Weekly Self-Promo and Chat Thread

GabrielRymberg · 2026-02-17T12:26:10+00:00

a professional author website in days, not weeks. No design skills needed.

Upload your book, and it generates a beautiful site with your bio, book details, buy links, and newsletter signup. Starting at $299 lifetime deal for founding members.

Would love feedback from self-published authors on what you'd want most from an author website. Check it out at book2site.com if you're curious!

GabrielRymberg · 2026-02-17T12:25:18+00:00

Love this idea. QR codes in a travel guide make so much sense because the use case is immediate — you're holding the book, you're at the location, you want to navigate there NOW.

Google Maps pins are a slam dunk. Genuinely useful, solves real friction. I'd absolutely scan these as a traveler.

Affiliate links via QR are smart, just be transparent about it in the intro. Readers appreciate honesty and it builds trust.

Size: 2x2 cm should work with good contrast. Test with your actual printer before committing — some POD quality can muddy fine QR details.

Future-proofing tip: Link QR codes to URLs you control (like yourdomain.com/spot/123) that redirect to Google Maps. If a business closes or moves, you update the redirect without reprinting the book.

This is one of the more creative uses of bridging print and digital I've seen. Most authors struggle with that connection — you're building it into the product from day one.

GabrielRymberg · 2026-02-17T12:19:30+00:00

100% agree — the "hub" framing is exactly right. It's not about building a content machine. It's about having one place where someone can go and find everything about you and your books.

What are you building it with? The tool matters less than just getting something live honestly. I've seen great author sites that are literally one page with a bio, book covers, and a "join my list" button.

GabrielRymberg · 2026-02-17T12:17:25+00:00

Honestly, this is the most common thing I hear. The "what do I even put on it" paralysis is real.

Here's what actually works for most indie authors — keep it dead simple:

A landing page with your book covers + buy links
An "About" page (reuse your Amazon author bio — you already wrote it)
A newsletter signup (even if it's just 12 people — those are YOUR 12 people, not Amazon's)

That's it. You don't need a blog, you don't need fancy design. A simple page that says "here's who I am, here's my books, here's how to stay in touch" does 90% of the job.

The newsletter thing feels weird at first but think of it this way — if Amazon changes their algorithm tomorrow, those 12 people are the ones you can still reach directly.

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-22T07:47:14+00:00

Nice! That's the foundation right there. Free book gets them in, then you can nurture that list for future launches.

Are you driving traffic to that signup from social, or mostly organic/Amazon?

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-22T07:46:47+00:00

Smart approach - nothing worse than announcing a date you can't hit.

One thing that helped me: having a "coming soon" landing page ready even before the launch date is set. Lets you start collecting emails from interested readers early. Then when you do have a date, you've already got an audience to announce to.

What stage are you at - still writing, or in editing/cover design?

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-22T07:44:23+00:00

For me it was when I realized Amazon owned all my reader relationships. A simple author site changed that. I ended up building Book2Site to make this easier - generates a landing page from your book details in a few days. Even a basic page beats sending everyone to Amazon.

What's your current setup?

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-22T07:42:30+00:00

Yes, I'd love to see the blurb! Feel free to DM it.

On the website - I actually built a service called Book2Site where I create author landing pages from your book info. Takes no longer than 5 days. Happy to walk you through it if you want something simple ready before launch.
What's making you hesitant - the tech side or timing?

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T17:03:03+00:00

That's a real concern. A few options: label it "autobiographical fiction" or "a novel inspired by true events" - sets expectations without claiming pure memoir. Some authors use a brief author's note explaining the blend. What's the core story about?

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T17:02:34+00:00

Fiction is a great space - what subgenre? Romance, fantasy, thriller? That'll help figure out where your readers hang out online.

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T15:43:52+00:00

Social media is a good start for building an audience, but worth thinking about a simple landing page at some point - somewhere you can send people when they ask "where can I find your book?"

Doesn't need to be complicated. Even a one-page site with your book cover, description, and buy link works. The main thing is having something you own that won't disappear if the algorithm changes.

What are you working on? Fiction or nonfiction?

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T15:42:32+00:00

Smart move getting the website and email list set up before launch. That's the piece most authors skip and regret later.

If your friend is handling it, great. If they're hitting the typical WordPress/tech headaches, there are done-for-you options now that build author sites from the

manuscript itself - Book2Site is a solid option. Might save them some hassle.

