# What I learned so far from indie publishing. For the new faces in the crowd.



## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

Haven't done one of these in a long time. It's mostly for those starting out. These are things that worked for me, but might not necessarily work for you. Summarized a lot of the things I learned and put them into one thread (you may have dejavu).

KEY LESSONS:

*Hammering out a good blurb is critical* If you don't have a focus group, swallow your pride and post it publicly here on kboards. Out of everything to do with publishing, blurbing was the hardest for me. Anyway, after posting it publicly to be ripped apart, take your licks, learn, but move on at some point--you can tweak it endlessly and stress yourself out in the process (like I did).

*Post your cover for critique.* Take a whoopin'. Test the cover with people in your genre. It's dangerous to get stuck on an idea (same with blurbs). Getting "stuck" on an idea can cost you a lot of money over the long haul. The more open you are to criticism, the better you'll do. And remember that your readers _will_ judge you anyway. Might as well get any surprises out of the way now, because it'll be too late once you publish. Make sure your cover is relevant to your genre and has a wow factor. No wow factor from your fellow authors? Good luck getting one from your readers.

*Read as many of the "this is what I messed up on" posts as you can*; they're sometimes more valuable than the "this is what I did right" posts. My mistakes: not writing sooner, not following advice because of my ego, not finishing the entire series before publishing (due to impatience), not writing every day (still struggling with this one), not sticking to my deadlines, believing people that said self-publishing is for losers (it isn't--it's for people willing to work really hard on making the best product they can--and your product _can_ outshine a publishing house' release).

*We are each other's mentors.* Although some have been around longer than others, there are always new things to learn. A community thrives by sharing. One of the biggest lessons I learned is kindness goes a very long way here. Befriend others and be kind to your fellow authors, because one day you'll need their help. One day they'll come to you seeking advice, or with en emergency. If you'll be there for them they'll be there for you. And help here can be very powerful and valuable (literally). Writing is a lonely craft, but one of the major advantages we have is each other. Treat others poorly and expect a low turnout when your turn comes for blurb help (and people here have very long memories). And always remember that people can't see your facial expression, only your words. Learn to use those emoticons, otherwise a harmless phrase can inadvertently come across as passive aggressive. But anyway, the friends here can be as if not more valuable than your typical facebook feed 

*Using search.* When searching for content on kboards, use google advanced search and point it to kboards. The search function here is not too reliable yet.

*Networking* Kboards is great for networking. You'll meet some amazing people. If you're around long enough, it's like university. I consider myself a newly-minted sophomore and I've been here almost two years, and that's not counting those months I spent lurking and absorbing. There are a lot of varsity and junior varsity players here. Listen to them, they are wise. The big dogs (Blake, Howey, Hocking, Aubrey, Stinnett, and many others) have already graduated. Some alumni still come to drop pearls of wisdom. Most are too busy. (I'd love to see a photo chart of the various generations of writers as tey come an go, sorted by "class year", haha). _Consider this an open source university._

*The stickied links on this forum are INVALUABLE*. Study them like a first-year med student. Especially this one.

*Make sure that if you're doing your own formatting, that it's absolutely perfect.* I used Guido Henckel's formatting guide -- just DO NOT do the "replace all quotes with quotes" thing, trust me on that one, especially if you have spaces between your quotes, like this: " 'The following proclamation will be enforced,' " he began to read). If you have quotes floating in the air, like I do in the example above, they'll revert to the default position of facing right, even if one set was facing left. Going through your whole document to find them is hell.

*Don't be afraid to message individual forum users for help*. People won't always respond in a timely manner (most are too busy), but if you're kind, they'll go out of their way to help you.

*Sign up to mailchimp and post a link to your mailing list at the back of every book.* This is CRITICAL. And offer the reader something tangible for signing up, like a free book, or your next book for 99 cents in a 24 hour window (Wayne Stinnett's idea, which I can confirm works--my signup rate hovers around 14% of buyers now).

*Have a physical copy available* It makes your book look professional, and also makes the digital ebook price look like a bargain. It's not as hard as I thought to format the thing for print, though you'll have to do a little bit of research on how to do it right. I used createspace for mine, and am very happy with the result. Just be sure to flatten your file before uploading as a PDF (in photoshop, go to layer menu, click on "flatten image").

*Don't be afraid to call people* (especially createspace, they're super friendly and helpful). Same with the IRS, the copyright office, even Amazon and GOogle. They have regular office hours and people are far more willing and quicker on the phone.

