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Successful Indie Author #1
Become a Successful Indie Author - 3rd Edition: Work Toward Your Writing Dream
Demystifying the tangled web of self-publishing to put you on the road to success.This is the 3rd Edition, updated in 2023. A motivational guide based on publishing over four million words (mostly with Amazon) to help you see past the hurdles that are keeping you from climbing the mountain of success. Nothing is overwhelming once it's been explained. If you are smart enough to write a book, you are smart enough to do everything else needed to make your indie author business a success.
"Craig, thanks to the book, I went from kicking around vague concepts for my first series to knowing exactly how to proceed with it, and because of that I know it'll be far more successful than it would have been if I hadn't read this."
"This was insightful and motivating, I'm inspired and wiser for it. Thank you, Craig."
"Over the years, I’ve read many How To Books, Self Help Biographies, and Industry Books. Become a Successful Indie Author is one of the best. It reads like a novel, teaches specifics like a field manual, and shines light on pathways through the dark jungle of self-publishing."
Clocking in at over 50,000 words, this guide has something for every budding author as well as those who have already published, but for whom success remains elusive. In this business, there is only one hard and fast rule - you must find readers willing to pay for your stories. It starts with the first sentence. You have to write a gripping tale that people want to read, wrap a cover around the book, and then do the marketing. There’s no doubt that you can do it. Let me show you how. Read it today.
"Craig, thanks to the book, I went from kicking around vague concepts for my first series to knowing exactly how to proceed with it, and because of that I know it'll be far more successful than it would have been if I hadn't read this."
"This was insightful and motivating, I'm inspired and wiser for it. Thank you, Craig."
"Over the years, I’ve read many How To Books, Self Help Biographies, and Industry Books. Become a Successful Indie Author is one of the best. It reads like a novel, teaches specifics like a field manual, and shines light on pathways through the dark jungle of self-publishing."
Clocking in at over 50,000 words, this guide has something for every budding author as well as those who have already published, but for whom success remains elusive. In this business, there is only one hard and fast rule - you must find readers willing to pay for your stories. It starts with the first sentence. You have to write a gripping tale that people want to read, wrap a cover around the book, and then do the marketing. There’s no doubt that you can do it. Let me show you how. Read it today.
227 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 26, 2018
487 people are currently reading
372 people want to read
About the author
Craig Martelle
327 books7,878 followersVisit Craig's web page, craigmartelle.com for the latest posts and updates or find him on Facebook, Author Craig Martelle. Send an email to craig@craigmartelle.com to join his mailing list for the latest on new releases, information on old releases, and anything related to his books.
I see my other lives, a career in the Marines, those damn hand-written tests in law school, a business consultant, as if they're stories from a book. I see my books as if I lived there, as if I were friends with the characters. All things we remember are behind us, only those we imagine lie before.
I'm not sure which place I prefer, but I don't have to choose. They live together in my mind. My books have some award nominations, they have bestseller tags across multiple countries. I write about justice, honor, and loyalty because that's what I care about. My stories are mostly set within worlds that haven't been, but could be. We have to be ready for when those times come.
No matter where I went, I always had a book with me. Thanks to 21st Century technology, I now have hundreds of books loaded on my phone and always with me. This breakthrough allows me to binge read my favorites. How many books would I have read on deployments had I not had to have a physical book with me? I paced myself so I wouldn't finish too quickly.
We aren't encumbered like that now. I love the works of Robert Heinlein, Anne McCaffrey, JRR Tolkien, Robert E. Howard, and so many more. I have been compared to Andre Norton and that is humbling - she was an incredible author with a huge list of novels to her credit. With every new book, I aspire to live up to those that you, the readers, have compared me to.
Through a bizarre series of events, I ended up in Fairbanks, Alaska. I never expected to retire to a place where golf courses are only open for four months out of the year. But that's the way it is. It is off the beaten path. My wife and I get to watch the northern lights from our driveway. Our dog has lots of room to run. And temperatures reach fifty below zero. We have from three and a half hours of daylight in the winter to twenty-four hours in the summer.
