Probably the best guide for will-be indie authors
930457
I have a new favorite. Bells approach to embracing pulp fiction methods as a guideline to your writing career may be the best tack Ive encountered. Less about craft, and more about strategy and technique, this book lays it out plain and makes the process sound as intriguing as the writers who inspired it.

Im a fan, and Ive already picked up more of Bells books on writing. This one is a must-have for every authors bookshelf.
2270778
Just finished reading this today. If you're an indie author, or a writer considering going indie, or even a traditionally published author who needs to grapple marketing on her own, I totally recommend it.
I've been studying indie publishing for 1 1/2 years now and, while there's nothing completely revolutionary in it, the way the information is presented is what makes it an essential read.
It feels good to know that I'm on the right path with the goals I've made.
1867170
Excellent and informative book for any indie author whatever your genre.  An incredible amount of really helpful and interesting information aimed at new indie authors who may not know a lot of the inside process of self-publishing, you really should not be without this book. It would also be of interest to any indie author experienced or not, as there is a great deal of information on how to market your book.
3820703
I have been a self-published author for several years and have found some success with my books.  I am always looking for ways to improve my methods, both in writing and promoting my books once published.  I think that N.P. Martin has written a really well-organized and comprehensive guide for anyone who wants to get into writing and doesn't know how to get started, or even for someone like me who is looking for some useful tips.  There is some good info for both Fiction and Non-Fiction writers, for cultivating ideas, for structuring books, and for promotion once published.  Very well done and a great resource.
2485160
This book is invaluable to anyone who is trying to get a manuscript ready for publication and is considering the self-publishing route. After 25 years in the writing trade, I thought I knew something about book publishing, but Mark's fifth edition quickly corrected my misconception.
With his law school background, Mark provides levelheaded advice to all budding authors. Basically, he explains how the industry works and what people should look out for when comparing self-publishers. The advice given about contractural rights makes the book particularly important.
Chapters 6 (E-Book Publishing) and 7 (Marketing Your Book) provide crucial strategies for publishing and marketing a book in the digital age. Mark guides you through the transition from traditional publishing to the downloadable e-book. It is a lot to absorb, but the chapters are well organized and key points emphasized throughout.
Mark's writing strength comes through in his common sense advice grounded in practical realities about the evolving self-publishing industry. This book is the rare combination of high content and low price, which makes it a genuine bargain.
4546558
This is a must read for any author, whether they plan to self-publish or not. It's full of witty humor, good advice and inspiring stories about the hard and often lonely craft of being a writer.

Some of the advice will be useful for any writer, because it covers tips and tricks for organizing and optimizing your writing process. But the rest could be interesting as well, like the best ways to format an ebook or find a cover artist.
892101
If there's a better guide for aspiring authors to the realities of today's marketplace, I don't know what it is. There are books that can help you write, but this one gives you nuts and bolts advice about creating a platform, writing and refining your pitch, and even self-publishing, should you choose that avenue. But it doesn't stop there. You'll get the skinny on dealing with editors and publishers, including knowing when to stand your ground and when to bow to the marketplace. Husband and wife team Eckstut and Sterry score with an entertaining and indispensable book. Best of all, it's eminently readable -- no mean feat. If you ever get a chance to attend one of their Pitchapalooza meetings, do so. I can vouch for the fact that they're even more delightful in person. Now, why are you still reading this? Go buy the book.
3204056
This book is a MUST for authors who want to succeed in self publishing on Amazon.com. There is a tremendous amount of information out there about self-publishing. Yet, while much of it is good, most of it is either a bit out of date due to the quickly evolving nature of electronic publishing, or quite costly. Fortunately, Oli Hille's book is both current and an astounding bargain.

Oli has proven personally that his strategies work, and he is honest about the hard work and focus required. He obviously wants his readers to succeed in their own self-publishing efforts and he PACKS this book with value. His suggested launch schedule alone is worth the price of the book. He covers everything an author needs, and is generous with his "secrets" - about using social media, outsourcing, reciprocating relationships, social community building, branding, and the ins and outs of publishing on Amazon.com. I have found that by following in his footsteps, the journey along the path through the self-publishing jungle is clear and enjoyable.
1564037
Joel Friedlanders latest how-to book for self-published writers, The Self-Publishers Ultimate Resource Guide, is a very valuable resource for writers who wish to pursue self-publishing instead of trying to land a contract with a traditional publisher. Friedman, whose blogsite, www. thebookdesigner.com, is another great resource for writers, has taken the time to compile and list a number of online sites and self-publishing services grouped into three primary categories: preparation, publishing, and promotion. Of course, any resource guide, no matter what the subject, can quickly become outdated. But I have a feeling that Friedlander will periodically be updating this book so that it remains reliable and relevant. Ive found it to be both useful and educational, and recommend it to anyone whos interested in pursuing self-publishing.
2346118
The good: You're getting advice from several successful self-published authors (not just the ones on the cover! several others also contributed to the book) on what it REALLY takes to make a living self-publishing your writing. Basically, you need to look at yourself like any independent small businessperson: your writing is your product, and you need to create the best products you can, but you also need to find your customers, let them know about your product, and engage them so that they stay interested in your products. This book will tell you how to do that in the self-publishing business. The book also dissects a lot of common mistakes and commonly believed fallacies about the business (such as the beliefs that all selling/marketing = scamming, or that the gestalt of Business is inherently inimical to creating), and then explains how to avoid them. It's very no-nonsense and direct, and recommends lots of additional resources to consult. It's a very solid and fairly comprehensive starting point for anyone who wants to self-publish and make real money on it.

