful thought to when deciding on which clients to work with. If you agree to the terms of their condition then great, you landed a deal. If not, you might want to look for another client! You want to be able to share at least some things about the books you are working on. After all you want to be able to provide some concrete examples on your online portfolio or resume of the types of works you have experience in.

Build your portfolio first

Like any job the #1 thing employers are wondering is do you have experience. Doesn’t matter if you just graduated college, employers expect experience. This is very important for anyone new to ghostwriting. In fact I would say this is something I wish was stressed even more in the book. Granted you can apply for an actual paying job with a team of other ghostwriters, but most of them are looking for at least some ghostwriting experience before they will even consider your application/resume.

So how do you gain experience if you starting from ground zero? After reading the book I came to the conclusion that you have a much better chance working as a freelance ghostwriter before you can land a steady-paying gig/job in ghostwriting.

Before we get to the resources here’s some tips to build your experience before you look for clients.

Be a writer

You can’t expect to be a ghostwriter if you’ve never written a book! It’s like applying to be a nurse without any schooling and hands-on training. I would encourage you to write and publish at least one book before you become a ghostwriter. Why do I add the publish part? You need to understand what readers are looking for. It’s important to have some knowledge of the publishing industry so you know what sells and what doesn’t. Doesn’t matter if you traditionally published or self-published, you need industry experience if you want to set your future client’s book up for success.

The more you write the better you become. You will be able to hone your craft which will carry over to your next book. Even if you have never written a book for a client, having a backlog of books you’ve written will help with your credibility, especially if they are well-written and have mostly positive reviews.

One thing the book recommends is creating an online presence whether it’s through a blog (e.g. WordPress) or website. Even LinkedIn would work. You have full rights to share the contents of your book so why not showcase it to future clients.

Start somewhere

Once you have some writing works under your belt you can start eyeballing potential clients. Clients can come from anywhere. You just have to keep your eyes open even in places we overlook. G.B. Scholander reminds aspiring ghostwriters to look for opportunities amongst your connections or local communities. Maybe someone has a great story to share but doesn’t have the time or skill to pen a novel. That’s where you can come in to fill a need.

The most common way ghostwriters find gigs is by searching job boards. Here are just some of the top recommended sites to find a gig:

Online Writing JobsFreelance WritingIndeedSimplyHiredCraigslistjust name a few

The book does a good job breaking down the strengths and limitations of each site when you are starting your search. For example Indeed offers some good-paying jobs. For example I was able to find a job posting that pays between $32-46/hr. Not bad for a ghostwriter job! Keep in mind you need to be realistic. When you starting off you may only be able to land smaller gigs, like a short 15-page book on a particular topic for example. Keep in mind some of the jobs will be low-paying especially if you are bidding on jobs. I wish this was something that was discussed more in the book because it’s important to understand you will not find a lot of high-paying gigs when you first start out. Nor can you expect to charge others $10,000 per book if you have no actual experience.

The gigs that pay more understandably expect more experience upfront but don’t let that discourage you from applying to your dream jobs especially if they don’t spell out ‘x’ number of years you need before applying.

The reality is you have to start somewhere. With the sites listed, start by doing keyword searches for “ghost writer” to narrow down ghostwriting jobs. Keep in mind that you don’t have to limit yourself to jobs in your locale. You can broaden your search for any ghostwriting job in your country or even around the world. Considering most of these jobs are remote, you can work anywhere around the world. In the middle of a pandemic, remote work has become a lucrative option for millions.

If you are interested in sticking with freelance work you can find some great opportunities within the resources the author lists. And if you build your portfolio you can even start advertising your services on sites like Craigslist or Upwork. I would recommend checking out postings (particularly in your local area) to give you a gauge on how much you should charge. For example in my area (SE Wisconsin, USA) the average is $4,800 (USD) to ghostwrite a book on Craigslist. Meanwhile some sites like Upwork charge by hour. They can charge as high as $150+. Some charge $40/hr. Again the rates will vary depending on the length and nature of the book and their years of expertise. If you’re looking for more assistance on determining rates and pay from ghostwriting, I strongly recommend checking out this post by Dr. Freelance.

Even if you decide that ghostwriting is not for you, there are other writing jobs you can find online whether you are interested in blogging, content writing, copywriting, or technical writing.

