On Writing : 10 Things No One Tells You About Releasing a Book by Ashley Renee Smith

Definitely spot on, Ashley Renee Smith. Unrealistic expectations are probably the chief culprit in burnout. But she's also on to something by helping others with these videos. She's really good at it too.

This is an incredibly accurate video Ashley Renee Smith and reflects many conversations I've had with my author clients recently. Something I've started practicing myself with clients is to encourage them to talk about their book during the writing process to get the marketing process going. Also, I encourage authors to not see publishing as the finish line but as the starting line. This one perspective shift can help stave off burnout and discouragement because it forces you to play the long game. (And on that note, I should mention I'm currently writing a book about nonfiction storytelling!)

I haven't watched the video yet, but I have one thing to get off my chest when it comes to publishing and authorship:

Be prepared to have bad reviews. You can't please anyone, no matter the amount of research you've done beforehand.

Great tips, Ashley Renee Smith ! Lowering your expectations is the single most effective item you can do to improve your stress level and mental health. You'll also spend more time marketing your book than you did writing it -- so enjoying the journey is critical too.

Having been through this process six times, and about to release the seventh, I would agree to much of what was in the video. For me, publishing a book is both an exhausting and invigorating experience simultaneously. Writing a book is both joyful and a lot of hard work. Taking the book through the process as a professional means investing time, hard work, and the finances required for publishing (investing in a graphic art designer to create a cover, beta readers, editor, and proofreader all come to mind). Uploading your book to the various platforms, writing compelling descriptions, the list goes on and on. I am about to release the 2nd Book in my Fantasy series and have arranged the book launch to be at my local Barnes & Noble. I am working on promotional materials to hand out during the launch. I also applied for and have been accepted to be a featured author at a book festival. All of these activities take time and effort. The hardest part is not writing the book (although I studied my craft for years) but marketing it afterwards. Amazon and Facebook ads, developing a social media presence, creating an author website, making appearances - all of these are activities that most professional authors take part in. But the truth of the matter is, you have to sell a lot of books just to break even if you are an Indie. Amazon royalties are a fraction of the selling price for print books (they handle printing, sales tax and shipping so it is reasonable). Being an author is HARD but if it is your calling - it is totally worth it. When one of my readers reaches out and tells me that one of my books really touched them - well, there is no feeling like it. I love telling entertaining stories and I love having a positive impact on my readers.

I definitely agree with this advice. The worst things I've seen are authors whose sole goal is to be a bestseller (like demanding a video go viral) and those who are upset about bad reviews (no one likes everything they read, why should your readers?). Stay positive, keep going, cause it is a TOUGH industry.

This is one hell of a share. Living in an honest space before launching is so key.

Tremendous insights in this thread by all. Truly enjoyed reading all of your experiences. Thank you all for sharing. Keep those insights coming!

I’ve found that writing for a super engaged group or community that already exists - is the key to faster sales. Souhd obvious but i cannot tell ya how many authors i’ve spoken to who wrote books bc “people need this book”. When it’s much easier to find a community that’s posting or commenting at least 100 comments in the group — DAILY — and promote your book to that tribe. they obviously care about the topic! And hey, don’t be afraid to poll the community about what they’d like to see from you - you might find that a super twist like a coloring book or comic book would turn them on vs a straight formative of your subject.

*narrarive (not formative)

the editor won’t let me edit my post rt now

Totally agree with the video, I just released my first self published Novel (Protected by Mari D.) on Amazon. I expected it to be hard. but when you cannot even find your own book online in a search, it's darn right depressing. So I learned the secret is putting better metadata. I am 51 year old this was like trying to understand another language. A kind fellow author advised that I must try putting the name of my book with my author name as metadata. So I am holding thumbs (and toes) that works.

Congratulations on releasing your first self published novel on Amazon, Marilyn Du Toit! Hope you get a lotta sales!

It's not easy to learn something new, but it's impressive that you're going for it, Marilyn Du Toit!!