Why Authors Fail: 17 Mistakes Self Publishing Authors Make That Sabotage Their Success

by Derek Doepker

Could A Hidden Mistake Be Sabotaging Your Self Publishing Success As An Author?Becoming a massively successful self-published author isn't easy. Even just one missing link in an otherwise perfect plan can kill your results. The easiest way to avoid these mistakes is to learn from those who have made the mistakes for you, found a way to overcome them, and can take you by the hand to show you the principles you need to follow to guarantee long-term success.Can Anyone Become A Successful Author?I was once a broke valet parker and struggling writer. Through years of study, experimentation, and a lot of mistakes, I eventually cracked the code to becoming a multiple #1 bestselling author. My own experience combined with coaching students from all over the world has revealed the hidden mistakes most authors don't even realize they're making. I hate seeing passionate authors missing out on their chance for success simply because no one took the time to share these insights. I wanted to write the book I wish I had when I first started my journey of self-publishing that would have saved me endless headaches and frustration.What All Authors Must KnowThis is not strictly a book on marketing strategies, how to write a better book, or a technical guide to self-publishing. Instead, this book gives you what you really need to succeed - the real world principles all successful authors follow. Inside you'll discover...• Why struggling authors sabotage any chance of success before they write a single word… and how to virtually guarantee you’ll have a bestselling book, before you even begin. • Why struggling authors spend countless hours and hundreds of dollars publishing their dream book, only to find it gets lost among all the other self-published “wannabe” books… and how you can make sure your book stands out from the competition. • Why struggling authors can have the best written book on a topic... but still fail to make it a best selling book. • Why struggling authors often never get their book or series finished… and how you hack your motivation and creative inspiration to get your book done fast. • Why struggling authors’ creativity can be what leads to their failure… and how you can combine one simple thing with creativity to give you an edge no one else has. • Why struggling self publishing authors turn off potential readers before they’ve even had a chance to read their book… and how you can utilize simple psychological tactics that practically force browsers to purchase your book. • Why struggling authors can’t create a long-term business… and how you can set things up from the start to ensure you’re thriving off of book sales for years to come. You can either unknowingly make these mistakes and wonder why you're not seeing the results you want as an author, or you can learn from a #1 best selling author and publishing coach saving yourself countless hours and headaches. After getting your copy of "Why Authors Fail," you'll never again have to worry you don't know what it takes to become the successful author you were meant to be. “If failure is not on your author's checklist then this book is a must read! A powerful, business-saving wealth of knowledge for the serious, result driven author. Derek cuts to the chase and gives you the real meat to help you avoid errors across the board, take your work to the next level and ultimately reach your success goals." - Vivian Jokotade of Jokotade.comAbout The AuthorDerek Doepker is a multiple #1 bestselling author and self publishing coach. He has assisted over 1,300 students from all over the world on self publishing, marketing, and book creation.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Business, Reference, Ebooks

116 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 23, 2014

About the author

My name is Derek Doepker and I am the creator of Excuse Proof Fitness at http://excuseproof.com as well as a fitness author specializing in overcoming everyday challenges to living a healthy lifestyle like limited time, limited budget, limited knowledge, or just plain lack of motivation.

I didn't always used to be an "expert" though. My passion for these things stems from my own struggle years ago living an unhealthy lifestyle and eating fast food every single night. I was addicted to junk food and my body was suffering for it.

I wanted to change, but I had no idea how to overcome years of terrible eating habits and lack of exercise. It didn't help that there were millions of conflicting experts and books out there all saying something different.

After intense research and plenty of hard work, I managed to get in the best shape of my life, and most importantly stay in great shape for the past 9 years.

But it wasn't enough for me to see results, I wanted to help others overcome the same obstacles I had to face like a busy schedule and limited money.

I also noticed many people struggling to get motivated, and this led me into spending years studying everything I could get my hands on when it came to psychology, personal development, and how to "hack" the brain to do what you want it to do. When I discovered that "willpower" is not the answer to making change, it started to make sense why so many people struggled to stay motivated.

Having this knowledge of psychology, plus my special "ninja" strategies I developed over the years for overcoming time and money constraints, I set out to share my knowledge with others so anyone who wanted to get in shape would have the tools and knowledge to do so.

For those ready to make the commitment to live their fullest potential, you are free to check out my blog where I offer free tips as well as my kindle books where I layout the most powerful techniques I've ever discovered for creating a rapid and permanent change in your body and mind.

Reviews

[Prakash Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for beginners.