*Write the next book *(I'm still struggling with this one--spending too much time marketing / procrastinating. I should be writing EVERY DAY, and I'm not ... yet).

*Selling books.* Read Russel Blake's system on selling books (I printed it out and stuck it at the front of my binder). Read Russel's system again. Sleep with it if you must. Cuddle it. Stroke it tenderly.

*Synchronize all of your accounts* -- Twitter, blog, author facebook page (if you have one), etc. I use hootsuite to manage my twitter feed, though admittedly I still really really suck at twitter.

*Run one last spell check on the final product POST FORMATTING. *Formatting can bungle a few words here and there, so it's critical you do one last run-through before publishing. And for the love of all that is good, order a physical copy proof!

*To aggregate or not to aggregate?* Smashwords, Draft2Digital, etc essentially publish your book to multiple platforms for a cut of your sales. If you're tech savvy, you can do it yourself. If you don't want the hassle, use a distributor.

*KDP Select or not?* A hot topic. Do your research. Works for some, but not all.

*Frontmatter prep* Have your copyright, Library Archives (CIP data in Canada), ISBN etc sorted out at least two months ahead of publishing. Do the same with your cover and proof copy (that last one I've failed at--MISERABLY).

*PUSH YOURSELF* A goal is only a goal if it has a tangible outcome and a realistic time frame. Set goals that force you to expand your comfort zone. Write them down. Place them somewhere you can see them daily. Have a vision board detailing the things you want to accomplish in your life. You are your own boss now, there are no excuses.

*Get your own website* Find something to talk about and blog weekly if you can (and of course, I'm failing at this one too--have yet to establish a regular blogging schedule. *sigh*). Also, do what you can to get people signed up to your mailchimp. Cannot understate that mailchimp enough!

*Incorporating* If you incorporate, ask the law firm you incorporated with if you can use their physical address for your mailchimp address (otherwise your home address shows up in your emails--eek!). And you better not spam, otherwise you might really hear about it, haha. Incorporating has its pros and cons. Talk to a recommended accountant first before going forward with it. Christ, I read like a Visa TOS sometimes.

Or just get a P.O. Box as someone once said. Your choice.

*Respond to people* I learned this with my music, big time. When a reader sends you an email or a private message, it is CRITICAL for you to reply courteously. From my experience, once you respond, you've increased the chances of winning them over for life by magnitudes. Never answer reviews. Never be rude. If you're on social media with your real author name, you'll have to be particularly careful.

*If you have large page counts, for the love of all that is holy, check the template restriction page count on your print-on-demand printhouse!* Turns out, at 5 x 8 inch format, max page count with createspace is 700 pages or so. Luckily I caught this in time and shrank my font size to 10 for book 1, so that it can stay uniform with book 2, which is twice as large. I have my wife to thank for spotting that one actually.

*Get regular exercise!* The brain just functions better for things like writing when the body and the endorphins have been given a workout. That's just nature rewarding you for taking care of your body.

*Don't get too caught up with word count.* This is a tough one, but I've discovered that writing for the joy of it is far more productive than trying to hit a daily word count (not to mention your output actually increases--just avoid looking at the actual total if you can). Find your joy and follow it. You make this all about performance and money and output, you're going to be one miserable you-know-what. If you love what you do (which will be writing 75% of the time, barring release weeks), then it's not a job at all, is it? It's a _passion_.

*Monitor for burnout.* It happens to everyone. Find ways to combat the doldrums. Exercise is a good one. Sitting down to write with zero expectations helps too. Loads of advice out there on the subject.

*Read self-help books*. Often the things that prevent us from succeeding have nothing to do with our craft or abilities. They're subconscious self-defeating loops, or mannerisms passed down from our parents, or assumptions we made about ourselves, etc. This point is a lifetime study, but makes a huge difference. If it's something you think you're capable of, I highly recommend it. _It'll give you that edge over those incapable of bettering themselves._ A transferable skill, so to speak.

*Avoid browsing the internet while writing.* Scientifically, your brain actually changes when surfing the net. Each link provides a small endorphin rush, and so you are rewarded for skipping around. This is not conducive to long bouts of steady concentration on one topic. This point requires discipline. And yes, I still battle with this one like an angry chihuahua. I found that if the first thing I do in the morning is check the net, then that's what I'll likely be doing most of the day. Make writing / editing the priority.

