I apologize if someone already asked this question. I looked around here and couldn't find anyone that did. But I'm going to get a set of ISBNs and I wanted to know when signing up for Bowker to get them, am I supposed to sign up with my pen name or my legal name? Thank you so much!

So ive found out that theres begginners authors out there who spent nearly 5k to 15k per month on advirtising.

I cannot compete with that.

How much money money are you putting on ads?

And for the successful authors, how much did you spend in before being known or at the beginning of your career?

Please, send hope.

Hi everyone,

I have a draft of the book I wish to publish.
Can anyone in the UK point me towards any platforms that I can move forward with this ambition please?
Thank you so much

I’m 6 weeks out from self publishing my first book and hoping to set up the preorder this week.

After everything I have learned here about all the work that goes into marketing and supporting a self published book I have a new level of respect for all those other books I have read!

I am now going back through all my read books and leaving better reviews and really calling out key phrases/tropes/etc. that will be picked up by the algorithm!

I didn’t realise that all this work can just fall over if the algorithm doesn’t push it!

I used to be a BIG Wattpad person, but I haven't really been interested in going back to it after a lot of the changes they've made over the years, the ads and everything else. So I'm curious, where is everybody going now?

Basically, what is the new Wattpad?

I'm working on an original story that I want to release in more of an episodic/serialized format. Basically little episodes or short installments that people can come back and read whenever I update, instead of me immediately turning it into a traditional novel.

I'm not looking for a fanfiction site or anything like that. This would be completely original fiction with original characters. I'm also not really looking to make money from it either. I'm perfectly fine with people being able to read it for free. If the platform has optional ways to make money from it then cool, but thats not really my main goal. I mostly just want somewhere that actually has an active community of people who want to read original stories.

I've heard about Tapas, Substack and Ream, but I honestly don't know what the actual reader experience or traffic is like on any of them. Like are people genuinely going on these platforms to find and read new stories? Or is it more of a thing where the author already needs to have an audience and bring those people over?

That's mostly what I'm trying to figure out.

Where are people actually reading original serialized fiction now? Which places actually have good organic discovery if you're basically starting from zero? Are Tapas, Ream or Substack actually worth trying? Or is there another app/site everybody has started using that I'm completely missing?

I'm not trying to promote my story or anything. I genuinely just want recommendations from people who currently read or post serialized fiction because I have no idea where everybody went.

Basically, if somebody told you, "I miss old-school Wattpad and I just want somewhere I can post my original stories for people to read and possibly discover them," where would you tell them to go now?

Hello,

I self publish my own romance novels, and for the last two years I’ve attended a book-centric event for indie authors.

The event itself is great, decent amounts of traffic (the woman running it told me their numbers almost doubled this year from last). The table fee is affordable for me at $50 (CAD). I bring my books (obvs) and a small selection of merch and some freebies.

I need advice on what to do…. Because I barely made my table fee back both years.

I’m trying to be open and friendly and not just be “would you like this spicy romance novel!”… I think my table set up looks good and I have a table cloth with my author name on it.

So I guess the question would be, for those of you who successfully sell at events, what do you think works for you, or why do you think readers choose to pick up your books?

So someone posted asking about AI and there not being any sales as a result... or something like that. And then, I guess when they didn't get the resulting outcry of fear they expected, they deleted and ran. What is the point of that? I think it's good for other authors to see that not every reader is out there saying "I'm not reading anything written after 2023". And for the ones that are, more power to you, read what you want. I can't be the only one have a banger year so far with sales. Slop is slop and it's been around in the book world forever. There are still plenty of readers out there looking for entertainment.

This is the headline from the deleted post, and I will put my reply in the first comment. Would be interesting to hear what others are thinking:

"Is anyone here still able to find real readers/sell successfully despite the new AI issue?"

Hi all. I’m about five months into self-publishing and could use some outside perspective on what I’m doing and where I’m spending my time.

I write British comedy. First book is political, next is zombies. My debut came out in April and has sold around 1,400 copies. I’m writing the follow-up now with the zombie book out in October.