Derek emphasized on the importance of cover, blurb, editors and more than that he focused on his marketing skills. He admits,"I’m not too ashamed to admit that one of my bestselling books had and still has a few spelling and grammar mistakes."
Personally, as an author of self help book, I would like to suggest that it depends on readers what is their priority - fault finding (typos, grammar, etc.) Or learning?
The best advise I got in this book is about collaboration with big shots. Practically, that is not always possible, but collaboration works better than many paid promotions, it's my personal experience to get my own books in Amazon's bestselling list.
I would recommend this book for aspiring authors.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this had some helpful information, but I didn't find it as helpful as it could have been. I think because so much information was to be found in other articles and programs.
I would say it's still helpful, just not super helpful for me.

[Amanda Tero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cohesive. Engaging. Enjoyable. Three points I like in any non-fiction book. Especially a book for writers. I’ve definitely read a few not-as-helpful books for writers, and this wasn’t one of them. There were so many tips that I highlighted to review. The author does make a valid point about being a best-selling author giving tips. At least, it made me give him a little more credit than some of the other writing-book authors I’ve read.

I really appreciated that this was a clean read. There may have been 2-3 words that I prefer not to use, but there weren’t any explicit examples.

I think most indie authors would benefit from reading this book. It’s not super long and is easy to get through.

[Grace Masters · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and a half. There were a few things in this book that gave me a new perspective, especially how to look at success and failure. Going off the title I thought there might be more than just the marketing aspect to this book, which accounts for the rating. However, I am looking forward to checking out the links provided within the book, about book covers and whatnot.

Three particularly glaring (missing word) mistakes. The reason I bring it up being that grammar and punctuation are a common complaint to self-published authors and being this is a book on 'why authors fail,' we should never underestimate a good editor.

[Bernard Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are in my shoes and still struggling to find a warm, cozy and popular spot for your books under the sun, this is the book you better read. Whether you are a perfectionist, procrastinator, undecided or lacking knowledge what, how and when to do it, this anti-failure book with intriguing title Why Authors Fail will give you a dose of encouragement and advice you might lack and need for your success. Try it, read it, think it over, and try it again by acting upon it. Maybe you’ll become one of those authors who don’t fail anymore!

[J.J. Lair · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author comes out and says some of this is obvious and we need to be reminded repeatedly. He’s right. There were things I knew but let slide and need to remedy.
It’s a tough world and the chances for success are limited but he tells you how to increase the odds in your favor. He even will tell you that even then, you will struggle.
Good points. Good ideas

[Lino Matteo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why Authors Fail: 17 Mistakes Self Publishing Authors Make That Sabotage Their Success (And How To Fix Them)

Derek Doepker
2014
This book was an interesting offer that I stumbled across while cleaning up an associate’s Twitter account. Was in a bit of a funk at the time; the offer was intriguing.
The book will not help you in the writing of a romance novel. Nor will “Why Authors Fail” help you become a better ‘How to” writer, per se, but if you listen to the lessons you will get reaffirmation of the importance of the audience while practising your craft.
You will also get invaluable insights on how you can serve the public, make additional revenue from your craft and therefore be able to spend more time on that craft. Hopefully, writing is something you enjoy.
The book was 4.0 stars or more!
Highly recommended.


