The Naked Truth About Self-Publishing

by Jana Deleon, Jasinda Wilder, Liliana Hart

Coming Soon from the Indie Voice: A book so controversial we've been offered hush money to stop us from publishing it. A book so raw it was banned in one small city in Iowa. If you are thinking about self-publishing or you just want to know all the juicy insider scoop this is a must read.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, Amazon, Business, Crafts

Unknown Binding

First published July 13, 2013

About the author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jana DeLeon was raised in southwest Louisiana among the bayous and gators. Her hometown is Carlyss, but you probably won't find it on a map. Her family owned a camp located on a bayou just off the Gulf of Mexico that you could only get there by boat. The most important feature was the rope hammock hanging in the shade on a huge deck that stretched out over the water where Jana spent many hours reading books.

Jana and her brother spent thousands of hours combing the bayous in a flat-bottom aluminum boat, studying the natural habitat of many birds, nutria and alligators. She would like you to know that no animals were injured during these "studies," but they kept makers of peroxide in business.

Jana has never stumbled across a mystery or a ghost like her heroines, but she's still hopeful.

She now resides in Dallas, Texas, with the most spoiled Sheltie in the world.

Reviews

[Sandy Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-read for authors, both traditionally published, self published, and not-yet published (always helps to be informed!).

UPDATE: It's been about five days since I read this, and I can't get it off my mind. I keep thinking of ways to apply what I learned (#1 WRITE MORE BOOKS!). The chapters on marketing and what to do with your book once you've written it (load it to all vendors, fill out Amazon profiles at ALL Amazon's, etc) are so, so helpful. I've learned more about publishing and connecting with readers from this book (and from speaking to self-published authors and being on email loops, etc) in the last few months than I have since I signed my first book deal with NY three years ago.

The other thing I loved about this book? The stories in the last chapter about each of the author's journeys. (Liliana Hart's made me cry happy tears!)

Read this book! Then make your husband or wife read it, too, so they understand why being on Facebook and Twitter is part of your job! :-)

[Rick Gualtieri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not typically a fan of "How to sell billions and billions of ebooks" books. Far too many are written by authors who haven't sold nearly as much as their title suggests. Too many more just cover the basics that one could easily pick up for free if one just pays a bit of attention.

This one, though, I found to be useful. First off it's written by multiple large sellers in the romance category. Secondly, it goes much deeper into the business than many others I've seen. It's not a step by step guide as much as it is advice to solidify one's foundation in the business.

I'm not exactly a novice in the self-publishing field, and I still found plenty to make me ask "Why haven't I done that yet?" or "How did I not know about this?"

Recommended for any author who takes their business seriously.

[Adriane Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book ever for indie authors. It's been nine months since I published the first installment of the Lace series- five books later and I've learned a lot but this book offers invaluable information from those who have been at the top.

[Linzy Antoinette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was chock full of actionable, solid advice (not just generic theory). Although there is some fluff material, the bulk of it was solid wisdom from the self publishing trenches. I'd recommend this to anyone who is looking to learn more about marketing their books and running their self publishing business.

[Milou Koenings · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone looking into self-publishing, this is a must read. There are dozens of books out there with catchy titles like "How to sell a million books on Kindle, Kobo, what have you" that take your money in exchange for very little you won't find online anyway.

This book is different. (I mean, just comparing the racy cover to other books on self-publishing tells you that ;) First of all, it is written by best selling authors who know what they're speaking about. Second, it is very practical. They don't waste your time telling you their success stories - they tell you how to proceed to create your own success story and each author is extremely generous with the hard-earned wisdom she shares.

If there's anything more I would have like to see in this book, it would have been a bit more step-by-step instructions for newbies. If you don't know how to start an author website and how to get people to sign up for your newsletter, this won't teach you. It tells you how important that newsletter is and why. The nuts and bolts, you'll have to find elsewhere. But then again, if you're going the indie route, you have to be a self-starter anyway. And this book is one of the most solid platforms that I've seen from which to start yourself. It also offers some lists of resources to get you going.

I've published two books the traditional way and one indie e-book (under a pseudonym, so don't bother looking for them here). I'm also a book editor for a publishing house and a lawyer. So I can say that everything the authors covered about what to look out for in a traditional publishing contract, how publishing work and the discussion on copyright issues was spot on.

I'll amend my opening statement - even if you're looking to publish the traditional way, read this book first. It will open your eyes and might make you think twice. Even if you decide to go the trad route anyway (and there could be good reasons for that), at least you'll do so eyes open.

My favorite thing about this book? It offers hope. To those who can write good books and want to make a career of it, these authors say it can be done and they show the way. Thank you!