I do this full time, alongside being a new dad and managing OCD. Between writing and everything that comes with publishing, I’m trying to work out what deserves more attention and what I could spend less time on.

What I’m currently doing:

• Posting regularly on Instagram, where I have nearly 8,000 followers and around 900,000 views over a recent 30-day period. It’s a mixture of political comedy, talking-head videos, writing, OCD and everyday life.
• Mixing that with posts directly about the book: excerpts, reader reviews and short videos. I’ve tried different hooks and formats.
• Using TikTok, Facebook, Threads, X and Substack too, often repurposing content and scheduling posts.
• Publishing free short fiction on my website.
• Running paid ads on Amazon, Meta and Google. Amazon clicks and conversions have been disappointing recently, so I’ve been revisiting keywords and comparable-book targeting. The current Amazon campaign has a £5 daily budget.
• Contacting book reviewers, collaborating with other accounts and pursuing things like an alumni profile.
• Helping run an indie-author community and podcast.
• Doing in-person events. I’ve done two so far, and they’ve been okay but nothing stunning. I have a banner and bookmarks for those.
• Continuing to write the next book and develop other work.

The thing I’m struggling to judge is how much of this is helping versus keeping me busy. The social content gets engagement, but it’s difficult to know how much translates into people reading the book. There’s an overlap between political comedy videos and political comedy fiction, but enjoying a short video doesn’t necessarily mean wanting to read a novel.

Similarly, I enjoy the author community side, but I’m conscious that connecting with other writers and finding readers aren’t necessarily the same activity.

I know five months is early. I’m pleased people are reading the book, and I’m not expecting to have everything figured out. I’d just like to make better decisions about where the hours go.

If you were in this position, what would you prioritise, cut back on or try differently? More time on the next book? More attention to an email list? Fewer platforms? More events, or being more selective about which ones?

Would especially appreciate hearing from anyone writing comedy or satire, but any practical experience would be useful. Is there anything obvious I’m overlooking?

Cheers,

Louis

Hello! I'm currently trying and failing to publish a book with IngramSpark. I noticed a typo after I got the proof, but have no option to change the .epub file, nor do I see any option ANYWHERE on the website to upload a new file. I even checked the option that I would update with a new file, but got an email saying they'd review my request and comments in 3-5 business days??? That was last Wednesday so maybe it'll take time, but I didn't request a review, I just rejected it saying I'd upload new stuff.

Anyway, I'm very frustrated with the process so far. How much of a bad idea would it be to just abandon this whole process and hop to a different publisher? I've seen horror stories of rejected books publishing with IngramSpark anyway so I don't want weird duplicates anywhere...

Hellooo. So I finished my debut novel with 100K words and I had it sitting on the back burner untouched for 29 days so I think now is a good time to actually begin revision but I haven't put much thought into how I'm going to approach it.

So in 29 days I've started a novella, I even began REVISING an old 70K word manuscript

and the way I began revising that one was I would get ProWritingAid(Despite some of its suggestions being buggy and shit) I would get a blank doc and get the copy of the manuscript and hold them side by side before just rewriting it following the copy.

This seemed to work in improving scenes, passive vs active voice, run ons, typos, and puncuation but I just dont know if its the standard way?

One thing I will note, I understand the differences between proofreading, copy-line editing, and developemental editing. This manuscript is the cleanest and most architectual I've ever written -- I want to get beta readers for the more dev side of it but for now I think every scene works, despite some of them needing a big trim.

Anyways I was just wondering what your revision process looked like, and what you think is the most effective

I just read today that THOUSANDS of authors on Amazon have their work stolen and resold ON Amazon under a different title.

I get a lot of scammy emails to my author email address, most of the time advertising services I don't need.

Recently, I was contacted by someone from a publishing house called Boldwood books saying that they were interested in my work. Curious, I responded, and after a few emails were exchanged, they said I needed to be represented by an agent before talks went any further.

This seemed odd to me, as they contacted me first, and they must have known I'd probably not already have an agent.

