It's a very involved process, but the first step is to write your book! Then, research things like: editing, formatting, cover design, distribution options, and marketing. Take your time while you figure it out.

I use a combination of direct publishing and aggregators.

For physical books, I use IngramSpark.

For eBooks, I publish directly to: KDP, Kobo, Barnes & Noble Press, and Google Play. I use the aggregator Draft2Digital to reach other eBook marketplaces.

Whenever you feel reasonably confident that you're going to go through with publishing it.

If this is your very first book, I would wait until you've at least written the full first draft. I also recommend still filming and jotting down content while you're writing that first draft to use later.

Once you're sure it's actually going to happen (so you don't get people's hopes up), go for it! Start marketing!

That depends on a lot of things, including: are you KU or wide, your genre, and your goals

However, the best way to market is the way that means you will actually go through with marketing. If that's only marketing on Facebook and not using TikTok or Instagram at all, that's fine. Do what you know you can do consistently.

Wide simply means that your book is available wherever you can publish it. For eBooks, that typically means publishing on sites like Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Google Play, Smashwords, and others.

KU means that your eBook is enrolled in Amazon's KDP Select program, meaning that your eBook has to be exclusively available on Amazon.

As for which you should do...that's a very personal decision.

Check out this blog post for more details on the differences and what to consider when making the decision.

Yes, if you want to have any semblance of control over your readership data. Social media is remarkably unpredictable. Sites can go down, accounts can get banned, trends change...but newsletters give you the control. Those emails are yours to collect and you control the content you send out.

That said, you don't have to go all out. Start simple, and build as you can. MailerLite has a free plan that works fantastically and is free up to 1,000 subscribers.

Check out this post for more info.

You need something. While you may not need a website as elaborate as mine, you at least need a linktree-esque platform to put in your social media bios that can direct people where to buy your books and find you. Even if it's just a free linktree plan with the link to your Amazon listing, and then the links to your other social media accounts, that's fine! But don't make it difficult for your readers to find your book. They will give up.

Not necessarily. Forcing yourself to be on social media platforms you don't enjoy is a recipe for resentment and burn out. If you don't like social media at all, marketing will be a bit harder, but it is still possible.

I recommend picking 1-2 social media platforms you genuinely enjoy (or at least, don't despise) and focus on those. You don't have to do everything.

While I'd love to say yes, I am not a good person to ask. I'm unreliable at best due to mental and physical health issues and the fact that I work a very demanding day job still. You can find much more qualified beta readers or critique partners than me. That said, if you'd still like me to take a peek or chat about your book with you, I'd be happy to! Shoot me an email or a DM on Instagram.

I used to! But since becoming an author myself, and getting a promotion at my day job, I just don't have the time to take on any new author clients. I still work with a couple clients that I'll never let go, though (*cough Aleera cough*)

If you have questions though, please shoot me an email and I have a plethora of PA friends I can refer you to!