[Jade Eby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Posted on my blog Chasing Empty Pavements

I've been following most of these authors since they first started writing and self-publishing and a couple of them are my writing heroes. I've known for a long time that self-publishing was the way I wanted to go with my novels so this book seemed right up my alley. And you know what? It didn't disappoint. It was AMAZING.

This is how all self-help books SHOULD be. It's highly informative but backed up with real scenarios, actual facts and figures and easy to follow (and completely sensible) advice. Nothing they say its a "get rich quick" scheme thing. But the thing is--it all makes so much sense you wonder why most people aren't following this stuff. They are realistic to admit that luck plays into a lot of success but so does talent and hard work. Every single author that contributes to this book has worked their asses off to be where they are and I find it's so much easier to believe and trust their words because of that. Honestly, this is one of, if not THE, best self-help (especially for self-publishing) book I've ever read. They give you resources and steps to follow leaving you a solid path to follow if and when you decide to self-publish. Also, I REALLY enjoyed their personal touches on each of their sections. And their stories at the end were amazing. I found Liliana Hart and Jasinda Wilder's stories to be the most touching and profound.

I think this book is great for people interested in learning about self-publishing or want to learn more about the successful authors who wrote this book. It's MOST important for writers aspiring to self-publish. READ THIS BOOK. I promise you won't regret it. You'll thank me :)

[Katie Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an independent author, I read this before releasing my first book, and it helped tremendously. I can't recommend this enough to other authors who really want to make a business out of writing without having to do it traditionally, or even switching from traditional to self publishing.

I originally bought it to help me with managing an LLC as an author, and soon found so much more. These ladies definitely know what they're doing and talking about, and I look forward to following their fiction books as well. If they can write a how-to on writing that kept me riveted, their books must be fantastic.

[Elena Aitken · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a MUST read for anyone thinking about indie publishing or already in the indie book publishing business. Heck, anyone in the book business, period, should read this book.
Honest, incredibly helpful and absolutely inspiring. I'll be reading this one over again for sure.

[Katherine Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has lots of good advice for authors.

Update 12/7/2014 I just re-read this entire book and although some of the advice is outdated when it comes to tags on Amazon and such, it is still a very valuable read, perhaps even more so.

[Juewelz - SMIBookClub · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing ! I WILL be buying this in paperback ! Only complaint about this book is the cover lol. Which is kind of funny cuz there's a WHOLE Chapter on cover design in this book but they put this on the cover . I think it was maybe a joke . Anywho this book was so amazingly inspiring . I knew Jasinda Wilder story going into this but to read and get introduced to the other authors was such a blessing. I am not an author and have no desire to ever write . But I do blog and review books. This book has given me so many ideas on how I can better help authors in the writing community . This read like having a casual conversation w a mentor. It was down to earth and straight to the point ? Authors!! Especially even if you already wrote something you NEED to read this book ! Probably 2x and take notes!

I def will now be checking out the contributors to this book that I've never read from . I will also be anticipating the next book from this crew ! Awesome book and thank you to the writers for taking the time to write it!

[Brandy Rivers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm already self-published and doing well, but you can always learn more, especially from people with more experience. I learned a ton from reading this, and now wish I read it a little sooner since it had been sitting on my kindle for a few months.
The success stories are uplifting. The warnings are very informative. The number crunching is eye-opening, but thankfully I didn't have much luck with the traditional route and skipped some of that.
I would happily recommended this book to anyone even considering publishing with either route. What works for one may not work for another. Still, it's best to be informed going in. This book strives to give you the positive side of the self-publishing and show you what you can attain if you're will to put the work in.

[Sibel Hodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantabulous read from a group of bestselling indie authors with amazing attitudes. This book has must-read info for both newbies and established indie authors, or anyone thinking of self-publishing. I wish there'd been a book like this when I was starting out. As well as being inspirational and full of great advice, the positive attitude just exudes through the book. Great advice from a group of wonderful ladies who are living their dreams.

[Terri Herman-Poncé · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful - and in plain English!

As a newbie who needs to learn as much about self publishing as possible, I found this book very helpful. In plain English, the authors tell you step by step how to get from point A to point Z when it comes to the self publishing process. Though some of the chapters were more the warm, feel-good kind of thing, they didn't detract from the book's main purpose.

Recommended if you need to start somewhere, just like I did.

[Brenda Rothert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The TIV authors share all the info indie authors really want to know, and they do it in such a motivational way. Their stories will educate and inspire any indie author. I highly recommend this and can't wait to put to use what I learned.

[Cege Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of really good info here that I haven't read anywhere else. Even if you think you know it all, there's still something in here for you- trust me! Well worth the read for any self-published indie author.

[Yolanda Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

learned alot from this book and the stories of these authors are very inspiring to new authors like myself....and to people in general! No matter what you want to do in life...never give up no matter what!

