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.

In addition to selling all formats of my books here on my website, I also publish via:

Physical Books:

I publish directly to IngramSpark and they are a POD distributor that reaches retailers and libraries.

You also have the option to publish directly to Amazon KDP or Barnes & Noble Press, or to use aggregator/distributor Draft2Digital's new print distribution option.

eBooks:

I publish eBooks directly to: KDP, Kobo, Barnes & Noble Press, and Google Play.

To reach other marketplaces, I use the aggregator/distributor Draft2Digital.

Audiobooks:

I publish directly to Kobo (where I also reach Overdrive), and ACX (non-exclusive option).

I use the aggregator distributor Findaway Voices to reach other audiobook 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.

This an extremely detailed topic, so I will give you some resources and some general tips, and in the meantime I will work on a blog post and when it's done, I'll link it here.

Resources:

• Wide for the Win Facebook Group (start with the Tree of Wisdom in the Featured Posts) or Circle Group
• Wide for the Win book
• Book a consult with expert Skye Mackinnon
• Book a consult or take a class with expert Erin Wright (use affiliate code JESS to save on your first class or consult)
• Talk to other wide authors

General Tips:

• BE PATIENT. Wide is a long game. Give it at least 6-9 months before you make any decisions.
• Understand that what worked in KU will probably not work for wide. They're different readers.
• When you link to your book, use a universal link like books2read.com or a landing page on your website. Give your readers ALL the options to choose from.
• Joint promo with other wide authors, not KU authors. Your readership doesn't really overlap.
• If you have long series or lots of books out, look into permafree strategies.
• You don't have to be all or nothing. You can have some of your series in KU and some of them wide.
• GET ORGANIZED. Please, please, get organized if you plan to go wide. There's a lot of moving parts and you will overlook something if you're not organized.

If you have specific questions, I am always more than happy to tell you what I can!

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 am doing author services on an extremely limited basis.

Since becoming an author myself, and getting a promotion at my day job, I just don't have the time to take on new full time author clients.

I still work with a couple clients that I'll never let go, though (*cough Aleera cough*)

If you have questions or would like to inquire about working with me for a specific project, please shoot me an email and I have a plethora of PA friends I can refer you to!

My services right now include:

- Setting up Street/ARC teams

- Graphics creation

- Guidance/support on going wide or uploading to Ingram Spark

I use Canva Pro to make nearly all of my promotional material, including reels and TikToks.

For stock images and videos, I always look for those licensed for commercial use and use both Canva Pro content, and Envato Elements.

Envato Elements has stock images, videos, sounds, and fonts available. to use for commercial purposes with a single subscription fee for your license. I highly recommend it if you plan to use a lot of images in your promotion!

Just make sure you have permission to use any images for commercial purposes. And Pinterest images are. a no-go.

• Follow similar authors and see where they're going
• Join the Author Events Around the World on Facebook

Once you find some you think you'd like to attend, find their website and look for an interest form. Keep. in mind that you may be 1) too late, or 2) put on a waiting list.

Most multi-author conventions begin inviting authors to attend about a year in advance or more.