The Indie Author Power Pack: How To Write, Publish & Market Your Book

by Sean Platt

Get on the road to a successful self-publishing career! THE INDIE AUTHOR POWER PACK is the ultimate starter guide, chock-full of some of the best help around to boost motivation, productivity and sales.

This indispensable bundle - AVAILABLE ONLY FOR A LIMITED TIME - has over 1000 pages of solid tactics, proven strategies, and actionable advice you can use during each step of the publishing process, from content creation to production and distribution to marketing.

Tap into:
* expert methods for building story worlds, characters, and plots
* a psychology-driven model to shape stories into must-have "products"
* best practices for editing
* practical approaches to cover design, formatting and pricing
* optimized tips for selling fiction vs non-fiction
* short-term vs long-term marketing plans
* updated tactics for building platform and launching new books
* collaborative techniques for selling
* strategies for optimizing profit beyond the written word

These are THE SAME recently updated editions of popular titles you've heard of by industry names you trust. In fact, the authors have collaborated to bring you additional exclusive BONUS content you can access FREE!

Whether you're a newbie or an indie expert, you'll find plenty of insights here to help inform your career. THE INDIE AUTHOR POWER PACK includes the full versions of:
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* WRITE. PUBLISH. REPEAT.: The No-Luck-Required Guide to Self-Publishing Success - Sean Platt & Johnny B. Truant

In 2013, Johnny B. Truant and Sean Platt published 1.5 million words and made their full-time livings as indie authors. In WRITE. PUBLISH. REPEAT., they tell you exactly how they did it: how they created over 15 independent franchises across 50+ published works, how they turned their art into a logical, sustainable business, and how any independent author can do the same to build a sustainable, profitable, future-proof career with their writing.
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* LET'S GET DIGITAL: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should - David Gaughran

The internet has revolutionized every business it has come into contact with, and publishing is no different. These changes are handing power back to the writer. It's up to YOU if you want to profit from them. With practical, hands-on publishing advice; best practices on editing, cover design, formatting, and pricing; and effective marketing strategies that won't eat into your writing time or budget. And that's just for starters...
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* HOW TO MARKET A BOOK - Joanna Penn

Get to grips with marketing! Learn the values and marketing principles that will help your long-term career as a writer and encourage you to think more like an entrepreneur, while using short-term tactics to kick up immediate sales. Includes recommendations for branding, content marketing, social networking and working with the media. With methods to take you beyond the book into professional speaking, making money from other products and creating new opportunities.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, Business

1000 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 3, 2014

About the author

Sean loves writing books, even more than reading them. He is co-founder of Collective Inkwell and Realm & Sands imprints, writes for children under the name Guy Incognito, and has more than his share of nose.

Together with co-authors David Wright and Johnny B. Truant, Sean has written the series Yesterdays Gone, WhiteSpace, ForNevermore, Available Darkness, Dark Crossings, Unicorn Western, The Beam, Namaste, Robot Proletariat, Cursed, Greens, Space Shuttle, and Everyone Gets Divorced. He also co-wrote the how-to indie book, Write. Publish. Repeat.

With Collective Inkwell
Yesterday's Gone: Post Apocalyptic - LOST by way of The Stand
WhiteSpace: Paranoid thriller on fictitious Hamilton Island
ForNevermore: YA horror that reads nothing like YA Horror
Available Darkness: A new breed of vampire thriller
Dark Crossings: Short stories, killer endings

With 47North
Z 2134: The Walking Dead meets The Hunger Games
Monstrous: Beauty and the Beast meets The Punisher

With Realm & Sands
Unicorn Western: The best story to ever come from a stupid idea
The Beam: Smart sci-fi to make you wonder exactly who we are
Namaste: A revenge thriller like nothing you've ever read
Robot Proletariat: The revolution starts here
Cursed: The old werewolf legend turned upside down
Greens: Retail noir comedy
Space Shuttle: Over the top comedy with all your favorite sci-fi characters
Everyone Gets Divorced: Like "Always Sunny" and "How I Met Your Mother" had a baby on your Kindle

Sean lives in Austin, TX with his wife, daughter, and son.
Follow him on Twitter: http://twitter.com/seanplatt
 (say hi so he can follow you back!)