*Give back.* At first you'll absorb and take. That's normal. But do yourself and the community a favor and give back somehow. Maybe it's something only you know how to do. Maybe it's a shortcut, or a trick you stumbled upon. You'll feel good doing it too.

*Is indie publishing really for you?* I did a guest post on fellow kboarder David Neth's blog about this here.

ON MARKETING:

- Platforming is critical. That means having a presence on multiple platforms. Remember, you're here because you can do the publishing company's job. This is part of it. If you'e a major introvert, you'll have to figure out ways to communicate your product to the audience. It can be done. _Is_ being done by many authors. Find an introverted mentor / role model already doing it successfully. Emulate them. Ask them questions. Learn from the best.

- Twitter: Use Hootsuite to load up on Tweets for the day ahead (only regarding your book). Try to keep it to 1-2 robo tweets a day, else you'll get muted. Use hashtags (they work). And retweet your friend's important tweets (the tweets that you know are important to them). Don't forget to have fun and interact. See this thread on other twitter hints.

- Facebook: focus on CPC (cost per click), direct to Amazon (or mailing list; some find that works). Avoid markets other than the US as kindle is popular mainly in the States (but you can make it work with some cleverness). Use a landing page if you can to monitor progress (though bitly links work too as they show up as Amazon lins, if I recall correctly). I just used brackets three sentences in a row Twitter paid ADs work much the same.

- Approach select fantasy readers/reviewers on Amazon/Twitter/Goodreads and offering them a copy of the book, following

__
https://www.reddit.com/r/1aqkjq/dos_and_donts_or_getting_reviews_for_your_book/
 Dos and Don'ts guidelines. *UPDATE:* This is tedious and kind of sucks and people don't like being reminded to review (I'd advise _against_ reminding anyone not on your mailing list, unless you know they LOVED the book).

- Adwords: Started a thread on the subject here.

- Do a release party. It's worth it just for your own confidence.

- Do a Goodreads book giveaway. DON'T bother with Goodreads advertising. It's not up to snuff yet. Google is infinitely better right now.

- Print really cool bookmarks based on the front cover design and give them out like candy. UPDATE: This worked like a charm. The bookmarks are functional objects people use, so they love them. I also have a kick-butt design that catches the eye, and give them out like candy. Can't recommend this enough. And do them double-sided!

- Print cool business cards and give those out like candy too (I'd go with bookmarks first, THEN this). Don't do T-shirts or other swag until you have a following demanding it. I learned that lesson the hard way with my music, over-ordering and going in the hole for stuff I could have done without. Still sold it most of it, but still.

- Line up your promotions a month ahead. My release promo thread for Riven (with results).

- You can read more on my marketing campaigns here.

Above all, none of this matters as much as butt-in-chair hands-on-keyboard writing the next book. Your advice, my beloved kboarders, is why I finished books 2 and 3 in the series (and am working on the 4th) _before_ releasing my first.

If you're on twitter or goodreads, add me--links in my signature. If you're new and want some advice, although I'm not as experienced as some of my colleagues here, I'd be more than willing to help if I can 

I have a few other advice and checklist posts on my blog for anyone interested in more.

Best of luck to you 










So, learn anything you think worthy of passing on?


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## Rick Gualtieri (Oct 31, 2011)

Some awesome stuff, Sever.  Thanks for posting!

One exception, though:  "Incorporating If you incorporate, ask the law firm you incorporated with if you can use their physical address for your mailchimp address (otherwise your home address shows up in your emails--eek!)."

Easily counter solution: A PO Box or Mail-forwarding service.


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## Shiriluna Nott (Aug 26, 2014)

Great post and advice.  These kinds of threads are so motivating for me. Thanks!

I still consider myself very much a freshmen, but maybe I can advance to the sophomore class after I get my second novel out. 

Now, taking one of your tips and signing off the internet for a few hours so I can actually get some flippin' writing done! -grin-


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## Chris Fox (Oct 3, 2014)

I think my favorite part was the tip about exercising. It matters so much more than you'd expect. Thanks for posting, Sever.


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## Lucian (Jun 8, 2014)

Thanks for all of the useful sharing you've done. It's very much appreciated.


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## J.T. Williams (Aug 7, 2014)

Chris Fox said:


> I think my favorite part was the tip about exercising. It matters so much more than you'd expect.


