Successfulself-publishing

With Connie Rossini

OF Indie Catholic Authors

What does it mean to succeed?

• See your name in print?

• Have a moderate amount of faithful readers?

• Advance the Gospel?

• Bring joy to others?

• Be able to quit your day job?

When you self-publish,you decide what success means.

My goal was to make at least $5000 my first year, but I was going to try to make $7500.

I passed that number in January, 6 months after publishing.

First 2 Months of KDP Sales

$1260.52

5 steps to success

1. Build your platform.

2. Write a great book.

3. Have it professionally edited.

4. Get a professional-looking cover.

5. Market for the long term.

1. build your platform first

if you can.

Don’t try to do this on Facebook and Twitter.

Start a blog and build your email list.

You own your list. You don’t own your social media accounts.

Started Free Download and Pop-up

Published First Book

First Post at SpiritualDirection.com

2. write a great book.

•Practice

•Read and Research

•What does your audience need?

•Join a critique group

•Use beta readers

3. hire a professional editor

4. get a professionally designed cover

Not this!

But this!

5. market for the long term

Simple marketing strategies:

Always carry a book with you.

Add your book (and sales link) to your email signature.

Write a press release.

Put your cover on all your social media profiles.

Give away review copies.

Go on a blog tour when you launch.

Path one: e-book only.

KDP Select

Smashwords

Scrivener

choose a publishing strategy

Photo by Intel Free Press, Creative Commons

Path two: paperback & ebook

CreateSpace

Lightning Source

the power of free

1.Perma-free

2.KDP Select free days

3.Generosity with readers and other writers

KDP Select Free Days

Offer your Select title free for up to 5 days in each 90-day period.

Increase your visibility.

Get more reviews.

Some authors have great sales numbers following their free days.

Advertising with BookBub or other services can help.

(You can choose to do a Kindle Countdown Deal once each period instead.)

Ongoing Generosity is Best Free

Blogging and guest blogging.

Giveaways and downloads.

Exchange critiques with other authors.

Joint promotion of others’ work.

Sharing your knowledge in groups, on webinars, etc.

social media for authors

Pinterest is best for promoting blog posts.

Facebook is best for connecting with fellow Catholics.

Use Facebook and Google+ for groups (like Indie Catholic Authors).

Google+ is best for SEO.

how twitter works for me

8 paperbacks sold on Jan. 26

what else has worked?

•Public speaking

•Offering a deal on bulk paperback sales

•Enthusiastic fans sharing with others

don’t waste your time on:

•Print ads

•Ads on other Catholic websites

•Spamming your friends and followers with “buy my book” posts on social media

Future ventures

More joint marketing with other self-published authors.

Audio book.

Spanish translation.

Hybrid publishing.