Tag Archive - Dave Chesson

5 Self-Publishing Mistakes to Avoid 

Today’s guest post is by Dave Chesson.

There’s a lot to know when starting out in the self-publishing business. I cringe when looking back at some of the rookie mistakes I made when I was publishing my first books. But, then, you won’t master self-publishing without putting in the work to get there.

Don’t get me wrong—mistakes are a part of the journey, and they’re okay to make. But, hey, if you can get advice and save the hassle, that’s a good thing too.

In this post, we’ll explore a few errors to avoid when publishing your first book.

  1. Not Reading in Your Genre

While it’s tempting to find untapped niches and write books to match, it’s a huge mistake to write books in genres you don’t know a lot about. Sure, as an author, it pays to read a wide range of books; but to be successful, you should read plenty of books in your chosen genre.

It is important to keep in mind that you’re not writing for yourself or for your career; you’re writing for an audience. You may not be well read in your genre, but your audience will be. They’ll be purchasing your book based on the fact it’s a “Western” or a “sci-fi” novel and will have expectations to match that genre. You need to understand what those readers are looking for when they buy a book—otherwise, expect some not-so-great reviews.  Continue Reading…

5 Writing Lessons Learned from Margaret Atwood

Today’s guest post is by Dave Chesson.

Thanks to the golden age of television, Margaret Atwood is finally gaining the recognition she deserves.

Don’t get me wrong. Atwood has always been known for publishing politically provocative, emotionally engaging fiction.

However, due to the runaway success of the Handmaid’s Tale, not to mention the topical relevance of the themes to which it speaks, Margaret Atwood is on the radar like never before. This has only increased with the announcement of her upcoming new novel.

So what does this mean for you as a writer?

First, take inspiration. It’s possible to publish the story you truly want to tell, with a controversial political message, and still experience the maximum extent of success possible. Continue Reading…

How to Increase Your Income as a Fiction Writer in 2018

Today’s guest post is by Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur.

2017 was a wild year for authors.

We saw the rise of Amazon’s book advertising system, AMS, and the fall of most authors’ favorite publishing tool, Pronoun. We’ve seen more competition in Amazon, and even saw Amazon change some of the ways they do things, like the introduction of KDP print.

If Amazon wasn’t enough, Apple has promised to invest more in the book industry and Kobo has partnered up with Walmart, all in an attempt to take on Amazon, the current undesputed book sales champion of the world.

Plain and simple, the landscape is always changing.

That’s why it’s important for us authors to not only look to the future so as to improve our craft but also look at trends and ways in which we can earn more and thus gain a competitive edge in the new age. Continue Reading…

Page 1 of 212»