Rookie mistakes you made as an author

[Alexis]

I'll go first!

Setting a release date when the book was as far from ready as you can get lol.

[Carole]

Sending it out- without checking for errors.

[Erin]

Using the digital previewer instead of the Kindle previewer before hitting publish. *cringe* Not good.

[R.L.]

I made that same mistake Erin. My mistake: not planning for advertising and marketing in advance to build fans

[Erin]

R.L. wrote: "I made that same mistake Erin. My mistake: not planning for advertising and marketing in advance to build fans"

Ah - another good one. I want to pick your brain because book two in my novella series comes out in a few weeks and I feel like I should be better at the marketing angle than I am. I've learned a lot but I always want to know what other authors do. Feel free to start a new thread or PM me so I don't jack the thread, although I know everyone is interested in this topic :)

[R.L.]

Lol anytime

[N.N.]

Tweeting/emailing/texting to every single person we knew that we published our first book. Nothing like being called spam by own family... I'm still living that one down! ;) MRS N

[R.L.]

Although Carole knows more than me lol

[Carole]

I made the same mistakes every time I hit Publish My Book. It's like I never learn. I get so excited to publish and then have to pull the book back and fix the issues.
I also order a ton of paperbacks and end up with a copies with those glaring errors.

[Erica]

I was luckily able to avoid a lot of rookie mistakes after watching my brother go through the process. :P I wish I understood the complexity of marketing a little better before I began publishing though. I underestimated how difficult it was and have found it to be a long and sometimes stressful learning process of trial and error.

[Anna]

Not planning my first book release but simply launching it into the void. But it was a good learning experience. Now I know that I should look for ARC reviewers BEFOREHAND. XD

[Amy]

Just generally being clueless-about everything. I can write and that's where my strengths end.

[Amy]

Ah thank you Alex. Everyone else seems to be way ahead of me in terms of knowing what to do and when to do it. I'm about to email some bloggers and see if I can get some reviews. I couldn't even find any until Carole listed some for me.

[Amy]

Me too. I don't do people. I can type on forums because none of you are real. I type things and an automated computer types other stuff. Same with email. None of those are real people either. Don't ask me to use a phone, unless it's to text, because all that is computer generated too so that's OK. But they haven't got the hang of artificially generating human voices yet, so if I talk on the phone that involves real people. And I don't do people.

[Amy]

Yes, can't do many other forums. Too scary. I don't like abrupt. Abrupt makes me leave. Sometimes I've had enough of people and need to sit in a dark room on my own for a bit.

[Mandy]

Amy wrote: "Just generally being clueless-about everything. I can write and that's where my strengths end."

Exactly how I feel. I have major social anxiety, and have a hard time getting my books out to other people. I can write and publish it, but have a hard time letting people know about them. I hadn't even told my family i published until I had five out.

For some reason, I'm sure this makes me a horrible person, but I like that I'm not the only one who feels this way. I feel a little bit more normal.

[Amy]

Mandy wrote: "Amy wrote: "Just generally being clueless-about everything. I can write and that's where my strengths end."

Exactly how I feel. I have major social anxiety, and have a hard time getting my books o..."

Doesn't make you a horrible person Mandy. It just means you're not alone.

[Erin]

What great discussions. This is why I probably will never, ever do a live event or book signing. I just can't handle even the thought of actual engagement. The internet is different - it's like Sims ha ha.

So for pele like Amy and Alex, would it help to use a template to contact bloggers?

[Jan]

Believing all the 'advice' from author blogs and websites. Like never using the word 'just'. I deleted it from all my writing. and then realized I shouldn't follow every bit of so called helpful advice.

[Amy]

Oh I love that. Especially when you realise that some of these pieces of advice come from people who may or may not know more than the person reading the advice.

[Carole]

Mandy wrote: "Amy wrote: "Just generally being clueless-about everything. I can write and that's where my strengths end."

Exactly how I feel. I have major social anxiety, and have a hard time getting my books o..."

There is nothing that makes you a horrible person, absolutely nothing, excepting hurting another person. The fact that you didn't impose your books, doing a soft release and going about your business without telling, shows how considerate you are. I told all my extended family- the ones that I bought cookies I didn't need, and went to their shows and supported every cause that was important to them and watched them not open a book or write a review. I still buy their cookies and go to their events. It's okay. I get it and I'm okay with the double standard- I found more kindness in these threads and made friends that I can't wait to "speak" to each night.

I never had social anxiety until I was sued. I think it shook my confidence- but it's coming back now. Mandy please feel free to send a blog post. You can too, Jan- if you want to promote your books on one of my blogs, I'm happy to offer a spot. RL's blog Go Round has been terrific for many of us.

[Justin]

I still make rookie mistakes and I'm far from a rookie lol. Preparation and getting early reviews before the books released..experts and successful authors will tell you you need this but i it really a rookie mistake if it's not as easy as they make it out to be? I'm sure lots of things can be asked when it comes to these but it also comes down to putting in some work and not sitting back and watching nothing happen.

[Carole]

Totally agree, Justin. I never see them as mistakes- rather learning experiences.

[Sandy]

Being terrified of actually putting my book(s) out there in the real world because I might make a mistake. I have to really push me to take those last steps. Like now. My second book, and the first of a series, needs its cover art and I'm finding every excuse possible not to do it even though I have the artist all lined up. Same thing with acquiring the ISBNs, and deciding where to publish. Aaarrgh! I hate this part.
(Adding - OCD to the point that I just corrected a mistake in this post. LOL)

[Amy]

Sandy wrote: "Being terrified of actually putting my book(s) out there in the real world because I might make a mistake. I have to really push me to take those last steps. Like now. My second book, and the first..."

This is the sole reason why I still haven't produced my first book as a POD paperback. I can correct an ebook and I believe people can then download an updated one, but if they've bought a paperback and I've made a mistake in it I'm going to lose sleep over that.

[Carole]

You just load a new electronic copy and they fix the new pod copies produced.

This way the older ones become collectors items and when they show up on Antiques Roadshow they'll know it was an early copy!!

[Amy]

Lol, that's the best way to think about, but I'll burst a blood vessel because someone owns a copy with a comma in the wrong place!