Before we jump straight in I wanted to say a few things. First when read up on Katie and this book release I had to be on the tour. I am often asked how I do what I do and why I do it and how did you self publish? How can I? I am pleased to have an insiders viewpoint and I hope that it help my readers with those questions. So please sit back as far as you can (and still read!) and enjoy!
Welcome Katie.
How you do what you do and why you do it.
Well, I wish I had some profound thing to say in response to that topic. The short of it is, I have to do it, writing that is. I’ve always loved to write. A little secret many people don’t know about me… I’m an introvert. Deep down to my bones I am a shy, people-watching, wallflower. It may not seem so if you met me online. It’s easy to seem outgoing and extroverted when you have the anonymity of the internet to protect you, but stick me in a room full of strange people and you’ll see me slowly blend into the wall until I disappear completely. LoL.
That’s why I write. I watch people. I see their interactions, but I don’t have that desire to jump right in with them. And when I try to, I always manage to stick my foot in my mouth. I joke with many of my friends about that. I tell them I prefer writing to talking because I have plenty of time to edit my words and then I’m less likely to say something stupid. So, I may not interact socially much myself, but my characters do. And I love that, writing scenes, making my characters do things I cannot, and seeing them blossom into novels.
Now please don’t think of this as depressing. It’s just the introvert’s way. We’re a different breed, students of human interaction rather than participants. But don’t think you have to be an introvert to be a writer; that’s just why I became one.
Now, on to how that translated into a self-help book for those interested in self-publishing. When I had books I wanted to bring to the public I discovered self-publishing. At that point it was beginning to shed its previously dirty name. Self-Publishing was once the haven for the unpublishable; now it’s much more mainstream. But back then it was harder to do, and not only that, to do it right was a bit more expensive. For me, learning the ropes on my first novel, Immortalis Carpe Noctem, was an expensive process. As I published more and more books I learned many valuable tricks to not only doing it right, but also to keep cost low without sacrificing quality. Quality is key in producing a product that can compete with traditionally published books.
The more I learned, the more I wanted to share the knowledge. I worked for 6 months or more, posting on my blog, offering tips and tricks to people looking to self-publish. After a while, my editor (who is listed in the book, and she’s awesome!) suggested that I put it all together into a handy dandy guide. That’s where Go Publish Yourself! was born. Its years of self-publishing knowledge distilled into no-nonsense tips and tricks to help you see your novel as a published work.
So, back on point, my love and need to write bred books (the Immortalisseries) which then led to a desire to share the behind the scenes work too (Go Publish Yourself!). And that’s why I said in the beginning, I have to do it. It’s part of me and who I am. I love to write, no matter what I’m writing about. And I hope you’ll enjoy what I write too.
Thank you so much for reading, and if you want to check out my other novels, you can find me at
Go Publish Yourself!
Self-Publishing made simple. Get your polished novel ready for Kindle, Nook, or Print in thirty days or less.
Avoid the common stumbling blocks and get on the road to successful self-publishing. This handy dandy guide, filled with insider’s tips and tricks, will unscramble the world of self-publishing into simple, easy-to-follow steps.
What’s in the book?
Common Misconceptions
The Business of Self-Publishing
Basic Costs & Budgeting
Publishing Formats: Epub, Kindle, Smashwords, & Print
Cover Art
Interior Layout
Pricing
Printing and Distribution
Marketing Basics: Platform Building, Book Signings, Blog Tours, etc.
And much more!
Don’t make rookie mistakes. Learn from an insider!
Katie Salidas is an author with several successful self-published titles. Each of her titles was created in the DIY (Do It Yourself) style, without the aid of author service companies. Through trial and error she has gained the knowhow to successfully publish print and ebooks. Go Publish Yourself! has that knowledge assembled into an easy-to-use format, packed with no-nonsense tips and quick and dirty tricks, so you can take your novel to the next level.
So, what are you waiting for? Go Publish Yourself!
Author Katie Salidas
You thought we were done!!! Never! Here’s an excerpt. (I chose the one tailored to you guys with all the questions!) You are welcome. XO -Andrea
Common Misconceptions of Self-publishing
Because self-publishing is still in the early stages of being recognized as a viable platform, there are still old misconceptions being thrown around. These are used to scare potential indie authors away from taking that leap into the market.
“You’ll be lucky to sell 200 copies.”
This was the first thing I was told when I decided to self-publish my first novel Immortalis Carpe Noctem. It scared me, as it was meant to. But after talking with other indie authors and looking at the sales rankings on Kindle and other online platforms, I realized that this was completely untrue. A well-plotted book that has been edited and has good cover art sells just as well as its traditionally published counterpart. In fact, Immortalis Carpe Noctem sold more than 200 copies (print and ebooks combined) within the first couple of months of publication. It sold more than ten-thousand copies in its first year, and the number rises every day.
As you can see, the quote above is wrong; however, there is a seed of information there that you should take from it. No book will sell without help. I didn’t just place my book online and hope for sales. To start, I made sure the book was edited, two times, and then gave it a beautiful cover. Those two items are essential to the potential success of your book. Beyond that, to get Immortalis Carpe Noctem to move, I had to market it. Getting the book online to vendors is just part of the process. Do not think that hitting “submit” will be the final step in your publishing journey. That is only the starting point. We’ll discuss marketing in later chapters.
“Self-publishing will ruin your chances of ever being traditionally published.”
Another thing I was told when I decided to self-publish was that it would ruin my chances to ever be traditionally published. That idea is the old style of thinking. Many authors today whose books show great promise are being targeted by literary agents. Instead of the author querying an agent and then waiting months for a response, the agents—after seeing excellent sales—are contacting authors directly to offer representation for things such as print rights, foreign rights, and movie options. In essence, the indie market is becoming a sort of slush pile for these agents.
Now, as with all things, there still is some truth to take from this quote. Only the books that are selling well will attract literary agents. If you are dabbling with both self-publishing and still considering the traditional route, I’d recommend not bragging about your “publishing achievements” if your book has not shown continuous positive sales. Remember that it takes time to build an audience, and you cannot expect overnight success. If you are straddling the fence between these two methods of publishing, keep them separate until you have something that is really worth bragging about.
“Only friends and family will buy your books.”
This quote makes me laugh every time I hear it. In actuality, your friends and family will expect you to give them the book you publish for free. As they see it, they helped and supported you, so the least you can do is give them a free book.
And that’s just fine. Give them a free copy. You’re not marketing to them. As an indie author, you want strangers to buy your book. Focus all of your marketing efforts on building a platform and getting to know new readers. Those are the people you want to connect with and turn into fans.
final note from Andrea:
So friends, family, followers and stalkers alike thank you for stopping by! Katie, thank you for allowing me to be a host on your book tour. I wish you the best and plan to get a copy of your book myself.
XO