What You Need to Know Before You Start
“Quality is one of the most important things that will help your books stand out.” —Azul Terronez
The majority of people who buy books today find them on Amazon. Although this isn’t the only place to publish, it is one of the best places to get your book out there. But where do you start? What should you know before you upload to Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)?
On this week’s episode of “Authors Who Lead,” I talk about what you need to know before you start your self-publishing journey.
Have a Quality Book
The most important point here is to have a quality book when you go to self-publish. This means you need to look at all the aspects of the book to make sure they are done well, such as editing, cover design, and interior formatting. Do your research to find appropriate editors, cover designers, and interior designers who are experienced in your genre. Some of this you may learn to do yourself, but there are many affordable options out there to do them for you.
Marketing
Many authors dread marketing their books. They just want to launch their book out there and have people buy it and review it. But it isn’t that simple. Readers first need to know that your book exists, and then they need to know why they should choose your book over the millions of other options they have. Just putting your book up on KDP doesn’t guarantee that readers will find it.
There are three phases to marketing your book: pre-launch, launch, and post-launch. There are many ways to approach these phases and many steps to take. Just remember that once your book is live, you still need to promote it. Find out what works for you, because what worked for other authors might not work for your book.
In this podcast, I also share:
- That the book description on Amazon is not a summary of the book; it’s the benefits
- How to set your book’s price on Amazon
- How Print on Demand (POD) works
- That reviews are one of the most important marketing tools
- Other tools for all three phases of marketing
- Why categories are important and how to decide which ones to use
- That there is no charge to upload your books onto KDP
- How our new 12-month Mentored Author Program can take you from book idea to published to marketing beyond the book
I’m so grateful that you listened to this podcast. I appreciate anybody who leaves a review; it really helps inspire us to keep contributing and giving content here.
What was your biggest takeaway from this episode? What is your biggest hesitation or question about marketing your book? In the comments, share your biggest obstacles.
That’s all for this week. If you have a message inside you that needs to be written, know that you can write and publish the book that’s been on your heart. Don’t delay—get out of your head, put words on the page today, and make a movement with your message!
Episode Resource:
Membership Community
TEDX
Press Publish
Authors Who Lead
Fiction Group
Publishing: Mandala Tree Press
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