It's all part of the give and take of life. If we didn't have those extremes, then everyone would live in the sub-arctic.
I see my other lives, a career in the Marines, those damn hand-written tests in law school, a business consultant, as if they're stories from a book. I see my books as if I lived there, as if I were friends with the characters. All things we remember are behind us, only those we imagine lie before.
I'm not sure which place I prefer, but I don't have to choose. They live together in my mind. My books have some award nominations, they have bestseller tags across multiple countries. I write about justice, honor, and loyalty because that's what I care about. My stories are mostly set within worlds that haven't been, but could be. We have to be ready for when those times come.
No matter where I went, I always had a book with me. Thanks to 21st Century technology, I now have hundreds of books loaded on my phone and always with me. This breakthrough allows me to binge read my favorites. How many books would I have read on deployments had I not had to have a physical book with me? I paced myself so I wouldn't finish too quickly.
We aren't encumbered like that now. I love the works of Robert Heinlein, Anne McCaffrey, JRR Tolkien, Robert E. Howard, and so many more. I have been compared to Andre Norton and that is humbling - she was an incredible author with a huge list of novels to her credit. With every new book, I aspire to live up to those that you, the readers, have compared me to.
Through a bizarre series of events, I ended up in Fairbanks, Alaska. I never expected to retire to a place where golf courses are only open for four months out of the year. But that's the way it is. It is off the beaten path. My wife and I get to watch the northern lights from our driveway. Our dog has lots of room to run. And temperatures reach fifty below zero. We have from three and a half hours of daylight in the winter to twenty-four hours in the summer.
It's all part of the give and take of life. If we didn't have those extremes, then everyone would live in the sub-arctic.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
August 3, 2024
This book is filled with a bunch of useful information that I know I will be returning back to often. It’s nice to have all the business side of being in the author together in one book and have it well organized as this is.
Long-winded and the author went on that I found a little value. But minus these small easy to overlook parts, this book was exactly what I was looking for, and I’m so glad that I found it.
Long-winded and the author went on that I found a little value. But minus these small easy to overlook parts, this book was exactly what I was looking for, and I’m so glad that I found it.
September 17, 2018
Solid advice for any aspiring indie author.
October 26, 2018
Geared for the US market, this is a nice guide for self publishers that covers a lot of ground, though not very deeply. The German market works a bit differently, so not all advice can be directly transferred.
If you're looking for writing advice, you won't find anything apart from "write a good story" and "hook them from the first page", but if you want help with business decisions and see how another author got extremely successful, this book is for you.
If you're looking for writing advice, you won't find anything apart from "write a good story" and "hook them from the first page", but if you want help with business decisions and see how another author got extremely successful, this book is for you.
April 15, 2018
Let's just say this is not what I was expecting. If one has never written a book before- okay, some fairly decent advice- for that it's worth a look.
A published author, you may pick up a few hints, but in all likelihood it will simply drag on as it did for me. Nothing new in the content.
A published author, you may pick up a few hints, but in all likelihood it will simply drag on as it did for me. Nothing new in the content.
April 10, 2018
Super helpful!
Easy to read, to the point, full of useful information, and best of all, inspiring! Martelle's approach is part teacher and part cheerleader.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in indie publishing.
Easy to read, to the point, full of useful information, and best of all, inspiring! Martelle's approach is part teacher and part cheerleader.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in indie publishing.
April 12, 2018
In the quest for success in the writing business, we all rush anxiously from guru to guru, oracle to oracle, hoping that someone will reveal the magical formula to make the gods more propitious and cause the bestseller deities to smile down on us.
Unfortunately, the magic formula that these oracles keep revealing is always pretty much the same: work, work, work, and then work some more. Write books, hustle them. Rinse and repeat as necessary.
