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Basic Training for the Self-Publishing Battlefields
Ten-hut! Listen up new recruits! It’s time to suit up, ship out, and start your self-publishing mission.
Maneuvering the minefield of self-publishing can be overwhelming. Getting the information you need is far from simple. Is hiring a cover designer worth it? Which trim size to choose?
Award-winning author Lewis Kempfer’s journey through self-publishing was just that—a battlefield. The process was confusing and tedious, and the books that claimed to “teach” the self-publishing process were vague and as dry as yesterday’s chicken in the mess hall. Once he won the self-publishing war, he knew he could develop a better way to show authors the process. Hence, the book began to write itself.
Written in the motivational style only a fictitious drill instructor can deliver, Basic Training for the Self-Publishing Battlefields is an overview for new authors who want to get their books into readers’ hands. It won’t be easy, but you can do it with this old staff sergeant’s instructions — and they won’t bore the camo pants off you. Offering an aerial view of the self-publishing process, the sergeant covers the following Work smart, not hard, with Basic Training for the Self-Publishing Battlefields , a quick read that takes your book from manuscript to shelves.
At ease, soldier!
EDITORIAL REVIEWS
Have you ever tried publishing a book and faced failure from different angles? Are you a self-published author feeling frustrated because your book isn't getting the recognition it deserves? Or perhaps you aspire to be a self-publisher (Indie) but don't know where to start. Basic Training for the Self-Publishing Battlefields is your best bet. Beyond the popular Amazon KDP, with 15 chapters and well-thought-out titles, Lewis Kempfer provides everything every self-publisher needs, from reasons to choose self-publishing, to achieving victories at different stages of writing and publishing, to getting the publicity or attention your book requires.
Initially, when I saw the title and the cover page with a military uniform and boots, I wondered what the author intended. It gave the impression of a war-themed or military book. Little did I know that the author wanted to use military terms to convey messages to the readers, and he achieved this effectively. Most non-fiction books can become boring at points, but the opposite is true with this book. Using military terms, imagining a command call from a Colonel or Captain (the author) boosts morale and makes the messages stick.
I appreciate how the author used personal experiences as a guide for readers. Experience is said to be the best teacher, and the author has enough to share with others. The writing and publishing industries are filled with challenges, making it arduous to stay in the limelight amidst the countless books published daily and the numerous sites and agencies involved in the sector. It's one thing to write a book, another to find the right people to bring out the beauty in your writing, and yet another to discover the right site or market for your book.
I now feel equipped with the knowledge I need should I want to venture into self-publishing. Thus, I recommend this book to aspiring self-publishers, self-publishers experiencing difficulty with the process, and those who want to understand how this process works. I give this book a perfect score for its excellent writing. It is well-deserving of 5 out of 5 stars , as it was professionally edited, leaves no stone unturned, and delivers its messages with a sense of humor.
—Online Book Club
Maneuvering the minefield of self-publishing can be overwhelming. Getting the information you need is far from simple. Is hiring a cover designer worth it? Which trim size to choose?
Award-winning author Lewis Kempfer’s journey through self-publishing was just that—a battlefield. The process was confusing and tedious, and the books that claimed to “teach” the self-publishing process were vague and as dry as yesterday’s chicken in the mess hall. Once he won the self-publishing war, he knew he could develop a better way to show authors the process. Hence, the book began to write itself.
Written in the motivational style only a fictitious drill instructor can deliver, Basic Training for the Self-Publishing Battlefields is an overview for new authors who want to get their books into readers’ hands. It won’t be easy, but you can do it with this old staff sergeant’s instructions — and they won’t bore the camo pants off you. Offering an aerial view of the self-publishing process, the sergeant covers the following Work smart, not hard, with Basic Training for the Self-Publishing Battlefields , a quick read that takes your book from manuscript to shelves.
At ease, soldier!
EDITORIAL REVIEWS
Have you ever tried publishing a book and faced failure from different angles? Are you a self-published author feeling frustrated because your book isn't getting the recognition it deserves? Or perhaps you aspire to be a self-publisher (Indie) but don't know where to start. Basic Training for the Self-Publishing Battlefields is your best bet. Beyond the popular Amazon KDP, with 15 chapters and well-thought-out titles, Lewis Kempfer provides everything every self-publisher needs, from reasons to choose self-publishing, to achieving victories at different stages of writing and publishing, to getting the publicity or attention your book requires.
Initially, when I saw the title and the cover page with a military uniform and boots, I wondered what the author intended. It gave the impression of a war-themed or military book. Little did I know that the author wanted to use military terms to convey messages to the readers, and he achieved this effectively. Most non-fiction books can become boring at points, but the opposite is true with this book. Using military terms, imagining a command call from a Colonel or Captain (the author) boosts morale and makes the messages stick.
I appreciate how the author used personal experiences as a guide for readers. Experience is said to be the best teacher, and the author has enough to share with others. The writing and publishing industries are filled with challenges, making it arduous to stay in the limelight amidst the countless books published daily and the numerous sites and agencies involved in the sector. It's one thing to write a book, another to find the right people to bring out the beauty in your writing, and yet another to discover the right site or market for your book.
I now feel equipped with the knowledge I need should I want to venture into self-publishing. Thus, I recommend this book to aspiring self-publishers, self-publishers experiencing difficulty with the process, and those who want to understand how this process works. I give this book a perfect score for its excellent writing. It is well-deserving of 5 out of 5 stars , as it was professionally edited, leaves no stone unturned, and delivers its messages with a sense of humor.
—Online Book Club
202 pages, Paperback
Published July 19, 2023
About the author
Lewis Kempfer
4 books6 followersLewis Kempfer is an award-winning author and performing arts jack of all trades from Denver. He co-founded the Boiler Room Theatre in 2000 in the Nashville area where his vast body of design and production work in 2006 landed him a dream job with the Walt Disney Company in Los Angeles. His 2019 literary debut of “Don't Mind Me, I'm Just Having a Bad Life: A Memoir” earned seven awards, including First Place for LGBTQ Biographies in the 2022 BookFest Awards; the 2021 Independent Author Network Book of the Year Award for LGBTQ; and the 2021 Indie Reader Discovery Category Award for LGBTQ Non-Fiction.
While at the Boiler Room, he wrote book and lyrics for two original musicals that played to packed houses, “That ‘60s Christmas Show” and “Billy Bob’s Holiday Hoedown.” He also won a Telly Award for his short film “From Concept to Completion.”
While at the Boiler Room, he wrote book and lyrics for two original musicals that played to packed houses, “That ‘60s Christmas Show” and “Billy Bob’s Holiday Hoedown.” He also won a Telly Award for his short film “From Concept to Completion.”
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 3, 2023
Basic Training for the Self-Publishing Battlefields written by Lewis Kempfer is a must read for writers who are thinking about self-publishing. Kempfer goes through things that one should consider when wanting to self-publish a novel. Kempfer also adds his sense of humor when it comes to a serious topic like this one. Although Kempfer doesn't go deep into details, he gives readers enough so that they are equipped to research on their own. From grammar, editing styles, and just trying to boost one's confidence, Kempfer tells it like it is, which is very refreshing. Not to mention I like the fact that each chapter is named after military phrases and slang. Being someone who has family that has either retired and still in the military, this tickled me. There were also things that I never knew about the military until I read this book. Overall I enjoyed reading this book that, to me, makes self-publishing look like it can be done. I recommend to those who are looking into self-publishing and even those who are just interested in learning more about self-publishing without having to read a 500 page instruction books on how to self-publish. I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars.
Displaying 1 of 1 review