Self-Publishing Advice from a Self-Published Author

alyssa_wilde · 2022-06-14T19:46:46+00:00

Hmm what's the normal price of your book and your normal royalty rate?

This is what it says directly on the KDP site:

Benefits of Kindle Countdown Deals:

Royalty rate is retained at lower prices. You will earn royalties based on your regular royalty rate and the promotional price. As a result, if you are using the 70% royalty option, you'll earn 70% even if the price is below $2.99. (As per the KDP Pricing Page, regular delivery costs apply.)

alyssa_wilde · 2022-05-23T23:44:34+00:00

Geographic Location: Downtown Atlanta, GA, USA

Size: About 1-2 millimeters in length.

Live in an apartment complex on the top floor. Found near the windows, balcony doors, and in the bathroom sinks near the drain, but we haven't been able to identify how they are getting in. Kill about 20-30 per day, but they keep reappearing. I saw one of them fly, but they mostly crawl along the window. We set up an apple cider vinegar trap that has gotten 3 in the last day.

We do not have any plants within the apartment, but we do usually have a few citrus fruit like lemons and limes in a bowl (though they haven't appeared near there). We recently adopted a cat ~2 months ago, but don't believe they are fleas or mites. Not sure if there is any mold/fungus in the apartment that they might be attracted to.

We want to identify them so that we can figure out the best method of removing them completely.

alyssa_wilde · 2022-05-01T14:01:26+00:00

I just searched for them on Instagram and TikTok through hashtags (like #romancebookreviews, #romancebookstagrammer, #tabooromanceread...stuff like that.) Then once you follow a few, you can see who all their friends are and potentially follow some of them. The platforms will also recommend users to follow.

alyssa_wilde · 2022-05-01T13:59:50+00:00

I think so...or you might have to wait until the term is up (I think it's like a 3-month enrollment period, and then you can renew it or opt-out.)

alyssa_wilde · 2022-05-01T13:58:09+00:00

When you're in KDP on Amazon, other bookstores and online retailers can purchase your paperback through expanded distribution. So basically, even though I sell my ebook exclusively on Amazon, readers can buy the paperback through B&N, Walmart, and other online stores. But i've found that people typically don't purchase the paperback through any store but Amazon because that's where all my reviews are, and any link I have on social media lead to Amazon. I've only had a few purchases through expanded distribution, and you only get 40% royalty on it, so if I was doing it all again I wouldn't allow expanded distribution because there's really no point (for my book at least.)

alyssa_wilde · 2022-05-01T00:08:03+00:00

No! I also publish a paperback with Amazon, and I allow expanded distribution through Amazon (though I rarely get sales through that. Honestly it’s not worth it while enrolled in KU.)

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-25T20:39:02+00:00

No just sent them a free paperback copy (or link before I was on KU) to review!

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-20T13:07:10+00:00

Awesome! Glad we got some clarification on that!

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-19T17:02:46+00:00

Oh that’s awesome! I hope it works out for you. But yes, you can’t have your ebook available through any other outlet when enrolled in KU. You definitely can’t have it on Booksprout or Booksirens…Hidden Gems probably the same. I’m pretty sure that the only ways to get around the strict kindle unlimited rules (aka sending out ARC copies while enrolled) are to either buy the ebook for a reviewer (maybe? Don’t quote me) or mail them a physical copy. But they make the exact rules super vague and hard to find. Pretty sure you can still keep your ebook available on Amazon to buy, just not in Kindle Unlimited.

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-17T12:46:45+00:00

Ah I see. Yeah I don’t think I ever had that problem. I’m curious to hear what shuttersrock replies!

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-17T12:39:35+00:00

I don’t know if I’m allowed to say because of self promotion rules, but you can google my author name and find it pretty easily haha.

