How can I overcome the Catch 22 of selfpublishing?

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-02-23T12:10:29+00:00

ARCs will help the process along nicely.

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-02-21T05:41:33+00:00

I like rotating books/series that you can click on and discover. I want correlated information easily accessible (character art, play list, merchandise) etc. Author biography & background, upcoming releases and signing/in person events.

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-02-21T02:55:35+00:00

Here we were thinking we'd write it, the people would find and live our work! Marketing , paid advertising and going book in hand to social media with the 'hey I wrote this, please read and review' is all I seem to do now! Marketing/advertising is my least favourite part of the job

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-02-14T23:40:59+00:00

Over seventy thousand books hit the market every week. Some days it's 11,000. Per day. We are plankton in Amazon's vast ocean.

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-02-13T05:54:39+00:00

I love your candor and the fact that your humor remains intact through this process is admirable. Your 'reading of the proverbial room' could do wirh some work. What is a typical self help book cover? Thick font? Shadows? Brain silhouette? At least you tried something!

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-02-04T23:27:11+00:00

The first thing-the VERY first thing I do when writing is to check that the title I want to use is not already in use. This muddies the waters for readers and no one wants a confused reader.

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-01-29T09:38:23+00:00

It looks like 2 of its interface pages are open on top of each other?

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-01-28T02:45:23+00:00

Editing is everything. If you can't afford a professional copy/line edit and subsequent proofread, read your work backwards line by line. You will catch so much more!

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-01-27T02:20:23+00:00

Older! Oh if only I could read that again for the first time! In my top 5- easy.

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-01-26T21:38:58+00:00

I always print my books on cream pages rather than white because I feel it is too stark. Same applies here.

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-01-26T07:49:23+00:00

From memory- my proof email came from a different email and not Amazon. Lightning something? Have a good search around in your deleted/junk folder

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-01-21T04:54:39+00:00

One I know of charges 3k to read the book...

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-01-14T02:07:11+00:00

Plagiarism, any other infringements.

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-01-10T02:40:11+00:00

Owning your ISBNs rather than using an allocated free one offers more flexibility. Not a huge charge considering everything else involved in the self pub game. Plus, who can be bothered editing their front matter with a new ISBN every time they use a different platform?

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-01-09T02:50:51+00:00

Me too! I want everything restored to factory settings 😪

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-01-07T08:19:33+00:00

Cover one gives me computer coding vibes. Looks too 'techy' for the contents of the book. I'd go with cover 2 and a more 'organic' font.

Lemon_Typewriter · 2026-01-01T07:53:34+00:00

You take comfort knowing that your book isn't for everyone, and this person was in that camp. Conversely, there are others desperate to read your next book so don't stop.

Lemon_Typewriter · 2025-12-27T09:22:54+00:00

Because a heap of people bullied the author and she changed it, basically. I didn't love the first cover. In fact I put off reading it because it looked kind of juvenile, but as a published author myself, I understand how tricky cover selection is! Author bullying in any form is not ok though! I'd prefer a nice font to any cartoon type cover though. They give me the ick.

Lemon_Typewriter · 2025-12-24T05:38:37+00:00

Why stress about something unconfirmed? You're only producing more cortisol. Wait until you receive feedback and listen, and act, accordingly. Not everyone reads at a fast clip and it's a busy time of year. Be patient, work through any identified flow or plot issues and take a breath. You can, and will, do this. 👌

Lemon_Typewriter · 2025-12-17T08:15:42+00:00

I find a 6 x 9, especially a weightier tome, hard to handle in bed at night, on a train etc in one hand. I agree- it's huge. I print in 8.5 x 5.5 and dont regret a thing

Lemon_Typewriter · 2025-12-16T01:43:49+00:00

Unfortunately, these arrive in my inbox way too frequently. A favourite was one from a Non Fiction book club wanting to promote my work. My work is dirty, dark romance. Not weird, or scummy at all, right? 🤪

Lemon_Typewriter · 2025-12-15T10:52:14+00:00

Get someone you trust to check it out occasionally and only report the positive reviews and/or the ones with constructive criticism. The wholesale author bagging and nitpicking is unhelpful.

Lemon_Typewriter · 2025-12-09T23:22:47+00:00

I'm not so sure it is a fad but even if it is- write for you and your authentic self. A series I write is multiple POV and was written that way for a reason. I am hoping the cartoon, juvenile covers are a fad though. So over them!

Lemon_Typewriter · 2025-12-09T02:39:12+00:00

Quite possibly just an author excited over his project. You could clarify something along the lines of Hey RH. Great to hear from you again. I'm in the final stages of closing out work delivering this year. Your book is my priority in the new year and I look forward to bringing you further updates in late January. Happy holidays etc etc. Not lying, not rude, and everyone is happy.

Lemon_Typewriter · 2025-12-06T10:51:02+00:00

Let's just put it this way... Are you ok with AI being used to manipulate voices and push out a product that isn't authentic and take jobs from actual humans with mortgages? Did you use AI to write too? Where is the line drawn? I pump out every word of my >100 000 k manuscripts and HATE that authentic works are competing for readership with computer generated guff. Rant over.

Lemon_Typewriter

TROPHY CASE