10 Must Read Self-Publishing Blogs For Authors And Writers

Self-Publishing Blogs For Authors And Writers

If you are new to self-publishing, or an old hand, you should never stop learning, and these self-publishing blogs will help you.

Even though I hunt high and low for ideas for my blog posts every day, I always check my favorite sources of informed opinion and publishing advice.

The following self-publishing blogs have all been around for quite some time.

They are written by experienced self-published authors, writers, or experts who really know their stuff.

The best self-publishing blogs for writers

My list of blogs below offers different perspectives. But all of them give you sound advice and opinion based on hard-earned experience.

I truly appreciate that you are reading this post on my blog and many more of my posts, I hope. But I am sure you have enough time in your day to add these excellent sites to your daily reading list.

Then you can keep up with the latest in self-publishing trends and advice and even top up your writing and grammar knowledge.

If you are new to self-publishing and writing, they will give you all the help you need to get started.

 

1. Kindlepreneur

Kindlepreneur self-publishing blog

Dave Chesson is a leading expert in self-publishing. His Kindleprenuer blog is a reference point for many new and experienced authors alike.

It must be one of the best self-publishing blogs for authors.

There are hundreds of articles on his site to help you with any aspect related to writing, publishing, and promoting your books.

He is also the creator of Publisher Rocket, which is a popular software program for searching the Amazon book database for KDP keywords and category ideas.

 

2. Alliance of Independent Authors (Alli)

Alliance of Independent Authors

Self-publishing.org is a part of the Alliance of Independent Authors (Alli).

You can follow the blog to get a better insight into what is happening in Indie author publishing.

Orna Ross and Phillip Lynch are highly experienced in all aspects of the publishing process. If you are a new author, you should be following this blog.

You will find a wealth of information to help you publish ebooks and print-on-demand books and improve your marketing strategies.

There is also a service directory where you can find reputable publishers and service providers such as an editor or book designer.

 

3. The Creative Penn

The Creative Penn

The Creative Penn, written by Joanna Penn, is a must-read. Joanna is the ultimate authorpreneur and book marketer.

One salient point to make about Joanna is that she is English, and she proves that self-publishing success is definitely not only about North American writers. From her about page:

I self-published my first non-fiction book in 2008 and made a lot of mistakes along the way. I also didn’t sell any books because no one knew who I was.

That experience made me determined to learn about marketing, as well as how to become a better writer.

I started this site to share my experiences and hopefully save other people the money, time, and heartache I went through. I’m based in Bath, England although I lived in Australia and New Zealand for 11 years and I’m a travel junkie!

 

4. Prowritingaid

Prowritingaid blog

You probably know about the Prowritingaid app and desktop editor.

But whether you use it or not, the Prowritingaid blog has lots of advice and help for writers and self-publishing authors.

It’s not only about grammar.

You can find comprehensive articles about the writing process, blog and content writing, business writing, and much more.

There is also a section to help you decide what writing apps are best for you.

 

5. The Passive Voice

The passive voice blog

The Passive Voice is an aggregated blog of the latest news in the self-publishing and traditional publishing industry.

He is also known as Passive Guy.

While lacking a little in page styling and pizzazz, his blog collects and publishes the most up-to-date news related to publishing and self-publishing.

For a long while, the Passive Guy was anonymous. But David Vandagriff has recently come out from under his mysterious cover.

One of the attractions of this blog is the number of very active commenters who bring a range of opinions that are well worth reading.

Passive Guy is an attorney, entrepreneur, former tech executive, and writer.

Prior to reopening his latest law practice, PG’s business involved high-stakes intellectual property litigation. He started The Passive Voice as an anonymous blog so his snarky remarks would not show up when opposing counsel performed a Google search.

 

6. Kristen Lamb

Kristen Lamb Blog

Kristen Lamb writes about writing, and often in such a direct voice that she can initially come across as the writing teacher you feared at high school.

On social media, she often describes herself as sassy. Not being American, I’m not sure what sassy means.

But one thing I do know from reading her blog for a long time now is that she knows a lot about the art of writing. 

Kristen has guided writers of all levels. From unpublished green peas to NY Times best-selling big fish. Learn how to use social media to create a solid platform and brand.

Most importantly, Kristen helps authors of all levels connect to their READERS and then maintain a relationship that grows into a long-term fan base.

 

7. Mark Coker – Smashwords

Smashwords-logo

Whether you publish with Smashwords or not, Mark Coker’s blog posts are always well worth reading.

Sure, he is not a big fan of Amazon exclusivity and makes his point about that regularly.

But if anyone knows how self-publishing works, it’s Mark. Miss a post at your peril.

Mark Cokers is the founder of Smashwords, a distributor of indie (self-published) ebooks serving Apple, B&N, OverDrive, Scribd, Oyster, Kobo, and libraries.

 

8. Jane Freidman

Jane Friedman blog

If anyone knows the publishing industry inside out, it’s Jane Freidman.

She has become an expert in the digital era of authorship and is a regular columnist for Publishers Weekly. She has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and NPR.

In 2019, Jane was awarded Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.

In her spare time, Jane writes creative nonfiction.

 

9. David Gaughran

david gaughran self-publishing blog

David Gaughran is an Irish writer and author who has helped many new authors publish books and succeed in self-publishing.

His book, Let’s Get Digital, was a huge success. He has written for the Guardian, Forbes, Mashable, the Telegraph, and many others.

When it comes to writing, he is well worth reading.

It is one of the most comprehensive self-publishing blogs you can find.

 

10. Grammarly

Grammarly logo

Yes, lots of writers use the Grammarly app every day.

But behind the app is a terrific free blog full of articles and advice about writing and grammar, of course.

There’s hardly a writing topic that is not covered, so you are bound to find the advice you are trying to find.

Take a look at the Grammarly blog, and I’m sure you will enjoy reading many of the articles.

 

Summary

There are many great self-publishing blogs around the net to help new authors and writers.

But these are at the top of my reading list.

I highly recommend that you bookmark all of them.

Then you can keep abreast of the latest trends in self-publishing and writing and continue to learn about writing and self-publishing.

 

Related reading: Amazon Self-Publishing Problems And Solutions

6 thoughts on “10 Must Read Self-Publishing Blogs For Authors And Writers”

  1. Thanks for these valuables Derek, I am a fan of 3 – 4 in the list, but this seems a more comprehensive one. Thanks for the info.

  2. For new self publishers,this stuff is really informative and thanks for your efforts .Austin

  3. Thanks for sharing this content. I already read some of these blogs and they are quite helpful. Keep sharing more content.

  4. Avatar for Paulina Kubala-Chuchnowska
    Paulina Kubala-Chuchnowska

    Hi Derek! Your list is great. I totally agree with you that professional blogs are a great source of valuable knowledge. It would be great if you could have a look at my new article about ten top digital publishing experts worth to know and follow.

  5. Would you mind giving those writers’ Twitter addresses, please? Except for Joanna Penn, I’m having trouble figuring out how to follow them.

    It’s probably just my incompetence, but I really appreciate the help.

    And thank you for such constant great content!!

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