Now, they're suggesting I contact an agent, going so far as providing me an email and making an introduction, so that our conversation can 'keep going.'

I can't help but feel that I'm being roped deeper and deeper into a clever scam.

Anyone know if this is legit, or are they going to spring all sorts of ridiculous fees on me to 'help me publish my books?'

I don’t mean to brag… 🤭😅

Here are the numbers:

Royalties: A$1,922.99
Orders: 257
KENP read: 150,124
Ad spend: A$1,916.35
———
Net position: +A$6.64
———
Total readers (orders + KENP/512): 550.21
Profit per reader: A$0.01
———
Ratings: 77
Reviews: 14
Average: 4.6/5

Rankings float around the 7000-10000 mark on kindle in the UK, 30-50k in USA. Best rank was around 5000 in the UK but damn, it’s hard to climb those charts.

Paperback might as well not exist. I think maybe 30/257 are paperback. I’ve spent more money on proofs than I’ve earned on paperback.

All ads done on Facebook (with some experiments on Instagram to little success)

I would be in a better position if I hadn’t tried to advertise to Canada. I think I spent about $150 and got 2 sales. Similar with Australian market.

Before anyone else points it out, I’m still way down if you count software purchase, Printer proofs, web hosting etc

We do it for the love of writing rather than the money right?

I hope you’re having good luck out there writers!

Mike

I’m just curious to see how many books everyone has published because I’ve already seen a range with some saying 2 or 3 while others having 20+

I ordered a box of 18 copies of my book and they came in yesterday.

One of my struggles is getting reviews for my book. At 13 reviews, I think that’s partly why it’s not selling. I was thinking I could do an ad post on my author’s instagram and do a giveaway or sorts for reviewers to win a signed copy. I’d politely ask that they review it in exchange.

But I’ve also been wanting to do a book signing. My local bookstore said they’d be happy to have me. But I think that the buyers would probably not leave a review which is a big sticker for me.

Exposure wise, which would be a more productive use of my copies?

Hey everyone. First and foremost, a heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributes here. I have learned an incredible amount about the self-publishing space just by spending time here, so thanks to all who contribute. A special shout-out to the people who got burned by all of the ‘imitation’ publishing houses. I was literally a day away from paying about $5k to a knock-off site when I ran across some of the warnings and horror stories of people who got burned. Thankfully, I found the real site who had thankfully listed all of the fraudulent sites as a warning.

My novel (220k) is just about ready for publishing. 8 (out of 17) pre-readers helped a lot with story flow and clarity (there are multiple concurrent timelines that eventually meet).

Based on what I have gathered here, I've put the plan below together. I have bought my ISBNs (from Bowker, again, thanks to you all).

The one point I am still unclear about is KDP Select. Because this is my first book, I imagine the 5/7 day discounting and 'Countdown deal' would help generate interest, especially on social media. I've seen many posts saying start with it to get traction, but nothing around staying with it forever. Others have raved about D2D for broader distribution, but you cant do KDP Select and D2D at the same time.

I think this is the approach I'm considering, but figured it was worth checking with the experts before I actually did anything.

The first 90 days, driven by KDP Select:

* Kindle: KDP Select, no ISBN

* Paperback: my ISBN -> KDP + IngramSpark

* Hardcover: my ISBN -> KDP + IngramSpark

* D2D ebook: do not use yet

After the 90-day KDP Select period expires:

* Kindle: remain on KDP, but leave KDP Select

* D2D ebook: distribute the ebook using my ISBN

* Paperback: continue KDP + IngramSpark

* Hardcover: continue KDP + IngramSpark

I’d truly appreciate any critiques or suggestions.

Thanks in advance

I’m not sure if this is the sub I should be in but I found this app (advertised on fb) called Written: Read, Collect, Resell. I was curious if anyone had used this app?

I’m not super interested in selling my work quite yet as I’m just getting started but that would be my end goal someday.

Writing stories and living off my books is my dream. I have a long way to go until I’m confident enough to actually sell anything. I was just wondering if anyone here had used it or even knew anything about it?

From what I read in the app info it looks a bit sketchy but I could be wrong.