The bad (or possibly extra good, depending on your perspective): The sucker punch at the end. In the last pages of the book, the authors overtly state that they wrote this book to elevate their public speaking careers and to persuade you to read their fiction. This is immediately followed by the authors saying they've got even more great advice for you, but you'll have to come back and buy the next book to get it.

On the one hand, this is open practice of their own advice -- set up your products so that one feeds into another (or multiple others), so that your readers keep coming back to you and your products (and buying them). And they might have been going for persuasion through radical honesty ("see, you got all this useful advice, but it also serves to advance our careers.") On the other hand, having such a blatant hard sell at the end of an advice book feels disingenuous -- especially when they reiterate multiple times that gimmicks and tricks may spike sales in the short run but will only hurt you in the long run.

I like useful products, and this book is a very useful product with a lot of excellent advice. But I don't like feeling like I've been tricked into falling for something, and unfortunately the end of this book left me with that feeling too.
1481306
This book is full of incredibly useful information. Whether someone wants to be traditionally published or self-published, I highly recommend reading this book. SKQ covers everything from boilerplate contracts and rights to SmartURLs.

I am so grateful someone told me about this book. I'm ready to embrace Indie Publishing! Whoot! Whoot!
2797226
This handy guide features clear, step-by-step instructions to help authors and publishers develop a website that drives book sales, create an online media campaign, conduct a successful virtual book tour that reaches thousands, master social networking sites like Facebook, and much more. I love the way the author writes in non-techie language and uses examples. This book is a must-read for all authors and indie publishers who want to promote online.
3677382
So much more than a how-to book. I would actually put this in the top 3 books on writing I've ever read. The information was amazing and concise. I was never bored, which often happens during non-fiction books. Seemed like every page had at least one highlightable passage, and the interviews at the end of the book with other indie authors are a goldmine of useful stuff. Thanks to the authors for being so awesome and open to fans and aspiring indie writers.
1956566
There are a lot of books that purport to help increase sales of indie books, but this one stands out. It has a lot of good tips, and explains a piece of software that is probably very useful. I can recommend it to people who are contemplating publishing a book with Kindle.
4242459
The book has detailed and descriptive tips for indie authors. As an indie author, I could relate to the analogy of "birthing a book like birthing a baby"  highlighted by Denniger. The book highlights important elements of book publishing process, including print on demand and self-publishing eBooks.

Indie authors need a lot of tools in their toolkit. Let's Get Published! is an excellent addition to an authors toolkit.
40600
The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book
By Jo Michaels
Review Written by Jackie Paulson  2012

The author Jo created this book to be a guide to all of your needs with publishing your own books or Ebooks.  She is a Graphic Designer and with her years of experience wishes to share her expertise.  She has addressed in her book the complaints many people have concerning their self-publishing needs and how to solve them.
Her book starts out by letting us all know that weather you are an Indie author or otherwise that "branding" yourself as an author is #1 for this industry of publishing books.
She has a section dedicated to how to brand yourself with books, blogs, and everything digital.  I know that I want to publish my own books so this is information I can use!  Finally someone who can easily explain to me what to do and how to do it the right way!
Choosing your Identity for your online branding is easier than you may imagine. It is the font, color scheme, layout and logo of your brand.  She explains that business cards are wonderful and yet even book marks to share and spread your brand.  In the long run you want others to say, "I know that author."  For example, we all know coca-cola by their red can and logo.  We all know Stephen King and his books.  These are the types of ways others identify with for popularity.  Jo tells us all how to make your own identity with your own logo's.  This may be easy for her as a designer but to someone like myself she has a step by step process to make things easier.  I love that!
Then she touches on formatting for online easy publishing and gives helpful advice, links, examples, tips, dos and don'ts.  If you want to get going today to publish a book or ebook you have on your word documents, Jo will teach you step by step how to get it published today with createspace and other online programs.
If you purchase this please comment below as I really enjoyed reading and learning from Jo Michaels and I know you will too!
4460011
I found this book to be incredibly useful as I start on the Indie publishing path. I recognized I'm not starting from where the authors started, but nonetheless there is SO much information in here, it has answered many of the questions I was having all in one place saving me countless hours of research. It will definitely be a book I reference again and again.

And, a special thank you to the authors for bringing forward the concept and term of Artisanal Publishing, I am definitely going to use that phrase as I get set up!