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The Profitable Author: 1,001 Ways to Build a Business You Love Around Your Books
The Profitable Author lays out a huge and lively roadmap for turning a writing life into a real business. The book moves through mindset, marketing, sales, income streams, and the day-to-day actions that keep an author afloat and happy. It mixes tough love with encouragement, and it shows how an author can build a long game instead of hoping for sudden fame. It also pushes the idea that authors can be multipreneurs who stack skills, products, and creative ventures on top of each other. I found myself flipping pages and feeling the book widen the definition of what an author can become.
The writing is direct and warm. It never hides how hard this business can be, yet it never slips into cynicism. Woodhouse talks about overwhelm and disappointment in a way that feels honest. She also pushes readers to think bigger. I liked how she blends practical advice with a kind of grounded optimism. I could feel her long experience in the field. She explains ideas like daily promotional habits, diversified income, and using personal strengths in a voice that feels friendly.
What struck me most was the emotional undercurrent. The book believes in authors. Not in a cheesy way. More like a steady voice saying you can do this if you show up and keep showing up. I loved how she reframes marketing as something flexible and personal. I also liked the sections about commitment. They hit me in that spot where doubt hangs out. The mix of stories, checklists, and bite-sized reflections creates an easy rhythm. I drifted between curiosity and excitement. Still, the tone stays kind. It feels like a mentor talking at the right speed for someone who wants change but does not want to burn out.
I think this book is a strong fit for authors who want to treat their writing as a real business without losing their soul in the process. It is great for beginners who do not know where to start and for mid-career writers who feel stuck. It works for introverts, side hustlers, and people who like having a big menu of choices instead of rigid rules. I would recommend it to anyone who has a book and a dream and finally wants a plan. It left me energized and surprisingly hopeful.
Pages: 510 | ASIN : B0DJV96V29
Holistic Guidance
The Creative Composition Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing Children’s Books is a comprehensive guide that breaks down the entire process of self-publishing a children’s book. What inspired you to write this book?
I began my career as an illustrator, initially focused solely on drawing, but I soon found myself diving headfirst into other aspects of the book world—marketing, fundraising, developing supplemental resources, and booking events. Along the way, I had to learn about contracts, distribution platforms, print guidelines, and so much more. Supporting new authors over the years, I committed to learning as much as possible to provide them with holistic guidance.
I offered experiential advice in various online groups, and the most common question that came up was “I’ve written my children’s book, so now what?”. It hadn’t occurred to me at the time, but that would ultimately be the golden question to guide my writing process. It wasn’t until I booked my first multi-school, book tour and parent-teacher night when I thought to myself “There might be some educators and parents who may want to self-publish their own books … and I can help them.” From that realization, I began working on a 10 point 1-pager which quickly turned into a 10-page e-book, and gradually blossomed into the 10 chapters of The Creative Composition Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing Children’s Books: A 3-in-1 Reference Guide for New and Aspiring Authors.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
One of the most important concepts I share in The Creative Composition Guide is preparing your mind for the expansive path of becoming a children’s book creator. It’s far more than just writing a book and putting it out there. As an independent publisher, you have complete control over how your book will be presented to the world. I cover this in Chapter 0: “Nurturing a CREATOR’s Mindset,” which I lovingly refer to as the “seed” of your creative expansion. Another concept I emphasize is the importance of doing extensive research before committing to hiring any contractor to support your project. Your creative team can either enhance and expand your publishing experience or diminish and delay it. Taking the time to understand their interests and experience with your topic and genre is crucial.
What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were starting out as a writer?
Throughout my writing journey, I did my best to be as informed as possible by attending writers’ conferences, hiring a business coach, and conducting extensive market research. However, one piece of advice I wish I had embraced earlier and with more consistency is outlining and committing to a strategic marketing plan. Writing and publishing a book are only small parts of the bigger picture. Building and expanding your community of fellow writers and aligned readers makes the process much more enjoyable and fulfilling.
What is one thing that people point out after reading your book that surprises you?
