Are you reaching your maximum profit at KDP

I recently uploaded a large file to Kindle Direct Publishing. The book had a little over 31K words and 150 images. In spite of its size, KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) had no trouble converting the .doc to a .mobi. I sold four books and earned a royalty of $0.00. Trying to maximize my profits, I had…

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Reasons why writers need to understand finances

Shrewd writers, like industry leaders, understand the importance of finances. When making decisions, they look at the impact the options will have on the bottom line. They trust the numbers more than their guts. To be a successful author, you must see yourself as the CEO of your writing business. Whether you are a published…

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To supercharge your sales, use your best-looking portraits

In the past, I’ve talked  about the importance for authors to see themselves as authorpreneurs, the CEOs of their writing business. Just like with those corporate leaders, authors need professional portraits. Writers know that people judge a book by its cover. The more compelling the cover, the greater the odds that a reader will pick up the book…

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You need to know who you are before you can find direction

Little did I know that attending a Webinar about creating a media kit would lead me down such a rabbit hole. Like Alice, I am on a search for self-identity. When I look in the mirror, I no longer see the fledgling author, nor do I see the seasoned authorpreneur, an author who manages her writing business. Even though I…

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Creating a book marketing plan

In a recent blog (To be a successful writer, look to business), I wrote about the need to take a business approach to writing. I expounded the necessity for indie authors to become “authorpreneurs” to get the clarity needed to make sound decisions. Whether you decide to use a publicist or do the work yourself,…

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Don’t let lack of confidence sabotage your success

This is the third post in a three-part series “The ABCs of A Successful Author: Attitude, Business Approach, and Confidence.” As a modern-day author, you need to wear many hats. While writing can be as comfortable as wearing a favorite fedora or bonnet, attending to the publishing, marketing, and business sides of writing may make…

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To be a successful writer, look to business

This is the second post in a three-part series “The ABCs of A Successful Author: Attitude, Business Approach, and Courage.” Why do you write? Most authors have a story they must tell, whether fiction or not. Others want to entertain or make people laugh. Some are more penurious: having found a market need, they developed…

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Change your attitude to drive success

This is the first post in a three-part series “The ABCs of A Successful Author: Attitude, Business Approach, and Courage.” When I was young, I held a special reverence for writers. Their words were important and being published was a sign of success. That mystique is now gone. With the boom in indie publishing, there…

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