In this interview conducted by Dawn Colclasure, I discuss why I decided to self-publish, the stigma on self-publishing, and the form of promotion that has worked the best for me.

I’ve been in publishing long enough to know there are several general mistakes—some of them seriously detrimental—that indie authors need to be aware of and avoid. By that I mean, don’t assume you’re the exception to the rule. If you are doing (or not doing) one of the things on this list, you are in serious danger of sabotaging your precious novel or nonfiction book.

When guest blogger Carla Luna decided to chart her course as an indie-published author, she knew she wanted to write a series of romantic comedies set in the world of archaeology. What better way to make use of her past profession than to fictionalize it?

If there’s one thing all the experts agree on these days, it’s the importance of your subscribers list.

Let go of mental clutter so you can move about the (work) world freely.

Author Dawn Colclasure asks the question, Can a writer with disabilities accurately portray the life and experiences of a person who has disabilities?

Put compounding to good use by tackling 3 to 5 marketing actions every day. As John Kremer says, “It will always be up to you to provide the motivation for readers to buy your books.”

When not much seems to be happening even though I’ve been marketing diligently, I try to remember that there’s a little spark of energy in every effort I make. Taken together, that group of sparks is called “compounding.” And it can make all the difference.

When guest blogger Erika Hoffman walked into a restaurant called Il Culaccino, she mentally noted how a single word can spark curiosity in someone unfamiliar with it.

After publishing two books, I decided it was time to dip my toe into the paid advertisements arena. Here’s what happened during my first foray with Facebook ads.

Slip out the back, Jack. Make a new plan, Stan … Okay, so you’re not breaking up with your family. You’re just trying to obtain a little quiet time during which you can take pen to paper. … Here’s how to do it without flustering too many feathers.

When author Kim Poovey first decided to publish independently, she believed Indie authorship meant doing everything by yourself accompanied by a high price tag. She soon discovered that being an Indie author requires support from others.

Here’s how to set the stage for a successful bookstore introduction.

Book coach Nicole Van Den Eng helps you get clear on what your story is really about with this guided composition.

Some promotional tasks are one and done while others are on the sporadic side. Still others are ongoing and happen with regular frequency. Here’s how you can get through them.

Lisa McColloch’s guest post about how turning fifty changes things, and nearing sixty puts exclamation points where once there were periods.

What is it about a story that compels readers to stay up far later than they should? Why is it we have trouble getting to the end of one book, yet we fly through another?

It’s a tough decision for a writer to make, one of the toughest. All your life you’ve fantasized about one of the Big Five buying your book and its subsequent astronomical launch into the stratosphere. But it hasn’t happened yet. When do you turn off the traditional road and drive toward the indie aesthetic?

Until I wrote Jovian Son, I’d never attempted to write a sequel. I was nervous about it. It felt like new territory. But as soon as I began to write, I realized it was actually easier than starting a new story.

Giving the book away is part of a larger strategy that can help you—and all of the books you’ll ever publish—to find some success.