Advice for Indie Authors

Over the last couple of years I have learned a thing of two about the big bad world of self-publishing and the struggles being an indie author can bring. I'm certainly not an expert, and I'm still learning, but I like to think (hope!) that I've learned a thing or two along the way.

When I first started out I wrote a blog on printweek.com about experience of getting my first novel, The Drought, published in 2011 and ever since then I have continued to blog about my journey and the things I've picked up along the way.

Below is list of all the posts I have published about my experience of self-publishing or you can read the full library of Advice for Authors posts by clicking here.

20 APRIL 2013 Amazon buys Goodreads: What does it mean for Indie Authors? There were mixed views when Goodreads was sold to Amazon earlier this year. What impact could this have for indie authors? CLICK HERE

20 NOVEMBER 2012 Indie authors beware! Do not feed the reviewers! Getting book reviews from readers and bloggers is crucial, but make sure you do your homework first and don't make the same mistakes I did and learned the hard way! CLICK HERE

13 NOVEMBER 2012 Nick Spalding - what a jolly good fellow! Best selling self-published author Nick Spalding was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to reply to an email I sent to offer some helpful advice. CLICK HERE

24 SEPTEMBER 2012 Hints and tips for indie authors! Exactly one year to the date to when I self-published my debut novel The Drought, I reflect on what I have learned and offer some advice to fellow indie authors. CLICK HERE

17 JUNE 2012 You do judge a book by its cover part 2!  Following a previous post where I discussed the importance of a good book cover, here I reveal the six different cover designs for The Drought that I had to choose between. CLICK HERE

27 DECEMBER 2011 Local book signings - sell yourself! As an indie author not only do you have to sell your book, but you also need to sell yourself, and arranging book signings at local bookstores is a great way of doing just that! CLICK HERE

22 DECEMBER 2011 Sharing my book with the world... literally! I use book sharing platform Bookcrossing.com to send copies of The Drought all over the world to see if word of mouth can help me pick up some momentum. CLICK HERE

10 OCTOBER 2011 An online audience is a great starting point I take to the internet to try and drum up some interested in my book, and look at what hashtags indie authors can use on Twitter, as well as other platforms such as Amazon Associates. CLICK HERE

12 SEPTEMBER 2011 Media exposure and reviews In the fortnight leading up to the official publiction date of The Drought I look back at some of the things I have learned when trying to get some media exposure for my upcoming book release. CLICK HERE

19 AUGUST 2011 Sell, sell, sell! What is my business plan to start creating sales once my book is published next month? In this blog post I explain the method behind my financial madness! CLICK HERE

29 JULY 2011 Edit, re-edit, and edit again! Editing can be a long and laborious task, but it is important to go over your work numerous times in order to make sure you leave no stone unturned and no spelling mistakes lingering on your pages! CLICK HERE

18 JULY 2011 The social media opportunity Social media sites attract huge traffic numbers, but no longer are they simply a way of keeping in contact with friends, and therefore these platforms offer themselves as a fantastic tool for indie authors. CLICK HERE

30 JUNE 2011 You do judge a book by its cover! I speak with Jacqueline Abromeit, Art Director at Pen Press, about what makes a good book cover that will help your novel stand out on the shelves. CLICK HERE

13 JUNE 2011 Are we there yet? Nearly! As I embark on my self-publishing journey, I take a closer look at the self-publishing industry and tackle some pretty big and daunting figures! CLICK HERE

12 MAY 2011 Think before you print! Before taking that all important decision to send your novel off to the printers, what should you so? In this post I discuss how helpful the 'readers report' from Pen Press Publishing was. CLICK HERE

18 APRIL 2011 eBooks and the London Book Fair Following a visit to the London Book Fair, I gain some valuable insight about eBooks and learn how digital books are proving to be a great opportunity for indie authors. CLICK HERE

11 APRIL 2011 The incredible journey starts here... My self-publishing journey starts today! In the first of my printweek.com blog posts, I take a look at the task ahead of me and get ready for the hard work which is about to start. CLICK HERE