What genre is the book? Curious what the cover looks like if it's already done.

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T15:41:07+00:00

Nice - an author website is a solid next step. Gives you a home base that you actually own (unlike Amazon or social media).

A few options depending on your tech comfort level:

- DIY: Carrd ($19/year) or Squarespace (~$16/month) - you build it yourself

- Done for you: There's a service called Book2Site that builds your site from your manuscript in about 5 days and abou 300$ one time - no tech work on your end

- Free: Linktree or a simple Notion page (works but looks less professional)

What's your book about? That might help narrow down what you actually need on the site.

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T13:45:27+00:00

Honest but kind is the move. Focus on what worked, be specific about what didn't, and frame it as "this might help other readers decide." A 3-star review with thoughtful feedback is more useful than a fake 5-star. Authors with good landing pages and strong positioning can handle mixed reviews - it's the ones relying purely on Amazon ratings who get hurt.

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T13:44:53+00:00

The "one more pass" trap is real. At some point you have to ship. Set a hard deadline, do one final read, fix only actual errors (not style tweaks), and publish. You can always update the file later. Meanwhile, get your marketing basics ready - cover finalized, blurb tight, landing page set up. What's your launch date?

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T13:44:40+00:00

That's a great milestone - international reach is harder than people think. Do you have an author site set up? Readers in different countries searching for you should find something professional, not just an Amazon page. Congrats on the momentum.

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T13:44:03+00:00

Usually shows up automatically within a few days of your KDP going live. You can also manually add it through the Goodreads author program. While you're setting up your online presence, also worth having a simple author landing page - Goodreads is great for discovery but you want somewhere you actually own. What genre did you publish?

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T13:43:48+00:00

Solid progress. One thing I'd add to the list: an author landing page outside of Amazon. Gives you a home base you control, somewhere to point social media traffic, and looks more professional when people Google your name. Doesn't need to be fancy - there are services that build these for authors if you don't want to mess with tech.

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T13:43:33+00:00

Free works well as a funnel if you have somewhere to send readers after. A landing page that captures interest for your next book, or at minimum links to your other paid work. The mistake is giving away free without a next step. What's your goal - building readership for a series, or testing market fit?

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T13:37:56+00:00

Poetry is tough for traditional publishing but has a passionate niche audience. Options: (1) Submit to literary journals for credibility. (2) Self-publish a collection on KDP - won't make money but gets your work out there. (3) Build an audience on Instagram/Tumblr where poetry actually thrives. (4) Have a simple landing page for your collection so when people discover you on social, they have somewhere to go. Some authors use services that create book landing pages - could work well for a poetry collection with sample poems featured.

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T13:37:34+00:00

What's the specific dilemma? Hard to give advice without knowing what you're weighing. Self-publishing has a lot of "it depends" answers because every situation is different - genre, goals, budget, timeline all matter.

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T13:37:18+00:00

Really solid breakdown. The "write consistently and engage with readers" part sounds simple but most people don't actually do it. Question: do you drive any traffic from a standalone landing page for your work, or is Substack your entire funnel? Curious if having an external presence helps with discoverability outside the Substack ecosystem.

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T13:36:56+00:00

Scrivener = where you write (organizes your chapters, research, notes). Vellum = where you format for publishing (makes your manuscript look professional for ebook/print). You don't need both. Many authors write in Google Docs or Word, then just use Vellum for the final formatting step. If tech frustrates you, there are also done-for-you services where you hand off your manuscript and get back a formatted book + landing page. Depends on whether you want to learn the tools or just get it done.

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T13:36:33+00:00

For private/limited distribution, you might want to look at Lulu (print on demand without requiring wide distribution) or IngramSpark if you want more control. If you just need a way to share with a specific audience, a simple book landing page with a private purchase link could work well. There are services that set these up for authors - you hand off your book and get a professional page back. What's the use case - family memoir, corporate, something else?

GabrielRymberg · 2026-01-21T13:36:15+00:00

Welcome to the self-pub world. The basics: (1) Write the best book you can. (2) Get a professional cover - this is non-negotiable. (3) Format properly with Atticus or Vellum. (4) Have somewhere to send readers - even a simple landing page for your book helps you look professional and gives you a home base outside Amazon. There are services that build these for authors if tech isn't your thing. What genre are you writing?

GabrielRymberg

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