I agree. Mentally wasted after plotting, editing, etc? Weight lifting (for me) does wonders to get me back on track. I tend to go to extremes with working out but a simple walk can work if otherwise you've been sitting at a desk pounding the keyboard. I've heard someone mention a treadmill desk before... interesting thought. I feel like I might end up tripping for some reason.


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## J.T. Williams (Aug 7, 2014)

Sever Bronny said:


> *Have a physical copy available* It makes your book look professional, and also makes the digital ebook price look like a bargain. It's not as hard as I thought to format the thing for print, though you'll have to do a little bit of research on how to do it right. I used createspace for mine, and am very happy with the result. Just be sure to flatten your file before uploading as a PDF (in photoshop, go to layer menu, click on "flatten image")...
> 
> ...*Write the next book *(I'm still struggling with this one--spending too much time marketing / procrastinating. I should be writing EVERY DAY, and I'm not ... yet).
> 
> *Selling books.* Read Russel Blake's system on selling books (I printed it out and stuck it at the front of my binder). Read Russel's system again. Sleep with it if you must. Cuddle it. Stroke it tenderly.


There has been a lot of threads about print book vs no print book as of late. I'm just waiting on my cover and I will have mine up. I feel it absolutely adds value to your work. Not to mention, in most word of mouth advertising I've done the most common question is where someone can get a print version... now I will have an answer!

Writing the next book is important and actually part of what I gathered after reading Russel Blake's system. That being said, I still write short stories and I'm about to publish one within the next week or two but I'm not expecting them to fly off the *digital* shelf... they are meant to be an easy way to "try" my writing and essentially the top of my "funnel." ...which leads me to:

I might add reading Write, Publish, Repeat by Sean Platt, Johnny Truant, and David Wrighthttp://www.amazon.com/Publish-Repeat-No-Luck-Required-Self-Publishing-Success-ebook/dp/B00H26IFJS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1425417283&sr=1-1&keywords=write+publish+repeat


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## J.A. Cipriano (May 27, 2014)

Great thread Sever!

I'd also like to say one thing. Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should. 

For me, it's formatting. I spent days trying to format my book, going over it over and over again. Then I hired a formatter. I wish I'd spent the two weeks learning to format, writing instead.

I could say the same thing about a million things I thought I could do better than someone else because of reasons. The thing is, people can do all that stuff for you, and let you focus on the main task, writing.


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## Eric T Knight (Feb 23, 2015)

Thanks, Server. That is awesomely helpful!


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Thanks Sever ... I remember reading the earlier version of this thread and it being a huge help!

What I've learned so far from indie publishing is: (one year anniversary coming up)

1) it's addictive. like every part of it is so addictive coming off trade-publishing. every day there is something to do.

2) expect to write more than you ever thought you could write or wanted to write. and I don't mean just books. blurbs, blogs, guest posts, descriptions, copy--and books. yes that too.

3) a marketing budget is a must. another author told me this but I couldn't wrap my head around it. Even a small budget--a few dollars. sweat equity, whatever you can do but something must be done to promote or market every month. 

4) as per #3 I learned if it's too much money for the ROI, ditch it. GR giveaway...I weep when I think how much money went on postage on those. There are better ways to get reviews and exposure (esp. since GR winners rarely review now and TBR shelves mean nothing. yes, I'm bitter.)

5) becoming assertive about making a living from writing because I have to pay for everything. track expenses. make considered choices. read those promo threads and pay attention to genre. 

6) getting a book out in print is a whole job unto itself and every step takes time, patience and more patience to get it right. I have a new respect for trade publishing schedules based on trying to get my books out. 

7) If I had it to do over again, I'd read Hugh Howey's post about not checking the sales dashboard. I'd treat it like it doesn't exist. I would've been happier, I would have written more, I would've exercised instead of wallowing in despair--and guess what? I'd still have the same amount of money in the bank!!


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## SB James (May 21, 2014)

Thanks for this post. I just keep hoping that I'll be able to give back in a more meaningful way at some point.


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## A Woman&#039;s Place Is In The Rebellion (Apr 28, 2011)

JACipriano said:


> I'd also like to say one thing. Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should.
> 
> For me, it's formatting. I spent days trying to format my book, going over it over and over again. Then I hired a formatter. I wish I'd spent the two weeks learning to format, writing instead.


This 100%. I would rather go to the dentist than format.