I’m always pleasantly surprised when people comment on how much they enjoy the design of The Creative Composition Guide. As publishing day approached, I was hesitant to commit to the interior design, but I had a very specific creative vision. I’m grateful that I was able to see that vision manifest in its full form, and I’m thrilled that readers have responded so positively to it.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
“I’ve written my children’s book. Now what!?” First, celebrate yourself! Translating your bright ideas into the written word is a great accomplishment! Now, it’s time to transform your words into a published book. Not just any book, but a treasure that children and families will love and grow with! And How? Clarity, connection, consistency, and a sincere trust in your creative ability! Many writers with captivating stories often struggle to get their work published due to a lack of clarity throughout the publishing process. They may lack confidence in choosing the right professionals and tools to work with and may even have doubts about the success of their children’s book… Some get to publishing day and have no idea how to connect with families who will read or buy their book, so they give up, and their stories collect dust, either in their minds or on the mantle. The Creative Composition Guide to Self-publishing and Marketing Children’s Books is a practical and expansive 3-in-1 book, journal, and evergreen reference guide that, through reflection and direct action, supports new and aspiring authors throughout their publishing and marketing journey.
From my experience working behind the scenes as the contributing illustrator of 5 published books, attending and speaking at self-publishing conferences, plus supporting and learning from award-winning best-selling authors and illustrators in both traditional and self-publishing. With this guide, future authors will learn the essentials to take their book from rough draft to publication day and beyond by:
1. Researching and revising with your specific audience in mind
2. Establishing your author identity and brand 3. Connecting with your book buddies
4. Acquiring your dream team, editor, illustrator, and designer
5. Knowing your Publishing and Distribution Options
6. Booking Engagements and so much more
With invaluable insight from award-winning and bestselling children’s book creators and access to an online library, The Creative Composition Guide outlines how to plan, fund, and launch a meaningful and memorable children’s book that children and families will love and treasure for generations.
Minotaur’s Lair
Minotaur’s Lair – Servant of the Gods – Book Three by Luciana Cavallaro is the final installment in the trilogy, which follows Evan, who must face Queen Antioche and stop the Dark Master from becoming a deity. If the Dark Master successfully gains this power, Evan and his alliances face an uncertain future. There are many unexpected twists throughout his journey and fate, making this book an incredible read.
The story maintains a consistent pace that conjures excitement from the start. Cavallaro creates an action-packed tale with elements of ancient mythology and mystical places, contrasting with time travel and modern technology. Evan must quickly adapt and learn how his quest shifts from one challenge to the next, whether Queen Antioch attempts to entice him with tempting gifts and promises or he becomes face-to-face with a new enemy. He must also follow his father’s legacy by locating a sacred artifact while defeating his captors.
Cavallaro’s fantastic writing style is sharp and descriptive without slowing the story’s pace. The author thoroughly researches the architecture, landscapes, and scenarios in mythology. It’s a fantastic adventure full of exciting developments and lively characters. As the story delves into the thrilling mythology of an ancient world, Evan becomes eager to find a way home to his time in the future.
I found this book, and the trilogy, an excellent story that’s engaging and enjoyable from start to finish. The author does a fantastic job of creating an intricate world with layers of fascinating developments and characters that keep the reader moving from one chapter to the next. Minotaur’s Lair – Servant of the Gods – Book Three by Luciana Cavallaro is an excellent read for science fiction and fantasy fans. I recommend the trilogy and look forward to more books from this author.
Pages: 396 | ASIN : B0BFGW1Z6S
Being Indie
Eeva Lancaster’s informative book clearly lays out all the steps an indie author needs to take when publishing and selling their book. Each chapter dives into a separate topic, explaining why the section is important first before moving onto the detailed how-to section. Sprinkled with anecdotes to help drive the points home, Being Indie is as fun as it is educational.
This book really impressed me with how quickly the author gets to the core of the problem or misconception that many authors have. The book then moves on to quickly dispel those flawed notions and proceeds to educate the reader on the proper way to go about tackling the variety of obstacles that indie authors face. Eeva’s driven personality and perceptive humor helps to make readers feel at ease, and drives home the fact that Eeva knows what she’s talking about.
What separates this book from others of its kind is that this book covers absolutely everything that an indie author needs to publish their book and sell it, and themselves, after it’s published. Many books will cover one topic of the other, but this book does both. While it comprehensively covers all the tasks authors must accomplish before and after publication, what truly makes this book stand out is how quickly we get to the heart of the matter on each topic. With only a few paragraphs to explain why things are important, readers will appreciate how quickly they get into the meat of solving the problem. With clear step by step instructions, and suggestions on further learning, it will be impossible to fail.
I needed to read this book before publishing my first book. It could have saved me so much time, money, and sleepless nights. Now that I know the solution to many of the problems authors face, reading Eeva’s book now makes me shake my head in amazement with how clearly she identified my previous problems and how quickly she resolved them.