So Craig Martelle's "Become a Successful Indie Author" is not exactly breaking a lot of new ground on that front, but it's a concise, easy-to-read blueprint for going from nothing to published author, and then from published author to author who actually sells books. As Martelle himself says, it's helpful to read other people's success stories in order to get ideas, and his story is one of finding a good genre fit for him, working to hone his ability to write to those genre expectations, and then putting out a lot of books and marketing them. He goes into the process in more detail, but that's the crux of it.
There are also a lot of useful tips on everything from churning out the words to running ads to tracking your data to registering as a business. This is very much a business-focused book, so, while writers more interested in the "art" side of the equation may not find a lot to inspire them there, it's definitely a handy reference and idea-generator for how to actually generate and track revenue as an author. If you're just hopelessly clueless about how to turn your writing-for-a-living dream into reality, this book will give you a lot of practical ideas on how to get started. It's mainly aimed at writers of mainstream genre fiction, with its insistence on seeking out lots of feedback and catering to your readers' expectations, but literary or nonfiction writers can also find a lot that's useful here.
Unfortunately, the magic formula that these oracles keep revealing is always pretty much the same: work, work, work, and then work some more. Write books, hustle them. Rinse and repeat as necessary.
So Craig Martelle's "Become a Successful Indie Author" is not exactly breaking a lot of new ground on that front, but it's a concise, easy-to-read blueprint for going from nothing to published author, and then from published author to author who actually sells books. As Martelle himself says, it's helpful to read other people's success stories in order to get ideas, and his story is one of finding a good genre fit for him, working to hone his ability to write to those genre expectations, and then putting out a lot of books and marketing them. He goes into the process in more detail, but that's the crux of it.
There are also a lot of useful tips on everything from churning out the words to running ads to tracking your data to registering as a business. This is very much a business-focused book, so, while writers more interested in the "art" side of the equation may not find a lot to inspire them there, it's definitely a handy reference and idea-generator for how to actually generate and track revenue as an author. If you're just hopelessly clueless about how to turn your writing-for-a-living dream into reality, this book will give you a lot of practical ideas on how to get started. It's mainly aimed at writers of mainstream genre fiction, with its insistence on seeking out lots of feedback and catering to your readers' expectations, but literary or nonfiction writers can also find a lot that's useful here.
February 13, 2019
This book was not at all what I had expected. It felt more like advertisement, both for the works of the author (showing his covers and speaking about his series again and again) and for other authors (whenever the book hit a point where actual information could have come, there was just a ‚read the book of my friend here‘).
Some of the stuff in the book might be useful for authors in the US, that I can’t tell. But in my country people still think an author who writes more than two books a year does not write quality anymore, so they stop buying him or her. (To be honest, we had a lot of experience with such authors, especially big names, who just wrote the same story again and again just with different names and places.)
Also in my country editing costs minimum 5€ per page (and correctors, the guys who find your typos, at least 3€ per page). So I don’t know how the editors in the US make a living with the 50-150$ per book that are calculated here, but this calculation just doesn’t fit for people outside the US. Here we calculate the book with 3000€ just for paid services like cover. So that is the real problem I had hoped this book would solve. Finding tips on how to get started if you are unemployed (in my case due to disabilities) and just can’t afford to work as an author without tricks. Because credits? Starting a company-bonus? Not given to authors.
And over here we actually try to boycott those people who openly advertise. Also giving freebies only for subscribers is illegal here.
So almost none of the advice is suitable for people outside the US. (Which doesn’t mean this book is bad for those who ARE in the US. That I just can’t tell.)
One star added for the motivation some pages spark in the reader. But apart from that this book unfortunately isn’t helpful for people in Germany, maybe not even the rest of Europe.
Some of the stuff in the book might be useful for authors in the US, that I can’t tell. But in my country people still think an author who writes more than two books a year does not write quality anymore, so they stop buying him or her. (To be honest, we had a lot of experience with such authors, especially big names, who just wrote the same story again and again just with different names and places.)
