Self-Publishing

Did you use artificial intelligence (AI) to write your book? It’s a question some self-publishing platforms now ask you to answer before you can publish a new book. However, to be able to answer the question correctly, you need to understand the difference between using AI assistance and AI-generated content. The two might sound confusingly…

If you’re a newly self-published author, is it a good idea to offer your first ebook for free? You’ve probably noticed on the Kindle Store that there’s always a long list of free ebooks available for readers. But is free a worthwhile marketing and promotional tool that can help your ebook sales? For authors with…

If you’re thinking about writing and self-publishing a book, you don’t need nearly as much as you might think. All you really need is something to write with, something to create a cover, and somewhere to publish it. Of course, you’ll find plenty of advice telling you that you need professional editing, proofreading, formatting, cover…

Publishing a book for the first time can feel a bit overwhelming. After writing, editing, and formatting your manuscript, you have one more challenge: choosing book categories and keywords to help readers find your new title. This free tool will help make that process easier for you. It’s a practical idea-generation tool to help you…

You’ve decided on your title, but does your book need a subtitle to help readers understand what your book is about? It’s an option most authors consider when preparing a new book for publishing. However, it’s not always a good idea for every book. A subtitle can clarify and strengthen a book title, or it…

When you self-publish a book on Amazon, you need to select your KDP book categories. You can only select three, so you need to be sure your choices will work well for you. But here’s the catch. Not every category or genre that Amazon lists for you to choose from is a category that has…

If you’re a self-published author, you might be asking yourself: “Has AI stolen my book?” With AI and large language models (LLMs) everywhere, it’s natural to worry that your hard work could be used without your consent. Here’s the quick answer to your question. It’s highly unlikely that your book has been copied and used…

Have you noticed book title keyword stuffing when searching for a new book or ebook on Amazon? It’s getting harder to miss. If you’re not sure what stuffing looks like, here’s a perfect example. “My Million Dollar Experiment: The World’s Largest Metaphysical Money Experiment—Where Mindset, Intuition, and a Million-Dollar Plan Helped 1 in 268 Participants…

Even the most confident authors can be struck by the fear of publishing, so don’t think that it’s only you. You’ve worked for months, or even longer, on your manuscript, and you’ve celebrated finishing the last chapter. But then your stomach starts doing cartwheels at the sudden thought of sharing your story with the world,…

Having a self-publishing checklist ready is good insurance before you take the final step of publishing your new book on Amazon KDP or elsewhere. With it, you can be sure you have all the essential details you will need and avoid any unexpected surprises. You have your manuscript file and book cover ready, but you…