Whether you are interested in ghostwriting or other writing jobs I recommend checking out the book. For those serious about ghostwriting, this is a great starting point. So far I’ve packed a lot of information in this post and even then there’s much more details to cover. I’m still learning about this career path and all the different paths it can take me whether it’s working full or part-time with an agency or an independent freelancer. Now it’s time for you to dig in and find out for yourself!

Do you want to be the next ghostwriter?

Who wants to be a ghostwriter?

If you polled a group of students that question you would be hard-pressed to find a student that would raise their hand. That’s because the average person may have never heard the term let alone fathom someone could make ghost-writing a career.

To be clear when I say ghostwriting I’m NOT talking about a writer who writes ghost stories. That’s a different topic. So what exactly is ghostwriting? Why should you consider being one? I’ll be answering those two questions in this post starting with the first question.

What’s a Ghostwriter?

If you’re like me it seems that ghostwriting has been a trending topic in the writing community and rightly so. You may even see ads appearing in your social media feeds luring writers to pursue a career in ghostwriting. Earlier we established it’s not referring to writers who write ghost stories. But what exactly is ghostwriting? Put simply ghostwriting is taking the rough ideas/outlines of an author and writing a fully drafted manuscript for them to be published. Essentially writers are paying other people to write their books! And the kicker is the author gets the credit for the book even though the ghostwriter may be acknowledged in the credits as one of the ‘editors.’

Why do writers pay someone else to write their books?



They are too busy. Some authors are pressured to churn out books quickly to drive their sales or please their rabid fanbase with more material. As a writer myself I understand there is a lot that goes into making a book. I even outlined the many steps in my how-to book. Some of the steps alone can take months to complete. However many writers still have day jobs, not to mention family obligations. They may feel pressured to release multiple titles a year but simply don’t have enough time. So the solution for some writers, especially established authors, is to hire a team of ghostwriters to write their book while they can focus on marketing, or other public engagements. They don’t have the natural talent/or aptitude. Anyone literate person can write. But to write a book that captivates and engages readers requires more than just stringing words together. That’s where this 2nd reason comes in. Exceptional writing takes a mix of raw talent coupled with knowing what readers are looking for in a given genre, and years perfecting your craft as a writer in order to produce a well-written book. At the same time you also want a book that readers will rave about. This is not saying people that hire ghostwriters are bad writers. But ghostwriters are sought after to take their client’s writing to the next level. They tap into their own experience writing in different styles, voices, world-building, character development, etc. to come up with a well-crafted manuscript that people would want to buy. While they are not editors in the strictest sense they should self-edit their work to the point that the final manuscript that’s delivered to the client is free of major mechanical or developmental flaws. You may think of ones you met that overcame adversities that would have a great motivational story to share. Or some celebrity or famous figure wants to chronicle their life story or promote their brand. However writing may not necessarily be their strong suit especially if it’s outside their element. To be fair the thought of writing a book for the first time is daunting to any new writers. For those that struggle to articulate their thoughts into words that flow off the page a ghostwriter sounds like the simple choice.They need help to organize their thoughts. This ties in with the 2nd point. You can have all these great ideas, but don’t know how to put it all together from beginning to end. A ghostwriter can take a half-baked idea into a full-fledged novel. A writer may need help organizing their thoughts in a logical manner. It’s the ghostwriter’s job to translate the author’s thoughts into words that teach, inspire and engage (depending on the purpose for your book). They are also the ones who will do the research, cite your sources (if this is nonfiction), and structure the content. If this is a fiction manuscript their job is to flesh out your plot, keep all the plot points and details straight. In the end they strive to stay true to your voice and writing style. They welcome and encourage the writer’s feedback. After all the author has the vision. Their job is to translate that vision into a masterpiece.

