Libraries and self-publishers

Getting Self-Published Books Into Libraries

Accessing the library market remains difficult for self-publishing authors, especially those with limited visibility. Here's what authors need to understand before spending time and energy on library distribution.
Eddie Wright

5 On: Eddie Wright

Eddie Wright discusses artistic collaboration, why he adapted his novella into a graphic novel, marketing straight fiction vs. marketing comics, and more.
Decline in Fiction Sales

The State of the Publishing Industry in 5 Charts

Take a look at 5 charts that reflect current trends in the book publishing industry, and what they mean for authors.
Writer's Digest October 2014

The Value of Agent-Assisted Self-Publishing

Read my feature article for Writer's Digest magazine that explores the intersection of literary agents and self-publishing
Into the Nanten

Self-Publishing Beyond the Book: Serializing, Podcasting, and Merchandising

How an indie author turned a story concept into a full-fledged multimedia universe, including a live blog, illustrated journal, merchandise, and podcast.
how to find and choose an editor

How to Find an Editor as a Self-Published Author

Indie author Teymour Shahabi explains how to find an editor for the draft of your self-published book and what to look for in a good editing relationship.
Magnifying glass by Todd Chandler via Flickr

Writing Your Book’s Back-Cover Copy

Editor Jessi Rita Hoffman explains how to craft professional and compelling back-cover copy for your book.
The Lure of Romance Writing (and Earnings) for the Literary Set

The Lure of Romance Writing (and Earnings) for the Literary Set

A growing number of authors with serious literary cred are finding greater financial success—and a welcoming community—in the romance business.
A Conversation With the SELF-e Team: Exploring Payment for Authors

A Conversation With the SELF-e Team: Exploring Payment for Authors

SELF-e offers self-published authors a way to distribute ebooks to libraries, but without any pay. The team behind SELF-e addresses the money issue.
Self Publishing Distribution to Libraries

How Self-Published Authors Can Distribute to Libraries

Journalist and consultant Porter Anderson explains the new SELF-e program from Library Journal for getting self-published ebooks into American libraries.
Hannah Goodman

5 On: Hannah R. Goodman

Author and writing coach Hannah R. Goodman shares her experiences in self-publishing and marketing YA fiction.
Amazon Publishing

My Experience Working with Amazon Publishing

Author Carol Bodensteiner answers the seven questions she gets most about working with Amazon Publishing.
Art of Commerce

Interview with Jane: Art of Commerce Series

Jane discusses building a digital presence, querying 15 years ago vs. now, agents vs. self-publishing, crowdfunding, and the future of publishing.
literary fiction

Is Self-Publishing a Viable Option for Literary Fiction Writers?

Should literary writers consider self-publishing? How it might affect their long-term careers? Two agents weigh in.
Robert Kroese

5 On: Robert Kroese

Robert Kroese reveals the process that allows him to write up to three books per year, and how authors can increase their sales potential.
Amazon book description

How to Improve Your Amazon Book Description & Metadata

Learn how to improve the description of your book, and improve its metadata, when using Amazon KDP.
What You Need to Know About Crowdfunded Publishing   

What You Need to Know About Crowdfunded Publishing  

What is crowdfunded publishing? Learn about the two types of models now prevalent, plus the major services you can choose from.
Collaboration

How 7 Literary Authors Collaborated to Launch a Box Set

A group of literary authors have launched a limited edition box set of novels. How did they make the collaboration work?
by Tim Pierce via Flickr

How to Self-Publish Children’s Books Successfully: Notes From the Trenches

A traditionally published children's author discusses how she's launched a successful indie publishing effort in less than two years.
What Authors Can Learn From Startups

What Authors Can Learn From Startups

You can find marketing inspiration in what others have done, but also know that the less advertised “strategies” might actually be the ones worth pursuing.
Children's books

The Business of Self-Publishing Children’s Picture Books: Two Literary Agents Weigh In

Two literary agents offer their thoughts on the self-publishing of children's books and what the future of the picture book might look like.
Scott Berkun, The Year Without Pants

Book Marketing Must Center (Mostly) on the Author: Q&A with Scott Berkun

Full-time author and speaker Scott Berkun discusses his book marketing experiences as both a traditionally published author and self-published author.
Picture ebooks

How to Create Picture Ebooks for Kids

Amazon's Kids' Book Creator allows the average Joe to create illustrated children's books for the Kindle and upload them directly to Amazon.
Harry Bingham between houses

Why Authors Walk Away From Good, Big 5 Publishers

UK author Harry Bingham describes the four stages of his career, and why he's decided to self-publish after good experiences with traditional houses.
Free books

The Strategic Use of Book Giveaways and How They Can Increase Earnings Potential

Giving away your work isn't a problem if you've developed a strategy around it, and know how to turn new readers into fans.
Digital Book World 2015 panel with Russ Grandinetti of Amazon

Amazon Discusses Kindle Unlimited & Kindle Select Participation: Digital Book World, Day 2

Amazon says that Kindle Select participation is healthy, and that the Kindle Unlimited ebook subscription service is leading to more reading and sales.
Author Hangout with Jane Friedman

Platform Building for Authors [30-Minute Video Interview]

In a 30-minute video interview, I discuss the basics of author platform.
Indie Authors and the Question of Kindle Unlimited

Indie Authors and the Question of Kindle Unlimited

Old post alert! This was published in 2014 and some aspects of Kindle Unlimited have changed. If you're investigating whether
Should Children’s Book Authors Self-Publish?

