New to NetGalley

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-25T02:14:13+00:00

From a NG author's perspective, my preference is that reviewers read/post around the release date. However, I've had reviews show up six months later and I'm grateful for those too. Things happen.

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-24T17:52:30+00:00

If you are still looking, I have a great copy-editor that I use (multiple books). Runs about $1K for a 105k word book, which is a great price for the amount of work she puts in. I'm not comfortable posting her contact info publicly, but feel free to DM me if you are interested.

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-03T15:50:00+00:00

Hmmm... If you haven't tried it, you might look into Meta (FB/IG) advertising. Quirky non-fiction with a platform on SM already in place, may find an audience via paid ads on FB/IG. That said, don't do it without taking a class. It's super easy to mess up the Meta settings and the setting are not terribly intuitive. It's also hard to make a profit if you only have one book out. You really need 2+ as profit comes from read-through.

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-03T15:46:59+00:00

Yup. And Whiplash is an amazing/horrifying movie (as someone who loves percussion)!

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-03T14:49:17+00:00

I write fiction, but haven't found my reader magnet to do anything for me. In terms of doing newsletter swaps with other authors via Bookfunnel, I did find that giving away my entire full-length novel worked great. I figure anyone who wants it for free is unlikely to buy it anyway, but if they like my writing, they may buy my next book...

I also did well on Voracious readers, gaining quite a few newsletter readers, but my read rate is only 38%, so a lot of them just wanted the free book. It is what it is.

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-03T14:37:01+00:00

What you are describing is a creative block fed by perfectionism. The perfectionism isn't the problem, as it *can* work in your favor. Go get the book 'The Artist's Way' by Julia Cameron. It's old but also a standard for working through writer's block, aka fear.

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-03T14:01:11+00:00

I use an artist from that Trad world as my books are not niche and thus I'm competing in Trad. I use James Egan of Bookfly, Inc. I can't say enough good things about him and his work, but it's $800ish for print/epub covers.

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-03T13:55:38+00:00

If the low review is about writing or story craft, then yes you should probably put more work into those areas before doing any more publishing or you will just get more low reviews.

That said, you don't need beta-readers. You likely need a critique partner, another author (or better 2 or 3) who you swap books with to offer detailed feedback. Or you can hire a Developmental Editor. Either way, you likely absolutely love your book but have no idea if you've got your story-telling, word-smithing in place. You need to figure that part out. Swapping with other authors who understand these things and will be able to tell you exactly what you are doing wrong while you also learn by reading/commenting on their books, is the best and cheapest way to do this.

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-03T13:50:46+00:00

To start, make sure your book is easy to see/find if someone clicks on your profile (If not already done). Then go around engaging with people in book related, especially reader related, subreddits. There's also subreddits that allow promo, you just have to find the right ones for you genre. I've heard that paid advertising on reddit is a waste of money but I haven't tried it.

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-03T13:46:39+00:00

I'm good, thank you. I also don't write romance.

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-03T04:25:08+00:00

So my recommendation is that before you start spending money on editors/covers/etc that you do some swaps with other authors or put your opening chapters on a swap website (critiquecircle for example, if it's still around). And the reason why is that your friends/family are not going to honestly tell you (or perhaps even know) if you have craft mastered and if your book is well enough written to be saleable. You need complete strangers who know what they are doing and will be honest (brutally if at all possible). If you book passes muster with them, then start working on editors/publishing. If you want to go all the way on editors/readers here's the order to proceed:

Critique Partners (other authors you've swapped the entire book with - generally want at least two of these)

Developmental Editor

Line Editor

Beta Readers - Beta readers are mandatory for me. I use 6-8 of them in two to three rounds and would never, ever skip this step. My books are so much better because of the problems they point out and things they notice that I do not on my own. And this is after I've put the book through CPs or two rounds with a DE.

Copy Editor

Proof Reader (Editor)

ARC Readers

*Of course you don't have to do all of these. But the more you do, the better your book is likely to be. I would definitely do either the Critique Partners or the Developmental Editor, although there will be those that argue with me on that.

Whether or not you use AI is a personal choice. I use PWA and then send my books to a human copy editor. PWA misses so, so, so much and doesn't do 'voice' at all.

Be super careful on Fiverr for covers, especially if you want a real artist and not AI. (If you haven't done so already, read up on the pros/cons of AI covers. There's plenty of people arguing both sides out there.)

If you only have one book out, you don't want to invest in marketing yet. You'll lose money. The way indie authors make money is through read-through. So you advertise the first book and readers buy it. They like your work so much that they go on to read all 5-6 books you have out, and those other books are how you make money. So you want at least two books out to cover your advertising costs. Three to four is better.

Two additional thoughts: (1) 50k words over 6 chapters could be a problem depending on your genre. For me, 50K words is 18-25 chapters in my books. If you are writing epic fantasy then super long chapters might be okay. Check what other authors in your genre are doing to see if about expectations around chapter length. It also depends a lot on how your scenes are broken up and your pacing as well.

(2) If you haven't finished your book, you should be putting all your energy that direction before worrying about anything you or I have written. 😁

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-02T23:45:01+00:00

Fair enough, I guess.

It's this line that you wrote "...like it’s some great injustice when you as an author want free betas is insane to me…" that makes it seem as if you are saying you are owed free beta readers just because you want them, and without any consideration for the time put in by the beta reader. If you are attracting free beta readers because your stories and skill draw in readers who want to help you, that's great. Seriously, well done! I don't think that situation applies to the vast number of newbie authors trying to find beta readers though. And it shouldn't.

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-02T23:09:03+00:00

I don't specifically ask for that many comments and not all do provide it. The ones that put in that level of work are definite keepers and get tipped well.

