As a relatively new independent author, I found "Navigating Indieworld" to be full of helpful information. The book covered all kinds of helpful topics for independent authors. How to find an editor, write an author bio, write your book blurb, get a good book cover, find reviews and enter book competition. It talks about how to set up your social media platform and get publicity for your book.
The author covers the basics to make sure that you have a thorough understanding of each subject before going deeper. Definitely jam packed with helpful information. Some of my personal takeaways are that I'm going to try using beta reader and redo my author bio. I also have some new places to look for potential reviews.
The to-do list at the end of the each chapter is a nice feature. It sums up what was covered in the chapter and helps you pinpoint your next steps. This keeps all of the information covered in the book from becoming overwhelming. There is also specific websites referred to in each topic so that I don't have to waste time figuring out how to complete an item on my to-do list.
I especially appreciate how the authors put price estimation into each category. This is especially helpful for Independent authors who are trying to keep a close eye on their finances and estimate a budget for their upcoming book.
The authors review the publishing process in great detail. Every good book starts with one thing - superior content. Without top content, the whole process will be much harder and in the end - the book may not realize its full potential.
A book tells a story. It should be related from the heart. Major editing can be done by reading aloud or hiring a professional editor. Sometimes, fellow writers can help with the review process. Remember that first impressions tend to be lasting. In addition, it pays to over-deliver so that readers come away believing that they've gotten great value. Sometimes, free giveaways are very helpful in making readers happy. Also, remember that a superior description of the book is the reader's all-important first impression. Following this, the reader either opens your book or moves on.
The authors provide some good publishers like Penguin, Macmillan and Simon & Schuster. There are great book review sites too. Examples are Bookreader's Heaven, Library of Clean Reads, Long and Short Reviews, Pump Up Your Books and My Bookshelf.
Overall, "Navigating Indieworld..." by Roman and Gerber is a treasure for both new and experienced authors. The book covers many of the successful elements which must be present for an enticing book to get published and read. It's not enough to simply get published. People have to read your book too!
Carole P. Roman writes a lot, wins a lot, and sells a lot of her well-known books. Julie A. Gerber is an expert in utilization of the social media. Together these two leading ladies have organized a guide for beginners (is anyone these days ever anything BUT a beginner, with all the daily changes in writing/publishing/fining readers?) that details everything we need to know from the start of a book to assuring the book is readable or worthwhile enough to pass to an editor to polish to finding an artist who can make visible the thoughts of a book, to getting that finished book out to the public to buy and read. Big task – well performed.
Carole states in her usual warm introductory comments, ‘We will approach the subject to educate, prepare, and enable any person to write, publish, and ultimately sell their books to the general public.’ And adds ‘A funny thing happened on the way to my retirement. I found myself entering a whole new career in my late fifties, joining a community of people in which there was no return. I entered Indieworld. A different breed of people lives there, yet we all have the same agenda. It’s an amazing place - we don’t see our differences. We are color, age, and gender blind. We only want to tell our story and have it be appreciated. Oh yes, and make a small fortune in the process. Indieworld is a vast entity filled with a universe of people driven to do the same thing. They are seeking what I refer to as the three “Fs”: fame, fortune, and fulfillment without getting screwed. I bet you thought I was going to use another word.’
That is the tone of this tome – warm, humorous, detailed, immaculately researched, thoughtful and – it works! This book literally takes the subject from the initial idea for a book through the creation of the finished (‘!’) book and then all the steps beyond – brutally honest beta readers, finding an editor who believes in your idea and book and is willing to take it to the literary OR, formatting (‘crucial when you load your book onto a self-publishing site’), create a budget for getting published (and the many types of publishers out there), writing a synopsis/promo copy, creating interesting bios to accompany the book online or on-flap, choosing a cover image, selecting artwork to give your book visual life and heft, creating trailers, setting the price and selecting the ’audience’, the dos and don’ts of KDP – and that is just the first half of the instruction guide – the social media information, audible format, and finding reviewers, ‘network,network,network’, book tours and more follow.
Not only do these ladies discuss their recommendation (and provide ample illustrations of each topic), but they also give sites and resources that are actually useable! Indieworld alert – buy this book! Grady Harp, September 16
As an Indie Author myself, I understand how daunting it can be for first time writers. It can all seem so insurmountable at times. There's drafts and revisions and editors and beta readers and formatting and covers and publishing. And then, just when you think it's over... there's marketing. For many of us, we had to just dive in head first and figure those things out on our own. But now, thanks to Roman and Gerber, there's an easily digestible resource that covers all of the steps from A to Z and provides tons of helpful resources to boot. So whether you're an aspiring Indie Author just getting started, or already on the third book in your series, you're sure to find something inside Navigating Indieworld that will help you on your journey.
I consider myself fortunate to read this gem of a book.
In today’s publishing world, This book comes as a breather and a ray of hope to independent, first timer self published authors who by default get bogged down by the different aspects of publishing due to lack of knowledge and guidance.
The brilliant authors of this book, Julie and Carole comes together to share their hard earned vast experiences of self publishing in this easy to read and comprehensive book. They have literally covered each and every aspect of self publishing which can make an author well placed and successful in his writing career.
This book is a boon to the authors who have good creative imagination and substantial content to write but often fail to succeed due to negligence on other aspects of self publishing.
Wow! Just wow!!!
Okay, more than just wow. I'm just so happy that a fellow indie published a book with so many different resources. I always say, don't reinvent the wheel and with this book, you don't have to. This book is full of resources. Everything an indie will need from editing advice to cover design resources to ways to get reviews. This is your one-stop-shopping for everything you need to know. Not only is this book well written and by two experts in the field, but it's fun, snappy and easy to follow. The little marketing tips here will serve an author for a long time. And the veteran author will find it just as helpful as a newbie. Everyone can benefit from a book like this which is written from the heart after trials and tribulations. These authors have been through it all and seen so much. Take their advice so you find the successes and not all the headaches. I highly recommend. Here's one of many dozen quotes I found helpful.
"Indieworld is a vast entity filled with a universe of people driven to do the same thing. They are seeking what I refer to as the three 'F's': fame, fortune, and fulfillment."
"Experts say, write about what you know. I don't agree with that. Write about what you want to know. Write about what you love and hate."
"Think about the book description as your first ad. It should be short, attention grabbing, and see the book using the first line."
"Indieworld is a society of some of the most wonderful people you'll have the pleasure of meeting, and the best way to get ahead is by having each other's back."