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend if self-pubbing has ever crossed your mind. Lots of great stories but also tons of practical info.

[J.F. Penn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book with some great no nonsense advice for indies. Also, some eye popping sales figures that will inspire :)

[Sidnie Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was highly recommended by a successful self published author that I follow.

I've been on the fence on which publishing route that I wanted to take, and this book really opened my eyes.
If you're undecided definitely check out this book.

Though I wish it was a bit more up to date. (Social media and such).

[J. Kent Preyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen King’s masterpiece - On Writing - is the bar these authors needed to hurdle and they did it! The Naked Truth About Self-Publishing is now the GOLD STANDARD book on self-publishing. These 10 writers bared their souls (literally) – what inspired them as children to write; their sometimes heartbreaking challenges to succeed; and ultimately how they did it, how they made it to the top, how they are enjoying almost incomprehensible success doing exactly what they love – writing books. They uncompromisingly and unselfishly share all their secrets, and these are life-changing, big, career making secrets. These women clearly have respect for each other. "All ships rise" for them. I found the whole book refreshingly honest and unexpectedly wide in scope. They even talk about how to keep yourself healthy as a busy career writer. William Goldman’s - Adventures in the Screen Trade - was groundbreaking in the 90s when screenwriting was crazy-hot. The Naked Truth… is an equally significant trailblazing book about the present day immensely growing field of self-publishing. These women have combined their talents and crafted a book that is a stunning achievement. It is a knockout, illuminating gift to all of us writers who are a little lost (and scared) out here. They should be proud.

[Laura Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Unsolicited Review**I've been procrastinating my own writing career because I had no idea if I wanted to be a self-published indie author or if I wanted a traditional deal, or both or if I could have both. This book from beginning to end (and I have read it more than once, taken notes, and gone back to it over and over again), covers all the questions you may have if you are a newbie or a successful published author looking to jump in to the pool of self-publishing. I can tell you, this will be the best money you ever spend. I learned so much from this book and the authors who wrote it, including Jasinda Wilder and Liliana Hart, two of my favorites. The authors who contributed to this work give it to you straight and let you make up your own mind as to which path you want to take. Thank you so much for inspiring me to follow my dreams and help this newbie writer take the steps to realize that dream for real.

[Susan Chapek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book differs from many "how-to-self-publish" ebooks in that there's a whole lot of practical advice, and not much fluff. (Well, you may consider the biographical chapters fluff--in which case you can skip them.)

The book doesn't claim to give a magic formula; it will be up to you to adapt the authors' discoveries and techniques to your own business model. (And remember that the indie ebook world is changing by the minute, so some statistics and suggestions will be outdated before you read them. You will still need to do your homework online.)

A big point in this book's favor is that it's written for and by fiction writers. (Too many self-publishing how-tos and blogs claim to help fiction writers, but are actually only useful to those writing non-fiction--especially other how-tos.)

In short--the best of this type of book I've read so far.

[Jordan Summers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though some of the information in the book is out of date now, I highly recommend any writer thinking about self-publishing to pick this book up. It covers everything you can think of (and some things you haven't) about self-publishing and gets down to the nitty-gritty of what's required. It's a MUST-BUY.

[Savannah Reynard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm grateful for the authors who shared their experiences so candidly and openly. I think anyone from aspiring writers, to traditionally published authors, to those on the path to self publication can glean useful information from this book.

[Nadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read for anyone considering indie publishing! It is full of invaluable information. Do yourself a favor, before you decide to hit "publish" read this book.

[Chloe Flowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for any author, regardless of whether or not you plan to self pub. Not only is it stuffed full of fabulous information, but it's also well-written and fun to read.

[Daniel Marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of great information!

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good information

Loved the encouragement these authors offer to the indie authors. Learned quite a lot, one thing I came away with is how to write a business plan as an author.

[Kimmie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Invaluable information!

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Necessary Book For The Business Side of Self Publishing!

While of course some of the content in this book will be outdated since it’s last revision in 2015, the majority of the information in this book is relevant and necessary to know. And you’ll be able to know the outdated bits as you read so it’s not misleading. Once they talk about a website or social media platform you’ve never heard of and the links to visit the website don’t work, move forward. There is still gold in this book.

This is not a book that focus’s on the writing side of self publishing, other than chapter 1, which will lay out the basic steps of getting your book published. But rather, this book focus’s on the business side. And the business side is not talked about enough! Because once you hit publish, you are now a business.

It gave me so much knowledge on having a business plan, marketing, taxes, money, contacts, translations, audiobooks, and more that I didn’t know the details on. And it gave valuable resources and things to do relating to these business items.

Each authors own experience and sharing their journey is invaluable and also inspiring. You’ll learn everything you need to know to get you going in this business through this book!