Reviews

[S.L. Beaumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three books in one! A fantastic set of publishing and marketing strategies for any indie author.

[Dominic Bellavance · Rating 5 out of 5]

J'aime pas tellement utiliser le terme "incontournable", parce qu'à peu près tout se contourne, mais si t'es un auteur et que l'édition indépendante t'intéresse, il faut absolument que tu te procures ce kit-là. En plus, les auteurs le vendent juste 1 $ (peut-être que ce sera plus vrai dans un avenir rapproché). On en a pour son argent. Le premier livre de la collection, Write. Publish. Repeat., est très supérieur aux deux autres en termes d'informations et de qualité d'écriture. C'est drôle, c'est riche en substance, on n'arrive pas à déposer sa liseuse. Les deux autres livres, Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should et How To Market A Book, reviennent essentiellement sur les mêmes choses. Chaque auteur apporte une vision différente... tout en étant assez semblable, au fond.

Si ce lot n'était pas à 1 $, je recommenderais d'acheter uniquement Write. Publish. Repeat.. N'empêche, ce kit mérite 5 étoiles parce qu'il tient ses promesses et fait vraiment le tour de la question.

[Ingrid Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

HIGHLY recommended read for independants. This will be high up on my "to be referred to" list for a long time to come.

[Renia Carsillo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of overlap here. I wouldn't suggest reading these three books from start to finish. As a go-to guide, it's a great resource.

[Graham Downs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This box set contains three books: Write. Publish. Repeat., Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should (Updated Second Edition), and How To Market A Book, as well as a special bonus interview between the authors of the three books. There's a link to watch the chat on YouTube or listen to it as an MP3, but the entire transcript is included as well, for those who (like me) find it far easier to read than to watch or listen.

I had previously read the first edition of Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should, but had been wanting to read the other two for a long time, and the price of this box set was too low to ignore.

Write. Publish. Repeat. was a finalist in this year's Goodreads Choice Awards, if memory serves, but I've known about it for quite a while. It's written by Johnny B. Truant and his partner in crime, Sean M. Platt. These are both absolute legends in the self-publishing world (as are all the authors in the set), with over 50 books published, so they really practice what they preach. The book is written for people who are serious about turning self-publishing into a business, and they make no bones about who the book is not for, and that you shouldn't bother reading it if you don't fall into that category. They cover everything from cover design (excuse the pun) to professional editing, to a little bit of marketing, but every single thing they say in the book comes down to one simple thing: Write. Publish. Repeat. And having written over a million words last year, they truly are an inspiration!

One of the things that stuck with me in this book is the concept of the 80:20 rule. You know, that rule in business that says that 80% of the things you do will get you 20% of the results? Well, Johnny and Sean turn that rule on its head, saying that you need to focus on the things that will bring you 80% of the revenue. All other things, they refer to as "20% things" (a term I'm definitely going to start using in both my day-job, and my author career). These are things which will bring you some results, but you should only consider doing them if your 80% stuff is done... and the most important of those 80% things is? Write more books. Duh!

Like I said, I had previously read the first edition of Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should, and I wasn't particularly interested in reading the second one. It's been updated for 2014 with some new options and case studies, but otherwise there isn't that much new information. If you've never read it before, I would highly recommend it, but I wouldn't recommend you bother picking it up if you've already read the first edition (unless it's part of a box set like this one, with good value for money, and other books you want to read)!

I have some huge respect for the author of How To Market A Book, having first come into contact with her through her YouTube channel, and then her website, and finally getting to know her a little better through her blog and Twitter accounts. As such, I have been wanting to read her book for a really long time! I must say, I wasn't disappointed. She gives some real no-nonsense advice about all the various options available to indie authors today, including social networking. There's also some advice in there about time management and discipline.

I particularly enjoyed her little anecdote (although it might have actually been as part of an interview for Write. Publish. Repeat.; I can't remember), where she says that she has a poster on her office wall, asking "Have you produced art, today?" She tries to make sure she always ends the day being able to answer "Yes" to that question. Her definition of "art", in case you're wondering, is anything that contributes to her body of work in the world, so it could be a short story, podcast, video, or work on a longer project like a novel.