Also in my country editing costs minimum 5€ per page (and correctors, the guys who find your typos, at least 3€ per page). So I don’t know how the editors in the US make a living with the 50-150$ per book that are calculated here, but this calculation just doesn’t fit for people outside the US. Here we calculate the book with 3000€ just for paid services like cover. So that is the real problem I had hoped this book would solve. Finding tips on how to get started if you are unemployed (in my case due to disabilities) and just can’t afford to work as an author without tricks. Because credits? Starting a company-bonus? Not given to authors.
And over here we actually try to boycott those people who openly advertise. Also giving freebies only for subscribers is illegal here.
So almost none of the advice is suitable for people outside the US. (Which doesn’t mean this book is bad for those who ARE in the US. That I just can’t tell.)
One star added for the motivation some pages spark in the reader. But apart from that this book unfortunately isn’t helpful for people in Germany, maybe not even the rest of Europe.
May 22, 2020
The first thing you should note here, if you didn’t know already, is that Craig Martelle is an admin of the hugely popular and successful 20Booksto50k Facebook group and associated conferences. The group’s core tenet is the fast-release strategy, and it’s proven to genuinely work… IF you can sustain the pace of publishing 6+ books a year.
If that’s not something which is going to be possible for you, I don’t think the advice in this book is really going to be helpful, because it’s very much based around that strategy. Write long series, build up a backlist fast and keep building on it. Martelle openly admits that he writes pulp and he doesn’t put a huge emphasis on editing. Writing fast isn’t something everyone can do, and even those who can do it can’t sustain it all the time, so don’t beat yourself up if you give it a go and end up backing away. It’s not a strategy which will work for everyone.
I’m fairly sure that this book has been created by scraping advice posts Martelle has made in the Facebook group, in response to questions from members. He does repeat himself several times in paraphrased ways.
Overall, I didn’t find this particularly useful because the rapid release strategy isn’t something I can personally handle. If you think it might be the path for you, I still wouldn’t necessarily say buy the book, because I think all that info is right there available for free in the 20Booksto50k FB group. Just join the group and start asking questions, but if you want the advice all summarized in one place, you could do worse than read this one. I’ll give it three stars.
If that’s not something which is going to be possible for you, I don’t think the advice in this book is really going to be helpful, because it’s very much based around that strategy. Write long series, build up a backlist fast and keep building on it. Martelle openly admits that he writes pulp and he doesn’t put a huge emphasis on editing. Writing fast isn’t something everyone can do, and even those who can do it can’t sustain it all the time, so don’t beat yourself up if you give it a go and end up backing away. It’s not a strategy which will work for everyone.
I’m fairly sure that this book has been created by scraping advice posts Martelle has made in the Facebook group, in response to questions from members. He does repeat himself several times in paraphrased ways.
Overall, I didn’t find this particularly useful because the rapid release strategy isn’t something I can personally handle. If you think it might be the path for you, I still wouldn’t necessarily say buy the book, because I think all that info is right there available for free in the 20Booksto50k FB group. Just join the group and start asking questions, but if you want the advice all summarized in one place, you could do worse than read this one. I’ll give it three stars.
January 29, 2020
Always good information and value.
Craig Martell always provides great info and value. Beginnings will get a lot out of this book, and best of indie publishing might pick up pointers too.
Craig Martell always provides great info and value. Beginnings will get a lot out of this book, and best of indie publishing might pick up pointers too.
February 22, 2025
This is a (gem) non-fiction book and an essential read for any aspiring crime fiction author who plans to become a successful independently published author.
July 8, 2018
Must read for the aspiring Indie author
Lots of practical, actionable ideas combined with encouragement to get things done. Covers a lot of the business side.
Also sets targets to help a wouldbe author visualize what needs to happen finically to make a living as an Indie.
Lots of practical, actionable ideas combined with encouragement to get things done. Covers a lot of the business side.
Also sets targets to help a wouldbe author visualize what needs to happen finically to make a living as an Indie.