So far we discussed how the author aka client benefits. But how do the ghostwriter benefit from the exchange? Here are some perks:

Anonymity– If you like writing, but don’t like being in the limelight or prefer your privacy, ghostwriting is a great route to go. As a ghostwriter you can write different books under different pen names and nobody has to know you wrote those books. After all the author may not even list you at all in the book (which they have the legal right to).Chance to try new styles– Because nobody knows your identity, you can feel less inhibited about trying new genres or writing styles you normally wouldn’t have tried. Of course a ghostwriter may find it advantageous to find a niche that their good at and stick to it, but experimenting with different styles especially when starting out helps them decide what they like and what they don’t like. Also, writing in different styles will push you outside your comfort zone and help you to become a well-rounded writer.Sustainable living as a writer– Any indie writer knows that the path to becoming a bestseller is challenging. It’s even more challenging to make consistent income from your writing that you can afford to quit your day job. The sad reality is that very few writers will make enough money to support themselves full-time from their writing and live comfortably doing so. Self-publishing takes a lot of monetary investment to even get to that point. Most times when you publish, you will spend more money than you can recoup in sales. With ghostwriting, they get paid for their efforts regardless if the book sells or not. In my book, “How to Self-Publish Without Going Broke” I mention that you can expect to dish out as much as $10,000 for a ghostwriter to write your book. That’s a lot of money to be paid for one book project! And if you’re really good you can expect to find eager clients to keep you busy.

After reading this you may be thinking where can I find my next ghostwriter? “I don’t feel like writing a 100,000 word novel” you may say. Or you may be thinking I would like to be a ghostwriter. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, it’s useful to understand the valuable role they play in the publishing world. So if you’re of the opinion of dipping your toes into ghostwriting where do you begin to start? Tune into my next post where I dish on all the details on starting a career and the resources out there to help you!

Indie Author Spotlight – J.U. Scribe

This Friday I get to be featured by Niki Morris. I’m honored and thankful for the interview.

One of the most inspiring posts I see on my many author forums is when someone takes the time to share their story. Each Friday, I’m going to feature a different indie author to help inspire all of you!

What is your pen name?

J.U. Scribe

What genre do you write in?

Historical fiction, nonfiction.

How many books have you published?

Two

What inspired you to become a writer?

I was inspired by reading great books during middle school such as The Giver. Seeing the response I got when I finally mustered the courage to post my stories online gave me an added incentive in being a writer. What helped me decide to self-publish was seeing a fellow Wattpad writer self-publish her story. I figured if she could do it, so can I.

What are your marketing and advertising strategies?

In addition in making sure the packaging is right (cover…

View original post 187 more words

Which book promo site will make me the most money?

The new release launch for How to Self-Publish Without Going Broke came and went. Over the course of six days where my book went on sale for only 99 cents, I’ve seen a significant jump in sales, the release of the paperback format and the production of my audiobook which is slated for a late summer release. For a hot minute I even claimed the #1 spot in hot new releases for authorship reference on Amazon which was one of my two categories! But with all good things, they usually come to an end. Through this experience I learned a lot about what worked and what didn’t when it came to strategies to promote my discounted book.

To help me determine which marketing strategy would produce the most sells, I decided to try a different method each day of the 6-day book launch. With the exception of Amazon ads which played consistently through the five days, I would only be featured on one site. Would having two variables make it more challenging to determine how much of the sales were coming from the promo site? Not really. With Amazon ads, the ad campaign dashboard would only show me the sales that are the direct result of someone clicking my ad and buying my book. With less variables at play, I could better determine the success of each promo site.

Here’s a breakdown of the results per day.

Day 1: Bargain Booksy

The first day of the campaign I chose to feature my book on Bargain Booksy. I chose to be featured for the Self-Help and How-to categories.

Results: That day I got a total of 11 sales that day.

Day 2: eBook Hounds

Results: The next day my grand total came in at 8. This is the first day I took careful note of my sales rank for my respective categories. I note my sales rank this day because this was the best day in terms of sales rank.

Authorship: #14

Authorship reference: #20

Day 3: Digital Book Spout (BKnights)

Results: My grand sales total was 5

Day 4: Nothing

Results: My book was not featured on any particular site that day. Not surprisingly my sales was 0 that day on Amazon.

Day 5: Book Reader Magazine

Results: I got a total of 2 sales that day. One of the two sales was for the paperback which was purchased by someone I knew so really Book Reader Magazine only gets credit for one of those sales.

