Launching a second book. The first book cover art was my directions executed by a graphic designer. It did so-so and hurt sales. This time around I've hired an artist, and I'm using AI to generate concepts and plan to use PickFu and CoverRater to test and refine those concepts before handing the best concept to the artist to clean it up and/or possibly redraw the whole thing. (not sure about that.)
I've considered using bookbub Pay-per-click to test also, but I'm on the fence about that since they'll be shuttled to my webpage, not an actual book to buy.
Looking for advice and/or success stories on creating book covers that are successful.

I recently released my audiobook on Spotify and used their complimentary ISBN. I’m now wondering if that was the wrong choice. However, in order to change it I’d have to deactivate the book and publish it again. Is this worth doing? Any insight is appreciated because I’m not completely sure what the difference is.

With having more readers lately, I’ve had more good reads reviews coming in. And when I see my average rating starting to drop especially close to getting under 4 stars it gets really disheartening. Although I know so many people have absolutely loved the series and connected deeply with it and are obsessed with it. It still sucks to see it starting to get low because people are reading the book and it’s just not their cup of tea. How do y’all deal with this

I have a contact form with a captcha. I still get mostly spam, which I consider a foregone conclusion. What concerns me is that when I do get legitimate contacts, they all get funneled into my Junk email folder, so I don't see them. No, I do not mark these emails as spam. They must look inherently suspicious to my email provider.

This has happened at two conventions now, and I only found out because people saw me in person and asked if I had gotten their email.

I used to have my actual email address on my website, but the torrent of junkmail that followed made me take it down. Spacing out my email address did not prevent this. That was when I switched to a web form with captcha.

What are other people using for solutions? How are they working?

Writing this in case anybody who finds themselves trying to publish a graphic novel gets stuck in this part I did when editing last year:

If you look at IngramSpark's guidelines, they'll tell you that if you are making pages with bleed, you need to add a white strip for proper book binding. Well, if you try to add this white strip, it'll get cut out, and your pages will be mangled despite you following the guidelines. I almost gave up at this point because I didn't know what else to do. I followed the guidelines to a T, but still had issues.

I decided to just try adding a little off-white mark in the white borders so that it might not be cut out during the assembly process, and to my positive surprise, it worked.

I was looking around online for anybody else who had the same issue as me, but couldn't find anything. So, if you're in my previous shoes now, hope this helps.

In the mass of emails I get about writing and publishing, a press release says Open Shelf Reviews is a new publication from the trusted family of brands that includes Library School Library Journal, and The Horn Book, at openshelfreviews.com.

"It was created because librarians and book selectors were voicing a need for more professional book reviews while also recognizing that many small presses and independent authors were not always getting consistent editorial attention. Until now."

----—
It's a professional paid review service, has anyone else come across them? There are so many services now for self-published authors, but this one sounds different--I know all those mags. TYIA.

So, as everyone knows, paying for a review is against Amazon/Goodreads TOS.

Having said that, I’m scrolling through different review sites/blogs that BookSirens gives its customers access to. Most of these you can pay $25-$100 and they’ll read your book and provide an honest review. By definition, money has exchanged hands, so this would be something that could get you banned by KDP.

Then I stumble upon Literary Titan, where I am actually awaiting a review (submitted my book about 30 days ago). As I read through the service, they guarantee a review on their site, PLUS an Amazon editorial review (would not hit your total review number, so within TOS), but also a Goodreads review.

The last of those would violate TOS. I realize no one is going to get kicked off for using Literary Titan, but I’m amazed how vague the rules actually are, and how some instances are not viewed as a violation while other identical instances are.

Would love any thoughts from those who have maybe had their hands slapped in the past (or stayed clean while walking a gray line).

I see that there's a 'From the Publisher' where some books have art including tropes to make it easier for readers to see what to expect. Is this available for authors who self publish?

Hey, I'm looking to set up a website and sell books on it. I've been having a read but figured this sub would likely be full of people who have gone through the process recently. I'm looking for quick and cheap but I'll take any advice I can get - cheers!

I’m getting ready to publish a nonfiction book that is directed to a variety of audiences. Some could be healthcare leadership, nonprofits, senior living, personal awareness, etc..