February 25, 2019
Direct and helpful
This is a great book for authors on how to be a successful indie author. Craig is direct and real and I appreciate his honesty. Definitely picked up important things I can use for myself!
This is a great book for authors on how to be a successful indie author. Craig is direct and real and I appreciate his honesty. Definitely picked up important things I can use for myself!
June 5, 2019
Great Overview!
There’s also a fabulous section at the end on running a conference. Totally worth reading the book. Craig is a no-nonsense indie that shares his expertise in all things business.
There’s also a fabulous section at the end on running a conference. Totally worth reading the book. Craig is a no-nonsense indie that shares his expertise in all things business.
March 13, 2021
Becoming a Successful Indie Author by Craig Martelle is a non-fiction motivational guide on self-publishing.
The Cover: There are two covers I’ve seen for this book. The first cover is bright and stands out. It typically represents a business focused non-fiction title, but the image is a fairly good representation of the content inside. Personally, I don’t love the colour choices, but the cover seems to work for this book. The second (and the cover on my copy) is more tailored to authors. The colours are more neutral, the font clean and clear, and the title wraps up what to expect within. I much prefer this cover, I just find it easier on my eyes.
The Good Stuff: I actually really enjoyed this book. I found the content to be very informative for new authors, it is also very motivational and inspiring. Not only that, it is a very down to earth, no-bullshit, kind of book, written in plain language. That is always a bonus in my mind.
The Bad Stuff: I don’t believe there was any bad stuff really. The large majority of the content applies to anyone who embarks on the course of Indie Authorship, however, this book is aimed at an American audience. It has content specific to that region, but that is the target audience, so I guess I can’t knock it for that. I would just say to those outside the U.S. who read it, be aware of this and research what is required for you in your country. A specific example of this is the section on setting yourself up with an EIN and/or an LLC. These refer to an Employer Identification Number and a Limited Liability Company. The Australian equivalent would probably be a Tax File Number and a Trust.
Overall, I found this an easy and enjoyable read. It was informative and inspiring. I’m going to give this title a positively influenced 4 out of 5 golden bookmarks.
The Cover: There are two covers I’ve seen for this book. The first cover is bright and stands out. It typically represents a business focused non-fiction title, but the image is a fairly good representation of the content inside. Personally, I don’t love the colour choices, but the cover seems to work for this book. The second (and the cover on my copy) is more tailored to authors. The colours are more neutral, the font clean and clear, and the title wraps up what to expect within. I much prefer this cover, I just find it easier on my eyes.
The Good Stuff: I actually really enjoyed this book. I found the content to be very informative for new authors, it is also very motivational and inspiring. Not only that, it is a very down to earth, no-bullshit, kind of book, written in plain language. That is always a bonus in my mind.
The Bad Stuff: I don’t believe there was any bad stuff really. The large majority of the content applies to anyone who embarks on the course of Indie Authorship, however, this book is aimed at an American audience. It has content specific to that region, but that is the target audience, so I guess I can’t knock it for that. I would just say to those outside the U.S. who read it, be aware of this and research what is required for you in your country. A specific example of this is the section on setting yourself up with an EIN and/or an LLC. These refer to an Employer Identification Number and a Limited Liability Company. The Australian equivalent would probably be a Tax File Number and a Trust.
Overall, I found this an easy and enjoyable read. It was informative and inspiring. I’m going to give this title a positively influenced 4 out of 5 golden bookmarks.
December 13, 2020
A handful of successful indie authors I’ve talked to mentioned this book. The hype made me buy the ebook and dive right in. I used to approach these type of books with a “as long as I follow these rules I’ll be successful” approach, but I’ve come to learn they don’t “teach” (ie. here’s how I did it), they “tell” (ie. briefly, this is what I did). Telling isn’t enough. There’s still a lot of work to be done on top of following someone’s rules that has worked for them.
