Publish your own book. That ever cross your mind? If you’re a freelance writer, chances are pretty good you’ve thought about it.
Maybe you’ve got a compelling story to tell. Or you’ve got some useful skills to share with others.
Maybe you want to publish your own book to position yourself as the writer in your niche. Or you’re just hoping to create another income stream as a freelancer.
Seriously, have you thought about it?
It’s a lot easier than it used to be to publish your own book. You don’t need to write a proposal, hire an agent, pitch dozens of publishers, and wait months or years before someone can buy it.
Today, there’s more than one way to publish your own book. And the most popular by far is publishing your book on Amazon.
But before you write a book, slap a cover on your masterpiece and put up a for-sale sign, there’s a few things you should know to publish your own book.
And there’s one guy who knows this better than most. Dave Chesson. He’s a nuclear engineer turned Kindle book-publishing expert, and founder of Kindlepreneur.
Want to publish your own book? Here’s the blueprint for success.
Meet book marketing expert Dave Chesson
Dave Chesson
He’s the founder and CEO of Kindlepreneur…SaaS book marketing for self-publishing authors.
And he’s smart…as in a certified U.S. Navy nuclear engineer. After serving more than a decade in the military, Chesson turned his self-publishing side-hustle into his full-time gig. And hes a regular contributor to Make a Living Writing.
Here’s his blueprint for book-publishing success and best pieces of advice.
Find the perfect book idea
Just because you have a good idea for a book doesn’t mean it will sell.
Too many writers count on writing about what interests them, instead of what readers are interested in. Don’t quit your day job if you plan to focus solely on writing fiction and poetry.
But if you can find the sweet spot where your skills and interests intersect with what readers want, you may have a good idea for a book.
Dave’s advice: Got a Book Idea? These 4 Steps Reveal If It Will Sell
Too busy to write a book? Think again
If you’ve had a good book idea swirling around in your head for months or maybe years, but you haven’t written a single word yet, what are you waiting for?
The number one excuse is usually: “I don’t have enough time.”
But what if you could publish your own book, and stay on top of everything else? Would you do it?
Dave’s advice: Write a Book (Even If You’re Too Busy): 3 Super-Effective Steps
Market your book
Want to get your book in front of more readers?
FYI, traditional publishers don’t invest a lot in marketing books for newbie authors anymore.
Even if you did get a contract, you’d still have to do a lot of the marketing on your own to sell your book. And for self-publishing, it’s all on you.
How do you do it? When you publish your own book there’s six moves you should make to share your book far and wide.
Dave’s advice: Book Marketing Playbook: 6 Winning Moves from a Self-Publishing Pro
Use Amazon ads to sell more books
After you’ve done all the work to publish your own book, will Amazon auto-magically help you attract readers and sell more copies?
No.
But Amazon does provide the tools to get your book to rank better, show it to more readers, and help you attract more raving fans.
Dave’s advice: How Self-Publishing Authors Can Sell More Books with Amazon Ads
The blueprint to publish your own book
If you want to write a book that sells follow Dave’s steps:
- Find the perfect book idea
- Carve out time to write your book
- Get it published on Amazon
- Use tech tools, software, networking, and social media to help market your book
There really isn’t a barrier to entry to publish your own book anymore. All you really need is a great idea readers are interested in, a computer, and time to write, publish, and market your book. What are you waiting for? Now is always the best time to get started.
Questions or tips to publish your own book? Let’s discuss in the comments below.
Evan Jensen is the blog editor for Make a Living Writing. When he’s not on a writing deadline or catching up on emails, he’s training to run another 100-mile ultra-marathon.