My question is which social media platforms, if any, would you use to market the release? I am thinking LinkedIn specifically just because it is somewhat aimed at leadership and management. Your thoughts and thank you in advance.

Hii, I'm S.K Hopeakettu (my pen name) and I'm writing my debut short novel -The Eden-, it's about a woman getting lost in this gorgeous but dangerous reality. There's love, there's adventure, there's danger.

BUT

I have question to authors who knows what they're doing and had published book/books already.

My plan is to publish The Eden as standalone but the world is so big and endless (for real there's endless levels aka "gardens") I don't want to close this world as standalone if in the future i want to go back.

Should i put it out as standalone or put "book 1" already?

How would people go about this?

Say for example you want to write and publish an ebook cook book or compile a ebook of musical pieces - how do you protect yourself from copyright infringement?

If you have family recipes for instance that happen to be the same as someone else’s - what would or could you do to protect yourself? Would it be an issue?

I have a couple dozen scifi short stories posted on my author website and I intend to keep writing more. I’d like to be posting 2-4 every month (3-5k words each).

I’ve posted the stories over the course of a year or so while I developed the site, without much of a concern for traffic. Just from random traffic I’ve gotten some likes on the posts, but nothing impressive.

Now that the layout of my website is close to where I want it, and there’s a solid amount of content on there, I’m ready to start promoting it.

What is a good way to go about doing this? Have any of you had any success with publishing work directly to your website? I don’t expect to make a killing, and I like the idea of just writing and sharing stories for fun, but if I were to try to monetize this approach to publishing, what would be the best way to go about it?

Got a flip phone 2 years ago, got laid off one year ago, spiraled, and wrote a book. After 3 rounds of edits and feedback from 7 test readers, I just got this feedback.

”Overall I genuinely enjoyed reading this book. If the sequel were available today I would immediately pick it up because, I want to know what happens after the epilogue.

I would absolutely rate this book 5/5 on Goodreads. Thats not a rating I give lightly but, I genuinely feel its deserved here. Between the great characterization, the rich worldbuilding, the well-executed twists and, the slow-burn romance with undeniable chemistry the story delivers on every front. Giving it anything less than 5 stars would feel like a disservice. I would absolutely recommend this book to my friends.”

I genuinely don’t know what to do next, besides cold-reach out to literary agents. I haven’t been on Instagram/TikTok/etc. for two years because stepping away gave me the headspace for my creative projects, and I don’t want the pressure of trying to build an author platform. I did use AI when writing at first, because it started as my DND character backstory so it wasn’t going to be anything professional, and don’t know if that would blacklist me from anything, or turn off literary agents. It has gone through heavy editing and changes since then.

I’m almost leaning toward just putting it online for free, to keep this hobby low pressure/fun, but I have no idea how to get it in front of people who might actually enjoy it. I’d love any advice. Thanks friends!

Hi, trying to publish my first book on KDP, it’s for children aged between 3 and 6 and will be a 32 page print book only. It is complete and so far I have ordered 2 sets of proofs but each time they arrive the book is a little too dark.

I uploaded the PDFs in RGB format and KDP passed everything ok. Any advice on the format for premium full colour high res on white paper? I have only tried the matte front cover, would gloss be better?

Any advice so I can finally hit publish would be gratefully received 😊

So

I Self-published my book after hundreds of letter from agents saying I hope.you find a match.

Hence KDP.

Did some marketing (too costly)

Stuck in a rut

Book 2 is coming along nicely

I thought that as a new author having 2 books is better than 1.

My book also has a 4.5 with 30 reviews on Amazon

Suggestion?

Criticism?

Me being old (56)?

Is it book that bad?

Don't care. Retired now and intent on getting my fantasy story written.

But I do value other opponions

Is this the right place?

Hello.

I'm about 8-10k away from finishing up the first draft of my debut novel. (First and only manuscript I've ever stuck with until the end.)

It's a contemporary gothic romance.

I revamped my potential back cover blurb and just want to know if it's horrible or not.

The moors remember.

Emmi Crimson chased her love of literature halfway across the world, hoping it would fill the void left by never quite fitting in. Instead, she finds herself drowning in assignments, broke, and sharing a flat with Teddy Hartley—cynical frontman of an indie band, with a chip on his shoulder and a sharp tongue.