Day 6: Facebook (ads)

This day I used almost exclusively just Facebook ads. I tried to tailor my ads to not only the U.S. but other English-speaking countries like the UK, Canada, and Australia. Later I expanded my audience to India which also has a sizeable population that speaks English. I got a lot engagement (clicks and likes) from my ad from young users (between 18-24) from India!

Result: I closed out my launch with just 2 sales.

Show me the Results



I got a total of 28 salesThe biggest callout was that nearly all of my sales were made on Amazon. Wasn’t too surprised by this finding.Because I was actively promoting the eBook it also came as no surprise that the vast majority of my sales was for the eBook which is what I wanted.Most of my sales stemmed mostly from the promo sites with the exception of one sale that was from my Amazon ad campaign (can’t recall the exact date). I will add that a little of word of mouth no doubt nudged a few people in the groups and spaces I belong to on Goodreads, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Reddit to check out my book.As I mentioned earlier I made it briefly on the hot new release list for authorship reference on Amazon which was a big deal for me considering it was my first time hitting that list.



Biggest Winners and Losers (in terms of sales)

Granted sales is not the only determining factor (e.g. reviews) but it is a big one because that’s the most concrete way of measuring the success of a book launch. These are the biggest winners and losers for my how-to book.

Winner: Bargain Booksy – I noticed the most sales after using their channel. The pricing and submission requirements were very reasonable even if you don’t have a lot of reviews. They also have sizable distribution group for nonfiction (size =72,000), along with other genres so I feel that books of other genres have a good chance of finding the right audience.

Loser: Book Reader Magazine- the pricing was reasonable (I even used a coupon code to knock off an extra $10, bringing my total price to $10. In terms of sales I only got one sale after being featured on Book Reader Magazine. While I think other genres may fare better on this site, I didn’t get the traction I was hoping for. If you do decide to use this site make sure you have other promos running that day.

Lessons from my launch

In retrospect my launch didn’t have the biggest closing I would have wanted. Truthfully, for an ideal launch you want your sales to steadily grow with each day of the launch. You should have the same if not more sales the last day of your launch than the first day. Why is that important? Because a steady sales growth tells Amazon your book is primed for sustained long-term growth vs. a one day spike. The performance of your book in its first 30 days of release is a critical factor in not only being included in important lists such as hot new releases but the impact that being on such lists will have in terms of exposure. Essentially Amazon and similar sites would be marketing for you to potential readers in your chosen category.

This strategy for my launch was risky having the book be only featured on one site per day. If I were to perform this experiment again, I would choose promo sites that had more subscribers or more site traffic. The biggest obstacle booking the promo sites with more “fire power” was not getting enough reviews on time. Promo giants like BookBub (as picky as they are) have a large number dedicated readers, lots of site traffic, and offer tailored promotions to their subscribers based on genre/subgenre. That’s why I hear so many positive experiences from ones that managed to snag a BookBub ad. The pricing is very expensive as your promo will depend on how many countries you choose to promote in and the genre itself. For example if you choose to place an ad for 99 cent book that falls under how-to or self-help and wanted to promote it in the U.S. alone, expect to pay $560!

Thankfully other sites were not nearly as expensive as BookBub. However even other sites like Robin Reads, eReader IQ, and BookSends required at least 5 or more reviews. Unfortunately at the time of starting my launch I was short one customer review when I was running my promo which put me at a disadvantage. I did get my 5th customer review which happened to be a glowing 5-star review a few weeks after the launch but hey I can’t be mad.

Why do I share my results?

The main reason I’m being transparent about my results is because I want you to learn what sites to use for your next launch. Here are some of the biggest takeaways I learn from my book launch results.

Secure at least five reviews before your official launch. This is absolutely critical. I can’t stress this enough! Certain sites particularly BookBub will not accept your book if it doesn’t match their criteria including garnering enough reviews. Not only should you have 5-10 =reviews but for sites like BookBub they are interested in your average star rating. So gather as many reviewers as possible. Expect that even the ones that promise to leave a review will forget. This number can vary but expect that 20% of people will not only agree but follow-through with their review.Have your book featured on at least one promo site for each day of your launch. Having one promo site per day will allow you to better determine the success of each site. If your book can be featured on a site for more than one day even better!If you want to boost your sales potential, secure as many featured ads/promos for your book. Stack more than one on a given day for optimal results.