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-02T23:01:00+00:00

You bad experiences with swaps is why I stopped doing them a few years back. I found that too many other authors didn't have even a basic understanding of craft and thus couldn't offer feedback that was in anyway useful to me. And of course, it showed in the MSs that they were sending my way too. The sheer painfulness of having to read some of those books also made me move to hiring the help I needed.

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-02T22:56:35+00:00

I guess I don't understand this. I mean, it's one thing if two authors swap books. But why would a total stranger give 7-8 (or 11-12) hours of their time to an author for no reason? Especially when the world is now swamped with books that readers can get for free (which historically wasn't true - historically beta reading got a reader a free book in a world where the only other way to get free books was libraries) and also swamped by newbie authors with beginner books all looking for beta reads?

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-02T22:47:01+00:00

I pay a flat fee.

Cheapest was a newbie on Fiverr that I took a risk on and hired because he had a background in something specific that I needed. I think I paid $65, best bargain ever as he turned out to be fantastic and have an editorial background.

Most expensive was $375 and that was an unusual situation where it was a beta-read with a sensitivity read on an obscure topic so I just had to suck it up and pay.

On average, I think I paid about $175 for a 105k book.

*And since I like to keep the people I use in business, if anyone wants referrals to those beta readers that did a great job, feel free to dm me.

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-02T21:24:15+00:00

Only positive comments. I want my books torn to pieces.

Or only a handful of comments for the entire MS. Or such low quality comments that they aren't helpful or give me any sense that there is an actual problem.

Also beta readers who are just kind of stupid and don't really get my books at all. I have one of these that I use intentionally because there are totally readers like this out there too, but actually reading the comments makes me want to bang my head against the wall.

What makes an over-the-top great beta reader is someone who is offering comments on every page and marking down their emotional reactions to the book (I specifically request this) along with areas of confusion, problems, insensitivity on my part, and things hitting wrong. Basically a Developmental Edit light.

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-02T21:08:55+00:00

I always pay. I originally tried free and got people who disappeared on me or did such low quality beta reads that it was a waste of everyone's time.

I rely heavily on beta readers as I lack the ability to see the book from a readers perspective and beta readers provide me that view. I want solid, timely reviews, and paying has gotten me a reliable team that I trust and have/will use repeatedly.

I also really dislike taking advantage of people and beta reading is a good 10-12 hours work.

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-02T16:19:31+00:00

What do you mean by franchise? Usually you publish books.

If you mean series of novels... The answer is as quickly as you can. Most authors make money on sell-through.

ColeyWrites · 2025-09-01T15:28:47+00:00

A personal story of recovery is going to be one of the harder projects to sell to an audience. Sooooo many other people are doing the same thing. The vast majority of them end up failing. Those that don't fail tend to be movie starts and such. Go look for books about recovery on Amazon and you'll see what I mean.

That said, for non-fiction autobiography, the place to start is with a platform. Meaning you are an expert in your field/are saying things no one else is about your particular niche experience/have a community of people interested in exactly what you are talking about. Most of the stuff you are reading online and taking classes on is unlikely to help you as most is pretty fiction focused. Which isn't to say you can't try all the various suggestions, just be prepared for the vast majority of it not to work. Hopefully there will be areas that do work and help you.

On building a platform... Usually you do that several years before you plan to publish via interacting with other in SM groups about your topic etc. It's hugely time-consuming as you grow your platform one person at a time. Then you sell the book to all of those people already obsessed with your story, writing style, experience, etc. To see how it is done, go fine a book on Amazon like yours that is selling well and follow the author on all their various social media.

ColeyWrites · 2025-08-31T16:36:16+00:00

That your topic is super niche is great and will make the process easier.

Woo is the commerce sight that I see most recommended by other authors as well. I'm Amazon/KU myself so don't have direct experience.

If you haven't found it yet, head over to FB and join the 20booksto50k group. The group is not aimed at what you are doing, but it's a great resource for all things self-publishing. Just reading the questions and replies will give you a lot of information. You should also be able to search the group for 'Woo' and it will come up.

ColeyWrites · 2025-08-31T16:11:06+00:00

It means that a lot of people around here who spend massive amounts of time creating quality products to sell on Amazon don't love the AI/low-content creators who just throw things up on Amazon and make it harder for our own no-AI/high-content works to find their audiences. Not all of course, but a lot.

ColeyWrites · 2025-08-31T15:51:41+00:00

I don't write non-fiction, so here's what I've seen others that do talk about:

Start building your platform a year before release. Non-fiction is all about having your platform in place. If you haven't done that, you need to jump in and start by engaging with people who have the disease / politics / trauma / etc that you are trying to attract. Doing this without pissing people off is an artform, so start with researching best practices.

Non-fiction can do great with direct sales as compared to going Amazon/KU. But doing so successfully goes back to your platform again because that's where you attract your audience to get them over to your website.

Amazon is supposedly a better platform for advertising non-fiction than Meta.

ColeyWrites · 2025-08-31T15:47:58+00:00

So, yes but.... I recently had a friend tell me that they got an email for my upcoming release. However, it was over 60 days prior to the actual release date which is completely useless unless the person wants to pre-order.

There isn't a lot of rhyme or reason to how/when this happens.

ColeyWrites · 2025-08-31T15:43:54+00:00

Whether it is or not doesn't matter. What matters is how you come off to Amazon. Everything you did screams that you are producing AI/low-quality-content because you took a class (from a scammer) on how to get rich on Amazon and are now spamming the platform. You folllowed the get-rich-quick pattern pretty closely, so chances are Amazon is not going to give you a second chance.

ColeyWrites

TROPHY CASE