While the self-publishing journey may be long, Eeva has formatted her book so that it works easily as a reference guide whenever you are ready to move onto the next step in your adventure.
Being Indie is a no-nonsense guide to self-publishing with a direct tone that delivers concise instructions in easily digestible segments. This is an effective crash course on being an indie author that I highly recommend to any aspiring or current indie authors that want to create a book that SELLS.
Pages: 211 | ASIN: B072BT3J37
Elysium Protocol
Elysium Protocol by C.A. MacLean is the third book in the Architects of the Illusion science fiction series. Following a species-diverse team known as the “Fireseeds,” Elysium Protocol picks up the shattered pieces left over from the devastating war in book two, The Great Scourge. In a time of interstellar conflict, multiple factions, some seen, some working from the shadows, are vying for power, control, and sometimes, just plain survival. Set in a distant future, the last remnants of humanity are part of an intergalactic organization known as “The Convergence,” an alliance consisting of “quintillions” of citizens.
The Fireseeds are pitted against a vast alien force known as the “hiven,” an insect-like species bent on zealous destruction and domination. Several science fiction tropes appear here, but they are executed skillfully; which ensures longtime fans of science fiction will find something familiar yet still intriguing. There are multiple alien races present: humanoid bird-persons (Arkerians), crystal people (Altaran), bug people (hiven), and more. The story is rife with many planet names and systems, such as Everan, Serrona, Vraunlith-3, etc. I feel this might make it difficult to follow at times but adds to the depth of a world that seems full of possbilites and begs to be explored further. I would have loved to have seen a map of systems in the book to look back on because this story reaches epic fantasy levels where readers will be completely immersed in a large world.
This is a robust novel, almost as long as the two previous entries combined. There is a lot of action going on with all of the characters and races. Readers have to be fully engaged in this story to keep up with who is who and what species is what; reminding me of the breadth of George R.R. Martin novels. However, the author effectively handles the task of keeping things straight, with the central characters being well developed with strong individual personalities. The Arkerian Engami sisters, Eva and Ashy, the tragic Altaran, Caleb Braze, the modest human, Daniel Byre, and many more fill this impressive work with relatable characters and a compelling story. Despite some massive decisions, the memorable characters and gripping action bring a universe of primordial planets, advanced spacecraft, and futuristic cities to life.
Architects Of The Illusion, Part III: Elysium Protocol is an action-filled science fiction space opera with memorable characters and planets. Readers will be able to escape into the world that has been created and feel like they are in the action.
Pages: 777 | ASIN : B09NPPJL1Q
So . . . You Wrote a Book, Now What?
Every aspiring writer should get a hold of this book not only because of the great advice given by Christian Freed but also because of how funny he is when explaining concepts. So . . . You Wrote a Book, Now What? is an informative book that provides a lot of great advice that is relevant to writers embarking on their publishing journey. Christian Freed writes about real challenges that you will encounter as you struggle to come up with the idea of the book, the writing process and how to arrange your thoughts. I also enjoyed how the author discusses the ugly side of writing, which is a topic often overlooked. He gives readers an idea of how difficult the journey can be without being discouraging. Christian Freed uses his experience as an example to give readers a clear picture of how exciting and tedious the writing process can be.
You have written your book well, and it has been published, now what? How do you sell your book? Which methods are best for marketing? How do you look for support from your friends, family and colleagues? Christian Freed addresses all these issues that authors face. He talks of successful published authors and discusses what they did right. The author also provides great advice on building your name or author brand, which is a section that I found particularly helpful. Among all the practical advice the author infuses amusing jokes and quotes to keep readers engaged and smiling.
Christian Freed brings the reader into his world, unafraid of pointing out his own mistakes. By doing this, the author forms a connection with the reader, understand where he’s coming from, and makes it easy for one to digest his content.
Every chapter in the book is significant, but one of the chapters I found most crucial was on building a brand. How do you make your name and book big? The author shares quick tips on how to make yourself known.
So . . . You Wrote a Book, Now What? provides actionable advice for authors that are trying to find their way in the wild world of publishing. It can seem daunting, but Christian Freed gives readers a prescription for success with his enlightening guide.
Pages: 108 | ASIN: B09DB1BHWR
If I Don’t Get The Word Out
The Amazon Self Publisher provides authors with the information they need to successfully promote and sell books on Amazon. What is the biggest motivating factor for you in helping indie authors?