Most authors market these types of books in a way that tries to convince you the outlined approach is the best. I’m glad this book did not - instead it stated take what you can and change anything to fit your needs.
Although I enjoyed it and found it informative, I think it just skimmed the surface and provided a great intro. For someone who has ZERO idea on self publishing, I think it’s a great starting point. For everyone else that’s been on the internet researching indie publishing, it gave nothing new aside from some personal author notes in writing and publishing.
I’d recommend this quick read to anyone with zero knowledge of indie publishing. From here dive deeper and you’ll have a wealth of knowledge.
Most authors market these types of books in a way that tries to convince you the outlined approach is the best. I’m glad this book did not - instead it stated take what you can and change anything to fit your needs.
Although I enjoyed it and found it informative, I think it just skimmed the surface and provided a great intro. For someone who has ZERO idea on self publishing, I think it’s a great starting point. For everyone else that’s been on the internet researching indie publishing, it gave nothing new aside from some personal author notes in writing and publishing.
I’d recommend this quick read to anyone with zero knowledge of indie publishing. From here dive deeper and you’ll have a wealth of knowledge.
January 10, 2020
Outstanding information throughout. I’ve read others like this in the past but Craig has a way of talking with you, the reader/aspiring writer, and not to you or at you. Will be rereading and referencing this many times going forth I’m sure.
June 5, 2019
Great resource, as someone who has publsihed three times. Wish I'd read it a year ago!
August 8, 2022
Very interesting. Motivational. Loved the rants.
January 31, 2021
Excellent and comprehensive advice for authors at any stage of the path. Plenty of this I already knew. Plenty I didn’t. Plenty of both that this made me think more deeply on.
I don’t think I’ve read a better book on making a career as an author.
I don’t think I’ve read a better book on making a career as an author.
November 17, 2018
The Jim Rohn of self publishing
An excellent, no-nonsense books for the aspiring self published author. Crisp, to the point, and entirely devoid of waffle. Well worth reading.
An excellent, no-nonsense books for the aspiring self published author. Crisp, to the point, and entirely devoid of waffle. Well worth reading.
September 11, 2021
Extremely useful
Extremely useful and informative book on how to become a successful indie author. Everything is covered from writing through publishing to marketing and building a fan base.
Extremely useful and informative book on how to become a successful indie author. Everything is covered from writing through publishing to marketing and building a fan base.
September 15, 2018
This is a damned fine insight into the career and business practices of one of today's best and most influential SF writers.
September 19, 2020
There are some excellent ideas in this great little guide, and coming from internationally bestselling independent author, Craig Martelle, you’d expect nothing less.
His manner is friendly but business-like, he clearly knows his stuff, and he understands the trials and tribulations that come hurtling towards the independent author. He knows because it’s his journey, too.
So many other books for self-published authors are tremendously heavy-handed when it comes to the subject of newsletters. Mr Martelle explains the merits of the newsletter, as a means of communicating with your readers, and pulling in new readers via newsletter swaps, but he also acknowledges the import of a well-maintained blog. He even speaks about how to run a convention.
One of my favourite lines came early on:
“Writing is how we escape. Reading is how our fans escape.”
From Discipline, Chapter 1, Writing your book - aka, telling the story, Become a Successful Indie Author by Craig Martelle
One thing I did find just a little OTT were the references to JK Rowling and her obvious success through the Harry Potter series.
There’s little question that Ms Rowling is the most monetarily-successful author of modern times. But it’s not as if she’s self-published. I have nothing against anyone reaching for the stars. That’s how we improve. It’s how we grow. But any comparison with JK Rowling could be, I think, detrimental to the self-worth of the standard independent author.
His manner is friendly but business-like, he clearly knows his stuff, and he understands the trials and tribulations that come hurtling towards the independent author. He knows because it’s his journey, too.
So many other books for self-published authors are tremendously heavy-handed when it comes to the subject of newsletters. Mr Martelle explains the merits of the newsletter, as a means of communicating with your readers, and pulling in new readers via newsletter swaps, but he also acknowledges the import of a well-maintained blog. He even speaks about how to run a convention.
