Can You Really Make Money as a Self-Published Author

They say everyone has at least one book in them, just waiting to get out, and we emphatically believe this to be true. Have you ever thought about writing a book? Most people have at one time or another. An idea that tends to come to the surface occasionally, only to be dismissed as being too complicated, too expensive, or simply because we believe no one will be interested enough to buy our book. But what would be your story? Perhaps you have an idea for a detective novel, the solving of a grisly murder? Maybe you’ve led an amazing life and want to share your experiences? Or perhaps you’re expert in your field and feel you could share your knowledge and expertise with others?

It's never too late to tell your story

Publishing your very own book is an amazing feeling. It’s a huge accomplishment. Writing your book is a great journey, often with its ups and downs, but when you finally hold a printed copy of your book in your hand, the feelings are overwhelming. Who knows where it could lead? Of course your friends and family will be proud of you, and you’re leaving a legacy for future generations through your written words, but could this be the first step to becoming a best selling author? Self-publishing is the perfect way to get on the ladder to literary success.

So how do you get people to buy your book?

No one is going to know how great your book is if they don’t read it, and no one is going to read it if they don’t know it exists. The key is to use all the tools at your disposal, and in this digital age, you have plenty of those!

But first STOP – make sure your book is perfect

Of course you’re keen to learn how best to advertise your book, but it’s certainly worth mentioning that you need to triple, no, quadruple check your work before you launch it. It’s so easy to overlook an error, it’s incredibly important to have your work proofread, not just for any spelling, punctuation, or grammar errors, but also for flow and factual accuracy. A good editor and proof-reader will be worth their weight in gold, but even then errors can still remain. So why not rope in friends and family to be an ‘extra pair of eyes’ for you? When you’ve ironed out all the errors, you’ll be able to publish, and you won’t have any complaints or negative points in your reviews.

So now, build a community to build interest

Social media is a great way to get in touch with potential readers. Follow other authors of a similar genre, and they may share your posts, spreading news of your work to a wider audience. Post regularly, be creative with your posts and encourage users to interact with you. Reply to any questions or comments and engage with your audience. You’re building a valuable community here. Reviews will be very important to you, a great review will give other potential readers the peace of mind that they’re making the right choice when they buy your book. If you’ve gifted copies to friends and relatives, do drop the hint that you’d really appreciate an honest review. If you’re struggling to find reviewers, why not run a giveaway on your website or via social media? Not only is this highly likely to bring you more fans and followers, you can ask entrants to share your competition post, spreading the word even further, but you can also ask winners of a copy of your book to post a review too.

Rome wasn’t built in a day

Becoming a successful author and selling books can take time. You need to put the work in to get results, but it is certainly possible to make money as a self-published author. Pursue every avenue, contact publications that feature book reviews, take up any offers of interviews. Help other authors advertise their books, and they may reciprocate. 

Take your feedback on board

When someone loves your book and raves about how gripping it was and how they couldn’t put it down, it’s just fantastic. However, if someone says something negative about it, it can really put a dampener on your spirits. However, like any skill, great writing has to be learnt. Imagine if you cooked one meal, served it up to your family, only to have them turn their nose up as it was too salty. Would you simply decide never to cook another meal ever again? No, of course you wouldn’t. You’d learn from your feedback, and your next dish would be much better. And so, it’s the same with writing. Whenever you can learn from criticism, you can implement what you’ve learnt and every book or story you create will be that much better than the last one. The more you write, the better you get!

Seize the day – unleash your inner book!

Writing and publishing your book will bring you an immense feeling of achievement, and it can also make you money. What an amazing way to make a living. So don’t put off putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard any longer. Why not make a start now? Getting those first few words down can be the hardest part, but once you’ve started, you’re on your way, and who knows where it could lead?  

Conclusion

Yes, it is possible to make money from self-publishing your book. However, the amount of money you can make will depend on a number of factors, such as the quality of your book, your marketing efforts, and the demand for your book's topic or genre. It's important to note that self-publishing is not a get-rich-quick scheme, and it may take time and effort to build a readership and generate significant income. However, with a well-written book and a good marketing strategy, it is possible to make money from self-publishing.

Here are a few ways you can make more money from self-publishing your book:

Selling your book: The most obvious way to make money from self-publishing is to sell copies of your book. You can sell your book on various online retailers such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble Press, and Kobo Writing Life.

Advertising and sponsorships: If your book has a large audience, you may be able to monetise it through advertising or sponsorships. You can include ads or sponsored content in your book, or on your website or social media channels.

Speaking engagements: If your book is on a topic that is in demand, you may be able to get paid to speak on the topic at conferences, conventions, or other events.

Merchandising: If your book is popular, you can also create merchandise such as t-shirts, mugs, and other items with the book cover or quotes from the book and sell them to your readers.

Online courses: If you have a lot of knowledge on a specific topic, you can create an online course and sell it to your readers, or offer it as a complementary addition to your book.