The interview at the end is a transcript of a Google Hangout between Johnny B. Truant, Sean Platt, David Gaughran, and Joanna Penn, and it's incredibly entertaining. A lot of what they talk about is actually covered separately in their respective books, but in the chat it's a lot more casual, and besides, the repetition helps it sink in a little easier.

Overall, I enjoyed these books and found them to be quite inspirational. I truly think the information I've learnt is going to help me along in my own writing career, and I recommend these books to any author (self-published or otherwise, come to think of it) serious about making a career from their writing.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I found so many books about conventional publishing, I'm glad theres a good book about self publishing

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever wanted to be an indie author but didn't know where to start? Ever though traditional publishing was a complete scam/waste of time?

Well, look no further, 'cause these books have got your back!

The Indie Author Power Pack is 1000+ pages of generally power-packed awesome sauce. It's a collection of three books for the aspiring indie author: Write. Publish. Repeat by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant, Let's Get Digital (2nd Edition) by David Gaughran, and How to Market a Book by Joanna Penn.

I've never reviewed three books at once before, so I'll do my best to keep things short and detailed at the same time by going over the pros and cons of each.

Write. Publish. Repeat.

Pros: Platt and Truant are two authors that not only walk the walk, but talk they talk. They tell you exactly what you need and exactly how to get it because they've done the dance before. For example, if they tell you that you need a marketing funnel, they'll show you what it is within their own line of books and then show you how to craft one and where to put it in casual, easy-to-understand terms. They know you, because they are you and were you. And it helps to feel like you have a helping hand along the way when so much of indie culture emphasizes the "independent" part.

Cons: I wish they talked a little bit more about the craft of writing in their book, but they have very peculiar strategies they used that are tailored to them that might not work for other writers. But the advice that they give -- about manipulating your character's world rather than the character themselves to advance the plot -- is sound and well-argued.

Let's Get Digital

Pros: Let's Get Digital is the book that I liked the most and the one that I think every aspiring indie author should read. You'll get a really solid overview of the e-book industry of the last few years along with some pointers on navigating Amazon Kindle Publishing. Gaughran does his research and makes the case for why indie-publishing is pretty darn good. He understands people might still want to traditionally publish, but with the research and fact she brings in, I have no doubt in my mind now that I want to be an indie author.

Cons: The only con I have with this book is not really a con at all. The industry changes so fast that some parts of the book might be out of date in ten years time. That's not on the fault of the author, though. That's just my wishful thinking kicking in, because I love this book so much.

How to Market a Book

Pros: Joanna Penn tells you many different ways to market your book and what marketing really is in friendly, bite-sized chapters. Some of them read like blog posts in their brevity and style, but I'm all down for that. Bold headings and bold sentences make for much easier comprehension.

Cons: Truth be told, out of the three books, I enjoyed this one the least because of its slight repetitiveness and it's emphasis on techniques I'd rather not use to market my book like going to radio/talk shows. But again, that's the personal preference of the author, which I don't disagree with.

Verdict

All-in-all, these books are great for anyone who wants to take the indie leap. I'm very sure each one has something to help you out, despite some of its potential cons.

4.5/5/4.5

[Gilbert Hoeydonck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read somewhere that the self-publishing writer needs to be an APE: author, publisher and entrepreneur all at once.

Well, here is your one-stop-shop for upgrading your skills base. This collection was produced by the holy trinity of e-publishing – and the term “power pack” is no overstatement.

In “Write.Publish.Repeat” Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant emphasise the need to build up a body of work and to create a sales funnel, where each title helps to promote the others on your list.

David Gaughran’s “Let’s Get Digital” starts with a great systemic analysis of “the digital revolution.” The second part of his book deals with practical aspects of self-publishing, from cover design to metadata. Gaughran also includes a bevy of success stories and a bunch of useful attachments.

Finally, in “How to Market a Book” Joanna Penn generously shares her learning and expertise. As in the other books, there is no magic wand – just the prospect of sustained hard work, winning over one reader at a time by delivering professional work and building an author platform using a range of social media.

The wealth of information in each of these three books and the authors’ common sense in steering readers clear of any gimmicky, expensive and largely ineffectual marketing strategies make this collection a must-read for any aspiring self-publishing author.