One of my favourite lines came early on:
“Writing is how we escape. Reading is how our fans escape.”
From Discipline, Chapter 1, Writing your book - aka, telling the story, Become a Successful Indie Author by Craig Martelle
One thing I did find just a little OTT were the references to JK Rowling and her obvious success through the Harry Potter series.
There’s little question that Ms Rowling is the most monetarily-successful author of modern times. But it’s not as if she’s self-published. I have nothing against anyone reaching for the stars. That’s how we improve. It’s how we grow. But any comparison with JK Rowling could be, I think, detrimental to the self-worth of the standard independent author.
January 10, 2020
Okay for Indie's
I wanted the author to expand in some areas and on certain topics, things I could have really learned from. I found that this was more memoir than instruction manual, which is fine as I am also reading Stephen King's 'On Writing' and enjoying it thoroughly... But, it annoys me when authors set false expectations for the content of their books.
It gets 3 stars because there were good motivational quotes and times when he really did give useful, actionable advice. But as far as craft books go, I wouldnt recommend this one for anyone wanting to actively learn about indie publishing. In fact, I would rather just point them in the direction of the 20booksto50k FB group or some of the reference materials the author mentioned throughout this book.
One last thought, it should be mentioned that the author primarily deals with Amazon for publication and while there was some great advice and things i'm glad he explained about Amazon, I would have liked to also see the perspective of an indie author who went wide and had some insight regarding that as a contrast for readers.
All in all I found I got my .99 cents worth and it was a quick read. Just view it as half memoir and half reference guide so you arent disappointed in the content prior to reading.
I wanted the author to expand in some areas and on certain topics, things I could have really learned from. I found that this was more memoir than instruction manual, which is fine as I am also reading Stephen King's 'On Writing' and enjoying it thoroughly... But, it annoys me when authors set false expectations for the content of their books.
It gets 3 stars because there were good motivational quotes and times when he really did give useful, actionable advice. But as far as craft books go, I wouldnt recommend this one for anyone wanting to actively learn about indie publishing. In fact, I would rather just point them in the direction of the 20booksto50k FB group or some of the reference materials the author mentioned throughout this book.
One last thought, it should be mentioned that the author primarily deals with Amazon for publication and while there was some great advice and things i'm glad he explained about Amazon, I would have liked to also see the perspective of an indie author who went wide and had some insight regarding that as a contrast for readers.
All in all I found I got my .99 cents worth and it was a quick read. Just view it as half memoir and half reference guide so you arent disappointed in the content prior to reading.
May 3, 2019
An interesting read. A lot of it was stuff I already know, and I couldn't help reading it almost as though he was speaking really fast, but I'm not sure if that was his writing style, or the fact that it was stuff I knew.
I did like the fact that he constantly stresses that this is what works for him. I liked that he didn't say "you must go wide, KU is evil", or "you must be in KU". He said this is what works for him, and different things work for different people. I like that.
My favourite bit was his 'rants' at the end, those were interesting and motivating.
I also liked the fact that he gives numbers on sell through. It's hard to know what are good numbers and what aren't, and not many people will give numbers.
His discussions about word counts and about how he achieves them are good, and just what I needed to hear.
I did like the fact that he constantly stresses that this is what works for him. I liked that he didn't say "you must go wide, KU is evil", or "you must be in KU". He said this is what works for him, and different things work for different people. I like that.
My favourite bit was his 'rants' at the end, those were interesting and motivating.
I also liked the fact that he gives numbers on sell through. It's hard to know what are good numbers and what aren't, and not many people will give numbers.
His discussions about word counts and about how he achieves them are good, and just what I needed to hear.
April 24, 2018
Thanks for sharing the knowledge.
I think it's apparent as I purchased this book that I am a self published author. Now I have declared this I feel an overwelmbing pressure to leave am eloquent grammatically correct review.
