Secrets Every Author Should Know

by Maggie Lynch

Frustrated with the plethora of conflicting information on how to self-publish? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to sit down with someone who has already made the mistakes, done the analysis, and will provide you the short cuts—the secrets about the things that work? Now you have that chance with the Career Author Secrets series.Indie Publishing (Self Publishing) has changed dramatically in the past five years. There are now new, easier tools to use for every part of the process—editing, formatting, distribution, sales, and analysis. This first book in the Career Author Secrets series provides a foundation for navigating the indie publishing process and staying away from the scammers. It breaks down the requirements for self-publishing successfully, protecting your rights for the future, and YES I do share all the secrets I’ve learned.

It contains everything a DIY author needs to get her book from manuscript to professional publication in both ebook and print, including:

Why books don’t sell
Options for DIY or contracting professionals
The truth about ISBNs & Copyright Registration
Secrets for formatting your book the easy way
Creating book covers that sell
Making decisions about distribution
This book is especially valuable for those with limited technical skills who want to produce a quality professional book for the least amount of cost. Learn the secrets to easier implementation and how to make good decisions on what is worth your time and money.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

177 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 16, 2016

About the author

Maggie Lynch is the author of 26+ published books, as well as numerous short stories and non-fiction articles. Her fiction tells stories of people making heroic choices one messy moment at a time.

After careers in counseling, the software industry, academia, and worldwide educational consulting, Maggie chose to make her joy of writing a full-time job. She writes books where love and justice prevail in the end. Her fiction spans romance, suspense, fantasy and science fiction. Her non-fiction focuses on guiding authors to business success in their career through planning, distributing, and marketing their completed work.

Reviews

[Anne Hagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since this book was published there are minor parts that are a little dated (websites that no longer exist, services that have changed, improved or are no longer available, companies that have merged or changed, etc.). It could use an update because, aside from those things, it's an excellent reference for an author just getting started and it contains lots of useful tips for those who've been around the block a few times too.

I picked up some great formatting tips in the book, got a detailed education on ISBNs and I learned a few things about Draft2Digital I didn't know though, I did previously learn (the hard way) how useful D2D is for formatting. There were some good marketing tips here too but, again, some were dated.

Adding a discussion of Scrivener would be amazing for so many new writers and those still learning to use it, especially for formatting.

I definitely recommend the book for anyone looking to self-publish for the first time and old hands will find value in it too.

[Don DeBon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had a book like this when I first started. I have read many 'author help' books and most of them are 95% cheerleader and only 5% substance. This one gives good information and gets "under the hood" with real practical examples where others only graze the surface. Most of it I already knew, but there were several tips I didn't. Screen shots from the more difficult websites are a definite asset. I am sure most authors could navigate the maze given time, but Lynch saves that hassle by giving a road map. If you are an author just starting out in independent publishing, I would recommend picking up this book first. It will save you a lot of headaches.

[Judith Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should you or shouldn't you be an indie published author? What does it take? What does it mean? These questions and more are answered in the first book of Maggie Lynch's Author Secrets series! My advice is, if you are undecided, to read this book and the second one in her series before you make your decision. You will be better prepared for the publishing world as a whole if you choose to go the traditional route.

[Miguel Ángel Alonso Pulido · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aunque este libro tiene muchos aspectos que están mejor explicados en otros títulos, no deja de ser un manual bastante decentito para un autor primerizo, y en sus primeros capítulos tiene algunas partes especialmente brillantes. Recomendable si no has leído muchos libros del ramo.

[Dave Versace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful reference for self-publishing.