Thanks for the comprehensive post, Sever!


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## Walter Spence (Nov 22, 2014)

I didn't pay any attention to marketing prior to self-publishing my first book, so when it was time to do so, it felt to me as though I'd been thrown into a pool to sink or swim. Marketing came with a serious learning curve, not aided by the feeling of having to reinvent the plow over and over. Consequently I spent less time writing the next book.

What helped me were a couple of books, _Write. Publish. Repeat: The No-Luck Required Guide to Self-Publishing Success_ by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant and _Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should_ by David Gaughran (who has a sequel out now called _Let's Get Visible: How To Get Noticed And Sell More Books_ which I plan to get soon). I can't say that everyone will equally benefit from the advice in those books, but having so much useful information under one roof has done more for me than did my own half-assed efforts by far. There are folks for whom marketing is like taking a duck to water, it comes naturally (if not effortlessly), but for the rest of us, I think these two books could prove helpful.


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## Julz (Oct 30, 2014)

Amazing advice as always, Sever. Thanks! I'd vote for you as class pres


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## J.T. Williams (Aug 7, 2014)

Julz said:


> Amazing advice as always, Sever. Thanks! I'd vote for you as class pres


haha


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## A.A (Mar 30, 2012)

Julz said:


> Amazing advice as always, Sever. Thanks! I'd vote for you as class pres


dITTO!


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## timstevens (Jul 4, 2012)

Great post, Sever - thanks!

The only thing I'd take issue with is your medical student simile. I speak from experience when I say that med students forget everything they studied in first year.


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

Thanks, guys, and all valid points (and great contributions) 

Class prez--lol, surely there are a hundred more qualified peeps =P


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## Taking my troll a$$ outta here (Apr 8, 2013)

Well said. I must reiterate the part about learning from the "failure" posts as much as the "success" posts. Don't be afraid to try something new, and don't beat yourself up if something doesn't turn out perfect.
You can't stand out if you are afraid to screw up.


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## Jordan Rivet (Jan 13, 2015)

Awesome post! This is one to bookmark.


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## Victoria LK (Jan 31, 2014)

Great info, very helpful.  I bookmarked it to refer back to as needed. Thanks for taking the time to post!


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## Guest (Mar 4, 2015)

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,037 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)  #1 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Children's eBooks > Science Fiction, Fantasy & Scary Stories > Fantasy & Magic > Coming of Age 
#8 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Children's eBooks > Science Fiction, Fantasy & Scary Stories > Fantasy & Magic > Sword & Sorcery 
#8 in Books > Teens > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Coming of Age 

Good job! Is this a promo or is your normal book rank?


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

Thanks, guys 

drno -- Amazon's doing the promo work as Riven hit the Hot New Release List. It's temporary. My normal rank is not nearly as good


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## CJAnderson (Oct 29, 2014)

Thanks for posting this!


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## ufwriter (Jan 12, 2015)

Great advice, Sever! Thanks for sharing all of this with us. *scribbles down notes*

CJ - Your Beyond Ruinland cover is GORGEOUS!


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## R. M. Webb (Jul 24, 2014)

CadyVance said:


> CJ - Your Beyond Ruinland cover is GORGEOUS!


Yes!

Also, thanks Sever! Good advice as always!


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## Eric T Knight (Feb 23, 2015)

doolittle03 said:


> 4) as per #3 I learned if it's too much money for the ROI, ditch it. GR giveaway...I weep when I think how much money went on postage on those. There are better ways to get reviews and exposure (esp. since GR winners rarely review now and TBR shelves mean nothing. yes, I'm bitter.)


This is the conclusion I have come to after doing two of them. It's expensive and hardly any of the people who receive the books actually review them which (bitterness alert) really kind of ticks me off. I spent 10 bucks to get you that book and you can't spend two minutes saying something about it? (end of bitterness-all clear)

I also find it annoying (crap, more bitterness? I thought we were done with that ) that I'm not allowed to even send follow up emails to the recipients, friendly reminders as it were.

Ultimately, what remains most important to me is the joy I get from being there as a new story unfolds. I have to remember this when the business end starts to get me down.


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## Kirkee (Apr 2, 2014)

Thanks, Sever. Good stuff.
Gotta go with Julz & A.A: Mr. Bronny for Prez!  

When it comes to formatting, though, am with JA & Augusta:
I'd rather not deal with the tedium.  

