My Top 5 Tips for Self-Published Authors - Guest Post From Author Abigail Owen

My Top 5 Tips for Self-Published Authors

I have been writing stories since I was about eight years old. But I’ve only been a self-published author for about three months. I published my first book – Blue Violet – in August and, while I realize I’m still very new to this, I feel like I’ve learned a ton already.
First, I have to give props to all of the other self-published authors out there who have gone before me and shared what they know in various forums. Everything I have done (or attempted to do) as a self-publisher I started by researching online and learning from other authors first.

Second, I want to thank the authors who reached out to me personally with advice and help. I have been blown away these complete strangers who would read my blog, or my book, or a tweet, and take the time to contact me personally to offer their help. Now it’s my turn. As an author with a tiny amount of experience, I too want to share my experiences in the hope that it might end up helping someone else out.

So, without further ado, here are my top 5 “best practices” that I have learned as a self-published author (so far):

1. Find Yourself an Editor You Connect With
I got very lucky with this. I found my editor, Wendy, through Indie Author Reviewers who also offer editing services. What I really connected with Wendy on wasn’t the grammar and fixing of sentence structure, but on how much she helped me perfect the story line. Find someone whose opinion you respect – especially in your genre – and enlist their help. Wendy was worth every penny and then some.

2. Take Advantage of Free Promotion Days
I used the KDP Select program to offer my book for free on Kindle for a certain number of days. The payoff in visibility and boost to my sales was immediate. I gave away a ton of books, but my sales since then have doubled and are now fairly steady. In addition, of those readers who got it for free, many may (fingers crossed) return for the next book. I already have been contacted by several people who are now loyal fans which is fantastic!

3. Work the Social Media
I wasn’t sure about doing all the various media – Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Goodreads, Pinterest, etc. – but I have discovered worth in each one. I’ve found that fans have different preferences for how they contact me, so having each avenue available just for that has been worth it. In addition, I’ve grown my network of helpers – editors, critique group, other authors – through these various media. And that’s all in addition to the marketing advantages these different media offer.

4. Request Reviews
This is one suggestion you’ll hear from most everyone. Reviews help your ranking on Amazon. As a self-published author, more formalized reviews from book bloggers help sell my book to potential readers who are getting pickier with all the self-published work out there. But more than that, I use the reviews themselves as a great source of feedback. In addition, the reviewers are now part of my growing network, and some are now even fans and communicate with me regularly.

5. Learn from Negative Reviews
I’ve found reviews helpful for my own personal growth as an author. The negative reviews are (most of the time) constructive in some way. And even the positive reviews still often have some kind of critique included. Rather than getting discouraged by these reviews (everyone gets them – even bestselling authors) instead I use them. I get to decide to incorporate their feedback into my next book if I agree with the opinion expressed. And that can only help me write better books.
There’s a lot more I’ve learned, but these I’ve found to have the most impact so far. Hopefully you found something helpful. Ignore or incorporate any of these as they fit your own personal style. And absolutely feel free to jump in with your own top 5!

Make sure you pick up your FREE copy of Blue Violet  November 16th-18th on Amazon here!

Born in Greeley, Colorado to a high school English teacher and a social worker, Abigail was raised in Texas and now resides in California with her husband and two children. Abigail grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her own writing. A fourth generation graduate of Texas A&M University, she attempted to find a practical career related to her favorite pastime by obtaining a degree in Technical Writing. However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it. Abigail is an aspiring author who published her first book - Blue Violet - in 2012. She hopes to turn this beloved hobby into a self-sustaining passion.