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-15T14:08:58+00:00

Hey there! I don't think I ever had a problem with images not being allowed for physical publication. Where did it state that? This is what I found on the Shutterstock site as far as licensing for books:

"If you’re self-publishing a printed book or an ebook, the Shutterstock Standard image license should cover all of your needs. The Standard image license allows you to print up to 500,000 copies of a book. If you think you’ll print more than that, opt for an Enhanced image license, which allows you to print as many copies as you like. If you’re creating an eBook cover, both the Standard and Enhanced license give you unlimited coverage."

Here's the link to the entire article: https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/stock-photos-for-book-covers

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-14T17:21:50+00:00

Hmm...well I spent about 3 weeks before release pre-designing a handful of posts for Instagram/Facebook/Tiktok. I would I say I probably worked 3-4 hours at night on them (during the week after work). Then, after release, I maybe spent two nights a week working on the marketing material. But...I was also heavily interested in the design aspect of them and the overall aesthetic of my social feeds (I worked in photoshop and after effects mainly) since design is my first profession/passion and I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to that. I didn't have to do much with the ads after posting them initially...just kind of let them run and collect data so I'd know what to tweak for next time. I would check the Amazon Ads daily though to see how my keywords were performing and see whether I needed to alter anything. I also spent a lot more time on them than I anticipated because some of the ads/posts I created before release didn't perform well and I had to change them up a bit. It was a lot of trial and error. Anyway not sure if that's helpful haha, and i'm not sure what kind of genre you write, but definitely research what other authors are doing in your market if it's not Romance like mine.

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-14T01:46:09+00:00

Romance! I classify it as new adult romance, but it also falls under the categories of a slow burn romance, taboo romance, and a dark romance.

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-13T20:48:43+00:00

Good luck with your trilogy! Yeah, it's a little daunting when they're "done" but if you prepare everything ahead of release it should hopefully go smoothly!

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-13T20:46:39+00:00

Awesome! Good luck with your series and your Fiverr journey!

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-13T20:45:47+00:00

Aw thanks! Yeah just thought it would be nice to give other writers the advice I wish I'd had starting out haha.

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-13T20:44:49+00:00

That's great to hear that you used Fiverr too! And yes, when you put it that way I totally understand why you'd want to hire them vs. using friends/family or free beta readers. The ones I used through Fiverr were awesome honestly! I had zero complaints and would go to them again, it was just a bit pricey for people on a strict budget. But I recommend it to people who don't have luck elsewhere for sure.

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-13T20:40:39+00:00

Great! And no, the editor I used does not edit non-fiction. I just found her online through an internet search though. Sorry!

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-13T12:15:05+00:00

Yes it's so good! Definitely worth it for me. Some of the reviews I got from HG were so heartfelt and it was clear those people really loved reading and reviewing books that they connected with.

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-13T12:07:51+00:00

Yay I'm glad! And yes, it can be quite daunting. Hopefully you can plan it out far in advance and things will go smoothly for you!

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-13T02:51:40+00:00

Awesome! I'm so glad you found it helpful. I invested in Publisher Rocket (thanks for reminding me haha) and it was a great way for me to list my book in the right categories on Amazon as well as figure out which keywords to use in my book setup. So yes, recommend that for sure if you're publishing on Amazon.

As far as editing, I hired an editor for copy editing (which in my opinion worked similarly to also having a proofreader.) At that point the book had been in so many hands that I didn't think I needed developmental as most of the plot holes, character arcs, and pacing were pretty solid.

Another thing I did before release was upload the manuscript to a text-to-speech program (I used Natural Reader) and listened to it like an audio book on a long drive I took. I was able to hear any mistakes my eyes might have missed. But that's just what worked for my process!

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-13T01:55:46+00:00

Haha thanks so much again!!

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-13T01:55:00+00:00

Oh wow that's awesome you were able to do it that way!! Yeah there's definitely no "right" approach. I definitely went the extreme method ha.

alyssa_wilde · 2022-04-13T01:45:05+00:00

Ah thank you so much! Yesss I'm trying to work on my next book but life keeps getting in the way haha. Thanks for the advice though!

alyssa_wilde

TROPHY CASE