CJ: Impressive covers.


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## Reaper (Nov 5, 2013)

Excellent post, thanks Sever. I'm definitely going to refer back to it a lot!


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## LeonardDHilleyII (May 23, 2011)

Great post!!!


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## Philip Gibson (Nov 18, 2013)

Wonderful post, Sever! Thanks a lot!

Scratching my head at this bit though:



> I used createspace for mine, and am very happy with the result. Just be sure to flatten your file before uploading as a PDF (in photoshop, go to layer menu, click on "flatten image").


I really enjoy doing the formatting for the paperback version on Createspace. There's something very satisfying about lining everything up right and seeing it look good. Easy to do too once you get the hang of it. I always order the paperback versions from Createspace before publishing either the ebook or paperback version to do a final check and am always more than pleased with the results. But I've never used Photoshop in the process and have no idea what "flattening" a file is, or does, or why I should use it.

Could you expand on that a bit?

Thanks.

Philip


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## G. (Aug 21, 2014)

Wonderful post, Sever. Some great advice. 

I have to tell you, when I read the part about "Don't be afraid to call people," I had to laugh. I've been going through a stressful week dealing with an issue by email. Finally, I just got on the phone and called. Turned out, my issue had been resolved 6 days ago and I just wasn't notified. Had I called sooner, I would have avoided a stressful week.


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## MyraScott (Jul 18, 2014)

Philip Gibson said:


> But I've never used Photoshop in the process and have no idea what "flattening" a file is, or does, or why I should use it.
> 
> Could you expand on that a bit?


I'm not Sever, but this isn't a problem if you aren't working in a graphics program like Photoshop. Graphics programs create a new layer for every new element you put in, so you can move or change it independently later. It takes a lot of file space to maintain layers, so flattening







just makes it so that everything lives in one plane, so to speak.


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

Thank you guys 

Yeah, sometimes calling is just so much quicker, eh G? 

And Phillip -- exactly what Myra said!


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## KL_Phelps (Nov 7, 2013)

I must say I love the self pub community and how helpful everyone is.


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## Mxz (Jan 17, 2015)

Great post Sever!


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## Goulburn (May 21, 2014)

Thank you.


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## Dan Van Oss (Dec 29, 2014)

Late to the thread, but thanks so much for taking the time to post! Especially like the bookmark idea - do you include a link on them directly to the book or author website? Just wondering how best to move them from the bookmark to the actual book.


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

dvanoss said:


> Late to the thread, but thanks so much for taking the time to post! Especially like the bookmark idea - do you include a link on them directly to the book or author website? Just wondering how best to move them from the bookmark to the actual book.


Directly to Author page on Amazon, but I also have a link to my website on there too


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## AssanaBanana (Feb 1, 2014)

Sever Bronny said:


> *Avoid browsing the internet while writing.* Scientifically, your brain actually changes when surfing the net. Each link provides a small endorphin rush, and so you are rewarded for skipping around. This is not conducive to long bouts of steady concentration on one topic. This point requires discipline. And yes, I still battle with this one like an angry chihuahua. I found that if the first thing I do in the morning is check the net, then that's what I'll likely be doing most of the day. Make writing / editing the priority.


A thousand times this. I fall into that pit far more often than I'd like to admit. To the point that I probably need to put my router on a timer if I didn't think it would irritate the hell out of my husband.

All of it is excellent advice. If there's anything in particular I would add, it's to *learn how to keyword your titles*. It is a lot more complicated and time consuming a process than you would think. It's also the single most important thing you can do after having a gorgeous cover and a well-written, hooky blurb. It's also incredibly difficult to get other writers to share their keyword strategies, because there is NOT a one-size fits all way to keyword for a book. Only you as the author really know which keywords are applicable. With some time and patient searches using Amazon's search engine, you can find out what the most popular searches are that match with your title and apply those keywords to your books. You have ~400 characters in your keyword field. Use them wisely.

Oh, and the Createspace page limit thing I wasn't aware of. Thank you for that - I JUST finished formatting a massive collection for print and it came out to 694 pages. I just barely made it. So glad I didn't go over!


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## Holland d&#039;Haas (Mar 11, 2015)

JessePearle said:


> A thousand times this. I fall into that pit far more often than I'd like to admit. To the point that I probably need to put my router on a timer if I didn't think it would irritate the hell out of my husband.


