Resources
If you're a new author trying to figure out what's next, here are some resources to help you get started.
Publishing Costs
New writers commonly ask how much it costs to publish a book. Here are few helpful articles.
How much does it cost to publish a book?
The real costs of self publishing a book
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Freelance Editing
I typically find my editors through word of mouth by asking other authors. It's probably worth noting that there are several types of editors. Developmental editors who help you develop your story idea and character arcs to improve the overall structure of your book, copy editors who check your grammar and spelling, and proof readers who review the final edits to catch those few final typos, because you can't beat a fresh set of eyes.
Writers Digest Editorial Services
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Cover Design
Great covers sell and are worth spending money on! Here are some tips and links to cover design services. Book Design Stars has created nearly all of my covers to date.
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Print on Demand
It's easier than ever to get a book into print. Here are some tips on how to do it and some services you can utilize.
Marketing
Marketing is a tough nut to crack and can consume a lot of time and resources. When it comes to doing it yourself and hiring someone to do it for you, at several points in this journey I've done both. Here are some articles on the topics as well as some links to experts who can help.
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Book Promotions
There are all kinds of ways to promote your book, everything from free promotions to paid. Which method you choose depends on your circumstances and goals. Free promotions can include newsletter swaps with authors who write in your genre, posting to Facebook groups, etc. The articles below have some promo tips you might find useful.
Free Promos for your Amazon Books
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Keywords and Categories
Choosing the right keywords and categories will help improve the discoverability of your work. Here are some resources that can help.
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Book Descriptions
A well-written book description is a powerful sales tool. It's something else I find it worth spending money on. There are lots of great articles and free training courses that provide good info, but if you want to hire it out, here are some resources.
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Book Formatting
In order to publish your book in eBook or print, it needs to be properly formatted. Here are some tools, free and paid, that can help. I've used Vellum, which is a paid tool. It is easy to learn but does work only on a Mac.
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Reviews
Reviews are an important tool in building your readership. There are several different types of reviews.
Author Endorsements are blurbs from other authors you can use to promote your work. Some of my author friends have had success reaching out to authors they don't know personally, but whose work they admire to provide blurbs.
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Review services are typically paid services that write Editorial Reviews. These services are professional and well-respected in the industry, but are also expensive.
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Reader Reviews: There is nothing like getting reviewed by a reader who loves your work. I've given away free books in exchange for honest reviews through my newsletter, Amazon and Goodreads. There are also several services that help you connect with readers.
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Career Info
One of the young visitors to my site found these links useful learning for author career paths.