As my case study shows, the success of your launch really depends on multiple factors so results will vary considerably between writers. Some writers may even experience better success on some of the sites I listed earlier due to how popular the genre is, the categories you choose, how attention-grabbing their cover is and how well-written their blurb is. Overall my launch far exceeded the launch of my first book which is a noteworthy accomplishment. While I have nothing to brag about I’m feeling closer to mastering the tools and fine-tuning the execution of the steps I set out. Expect a future post where I give a more detailed breakdown of some of these promo sites so you can make an informed decision on which ones are worth using.

Now that I know which sites worked for me I’m curious to read what sites worked for you in the comments below.

How to Self-Publish Without Going Broke is on sale for 99 cents!

Today begins the official launch of my book. For those that have been following this blog you’re probably thinking, didn’t you publish the book for sale on 6/29? While I released my book two weeks ago, I took the advice of a well-respected self-publisher, Cara Stein, and decided to follow her launch strategy and wait 2 weeks before doing any promotions. This has proven wise as it has given me time to refine any issues found in the ARC, get my paperback and audiobook setup (which I’ll get to later), line up my reviews, and come up with a list of sites to promote my book to the masses.

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What you need to know about my book



This offer, as shown above, is for a limited time only. Sale lasts from 7/14 – 7/19.Sale will be going on at participating retailers including Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and more.Paperback version is now available for sale on Amazon for $9.99. You can buy it here.Audiobook is in production but will be coming out early next week. Check out this page for pricing info as more information becomes available.

Looking for more of a deeper dive on some of the topics I discuss in my book? Check out this comprehensive page filled with bonus content including resources and tools for formatting, cover design, editing, sites to promote your free or discounted book and much more!

What can you do to spread the love?



Download your discounted copy from any of the retailers here.Share the love with your network of family and friends on social media or via word of mouth.If you enjoyed what you read, share the love by way of review.

–

Hot New Release Out Now

Finally self-publishing advice that’s recession-proof.

It’s officially here. All my previous blog posts this past year on editing, formatting, cover design, blurb writing, and more culminated into this single comprehensive book for the aspiring or established indie writers out there. If you are a writer, this one is for you.

As June came to a close, what better way to end June with a hot new release. To my followers, I’m pleased to announce the release of my new how-to book: How to Self-Publish Without Going Broke. It’s been live starting 6/29/20 on Amazon and has already made it’s way to other retailers as shown below.

[image error]Full list of retailers can be found on my sales page here. I’ll also update you on the latest pricing and other pertinent details here .

Self-publishing is not easy but I break down the steps in this simple, comprehensive guide. In the guide you will learn everything from:

•How to draft your best manuscript
•How to self-edit your work
•Where to find beta readers
•How to find out what editing your book needs and where to find affordable professional editors
•How to avoid the biggest mistakes in cover design and where to find affordable cover designers
•How to format your manuscript for print, eBook, and audiobook
•How to create pre-buzz for your book including finding reviewers and creating an email newsletter
•And bonus resources if you need additional assistance!

Despite the tough economic landscape brought on partly by COVID-19, self-publishing can still be a viable option for a thrifty writer (you’re looking at me).

It’s still early but I already got my first customer review through Booksprout and got a glowing editorial review which you can also view on Amazon. While it’s currently available as an eBook I’ve had early interest in a print counterpart. I’m pleased to announce that’s in the works as we speak. I just finished the cover design and formatting (the latter was not fun btw) and now I’m waiting for the proof copies to arrive in a couple of days to make sure everything looks OK before moving forward. Here is sneak peak at the cover design.

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In addition to a paperback version coming sometime the first few weeks of July, I’m also seriously contemplating turning this into an audiobook. I’m not sure exactly when that will happen but I’m planning later this Summer. So stay tuned.

I’ll admit there were some hiccups that created delays to some of my distributors but overall I’m relieved that the book is finally available to most of the retailers/distributors I selected through Draft2Digital. This is my first time publishing through Draft2Digital so it’s too early to give them a review but expect one in a future post.

For now my focus is on gathering reviews for my book before I do a full-scale launch which is coming in two weeks. If you want to be one of the first ones to receive updates on the print book, the audiobook, or upcoming sales this July, join the club.