Should Children’s Book Authors Self-Publish?

Note from Jane: Today's guest post is by Sangeeta Mehta (@sangeeta_editor), a former acquiring editor of children's books at Little,
audiobooks

Indies & Audiobooks: An Alternative to ACX

If you don't like the terms offered by Amazon's ACX for selling your audiobook, you do have an alternative. Author Lee Stephen explains the path he took.
Mike Cogh / via Flickr

The Long-Term View: 3 Exciting Mind Shifts for Author Entrepreneurs

Mike Cogh / via Flickr Note from Jane: Today's guest post is from Joanna Penn (@thecreativepenn), and is based on
Writer Unboxed

Serial Fiction: How It’s Changing Publishing

My latest column at Writer Unboxed tackles serial fiction—and how it's changing writing, reading, and publishing. Here's a little snippet:
by ChaoticMind 75 / Flickr

6 Ways Micro-Publishing Strengthens Your Author Career

Micro-published books are short, tight, and swift. A meaningful discussion of micro-publishing has been pushed aside during the ongoing tug-of-war between traditional publishing and independent publishing (self-publishing). But we are well beyond “everyone is a writer” at this point. We have progressed into “everyone is a publisher,” if they wish to be—and we have been living in this realm for some time already. Fortunately, micro-publishing benefits the industry as a whole by bringing some much-needed simplicity and directness into a publishing equation that is often weighted down by its own complexity and contracts. And it also benefits you, the writer.
author platform

How Much Does Author Platform Impact Sales?

Is it possible to successfully publish and sell your e-books—without a platform—as long as you choose the right genre?
Colleen Gleason covers

The Importance of Your Book Cover: Achieving the Right Fit

Note from Jane: The following post is the first in a series that will offer tips and advice from successful
Frankfurt CONTEC

Self-Publishing: Is It the Most Important Conversation for Traditional Publishers?

Is it possible that all the changes happening in publishing can be encapsulated by a conversation about self-publishing?
Best Business Advice for Writers: September 2013

Best Business Advice for Writers: September 2013

Best Business Advice for Writers (Sept 2013): a monthly link round-up where I share the best online articles focused on the business of writing and publishing.
Kindle Matchbook

Amazon MatchBook: How Publishers and Authors Can Work Together to Sell More

Bestselling author Michael J. Sullivan proposes that publishers give authors permission to send free ebooks to readers who have purchased print editions.
Understanding the 5 Key Book Publishing Paths by Jane Friedman

Infographic: 5 Key Book Publishing Paths

This infographic breaks down the key 5 publishing paths, their value to authors, the potential pitfalls, and examples of each.
Joel Friedlander

How Much Attention Should You Pay to Book Design? A Q&A With Joel Friedlander

I'm very grateful to Joel Friedlander (@JFBookman) for taking time to answer a few questions about book design, especially as
Commodity Publishing and The Future of Fiction

Commodity Publishing, Self-Publishing, and The Future of Fiction

Many years ago, when I started working for Writer’s Digest, I was put on the self-publishing beat. I started by
Jane chatting with Kay Steinke at LitFlow

Do Publishers Need to Offer More Value to Authors?

Chatting with Kay Steinke at LitFlow (Berlin), 2012 Last month, I gave a 15-minute presentation in Berlin, Germany, called The
Rejection

Tips for Dealing With Rejection + Other Success Strategies

Earlier this week, I was the featured interviewee over at Andrea Hurst's Authornomics series. I answer questions such as: What's
e-publishing, e-books, e-reading, self-publishing

10 Questions to Ask Before Committing to Any E-Publishing Service

Last updated in January 2019 With new services continually appearing on the market that promise to help writers self-publish or distribute their
E-Book Sales 2011

E-Book Statistics For Authors to Watch

This weekend, I'll be speaking at the Writer's Digest Conference about e-publishing. I'm in the process of updating my slides
How Should You Spend Your Book Marketing Budget?

How Should You Spend Your Book Marketing Budget?

Author Brad Swift asks the following: I have a number of fiction and nonfiction books now available through Amazon as
Jane Knows

When’s the Right Time to Leave Your Big Six Publisher?

I received the following question from published author Lisa Earle McLeod—who I remember first meeting at a Foothills Writers Guild