• Do not like the disclaimer – in form or in substance
• 6: Why struggling authors’ creativity can be what leads to their failure….
o Do believe that creativity and desire to be ‘artist’ can be problematic
• …the little known insights only a handful of bestselling, self-published authors know…
o Note the word “self-published” authors
o Do publishers all know this?
• 7: …I’ve written this book to provide you with clarity and insight about the big picture of book publishing
o So author has to be selling services (or something) – right?
• 8: you must develop a certain level of comfort with failure as it will be with you all along your journey
• 9: believe my biggest skill is my ability to deconstruct why certain books and authors do so well and convey that in an easy-to-understand way to other authors.
• …researching what other authors are doing and hundreds of dollars buying high-end training courses.
• How Do You Define Success?
o B$B
• 12: What if your setback isn't a failure, but the exact experience you need to make your next breakthrough?
• To be a “failure” as an author really means to not embrace the process and way of being of a successful author.
• My ultimate goal is to help you discover the answers that reside within yourself for how you can accomplish what you want with your writing.
o In other words: THE BUCK STOPS WITH YOU
• 14: With few exceptions, the biggest reason I see authors fail is because they haven’t prepared themselves internally for what it will take to succeed
• In this section, we’ll take a look at five mindset killers that guarantee an author will fail
• 15: Mistake 1: Struggling Authors Don’t See The Big Picture From The Start
• Let’s look at the ingredients you need for a successful book.
 Great content that there’s a demand for
 Great title
 Great cover
 Great description
 Great reviews
 Putting that in front of tons of people
• In military strategy, you work backwards from the objective you want to achieve.
• “What book will become a bestseller?” and then write that book.
o The 10 Million $ Solution
• 16: Just realize it will be very hard to market a book that a mass of people don’t feel they have a need for.
• 19: Mistake 2: Struggling Authors Get Too Overwhelmed
• The simplest trick I’ve found to just get started is to use the three magic words for taking action – “Can I just…?”
• 20: The task should also be immediately relevant
• What this does is allow you to “brain dump” the ideas you have into a safe place where you don’t feel like you’re going to miss out.
• 21: …go back to work on what is most important in the present moment.
• 22: Mistake 3: Struggling Authors Treat Publishing Like A Hobby
• Struggling authors treat publishing as a hobby. Successful authors treat publishing as a business
o EN: Hence the need for a Publish_IT model
• This involves three things for the author:
 1. Being on their customer’s agenda rather than their own agenda.
 2. Seeing time and money put into a book as an investment rather than an expense.
 3. Adapting to a changing market by keeping their skills up to date.
• 23: The natural fear, of course, is that the investment of time and money won’t be profitable but will end up being a waste. This is only true if an author fails to learn from their experience.
• Finally, businesses adapt with the times. Most of what I teach in this book is principlebased, meaning that it’s big picture stuff that won’t change over time
• 24: How To Fix This Mistake: Instead of asking “How can I get value?” I asked “How can I give value?”
o VERY good advice! GIVE GIVE GET
• 24: Pride Cycle. This is where at some point you feel like you’ve learned what you need to and don’t have to continue developing your skills. The result of this pride is a fall which many “too big to fail” businesses have experienced. Authors are not immune to this either
• 25: One of the biggest reasons why I found having a coach was helpful was not because they told me something I didn’t know, but because they kept me from getting distracted with all the things that would have taken me away from what I already knew.
o Authoring coach?
• 26: Mistake 4: Struggling Authors Believe Passion Is All It Takes
• …combine passion with learnable skills like writing effective and engaging descriptions, finding designers that will create the right type of book covers, understanding what readers want, delivering it to them, and more.
• Successful authors nowadays often end up learning skills like creating enticing book titles, utilizing social media, blogging, building an email list, connecting with readers, networking with other authors, and more.
• 27: … develop the skill of creating and maintaining quality relationships with others who helped them achieve their goals
• How To Fix This Mistake: To utilize the skills you’re going to need to be a successful author, there are four things to do:
 Identify which skills you need to develop.
 Practice those skills until you become proficient.
 Identify which skills you can delegate to others
 Find, hire, and manage others with the skills that can complete the task
• 28: Some authors try to do too much themselves and end up shooting themselves in the foot because they end up with a weak link
• If there’s one area that I recommend every author get assistance with, it’s hiring an editor
• Places to find qualified works include:
 http://Odesk.com
 http://Freelance.com
 Referrals and recommendations. Shoot me an email at info@ebookbestsellersecrets.com if you’d like recommendations for designers and editors.
• 29: Mistake 5: Struggling Authors Don’t Get A Hand Up
• … world’s top achievers all have a mentor or coach to assist them and point out their blind spot
• A mentor’s greatest gift isn’t always his guidance, but rather the confidence he can give you to move forward and take action.
• How To Fix This Mistake: The answer is obviously to seek out the guidance of a mentor or coach….You can reach out to me at info@ebookbestsellersecrets.com , and if I’m not a good fit, I can work to point you in the right direction of another coach.
• 32: Mistake 6: Struggling Authors Don’t Manage Their “State”
• The mistake struggling authors make is that they wait for a productive state to occur by chance instead of proactively getting themselves in the state of productivity.