She'd dreamed of visiting the windswept village of Haworth for years—but her long-awaited trip awakens something that should have remained buried. Forgotten letters, impossible memories and whispered voices drag her into a story that should have died centuries ago.

The last person she expects to become entangled in the mystery—or her heart—is Teddy. When the remnants of the past grow louder, Emmi and Teddy must unravel the tragic truth behind Haworth's most infamous lovers before they lose themselves to a story that was never theirs to begin with.

Some loves survive death.

Some ghosts never stop waiting.

And on the Yorkshire moors, every story leaves an echo.

-TIA.

My debut fantasy novel is set to release Sept 12 (so in 7 weeks). I had planned to use that time to send out my ARCS and push pre-orders, not realizing that:

1. ARC readers won't be able to leave reviews on Amazon until the release date.

2. That people can't pre-order the paperback, only the ebook.

Do I stay the course and ask for reviews on Goodreads only? Or do I send out my ARCS ASAP and bump up my release date? I've just started gathering ARCs, so I don't have that many. Since it's my first book, is it better just to get it out there?

I would have done my release date a month earlier had I known. So, looking for any advice from self-published authors on Amazon (I only plan to do KDP and KDP select for now - and will go wide later on once I've built an audience).

All: What are your thoughts (meaning having data points from historical experience) for a debut author pricing between $2.99 to $4.99 for ebooks? I sold well with promos, and one school of thought is to keep the momentum price lower. Once I'm more established with more books, then I can price higher. I am experimenting with price changes, but curious what you all have observed...

Im on my 3rd or 4th full edit of a book that’s 275 pages. It’s a memoir I have been working on for 5 years. In your collective opinion, when is it time for “pencils down”?
Or is it totally subjective?

I think there’s a point where self editing starts to hurt your story instead of helping it. Granted, each revision makes it tighter and more concise, but I don’t want to overthink it.

I really want a line editor, but they cost a ton. Kind of annoyed it’s holding me back from getting the publishing process started.

To begin with, i dont want to use AI in any of my work, dont use it in my writing, did however use it to generate an image that i sent to GetCovers for them to create me an book cover: "Like this, but by a human" was the crux of the request. In the interim I created my own version on canva, using all the assets ON canva, as far as im aware, zero AI has been used.

After i got back what GetCovers are calling the 'Finished' 'Work' *fnar fnar fnar sarcasm sarcasm sarcasm* i thought i best run it through an AI checker, it passed with flying colours, 3% chance of being AI, i then thought i best check my own Canva created variant and it was 97% chance created by AI. If anyone can shed any light on this i would be very grateful, I am still 7 months out from my release date but its all very... irksome.

I’ve rewritten my blurb 20+ times, and it still feels kind of clunky? I’d appreciate any feedback!

“Sylvia Fisher hates her boss.

When an intern dies on the job, he treats the tragedy like an inconvenience. Between his indifference to the death, the mandatory overtime, and the unsettling interest he’s begun taking in her, Sylvia has had enough.

On top of that, Sylvia’s tired. Working the night shift and taking care of her dying mother have made sleep a luxury she can barely afford. 

Soon, though, sleep escapes her entirely. 

Do you know what happens when you go too long without sleep? Sylvia does. 

Hallucinations. Delusions. Paranoia. 

Sylvia starts seeing things that aren’t there and hears a voice in her head that wants her to kill her boss. The longer she stays awake, the harder it becomes to tell what’s real.

And the harder it becomes to ignore the voice.”

I'm trying to format my book for free with Reedsy studio. It works wonders in general, but I noticed that hypehenation doesn't split words where it should (it splits syllables in half). I am working in italian, but I specified that was the language of my manuscript in the software settings. Is there any way to fix this? Thanks in advance.

Good Morning Reddit,

I have an ARC posted with Booksirens and it’s not doing very well through their platform. I don’t think it’s the platform, but based on comparing other titles within the same genres it looks like their readers just don’t flow through into humorous sci fi or sci fi in general (at least in large numbers). The ARC campaign is a little over a month old and I think BookSirens has found me 3-4 readers.

I’ve gotten a 3 and 4 start review, so it’s a start, but I was hoping for more prior to release 10/19/26.

Does anyone have recommendations on where to get this book in front of the right demographic of reader?