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.

A Backpackers Progress

Jason Rebello’s excellent Red Earth Diaries about his travels around Australia as a newlywed is due to launch soon, and he has left absolutely no stone unturned in placing information on all the social media services and print on demand and ebook services. Here are some of the links…

The book is available for preorder on the below online bookstores (more will be added in the coming days):

Amazon, Kobo, and Booktopia, Barnes and Noble, Google Books and Apple

Travel and Inspirational Blog: https://theevolvingbackpacker.com/

Author Website: https://evolvingwordsmith.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theevolvingbackpacker/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheEvolvingBackpacker

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wordsmith_jason (wordsmith_jason)

Cracking Author Websites

Independent authors should have a place online where potential readers can discover more about them and their work. It might be a social media page or a website. Here are two websites that do an excellent job of providing information about the author in a professional and interesting way. Nic d Alessandro’s and Mary Garden’s respective sites are high impact, easy to navigate and provide extended information about their work.

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

Move Over Murakami...

A recent cover design for Mundaca, an accomplished work of fiction combining Generalissimo Franco, the Basques and Australian surf culture. Spotted on the shelves of the Village Bookshop in Noosa.

Proofreading Services Available

Dianne Wadsworth of Gumhill Proofreading offers a comprehensive proofreading service for independent authors. We asked her to summarise the full extent of her services, which we reproduce below:

---

I provide proofreading for Australian publishers, self-publishing authors, businesses and ESL students. To date I have over 11 years’ experience proofreading an extensive range of written material, including more than 140 books for independent Australian publishers, publicity material and reports for small to medium-sized businesses, quarterly newsletters for not-for-profit organisations and assignments for university students. I save my clients’ time and money through providing a quality service. I also proofread website copy material for businesses and website developers.

Services

• I provide a proofreading service

• assist and work with you to ensure that your work is clearly understood by any reader

• ensure your work is free of embarrassing mistakes

• providing quality, accurate proofreading is my business

Special interests

• Health and wellbeing, Oracle and Tarot cards, self-help books, biographies, business books, the environment, aged care and Australian plants.

---

Dianne can be contacted via her website.

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.

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.

Bookstore Profile: Blarney Books and Art in Port Fairy

For tourists and book lovers alike, a trip to Port Fairy should include a visit to Blarney Books and Art.  Don’t be fooled by the somewhat ordinary outside of the ’60s brick building. Entering is ‘like walking into a rainbow’ as one young visitor has described it.

In 2004, Jo Canham was a young graduate with a dream of opening a bookshop in the country.  She and her partner did exactly that. Their choice of Port Fairy for their enterprise turned out to be brilliant.

The bookshop is pumpkin coloured, has fairy lights, strobe globes, billowy curtains, comfortable old couches, nooks and corners. And of course books everywhere. Behind her desk Jo is a serene, friendly presence, always ready to talk books, art or anything at all. Need I add that cats, dogs and kids are most welcome. As second hand as well as new books are available one can often pick up bargains and hard-to-find gems.

Books range from coffee table heavy weights to paperbacks. Australiana, Philosophy, Art, travel tales, environment, history, contemporary fiction, the best of children’s stories are all there to browse through. Prominently displayed are regional and local writers. She flies rainbow pennants and has a large shelf of LGBTQI writers and their stories represented. Jo is also happy to provide display space for all kinds of local talent. Strewn around Blarneys are bright and cheerfully upholstered chairs, the kind that would be perfect to curl into in one’s own reading nook. These are by Liz Gannon. She re-upholsters old chairs in quirky ways, bringing to life well-loved stories with inserts, embroidery and recycled fabric. The charming Alice in Wonderland chair is to die for.

When the bookshop first opened Jo had lots of damaged ‘vintage’ books, long past their read-by dates. Nothing if not inventive, she introduced the ‘Biblio Art’ prize in 2009. The prize encouraged innovative ways of using these old books in art. Biblio Art has since become an important event in the Art world. The 2020 competition initiated the referencing in art of contemporary fiction. Entries were received from all over Australia and overseas, including New Zealand, The U.K. and the U.S.A. The dedicated gallery space now hosts exhibitions throughout the year.

Book launches, poetry readings, author interviews, workshops, musical gigs and more are now on offer on a regular basis. Visiting authors have included Helen Garner, Geoffrey Robertson, Bruce Pascoe and Abe Nouk. Brian Nankervis, Reg Mombasa, Shane Howard and Mick Thomas have performed at Blarney’s. Leunig the cartoonist and Richard Weatherly the birdlife artist, are both due to appear here this March.   

With passion, imagination and hard work, in a little under two decades Jo’s dream has come full circle. Blarney Books and Art has become a much-loved icon and cultural hub for this little country town and is getting known well beyond the South-West and Victoria. 