But my kids have stole my laptop and my phone don't play nice with spell check. Instead I will have to opt for an honest review.
This book is well worth the read, I am a massive fan of the fb group, the information found on it is invaluable. If you are indie get on over to the fb page. If you are yet to publish and think it's a path you might want to take, stop , write your book then read this book, it may bamboozle you to start with, but with books like this avalible you can tap other people's knowledge.
I think it's apparent as I purchased this book that I am a self published author. Now I have declared this I feel an overwelmbing pressure to leave am eloquent grammatically correct review.
But my kids have stole my laptop and my phone don't play nice with spell check. Instead I will have to opt for an honest review.
This book is well worth the read, I am a massive fan of the fb group, the information found on it is invaluable. If you are indie get on over to the fb page. If you are yet to publish and think it's a path you might want to take, stop , write your book then read this book, it may bamboozle you to start with, but with books like this avalible you can tap other people's knowledge.
April 28, 2019
This book contains so much information that it might overload a new writer, but it aims to cover all aspects of the indie author's responsibilities. I like how the author refers readers to other sources on complex topics he doesn't have space to address.
It's mostly written as if he has a brief time to talk to readers in person or perhaps in emails and wants to cram in as much as possible of what we'll need to know. Very conversational, and drawing heavily on his own work and experience as examples and/or case studies.
I don't think I learned anything new, but I definitely gleaned some insights on how to better apply some of the information. The book does come with some bad language, so if that's an issue, beware.
It's mostly written as if he has a brief time to talk to readers in person or perhaps in emails and wants to cram in as much as possible of what we'll need to know. Very conversational, and drawing heavily on his own work and experience as examples and/or case studies.
I don't think I learned anything new, but I definitely gleaned some insights on how to better apply some of the information. The book does come with some bad language, so if that's an issue, beware.
October 18, 2020
I found this book a concise reference for self-publishing information. The plainspoken table of contents makes it easy to navigate to a specific section you have questions about, such as how and whether to incorporate as an author, but it can also be read straight through.
Want to self-publish but have no idea where to start? This book is a useful overview and jumping-off point for the new indie author. He also shares many useful links and reference books from other authors for the reader who wants to drill down into specific aspects of marketing, productivity, etc.
I agree with some other reviewers that this guide may be a little too broad for those with a few published books under their belts, but I do think it’s a good starting point for newer authors.
Want to self-publish but have no idea where to start? This book is a useful overview and jumping-off point for the new indie author. He also shares many useful links and reference books from other authors for the reader who wants to drill down into specific aspects of marketing, productivity, etc.
I agree with some other reviewers that this guide may be a little too broad for those with a few published books under their belts, but I do think it’s a good starting point for newer authors.
October 5, 2022
No-nonsense advice for indie authors
Craig Martelle delivers helpful and actionable wisdom for indie authors in this book.
Unlike some author business books, Mr. Martelle doesn’t spend the entire time puffing up his pride.
He talks numbers (the good, the bad, the ugly.)
He shares what has worked for him.
He explains how to structure your life in order to become a self-supporting author (meaning you wouldn’t have to work for someone else.)
His no-nonsense writing style made it feel like I was having a cup of coffee with a friend.
If you are an indie author struggling to find your audience, wondering why your book isn’t selling, or are ready to take the plunge into authorhood…. This is the book for you.
Craig Martelle delivers helpful and actionable wisdom for indie authors in this book.
Unlike some author business books, Mr. Martelle doesn’t spend the entire time puffing up his pride.
He talks numbers (the good, the bad, the ugly.)
He shares what has worked for him.
He explains how to structure your life in order to become a self-supporting author (meaning you wouldn’t have to work for someone else.)
His no-nonsense writing style made it feel like I was having a cup of coffee with a friend.
If you are an indie author struggling to find your audience, wondering why your book isn’t selling, or are ready to take the plunge into authorhood…. This is the book for you.
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