• How To Fix This Mistake There are several ways to manage your state, including physical activity and mental refocusing. Let’s take a look at some of the most effective methods I’ve found for each.
 Find Your Why Jim Rohn says, "The bigger the why, the easier the how."
 Change Your Physiology To change your physiology means to change what you do with your body externally.
 Change Your Environment Yogananda has a quote that says, “Environment is stronger than willpower.”
• 37: Mistake 7: Struggling Authors Let Themselves Get Habitually Distracted
• How To Fix This Mistake: The fix here is to use willpower.
o How about goals and rewards? Do this, get that?
• Only allow yourself to engage in other activities after a writing goal is complete. For instance, “I will only check Facebook after finishing the next chapter.”
• Give yourself daily and weekly goals and deadlines to hit with your work.
o Make them achievable; achieve them; succeed!
• 39: Mistake 8: Struggling Authors Worry About Perfection
• Perfectionism is really a selfish trait disguised as caring about the reader’s experience.
• Strive to get it right, but remember you don’t have to get it right the first time.
• …in order to move closer to perfection, there have to be imperfect attempts made from which we learn.
• How To Fix This Mistake:…break through perfectionism is to remind myself that I can always improve things down the road and focus on the value I’m delivering to others.
• 41: Another key concept I keep in mind is this: Act Then Analyze
o Similar to TPAR = Think Plan Act Review
• 42: Mistake 9: Struggling Authors Lack Accountability
• The most successful authors (and people in general) seek out others to keep themselves accountable in order to ensure their work gets done.
• How To Fix This Mistake: If you have a mentor or coach, they can become your accountability partner and help you set deadlines
• 43: … Create your own system of rewards and punishments for completing or not completing tasks.
• I’m going to assume that most know that books should ideally be relatively free from errors, formatted correctly, offer value to the readers, and be easy to read.
• 44: Mistake 10: Struggling Authors Don’t Follow Proven Formulas
• These four blueprints almost all bestselling books follow are laid out by Robin Hoffman
• They are as follows:
 1. Tips
 2. Outline, Step-by-step
 3. Three-Act Story (Hero’s Journey)
 4. Essay
o How about screenplays – or is that a conversation for another day?
• The final type of book is an essay style which applies to non-fiction.
• Another aspect of bestselling books is that they typically have what I call “hooks” and “seeds.”
• The title of my book “50 Fitness Tips You Wish You Knew” is a hook because “you wish you knew” creates an emotion of curiosity that sucks readers in.
• “Seeds” are foreshadowing of something that’s about to happen later in the book.
• Many of the bullet points presented at the start of this book are meant to act as hooks and seeds to engage you to want to continue reading.
• How To Fix This Mistake: I know that many creative types, particularly fiction authors, hate the idea of following formulas or blueprints. It can be perceived as predictable, boring, and restrictive to follow a set outline.
• If you’re writing to be successful, then you’ll want to consider what readers expect in their books.
o For Dummies format is part of their success
o Vinyl Café format is part of their success
o Cross them and insert some quotes, charts & pictures
o Then convert into a workbook for enhanced experiences
• The first and best way to do this is through experiential learning; that is, reading and analyzing the types of books that are similar to what you want to write.
• 46: It’s one thing to be an avid reader, and it’s another thing to be a student of what you read.
• 47: The easiest approach for non-fiction authors to create more captivating content is to write their book as usual, and then during the editing process, insert various hooks and seeds
o This is a great idea and an excellent ‘value added’ use of the edit phase
o Can also choose art and quotes as secondary portion of this
• Examples of hooks for non-fiction authors:
 You’re about to discover my secret to (insert a desired benefit for the reader).
 In this chapter, you’ll learn why (insert a common problem).
 Have you ever wondered (insert a common question)?
 If you’ve ever struggled with (insert problem), then pay attention.
 What you’re about to read will be one of the most important things you will ever discover.
 There is one simple thing that can fix (insert problem), but before I get to that….
• 48: Mistake 11: Struggling Authors Don’t Innovate
• While you should model what else is working, if you just try to copy what someone else is doing without understanding why they did it, you’ll rarely get the same results.
• Just like yin and yang come together to form a balanced whole, these two qualities blend together to form a middle path.
• How To Fix This Mistake: The formula for innovation is: Imitation + Creation = Innovation.
• My goal is to help you find this sweet spot by learning to activate your own creativity.
• This is why, once again, experiential learning trumps passive learning
• 49: Here are some questions you can ask to help stimulate creative thinking when it comes to creating a book that will stand out and offer unique value. Non-Fiction:
 What value can I deliver that hasn’t already been offered?
 What is the book I wish I had when I first got into this topic?
 What book needs to be created?
 What will save people a lot of time, money, or effort?
 How can I say what’s been said before with a different voice or perspective?
• It took some confidence building and listening to the feedback from others to realize what I have to offer as a non-fiction author isn’t new information, but a new perspective.
• 51: Mistake 12: Struggling Authors Worry Too Much About People-Pleasing
• One of my mentors says that if 1/3 of people don’t hate what you’re doing, you’re probably not pushing the envelope
• In the world of non-fiction, one challenge is that you’re often dealing with different learning styles.
• How To Fix This Mistake: …The key to improving your work comes from quality feedback
• 52: If you get praise for a book, some quality questions include:
 What did you enjoy most about this book?