Actually, there are programs you can use to block the internet on just your computer for a set period of time. Everyone else can keep access to the router that way.

Freedom is the most popular one for Windows/Mac: https://macfreedom.com/
There's also a version for Android phones and tablets: http://freedomforandroid.com/


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## Michael Parnell (Aug 25, 2014)

Thank you, Sever, for taking time to compile and share all the great information in your post. I hope you sell a gazillion books AND get movie deals!


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## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

I'm sure I can learn something from this!  Bookmarking to check again later.

But if I'd waited till I'd learned about all of these things, I still wouldn't have started.  Some of us kind of need to just learn enough to start and then keep going from there, chugging along at whatever speed we can manage and continuing to learn as we go.


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## Harald (Mar 23, 2015)

Sever Bronny said:


> *Respond to people* I learned this with my music, big time. When a reader sends you an email or a private message, it is CRITICAL for you to reply courteously. From my experience, once you respond, you've increased the chances of winning them over for life by magnitudes. *Never answer reviews.* Never be rude. If you're on social media with your real author name, you'll have to be particularly careful.


Wow. Excellent summary points. Well done. But am wondering about point above. Why the strict admonition about not answering reviews? If done correctly it can work to bond to readers, who are usually surprised and thrilled. I've done it in my non-fiction world. And Hugh Howie is famous for doing exactly this. Just wondering.


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## Northern pen (Mar 3, 2015)

Harald said:


> Wow. Excellent summary points. Well done. But am wondering about point above. Why the strict admonition about not answering reviews? If done correctly it can work to bond to readers, who are usually surprised and thrilled. I've done it in my non-fiction world. And Hugh Howie is famous for doing exactly this. Just wondering.


Not a mind reader but I suspect he saying not to worry about the one star reviews that people will give because you spelled an obscure word or two wrong or didn't capture their attention.


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## MyraScott (Jul 18, 2014)

Reviews are for readers.  Readers expect other readers to read them.  An author responding to a review gives off a creepy, stalking vibe to many, even if you are thanking them for their kind review. 

I don't believe you'll find Hugh responding to reviews.  He interacts with fans and other writers quite a bit, but he doesn't monitor and respond to reviews.  Can you link to where you find him responding to reviews?


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## MikeMcEachern (Mar 22, 2015)

Great thread! Thanks everyone for sharing!


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## Harald (Mar 23, 2015)

MyraScott said:


> I don't believe you'll find Hugh responding to reviews. He interacts with fans and other writers quite a bit, but he doesn't monitor and respond to reviews. Can you link to where you find him responding to reviews?


Hi Myra! I remember reading the WOOL (Amazon) reviews and Hugh was responding to many of them, both positive and negative. Will try to find later. If he's reading this maybe he can explain. 

Personally, if it's done very carefully, I think it's a legit way to build up connection to readers. The key is "very carefully."


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

I was indeed saying I believe it best not to respond to reviews at all, positive or negative. Instead, encourage readers to reach out to you, so that dialogue takes place on an informal basis


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## MyraScott (Jul 18, 2014)

Harald said:


> Hi Myra! I remember reading the WOOL (Amazon) reviews and Hugh was responding to many of them, both positive and negative. Will try to find later. If he's reading this maybe he can explain.
> 
> Personally, if it's done very carefully, I think it's a legit way to build up connection to readers. The key is "very carefully."


I stand corrected- he certainly did respond in comments to reviewers! I still wouldn't do it, but there's your precedent. Thanks for pointing that out, Harald.


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## Harald (Mar 23, 2015)

SEVER says:
"I was indeed saying I believe it best not to respond to reviews at all, positive or negative. Instead, encourage readers to reach out to you, so that dialogue takes place on an informal basis  "

Yeah, that's certainly true (about the informal dialogue). I guess we'll see when I start getting reviews how and if I respond. I'll let you know!  

MYRA says:
"I stand corrected- he certainly did respond in comments to reviewers! I still wouldn't do it, but there's your precedent. Thanks for pointing that out, Harald."

Sure thing. We'll see if I actually end up doing it!


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## Dan Van Oss (Dec 29, 2014)

Sever Bronny said:


> Directly to Author page on Amazon, but I also have a link to my website on there too


Hey Sever - one more question on the bookmarks - how or where do you usually hand them out?


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

I hand them out informally as business cards here in town, Dan. I'll also be mailing them out to select fans / Advance Review Team etc


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