To check out her website, go to www.blarneybooks.com.au

Article kindly contributed by Ganga Powell. See also our post on her excellent book.

Mutton Birds are Go!

Ganga Powell’s lovely children’s book “Do Mutton Birds Have Maps and Other Poems” (brilliantly illustrated by Eileen Curd) has been selling very well at Blarney Books and Art in Port Fairy. Here’s the Facebook post from the bookstore in question. If you can’t make it all the way to Port Fairy, the book is also available on Amazon and Booktopia.

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!

From the Far East to Fantasy — new cover designs

A few recent cover drafts from Working Type Design, covering the usual range of genres and subject matter.

An Independent Author Talks About Getting Her Book Right and the Process of Designing the Cover

Jacqueline Hodder, author of the fine historical drama “The Sentinel” has some kind words about the cover design process at WorkingType Design, and also some very interesting thoughts overall on the process of bringing out a work of fiction and getting all of the elements right.

Book Cover Designs for August 2020

A variety of recent cover designs carried out during the era of COVID 19. From pirates to Poland, space opera to wheelie bins…

Glenice Whitting shortlisted in Indie Excellence Awards

As the name suggests, the US-based Indie Excellence Awards were instituted to highlight the best examples of independent publishing. Scrolling through their 14th annual shortlist does give one a sense of diverse, high quality work. We are happy to relate that Glenice Whitting’s What Time is it There"? was deservedly shortlisted. We assisted Glenice with the design of her book in 2019. Glenice’s excellent website can be perused here, and includes purchasing information and a thoughtful blog.

Fair Use / Fair Dealing Quotations

Many independent authors believe they need to seek permission to quote sections of other works. However, the doctrine of ‘Fair Dealing” allows for quoting from other works within certain constraints. This Australian government article spells out some of the issues. The Arts Law Centre of Australia also gives some very useful information on the topic.

Four Covers for 2020

A small sample of recently cover drafts for WorkingType clients, featuring the usual interesting diversity of subject matter and tone…

Amazon advertising and BookBub

Practical suggestions from a very active and savvy independent author:

Four years ago, I fluked winning a FREE Featured Deal. I had five other books at the time, and the sell-through, and KUs were great (250,000/month). On top of this I received an additional 70 reviews for the Featured book, most of them 5-star. At the time I knew next to nothing about BookBub and expected to keep on winning Featured Deals. Was I in for a sad awakening!

Fast forward to July 2019 when I sold a mere 100 books and had a miserable 14,809 KUs. To make matters worse, I had more than doubled my number of books. There are many reasons why the preceding occurred, but the main one was that I did no promoting either via social media or paid advertising. I should say that writing is not my prime source of income, which is just as well, because if it were, I’d be starving. That said, I have a certain amount of pride and set out to remedy the foregoing.

I decided I’d actively advertise my books in promoters’ newsletters but would not spend more than $150 per month. The results to date, while not great, are promising. I’ll sell more than 200 books in October, and my KUs will nudge 30,000. The increase in revenue more than covered my advertising costs, and my numbers are up 100%. The idea now is to compound them at the same rate for the next four months.

I have not applied for a BookBub Deal this calendar year but soon will. If I’m successful, BB will be the exception to my $150 rule. I will not accept an international Deal and am of the belief that without the U.S., BB’s Deals, even with sell-through and KUs are still likely to be losers. The U.S. is critical.

The struggle that I have had is finding six suitable promoters for the seven-day Amazon countdown period. Outside of BookBub, ENT is the absolute standout. I don’t advertise the day after ENT ($45), as I’m still getting good sales and KUs from the day prior. The next-best promoter is BookRaid because it’s cheap (about 18 cents a click and usually less than $3) and is good for approximately 10 sales. Let’s say I’m promoting a book with a rank of #300,000 … it won’t be attractive to ENT’s subscribers, but by using BookRaid on the first day and another small promoter (say Authors XP at $20) on the second day, I can lower the ranking to sub #40,000 by the time ENT’s promo kicks in on the third and fourth days. Now it gets hard as I have three days to go and a remaining budget of about $82. The promoters available are eReaderIQ, FKBT, ManyBooks, The Fussy Librarian, Robin Reads, Just Kindle Books, Book Rebel, Book Gorilla, and Book Cave. I have had reasonable success with eReaderIQ ($20), FKBT ($30), and ManyBooks ($29). I might be tempted to replace FKBT with Book Gorilla ($50), but it would blow my budget by $17, and I’d need another 25 sales to justify it, and that’s unlikely.

Finally, I tried Amazon ads when they were first introduced in the U.S. with moderate success, but the competition was too hot (Mark Dawson spent $50,000 on Amazon Ads last month). However, Amazon has just introduced ads in the U.K., and I have 10 running, and they’re doing okay. I’m running them for two reasons … first-mover advantage and currently I hardly make any sales in the U.K.