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P.S.

This is my 100th post today. I’m feeling generous today so I will be providing free electronic copies to those who sign up to my newsletter today.

Post Publishing

All these weeks of writing, editing, more revisions, cover design, formatting, and more led to the final step of publishing which I discussed last week here in case you missed it. So we’re done here, right?

Not quite.

Once you’re done with the publishing process, wait for the book to go live for readers to see and buy. This depends on the retailer, but it normally falls within 72 hours or less. If you have multiple formats, link them together. For example, KDP Select allows you to link your eBook and print book together. Now that your book is officially published, you can breathe a sigh of relief. But your work is not over as a self-publisher. Far from it! Publishing your book is just the start of the next phase.

The book is not the only thing you have to sell. It’s you. If you want people to trust your book, they need to trust you. Whether you are selling on your author site or Amazon, you need to think about personal branding as a self-published writer. In basic terms you want to position yourself as someone they can trust will deliver on the promises made by the blurb and cover. Think about your background and experience to speak on a topic. This is critical especially for nonfiction writers. Your brand can also reflect your demeanor (e.g. witty, optimistic, serious, etc.), your values (family-oriented, career-oriented, religious/spiritual, etc.), work ethic, and more. All of these reflect your personal brand. Whether you are interacting with fans on social media, handing out business cards in your local bookstores, or blogging, you want the image you project to be consistent. Make it a positive impression.

Readers are curious to learn about the person behind the book. After you publish the book, get started on writing your author bio. If you are publishing through Amazon, I strongly advise setting up a profile on Amazon’s Author Central and coming up with an author bio that tells readers about yourself. You can include facts like your name/penname, where you live, your other books, hobbies or interests. Highlight something unique about yourself. If you are writing nonfiction, think about how you can establish yourself as the expert of your topic or what makes you passionate about the subject. You control what details to include or leave out. Just make it interesting. You may even intrigue them to follow you or check out your other books.

This is also the time to be actively promoting your book. You can’t publish your book and hope that readers will find it. Unless you are very fortunate to have movers and shakers in the industry, you bear the responsibility of promoting your book if you want to position it to your target readers. Hopefully, if the content is well written and edited and the packaging reflects well on the content, this will put you in a better position to market your book.

Tips for post-launch:

Continue collecting reviews. Post any editorial reviews on your sales page.Wait two weeks after you publish to do a full-blown launch with ads whether you go with Amazon, BookBub, Book Sends, or one of the book promotion sites I have listed on my Additional Resources page.If you have some graphic design skills create your own ads using online tools Canva or Edit or consult with your cover designer.Drop your price the day before your launch to 99 cents.

In the days, weeks, and months ahead you want to check the performance of your book. Some distributors, such as KDP Select and Smashwords, provide a dashboard tracking the sales and downloads you make. Don’t be surprised if you don’t get the results you were expecting right away. You can go back and change your categories and keywords. However, if you executed each of the steps well, you shouldn’t need to make any major changes to your book at this point.

But don’t forget that after you publish, this is also the time to continue writing. Even if your book is not getting the traction you hoped for, don’t give up. It may take more titles before you hit your stride and start making a profit. I’ve heard the sage advice from many writers that with each title you release, you are indirectly boosting the sales for your previous books. The idea behind that is if readers like your book, they will naturally look for other titles you have out. Chances are if they liked the first book, they are more likely to read your other books.

Publishing more books not only makes you a more seasoned writer but also helps you build a loyal fan base. It also generates more sales across your titles if you run promotions or ads. Therefore, it makes more sense to spend more on marketing when you have multiple titles versus having only one book under your name. So, with your first book, don’t spend too much on marketing. Focus more on delivering a quality product and getting reviews. Any extra marketing you do should be to create visibility. To everyone reading this, just remember self-publishing is not a race. So learn to enjoy the journey. It takes concerted effort and perseverance to achieve your publishing goals. Understand that the journey will not be the same for every writer, nor should you expect to achieve the same results. Not everyone will hit the best sellers list with their first book or even the 2nd book. Nor will you be able to quit your day job just yet. But remember, you get to define what success looks like for you! So, celebrate each milestone you reach, learn from your mistakes, and continue pushing to be the best writer you can be.