The Biggest Mistakes Self-Published Authors Make

by Dana Lynn Smith

Let's face it – writing, publishing and promoting a book is a lot of work. Some authors pour their soul (and sometimes considerable expense) into their books and are disappointed when sales don't materialize as they expect. In this series of posts, I'll be discussing five of the most common mistakes that self-published authors make, along with tips on how to avoid them.

Mistake #1 - Neglecting to learn about the publishing business.

Whether you are writing to share your story or expertise with others, or to earn money, it's important to understand how the publishing business works. Many authors devote a lot of time to writing, but they don't take the time to understand the pros and cons of various publishing options, the financial aspects of publishing, the sales potential of their book, or how to distribute and promote it successfully.

Publishing is a business like any other, and most authors need to learn some new skills. See my Aspiring Authors resource page for links to articles and in-depth books that will help you learn about publishing and equip you to make informed decisions about your books.

Read the rest of this article series here:

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Comments

[FionaRobyn]

I agree with you Dana, that many writers 'just want to write.' That was fine for many years ago, but the nature of publishing has changed radically and continues to change with new e-publishing options. It's hard to know where to begin, and there isn't a how-to manual. I learned by subscribing to a number of newsletters where you'll find that information touches on a wide variety of publishing aspects, just what the fledgling writer needs. Book marketing companies often also include archives of free articles or sometimes short e-books discussing various aspects of the business.

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Thanks Fiona. Newsletters and blogs from publishing experts are great sources of free information for authors, but there are a number of excellent guidebooks too. I recommend that aspiring authors read one (or more) of the self-publishing guides listed at http://bit.ly/AspiringAuthors. There are also lots of book marketing guidebooks, including those at http://www.SavvyBookMarketer.com.