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A few months ago, I published my debut children’s book, and it has been a wild, fun, exciting ride since. I’ve gotten a lot of questions on how I’ve done it, what it’s like, and inquiries on advice for others interested in the idea.

So I’ve asked some of my fellow published indie authors to share advice they would give writers considering this route for publication, and here’s some of the best!

In addition to the following advice, I want to share two additional resources for indie authors: The Indie Book Vault and Kid Lit Support Squad (specific to children’s books). Both of these have been a great resource to lean on for support throughout this journey!

Advice from Self-Published Authors to Self-Published Authors.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help! I hit some major roadblocks with formatting that had me so frustrated, I almost threw in the towel. It never crossed my mind to ask for help because I thought I had to do it all alone. But reaching out for support turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made in this journey!” – Paula Banks

“Never give up! I’ve been an author for about a year and a half, and I can’t tell you how many authors I have seen that have published one book, and they didn’t see great success and have given up. There is always something you can do to improve your books, your brand, and how you sell your books. So go into publishing knowing it’s a marathon and not a sprint and just keep chugging!” – Amy Dolisch

“The only true piece of advice I have is to ask people to read your book BEFORE you publish it (ideally not family and those who will be bluntly honest with you about it)… Then edit, edit, edit, and read it a million times until you can’t find an error with it. Don’t assume your first draft is good enough. It will be worth the effort.” – Chantelle Stieghan

“When indie authors begin the self-publishing journey, they often overlook the importance of establishing a recognizable brand. Yet, having a distinct author brand is crucial for staying relevant and memorable in the minds of your readers. If you’re known for silly, interactive books, readers will actively seek you out when they’re in the mood for that type of content.

Branding can encompass many aspects of your work: it might be reflected in the activities you promote, the resources you provide, the themes you explore, your characters, or the series you create. Think about how you would describe your books—what are their unique qualities, and what do they offer to readers? This can help you start identifying the core elements of your brand.” – Rella B. Books

“The first roadblock I ran into was formatting! I bought a Chromebook to use as my “writing computer” and most of the manuscript software on the market for an indie/self-published author is for use on Windows or Apple OS. So, I tried various “free” manuscript software and ran into my second issue. I have some stories that are epistolary, screenplays or other unique formats, and the “free” software didn’t like those. I ended up purchasing Atticus as it’s web-based and had decent reviews. I love it. It had enough customization options for the price point that I was able to have the best of both worlds. Professional looking traditional short stories, and uniquely formatted ones. I chose to publish both print and ebook versions, so I bought my own ISBN for the print book, and went about my merry way exporting my files. I used KDP for the “main” print version, as well as ebook, but I supplemented it with IngramSpark (I have librarian friends and I would love to see my book in a local bookshop) as well as Direct2Digital for ebook distribution. KDP doesn’t require an ISBN for the ebook, so I didn’t purchase one, but IngramSpark wanted an ISBN or to be listed as a Publisher, so I chose not to list the ebook there. Draft2Digital used their own ISBN for the ebook, so that wasn’t a problem. I used local artist friends to help with the cover and the interior images, and that worked out so well. The ease of KDP’s previewer made sure everything looked great. Getting the physical proof copy of my book was one of the best moments! The publishing process was both exhilarating and exhausting. I think writing the book was the easy part!” – Morgan West

“I’ve found success with this first book launch by using a healthy mixture of several media channels (traditional & digital) to help promote my book, and get my brand out there. I initially started applying for awards before my book was out to build a positive reputation. I also started posting on social media about 6-8 months before my book launch to garner excitement about the book and build an audience. I chose two channels to focus on so that I could create valuable content. While building my accounts, I reached out to other authors who I thought were doing a great job at marketing and I built relationships with them, asked questions, and educated myself online in the author groups of what seemed to be working well, and what people’s challenges were.

These omni-channel marketing efforts included: radio, press releases, tv interviews, print articles, podcasts, blogs, and collaboration with other authors. SEO is important, so I wanted to try and continue to create traffic to my website and educate my audience about the concept and inspiration behind my book. In addition to all the media efforts, I’ve been doing several in-person networking events to help spread the word about my book locally.

I think that any type of business requires you to build an effective marketing roadmap and have a long-term plan on how to continue to build brand awareness and interest. It’s truly about making valuable connections and sharing the passion behind what you do and WHY you do it. Above all else, authenticity is the key. Find your own way to stand out amongst the sea of authors and be yourself.” – Jennifer Nestor

“Two things — one: START and two: don’t give up. I faced hurdles in the beginning simply because of my own procrastination (and being employed full-time while working from home with two kids), and the process of actually writing my book took a lot longer than it should have. Once it was finally completed and published, I faced the reality that it doesn’t always go the way you want — and that’s ok. Just keep going and don’t give up. Regardless, you DID IT an that’s something to be proud of.” – Heide Rembold

If you’re an indie author with advice to share, comment!

Until next time,

♡ this blog post? You might also like 

• How to Support an Author When You Purchase a Book Second-Hand
• 7 Ways You Can Support Indie Authors
• Questions I Get Asked as a Self-Published Author.