Self-Publishing

For new authors who are publishing for the first time, choosing to self-publish directly or use an aggregator is essential. Self-publishing directly means independently managing the publishing and distribution of your ebook on each self-publishing platform. However, using an aggregator involves distributing your book through a third-party service that handles multiple ebook retailers and libraries.…

Blank pages are a standard feature in paperback and hardcover books. At the front of a book, they are called flyleaves, and endpapers are at the back. Some blank pages are intentional and serve a purpose. They may allow for a page for authors to sign, or others may be for readers to make notes.…

You’ve written your new book and want to self-publish it as an ebook or paperback. But you might need some help, so here is a list of free publishing apps to get you on your way. All these applications and tools are free to use online or download. Because Amazon KDP is often the most…

Amazon has made significant changes to the process of selecting Amazon KDP categories for books and ebooks. On the surface, it may seem like publishers and authors have more choices. But the reality is that the changes are, in fact, more restrictive. Choosing the best or most appropriate Kindle or KDP categories has always been…

It’s a very common question all new authors ask. How many copies will I sell? But the question is extremely difficult to answer in simple average numbers. Some sources say 250 copies in the first year, but It could be anywhere from zero to thousands. You can read many articles on the topic, but most…

A recent fall in Kindle Unlimited royalties is a concern for self-publishers with ebooks in KDP Select. Many elements are at play, and only Amazon knows the determining factors. Amazon’s monthly announcement of the Global Fund allocated to paying authors per page read on Kindle Unlimited (KU) is the only known definite. What we don’t…

For authors, a writing and grammar checker has to perform many more functions than simply checking for errors and typos. Yes, you can find a lot of free and paid tools to check your writing. But most of them have restrictions, particularly with maximum word count limitations. A manuscript is a very long document. If…

When you check your books on Amazon, hopefully, you will see new book reviews for your titles. If you do, you may see a mix of verified purchase reviews and non-verified reviews. For an author of a new book, any reviews you receive, good or even not-so-good, can all help to sell your book. However,…

Can you publish a paperback book for free? Yes, you can, and it’s a great way to add credibility by offering a print version of your book in addition to an ebook. Like an ebook, when someone buys your print version, you will earn a royalty payment with no upfront costs. If you publish with Amazon,…

Self-publishing with Amazon is easy. But if you live in a country where Amazon KDP pays by check (or cheque), receiving your royalty payments can be a problem. It is not only very slow, but you will be subject to minimum thresholds before you can receive any payments. In addition, you will need to pay…