The BIGGEST motivating factor when it comes to providing this content is fear. I made terrible mistakes and learned the hard way in my author business. I’m truly afraid people will repeat the same mistakes I did. If I don’t get the word out, I feel like my mistakes were a true waste.
What is the single biggest hurdle you find new authors face today and how can they overcome it?
The monkey mind – quite a few authors talk themselves out of great opportunities because they feel undeserving. Rather than feeling I’m inadequate, I force myself to pull the trigger. Of course, that’s easier said than done for most people.
What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you before you published your first book?
I wish someone told me to hire an editor and good cover designer. My first book is appalling on so many levels.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m about 3 manuscripts deep with a fourth in the works. I’d like to start launching monthly releases in 2022. By that first book launch, I’ll have about six manuscripts ready to go.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
And now it’s published.
But you’re not getting any sales! What gives?!
Most people would have you believe self-publishing on Amazon is easy. Yet, why aren’t you seeing the results they claim you should get?
Your lack of book sales comes down to 3 culprits:
Keywords
Marketing and promotion
Book reviews
It’s time you put all your self-publishing woes to bed and finally increase your book sales for good.
Enter The Amazon Self-Publisher series.
You’ll learn:
The secrets to keyword research and selection
Cheap yet effective book promotions
How to get book reviews the legit way
Where Amazon Advertising will serve your book best
And hundreds of powerful insights!
You’ll love learning all about Amazon self-publishing, because once you discover proven strategies in self-publishing, your life will change for the good.
Get it now!
Self-Publishing with Dale
Amazon Keywords for Books helps authors understand how to use keywords to increase discovery and sales of their book on Amazon. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I started my YouTube channel, Self-Publishing with Dale, over 4 years ago. Three common pain points are promoting, getting reviews, and keywords. I knew if I was going to do a series devoted to these common pain points, I had to lead with the most often misunderstood area – keywords.
Believe it or not, most authors have a basic understanding of keywords. The biggest issue is over-analysis. Instead of focusing on the end user, authors get caught up in what’s a trending keyword, is it profitable, and will it reach a large audience. Instead of serving the reader, authors end up catering to the Amazon algorithm.
When we remember we’re writing books for human beings and not algorithms, then we’ll have better success as authors. This is why I lead with keywords – so more authors can start getting results NOW!
There is a lot of great advice in this book, but what I really like was how easy all the information was to consume. What was the writing process like to ensure this information was easily accessible?
The writing process was easier than you’d think. I start every book by brain dumping all the ideas I have onto one sheet. Then, I organize all the ideas in a logical order and remove anything that doesn’t quite fit. After that, I write out questions pertaining to each point and drill down as deep as I can.
Whenever I write, I think about who my audience is. For this book, I knew my audience would be experienced authors who had pretty good insights about the self-publishing business. Once I had an outline set, I was ready to go. Here’s where it gets crazy!
I wanted to get the first draft done ASAP. Rather than dragging my feet and chipping away at it, I challenged myself to get it done in 24 hours. In fact, I talked about the whole process in this video:
What is a common misconception you feel people have about Amazon keywords?
Authors believe keywords will sell books. Many authors think if they get the right keyword with low competition and high search volume, they’ll sell a ton of books. The truth is keywords ONLY help a book become more discoverable. If your book cover is trash and your book description is horrible, no one will buy it.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My upcoming book Promotional Strategies for Books is the second in The Amazon Self-Publisher Series. The release date is on Sun., Nov. 1, 2020. Shortly after is the last in the series called Amazon Reviews for Books, due for release by Dec. 1, 2020. Both ebooks will be available on Amazon and the print books will be widely available through Amazon and all major retailers.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website | YouTube
You wrote the book.
The cover is on point.
Why isn’t it selling?
The answer is simple: Nobody knows it exists.
Amazon is a market place and when someone goes there to find a new book, they do a search, and that’s where the keywords become crucial.
You need them for:
- Meta Data (7-keywords)
- Description (Help Amazon’s Algorithm)
- Running AMS ads
You’ll learn:
- The importance & function of keywords
- How to fill the 7 backend keyword slots in KDP
- Why keyword relevance determines your success
- How to leverage search engines to do your work
- And so much more…
The most wonderful part is the AMS Ads tool might be the best kept secret in keyword research and Dale will show you how to get the most out of it.
Are you ready for success?
You’ll love this comprehensive book on keywords, because it’s easy to follow and will teach you what you need to forever master the subject.
Get it now.
LITERARY TITAN 