 Was there anything in particular you found most helpful? (Non-fiction)
 What was your favorite part and why?
 What could make this even better?
• While some people may not appreciate my laid back, conversational style, those people are idiots. Just kidding of course.
• It also means I can ask someone who gives a scathing critique of my book this question, and they’ll be forced to actually provide constructive ways to improve it. That’s because “How can I….” is a question that compels a person to provide an actual actionable step that can be taken for improvement.
• 54: … a book only sells as well as it is marketed
• 55: Mistake 13: Struggling Authors Don’t Know Their Audience
• To be fair though, you don’t have to know your ideal reader when you first write a book. It can often be a process of discovery as you put books out there and see who naturally gravitates towards your work.
• How To Fix This Mistake: Ideally this is something that is determined before a book is written. That’s because the title, subtitle, cover, and contents of the book can all be tailored to resonate with the ideal reader
o Multiple versions of the same work, improved, updated and enhanced!
• To give an example, my book Kindle Bestseller Secrets is targeted specifically to nonfiction authors who want to or are currently publishing on Kindle, are primarily concerned with making as many sales as possible, and may have read other books about Kindle publishing but are frustrated with a lack of results.
o A plug and another Publish_IT revenue source – Product
• 56: Once an author can identify a least one or two similar books, I recommend going to Amazon.com and going through the “customers who bought this item also bought” section.
• Once an author can identify a least one or two similar books, I recommend going to Amazon.com and going through the “customers who bought this item also bought” section.
• 57: Mistake 14: Struggling Authors Don’t Use Their Fans To Sell Books
• One of the biggest factors in marketing and persuasion is “social proof.” “Social proof” is the concept that we look at what other people do in order to make a decision.
• … readers want to see reviews from others that are just like them.
• 58: How To Fix This Mistake
 Successful authors know how to both get the right testimonials and ensure it’s one of the first things people hear about.
 They’ll also recruit their fans to promote their books for them.
 Finally, successful authors make sure the popularity of their book is made known to a potential reader.
• 59: The first step to getting book reviews is to include a call to action at the end of your book.
• To find popular blogs on your topic, I suggest browsing http://Technorati.com , and doing a Google search for keywords in your niche and adding “blog” to search.
• Another way, which is a more long-term strategy, is to build up a list of targeted readers in your niche. I’m always building lists from my blog, guest blog posts, and my Kindle books
o Build a community to support your efforts
• For more details on how to get book reviews, check out my series of articles here: http://www.tckpublishing.com/category...
o More Publish_IT: attracting members/subscribers
• Learn to state the praiseworthy facts about your book created from social proof, and you can shine your light as an author without turning people off.
• Mistake 15: Struggling Authors Don’t Grab Attention
• People don’t buy books, they buy the emotions a book gives them
• Self-published authors often fail because they don’t have a title or cover that captivates potential readers.
• …self published authors may still fail if they don’t sustain that attention with an intriguing book description.
• 62: How To Fix This Mistake: For both non-fiction and fiction books, the cover must grab a person’s attention.
• 63: The second component is to have a captivating title and description for your book. As with the other things in this book, the best way to learn how to do this is with experiential learning.
• Finally, studying marketing and persuasion will help give you a better idea of what to look for. Some resources include:
 My Fiverr gig for helping you create captivating non-fiction book titles.
 Hooks for Books – How To Create The Most Captivating Non-Fiction Book Titles Ever Using Simple Psychological Strategies
 Influence by Robert Cialdini
 Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive by Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J. Martin and Robert B. Cialdini
• Mistake 16: Struggling Authors Don’t Deliver Ongoing Value
• … even #1 NYT bestselling authors typically don’t always rest on book royalties to earn their income. Instead, their book is a gateway into other opportunities like speaking engagements, consulting services, and readers for other books in a series.
• 66: How To Fix This Mistake:
 Email List I rarely give “must do” commands, but I would argue it’s an absolute must for authors is to have an email list.
• Having a Facebook fan page, twitter account, blog, and other social media accounts for people to connect with you on is helpful as well, but they’re not as big of a priority as an email list.
• An email list will allow you to notify readers of future book releases, ask them questions and get feedback, offer them prizes for sharing your book, provide them more value such as tips or unreleased material, and more.
• Here is a great article on how to do this also from Steve Scott: http://www.stevescottsite.com/origin-...
 Book Series
 Backend Offers
o Do you have your Publish_IT model ready?
 While other books and newsletter content are valuable for readers, an author can also offer more things for sales such as:
• services,
• signed copies of books, memorabilia, physical products,
• affiliate products,
• and more to increase the revenue generated per book
• Mistake 17: Struggling Authors Don’t Utilize Their Greatest Resource
• What is this resource? It’s an author’s relationships.
o After you mind, why not tap into other peoples’ minds?
• Struggling authors see other authors and authorities as competitors. Successful authors see them as companions
o Remember: GGG: give; give; get
• … genuine desire to help each other out because we recognize we’re all out to help people and add value to readers’ lives.
IF YOU WANT THE REST MESSAGE ME