[Edmund de Wight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this boxed set because, well, you can never have enough information or hear enough alternate insights. I liked the first book by Platt and company which is basically a magnum opus of how to get yourself moving and write, publish, repeat and keep at it until you make it or decide that this really isn't for you and try something else that does make it for you. Got lots of new insights I hadn't had before as well as things I already knew.
The second book is more focused on creating your digital masterpiece which wasn't a lot of new info for me since I've been doing this a while but would be useful for a complete neophyte.
The final book in the trio is all about marketing yourself, something I'm horrible at. Learned a few new things and found out that I'm on the right track with some things but need to up my game.

Overall this is a useful compendium of information that new indie authors and publishers should read. Even if you think you already know it all, there's always more to learn.
And if nothing else, I liked the personable style of the authors and the books they used as reference sounded neat enough for me to go grab a few. Maybe I'll find new authors to read as well.
YMMV but check it out.

[Delvina Greig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Because it's three books, I rated each one separately and 3 stars is the average. So in a nutshell - Write. Publish. Repeat is 4 stars, Let's Get Digital is 4, and How to Market a Book is 1.
The first book Write. Publish. Repeat. had lots of smart advice made simple for beginners thinking about self-publishing. A bit long, sure, but it was honest and practical, two things which I really do admire.
Let's Get Digital though updated felt a little dated but it could be the tighter writing style. I really enjoyed the overview of copyright protection over the last number of years (starting with Napster). I also appreciated the breakdown of royalties and what a traditional publisher does and doesn't do.
Alas, How To Market a Book only frustrated me as it went into details about tv appearances and things that would be little help for selling fiction books. (Or the 20 percent activities in Write/Publish/Repeat speak.) Perhaps it is more helpful for non-fiction writers but all I could do is grit my teeth.
Overall, you will different opinions even among these three books. Take what works for you, dump the rest. Very helpful overall for the first two books. Just wish the third wasn't a personal dud.

P.S. I did get this book for free as part of Nanowrimo's 2014 goody box for winners.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reviewed each book in this pack individually as I finished it, but I have to add an overall review of the bundle. I got it for 99 cents and it was so very, very much worth the money! It's rare that I feel I've truly gotten my money's worth with an ebook, but this is a major exception. (Would I have felt the same way if I'd gotten the bundle at the current price of $3.99? Maybe, but I wouldn't have been quite so profuse in my praise.)

This also seemed like a good spot to review the little bonus interview at the back of the book in which all of the authors talk to each other about over-arching issues --- top notch! I wish there'd been many more pages of that! I particularly liked the way they broke down their recommendations for authors at various stages of their careers --- what if you just have one book out? (consensus --- spend your time writing more, but also building your platform, stay in KDP Select) What if you have 2 to 5 books out? (various recommendations, but here they recommend going wide and selling on various platforms) What about once you have six or more books out? Actually, as I type this, I feel the need to go back and reread that section....

[Allan Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Indie Author Power Pack is a collection of books for Authors that is jam packed with info that will help you to become a published author. It consists of 3 books: Write, Publish Repeat by Sean Platt & Johnny B Truant, Let's Get Digital by David Gaughran and How to Market a Book by Joanna Penn.

The Bad Stuff: There is a lot of repetition in these books that feels like it is only there to fill the pages.

The Good Stuff: There is a great deal of useful information in these books, all in the one place. I have spent years reading 'How to' books and searching the net for information that is stored in this set.

A great value pack, 3 books in the set that only cost me 99c on Amazon. There is heaps of useful info on publishing and marketing. Well worth the money! If you want to know how to self pub an e-book, set up a mailing list, set up a blog, this will give you the info you need. I give it 4 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

[Prasenjeet Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to get hold of a copy of the Indie Author Pack when it was on pre-order.

Undoubtedly, this pack is a real value for money, as it is a box set of three truly classical books on self-publishing: Write, Publish, Repeat by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant, Let’s Get Digital by David Gaughran and How to Market a Book by Joanna Penn.

If you are, however, looking for quick fixes or ‘How-to-strategies’ to game the Amazon eco-system, I must warn you that these three will leave you frustrated.

