Ways It's Gotten Harder to Self-Publish

When I first got into self-publishing in 2011/2012 it was hard work to put out a quality book and get sales, but I did it, and I was able to do it without spending an arm and a leg. My first novel, Into the Deep, quickly made me back the money I'd spent to publish it. The self-publishing world is a lot harder today, not only in terms of making sales but also when it comes to getting free downloads or even just getting reviews. Below are a number of reasons why I think it's harder to publish a book today.

1. Amazon has gotten stricter: From deleting reviews to changing their algorithms, getting attention on Amazon is harder than ever.

2. KDP Select free promotions don't hit numbers like they used to: Like I mentioned above Amazon has changed a number of things, one of them being how they count downloads.

3. It's harder to get Book Reviews: Books bloggers are overwhelmed with review requests and the average reader isn't as enticed by a free book in exchange for a review as they used to be because there are a lot more books out there.

4. Goodreads doesn't let you add your own books to lists anymore: I love Goodreads Lists and getting your book in a few relevant lists can help you get discovered by more readers, but Authors can no longer add their own books to lists.

5. Facebook just doesn't work anymore: Facebook has changed how your posts appear in your follower's feeds meaning they don't get the views they used to. Facebook also used to be the go-to place for book promotion but buying ad space there seems to yield few results now.

6. It's harder to grow your following on Twitter:  Twitter is paying more attention to the number of users you follow and unfollow and free services like Crowdfire are now implementing smaller caps, making it harder to grow your following.


So what still works?

Having readers stumble across your book and take a chance on it is a thing of the past. The only way that seems to still work for being successful self-publishing is to gain loyal fans.

Tips to gaining loyal fans.

1. Write GREAT content: With more competition, it's more important than ever to produce a quality product with professional editing and an eye-catching cover.

2. Take care of your mailing list: Use sites like Instafreebie to grow your list and have a sign up for your mailing list on your website. (You can find mine at www.laurynapril.com)

3. Connect with your readers: Respond to comments and discuss relevant content on social media.

4. Support other Indie Authors: Don't forget writers are readers too and we're all in this together!


What things have you noticed have changed in the self/indie publishing world? Have any publishing tips? Share in the comments below.