[A.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had this for years, and recently found it again when looking for something else… snorts. Story of my life.
I digress… what he does is list his ‘reasons’ (all 17 of them) and then he writes about ‘how to fix this mistake’.
He is mostly talking about non-fiction - which he writes, obviously, but there a few things that apply equally well to fiction. Where possible, he has listed solutions for each.
A few of the links are outdated but things are easily googleable… [is that a word? Huh - it is now.]
As an example:

Mistake 2: Struggling Authors Get Too Overwhelmed
(Details… description etc)
How To Fix This Mistake
The simplest trick I’ve found to just get started is to use the three magic words for taking action – “Can I just…?”
* Can I just take five minutes to brainstorm some chapter ideas?
* Can I just review three blog articles of mine as potential content for an upcoming book?
Can I just do one thing to market my book today?
(more details… description etc)

See?

Struggling authors write a book and then ask, “How can I make this a bestseller?” Successful authors ask, “What book will become a bestseller?” and then write that book.

This is the same thing I’ve heard a few people suggest.

Another thing to consider is that restriction can actually enhance creativity. As a music composer as well as a writer, I’ve found that when I’m given guidelines to follow for a composition, it keeps me from getting overwhelmed with options which actually shuts down creativity.

I very much agree.
Be a student of what you read. Part of why I do reviews like this, is because I like to try and work out why a story didn’t work for me. And also, I often forget whether I have read a title or not.
Mistake 12: Struggling Authors Worry Too Much About People Pleasing
Oooh yeah…I hear you, Derek.

I think this book is free when you sign up at his website.
http://derekdoepker.com/
He was also a guest on rocking self publishing podcast. Listen here:
http://rockingselfpublishing.com/derek/
Lots of valuable advice and some actual strategies to fix it.
Neat.
4 stars

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this short book when it was free on Kindle. It is an encouraging list of issues that frequently hold writers back and how to overcome them. This book is neither a writing guide or a publishing guide, but more of a list of mistakes in either category that tend to trip up beginning writers. For example, the author points out how many self-published authors use unattractive covers that they design themselves rather than spending the $30 that might gain them hundreds in sales.

Most of these tips were not anything that you can't read on a good writing blog, like Jane Friedman's. Of course, I noticed a few items that I have been and continue to be guilty of, but there was no epiphany that will lead me to new levels of success.

If you need some tips and encouragement for your writing, this was a quick read that could almost be treated as a checklist to get yourself back on track. If you already have a solid writing routine, author blog, and books that are selling at a rate you are happy with, you probably won't gain anything new from this.

[Jason Meuschke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good information. Not a lot of new but plenty of things I needed to be reminded of again.

[Jery Schober · Rating 3 out of 5]

more geared for non-fiction writers

[Thea Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. I got a lot of great ideas for helping my book (Get That Job! The Quick & Complete Guide to a Winning Interview) reach and help more people. I'm going to reread this book before my next edition or next title, because it's full of great suggestions and links to useful resources that I wish I had known about the first time around.

[Sydney Katt · Rating 2 out of 5]

While some of the information was useful, I found it off-putting that the author would state the importance of putting out a quality product and using professional editors, and then state in the next breath that he didn't always have someone edit his work. In this book, it showed. There were multiple instances where 'you' and 'your' were used interchangeably that an editor would've/should've caught. (Just one example. There were more grammar/typo issues throughout.)

The author also gave numerous links to possible resources for authors within the chapters, but the resource section at the back of the book only had a few links, half of which were to the author's other works. Since this was my free borrow for the month as an Amazon Prime member, I don't have the luxury of opening the book on any device other than my Kindle Paperwhite, which doesn't do so well with web links.

Also, Kindle formatting was strange.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book. The introduction says it's supposed to be a supplement to books on writing, publishing, marketing, etc., but it didn't feel like it added much to the conversation if you've already read other books on the subject.

[Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

This approach appeals to me on a number of levels. The first is that, as an engineer, I am trained to look for failures, identify their causes, and eliminate them. In many ways, to avoid failure is to succeed. Also, there is some key advice in here I think would be useful to authors.

The primary advice that I wonder if authors follow is to look at what kinds of stories people want to read. I suspect most authors feel like that is selling out, or at the very least compromising their artistic vision. If you want to write a very specific story, go right ahead. But realize you're doing it for yourself, not for others, so don't be surprised if it doesn't sell. If you want to be a published author who sells books, you'll want to pay attention to what people want to read and write to that. You can probably fit your story idea into what people want to read and have it turn out much better. One reason I believe this is because, when I read a story where the author has received a lot of feedback and massively revised their story in response, I can tell it's a lot better than what they started with(The Native Star, The Rithmatist, and Age of Myth, for example).