So, invest in this pack only if you are serious about pursuing your writing career, in an upright and ethical manner, regardless of whether you write fiction or non-fiction, or both.

This box set is great for everyone, regardless of whether you have just started out or are already an experienced Author.

[Christine Glover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much, not just from a possible let's go Indie point of view, but from a writer's point of view in that the emphasis is on producing a high quality book FIRST. Then worry about covers, formatting, editors, etc. Then keep writing really awesome stories to the best of your ability. Pretty much nailed my personal philosophy about writing and the craft of writing.

In addition to the excellent advice, tips, and emphasis on writing a great book, the authors are flat out funny and it's an easy read. I completed it very quickly because it flowed so well. While I may never read a Western Unicorn story, or horror, I thoroughly enjoyed their writing style and voices so I'll continue to look for their non-fiction pieces.

[Voss Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Write. Publish. Repeat.
For the most part, useless to anyone with any clue about publishing/writing/marketing. All the important information can be found for free online.

Let's Get Digital
A good book for the beginner. A rehashing of information for the more experienced self-pubber. But for the intended audience, a good solid book.

How To Market a Book
Most useful of the pack. A fair amount of good information and strategies, well-organized and accessible in both language and difficulty level.

[M.A. Brotherton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had already read all three books in this box set and loved them, so when I had the chance to pick it up for $0.99 during the pre-sale, I took it. I figured the extra content at the end would be worth the dollar, and I was right.

If you are thinking about entering the world of indie-publishing, you pretty much need to read these three books. Getting them all in this one box set seems like a no-brainer to me.

[Karen Booth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first two books--Write. Publish. Repeat. and Let's Get Digital were both chock full of valuable information. I found the third book (can't even remember the title) to be a bit of a throw-away. Most of it was info from the first two books. Regardless, this was pack was worthwhile. I will definitely be referring to it again and again.

[Ron Vitale · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a while to finish these three books, but was it worth it. I learned a lot of great things about indie publishing and I was able to compare with my own experience in indie publishing over the last couple of years. Well worth my time. Fantastic books and I've even started listening to their podcasts.

[Nikki Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent advice, and lots of it, for the writer who wants to make a living writing and selling books. The authors aren't feeding us a formula, but rather sharing their experiences. I love that they explain the "why" behind each of the strategies they recommend. No matter where you are in your writing career, you'll find many useful tools and ideas in these pages.

[Eli Kale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully crafted information that helps!

All of these individuals are excellent at what they do, and through their words have shared their experiences in hopes that others can achieve the same success. I plan to apply much of what I read to my own craft in the hopes of creating awesome and worthwhile content to share with the world.

[J.B. Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had read two of the three before the power pack. Then I read Penn's, and I'm very thankful the pack helped bring me to her strong contribution. This combination has everything an aspiring or established author needs. It will be my go-to recommendation for anyone interested in this path.

[Noelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great value. I'd already read part of one of these books. When I saw the bundled version I knew I had to have it. Tons of really helpful info for indie publishers and the overall tone is encouraging and inspiring.

[LLL Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

All three of these books are essential reading for indie authors. If you are a traditionally published author, the marketing and platform advice is also useful for you. I highly recommend this bundle.

(If you cannot find the bundle available, the titles should all be available separately.)

[Cyril Godefroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect combination of three very good books on self publishing. I do have to say that I translated and published Joanna's book since I read these.
And a great idea : make a book-set from three authors who have readers that would be interested in each other's books.

[Jacquie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with great info and plenty of links to show you active models, these books are a must have for those wishing to increase their online presence for marketing purposes.

[Jamie Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource on self publishing. I will be returning frequently to refer back the collection over the next few months as I wrap up two writing projects for nurses.

[Elora Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This pack is worth it for the first book and bits and pieces of the second and third. The information presented isn't groundbreaking, but it captures the market pretty well.

[Diane Challenor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read, and full of interesting and helpful advice. A few chuckles are thrown in for good measure.

[Vered · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re an author and only buy one book, let it be this one. Full of practical, useable advice and insights, this is a brilliant guide for newbies and experienced writers alike.

[Monica T. Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of practical advice for the author interested in independent publishing! Especially if you're not sure where to start. This book pack will get you on your way. I highly recommend this set!