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7 Habits that Make a Successful Indie (Amazon) Author: Advice for New Writers
The message most writers get even before venturing into the field is that authors don’t make money. The notion may be partly true. But like any other business or venture, you have to invest to gain returns. That includes investing in your time, money, and effort.
I am here to show you that you can still make money from your writing. You are a small business owner using your blog to share knowledge on running a business or a business leader trying to share your expertise in a book. It doesn’t matter. You can still make money from your writing. And this post shares crucial habits that will ensure you get there. These are habits that successful indie(self-publishing) writers have that give them an advantage.
1.They Focus on Quality
Not to state the obvious but, All business people know that a quality product sells itself. The same rule applies in writing. Whether it is freelancing for others, writing your blog, or a book, quality content boosts credibility. Authors that maintain top chart positions and generate a sustainable income from their writing offer quality products. They invest in making every element of the book excellent. From the cover design, writing, editing, proofreading, blurb, and logo. All these aspects of book writing need attention to make a book readers can’t put down. So, it requires professional technical assistance. It calls for investing in content creation, production, and marketing of the book.
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2.They Publish Under Many Categories
The world of book publishing is highly competitive. Successful authors know this and boost the selling odds by mastering genres to list their books in stores. Amazon has over 16,000 categories, so it is helpful to go through and identify relevant ones for your book.
Successful publishing is about targeting the right audience with your book. It is more than non-fiction or biography. The author must know the specific subgenres and niches that fit the content. For example, look at two of the categories of Limitless Success on Amazon:
- Books> Political & Social Sciences>Philosophy>Methodology
- Kindle Store> Kindle ebook>Health Fitness and Dieting>Counselling and Psychology>Mental Health>Emotions
Today, authors can publish to as many as ten categories on Amazon, and not just three as many do. So, if you are going to list, know exactly where your readers will be hanging out.
3.They Create a Series
If you look at most successful Amazon indie authors, they usually develop a series around a topic or niche of their expertise. Some of the reasons are; It helps with backlist sales. It helps build an author brand that helps readers identify with the niche. It is a better way to develop goals for an authorship career. As a business and leadership coach, my expertise is helping build talent and products, so my books focus on providing helpful knowledge for business and personal growth. Here are examples of a series of my books in this field.
4.The Build a Mailing List
Most marketers are talking about the falling value of email marketing, but if you know how to use this tool correctly, that isn’t the case. Top digital marketers like Neil Patel say that email marketing will be here for a long time. However, instead of fake personalization that often comes with email marketing, the trend will be depersonalization (dial back on the phony relation and write like an actual, live person).
Successful authors build a list relevant to their niche and treat them with respect. For an author, an email list can be one of their most valuable assets. Emails help keep in touch with readers, send updates and also sell more in the long run. You can learn how to start building a mailing list with this resource.
5.They Make Use of Ebooks
Most people shy away from becoming authors because of the cost of producing a book through traditional publishing. It’s every writer’s dream to see their book on physical store bookshelves, but as an indie author, the best bet is to spend on ebooks. Ebooks are economical for self-publishing authors. They have no printing and shipping fees, so that means they make more return on investment. Instead of printing and spending on paper, shipping, distribution, why not focus on marketing the electronic copies first.
6.They Explore Publishing Options
Successful indie authors also diversify. They are not comfortable with few options. So, they keep experimenting with various online book platforms to see what works. They can publish on Amazon, iBooks, Nook, and other platforms out there.
7. They Use Promotion Services Wisely
Unlike traditional publishing, where an author has an agent to promote their book, self-publishing authors have to shoulder the weight of book promotion. Definitely, not an easy feat. That is why indie authors have to get affordable marketing resources. With the number of online tools, it is easy to throw cash at the first available option and hope it works. But, successful indie authors have the habit of carefully researching their marketing options. They consider factors like:
- Testimonials
- Suitability to their niche
- What value does the resource offer
- The price and return on investment.
- Promotional tools should not exceed your budget
There you go, these are among the top habits that successful indie authors on Amazon employ. If you are a new writer, start implementing these ideas and keep up with upcoming trends.
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