The author has some particular things he does in his process in order to sell books, and while I appreciate that he is willing to tell others that process without being vague or keeping secrets, I think it has less value. I agree it's good to have multiple books, for example, because when someone finishes your book and likes it they will probably look immediately for what else you have. But other things are marketing gimmicks. His tactics for getting reviews and cross-promotion are actually pretty good ideas, and I found it amusing that he included sections from other authors at the end of this. Way to be consistent and demonstrate your own principles! Yet it was still painful to read those sections and be so aware it was a marketing gimmick. I wonder if it really boosts sales that much. Do *most* people like sections / previews of other books at the end, and enjoy reading them, and buy more books because of them?

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best piece of advice in this book comes close to the beginning, where the author asks his readers how they define success. The book is written for writers, and most of us would agree that some goal—getting published, earning royalties, becoming a household name—defines success for us. Most of us would probably confess as well, that each new goal achieved just leads to another reason to feel we’re not successful “yet.”

By contrast, author Derek Doepker defines success as “a process and way of being.” We’re successful as long as we’re working toward a goal, be it an old goal or a new one. Setbacks aren’t failures, but rather the “the exact experience you need to make your next breakthrough.” If I learn nothing else from reading his book, I will be grateful for this definition.

Will I ask what book will sell before I start to write? I’m not sure. Will I “just” take the next step in trying to market my book? Probably. Will I have a business-minded approach to my writing? I hope so, but my writing definitely emphasizes the “small” in small business.

Each well-defined “mistake” is followed with a “how to fix” it section, and it’s all presented smoothly and sensibly. Practical details abound—such as how to balance the time you spend doing something yourself against the time you could spend using your skill to write another book. Of course, the author has a reason for writing this book, and some of the fixes involve buying courses or paying for assistance. That said, there are lots of intriguing and useful links to various sites and techniques, including a fascinating site where you define “punishments for failing to act”!

“Imitation + creation = innovation” appeals to me for mathematical clarity and for the way it reminds me of my childhood self painstakingly copying out a book to prove that I could write. When I made copying mistakes, I had to learn to fix them, so maybe I really was innovating! Of course, I had no audience then—I still need to learn to know my audience.

So yes, this book is interesting and useful, encouraging and inspiring, and well worth the read.

Disclosure: I was given a copy and I offer my honest review.

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book suitable for new and established authors. Mr Doepker presents clear and concise issues that have shown to be major pitfalls in publishing for many if not most authors. The book is solid, straightforward, and exactly what I feel most authors need to easily identify potential flaws/issues in their sales, marketing, and networking strategies.

I took notes and highlighted many areas. I enjoyed the presentation, content and flow of the information the author presented. In addition to giving facts, issues and benefits based on his direct experience and that of his students, he gives you recommendations for: continued learning opportunities, book covers, attention getting titles, researching your market, connecting with your readers, FB ads, Amazon ads, and potential freelancers to use, and other books written by top marketing and bestsellers.

Mr. Doepker has included a great bonus section at the end of the books main 17 issues. This is a book that I will refer to again and will be recommending to friends and family members wishing to publish and/or evaluate their existing procedures.

[Marta Pona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very easy to read for its down-to-earth advice. I liked the book for its seminar-presentation style - here is your mistake, and here is a suggested way to change this. I read others' reviews of this book who said the book is mainly geared towards non-fiction writers. I agree to some degree, there are many examples of how to publish a non-fiction book, but I was able to take away some valuable lessons as a children's book writer. Several points resonated with me.
One, to treat publishing a book as a business, especially when it comes to marketing the book.
Two, research what books are in demand, what type of books/topics attract readers, before writing/publishing.
Three, provide added/ongoing value once a book is published, including blogging on related topics to attract more readers.
And finally, leveraging on industry relationships, although this is easier said than done.
Overall, a great quick read for anyone considering self-publishing.

[Miranda Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read a lot of these sorts of books, which might colour my view on it. This like many others is a writers way of making money off other writers. I did find some of the content new and interesting, especially in regards to the reason for wanting to write and having a clear view of what you want to achieve. I also liked the tips on how to become more productive. But it was full of links to his other books, all how to make money from writing through marketing or strategies, whether using an emotional or business angle. And it also contains chapters from other authors about how to write successfully to fill it out.

A book to dip into and to get ideas, but I'd turn to people like David Gaughran & Dave Chesson for more constructive actions on successful marketing and writing tips.

[Marie Weiler · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first started reading this short book, I figured it would rehash much of the self-publishing wisdom I've learned over the years—and it did. But I also read it anyways, in case I could gleam something new out of it, which is ironic, because Derek himself says within its pages, "... what I have to offer as a non-fiction author isn't new information, but a new perspective." (p. 50) How true, for I discovered a different way to define success than I previously did; e.g., publishing a book should be considered a milestone and daily improvement as being the mark of success. Additionally, I was reminded how important having mentors and people who can hold you accountable are throughout the various stages of your career/life.