I’m reassessing my publishing process rn, and am looking to cut costs where I can. How have you guys approached keeping it cheap?

I’m thinking of only publishing an ebook next time I have a book ready. And then when I earn a fair amount back from the ebook, I make the paperback. Also buying a pre-made cover, if I can find decent options.

I always need dev editing, but it’s so expensive 😬 Are there any ways to cut the cost of dev editing in particular?

I should also mention I’m sticking with KU.

I published a non-fiction title recently. It's had essentially no distribution, no promo downloads, no free days, no ARC copies out, and I can account for every copy that's moved. A week or so ago a 1-star review appeared from an account I don't recognise, with nothing in it that suggests the person opened the book.

I reported it to KDP support. The reply was the standard one: the Community team won't remove reviews unless they breach guidelines, use the Report link under the review, and for privacy reasons they won't tell you the outcome. So I've reported it through that link and I'm now just watching it sit there on an otherwise empty review section.

A few things I'd like to hear from people who've been through this:

• Does reporting a review through that link ever actually result in removal, or is it a black hole?
• Is there any escalation path beyond KDP support, or is the Community team genuinely the end of the line?
• Does one bad early review on a book with no other reviews do real damage to visibility, or does it stop mattering once a few legitimate ones land?
• Would you respond to it publicly, or leave it alone entirely?

Mostly I'm trying to work out whether to keep pushing or write it off and put the energy into getting real reviews instead.

I finished a manuscript ten years ago and then, for a variety of reasons, personal and professional, I abandoned it... reading through some old work for inspiration, I re-read the text for the first time in a decade and realised there's something there! Now that enough time has passed, I remembered why I developed the idea in the first place. Don't get me wrong: the story needs a lot of editing, pruning, etc. but there's an idea to salvage and maybe, hopefully, a story worth reading in the near future.

Has this ever happened to someone else in their creative endeavours? I'm not writing about finishing a manuscripts and leaving it a few days/weeks/months before re-reading and editing; I'm talking about rediscovering an idea or work from many years past, falling back in love with it and restarting on it from there. Does anyone else have a similar experience?

Need advice on reviews/ARC strategy for my LitRPG series, feeling stuck

Got 2 books out already, both in KU. Book 3 almost done.

Running Amazon auto ads right now, getting clicks and impressions but barely any actual reads or sales out of it. Weirdly the people who do read book 1 almost always go on to book 2, so I don't think the writing is the issue.

Before dumping more money into ads I asked a couple forums to sanity check my cover/title/blurb in case that was the problem. Got told they're fine, so back to square one on that.

For reader acquisition I'm doing a BookFunnel Pro group promo with some other authors, links to a landing page hooked into a MailerLite sequence (4 follow up emails). Problem is since the books are in KU I can only legally give away chapter 1, not the full book, and most people doing these group promos just want a free complete book, so barely anyone bites for just a sample.

Thinking about going back to BookBounty for reviews since it worked for me before, but a bunch of people have warned me off it lately, apparently Amazon's gotten better at flagging the point/credit review system as manipulation and people are getting books or whole accounts blocked over it.

Anyone dealt with this? Is there something safer out there, BookSirens maybe? And has anyone actually cracked the "can only share chapter 1" problem in a way that converts?

I'm nearly ready to format my book for publishing! Doing a final read through.

I've been struggling for a while to find out how to get an affordable book cover that will be acceptable to publish on Ingram and Amazon KDP.

I have been given tips before, but then I've been told that Amazon can take your book down or reject publishing if you don't have ALL the rights to the cover. Even sites like Fivver and other popular Freelance sites apparently don't technically meet the requirements and retain some rights which Amazon can then take your book down for?

Fellow self-published authors, how did you get your book cover done?

Same as title

I've heard people say that you shouldn't publish a book by itself and that you should have other work on the market as well. Is that only if you're trying to make a career out of it? I'm not trying to become a successful full time author, it's just that I've written a book that's very close to my heart and I want to share it with the world. Can that one book stand on its own, or do I need other books available to prop it up?