[Tristan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short ebook is half motivational / time management coaching and half marketing tips. The first half is largely generic, as applicable to weight loss and fitness (the author’s specialism) as to writing ebooks (the author’s medium), but provides plenty of insight to help people reach their goals. The second half is more specific to ebook publishing, drawing on the author’s experience, and has plenty of useful tips, but generally demonstrates that there’s no magic wand to replace common sense, moderate effort, and organisation. A good read, well presented and clear despite a few editorial issues.

[Ronda Boccio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who's an author knows what a difficult path it can be. Derek Doepker is "battle-tested" and shares typical fails and how to (hopefully) avoid them. Some of the pitfalls he covers are being distracted, lack of accountability, lack of organization, and mindset issues.

The reader gets an invitation to an excellent Facebook community where authors can ask questions and help each other.

I love that he has an audio version available.

This is one of those books that it's good to open up, peruse the TOC and see if, perhaps, see if you're on the verge of doom in one of those danger areas.

Cheers,
Ronda Del Boccio

[Sanhita Mukherjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonder. It has all the mistakes I have made so far. It has given the exact solutions to overcome those mistakes.
These facts hooked me to the book. I was curious to know what mistakes I can still make while striving to create a sustained revenue stream from my self-published books. It took my hesitations away to put the best sellers rank of my books right in their descriptions.This book is rich in reading resources and other resources that can help a reader turn their goals into reality.
It would have been great if there would have been more stories of the once struggling but now succeeding authors.
This book may not cost its readers a penny, but it remains priceless in the author's career.

[Patricia Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This was a short read, and had some good information. Some of it I wished I had written down because I read it on and over over a long period of time. There were a few bits of advice I rolled my eyes at. Like the part about a mentor and how much the author paid for his. Sorry, but most of us don't have $2K lying around. It is worth a read for authors as it may give them ideas or point out ways they can improve. (It's free too, so what do you have to lose?) I'll probably have to read it again and make notes on the parts that struck me.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good advice here for anyone considering self-publishing... or anyone that has already self-published but has had limited luck in finding an audience for their book. At each step in the process, Doepker offers sincere motivation and obvious understanding of the challenges and self-'sabotage' that writers fight through. There are many helpful resources sprinkled throughout the book. I found this extremely well organized and easy to read. I'd definitely recommend it to any author considering self-publishing for the first time.

[shannon reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Derek C. Doepker is the secret to publishing a best seller!

This book deserves 10 stars! Not only was it easy to read, it gave an honest view point on the fails of self publishing. Doepker gives a step by step look at mistakes that most good writers make when publishing. My mystery novel' The Widow Of Magnolia Lane' debuts summer 2019. The information that is given in this book is sure to make my novel a best seller!

[Lyle Nicholson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book for authors to do a review of where they are at in their journey. Derek poses good questions regarding what authors are doing and the obstacles they put in their own way. There is a concerted effort to get the author over to his mentoring course. I leave that to all individuals. If you take the book on its face value, realize it is free, then there is good value here. I highly recommend all authors read this.

[Ron James Sonnier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Failure Is Easy - But Not An Option For Dreamers

Failure Is easy. You can easily fail with trying or not trying. This book is positive with challenges and explanations of how to get busy becoming a successful author (however you define success). Apparently it takes smart planning and thoughtful work to become an author with READERS. I recommend this writer's work for hungry READERS and Writers / Dreamers of
all ages.

[Chivonne Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good read. I judged it by its cover and thought it would be one of the cheap books on publishing that just regurgitate what everyone else has online for free for absolute beginners, but that wasn't the case.

Not only did it give a lot of details, but it gave actionable tasks as well as links and price points for what you are looking for. There is even a golden nugget in here that I did not highlight out of respect for the author. You should buy it and see what it is!

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Free book magnet with joining his mailing list. And have to say the info he offers in his mailing list is worth the sign up and this book was also worth the effort. Great suggestions and tips for upcoming authors and you can see him using his own suggestions within his own emails/marketing. Overall, I glad I signed up and used bookfunnel to get the kindle version of this book. Totally worth my time and effort and I'm excited to put some of these suggestions into practice.

[Jared Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book for free on Amazon. The author has some good suggestions and tips but they are not any different from the other books I read. Always stay focus and have a open mind, in writing and everything you do. And that lead you to success, but this book is meant for the struggling writer and nonfiction mostly. Treating your writing as a business. Thats was pretty much it on my take.