Self-Publishing Tips & Tricks

Episode 040

Released on: September 26, 2023

In this week’s Self-Publishing Tip or Trick of the Week, learn how to supercharge your book launches using BookBub’s powerful marketing tools for authors. Discover the lesser-known but highly effective BookBub features that are totally free or low cost to blast your new releases and preorders to thousands of eager readers.

I made some costly mistakes when starting out with BookBub, falling for scammy “BookBub builders” and not understanding how to properly utilize alerts. Don't repeat my errors – I’m sharing my hard-won advice on the right and wrong ways to build your BookBub author platform for maximum exposure.

Whether you’re self-published or traditionally published, BookBub can take your launches to the next level...if you know how to use it right! Tune in to pick up some game-changing tips and tricks for making the most of this incredible reader platform.

IMPORTANT LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE:

🌟Shanon’s Indiegogo for A Curse of Scales & Feathers: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-curse-of-scales-feathers-a-fantasy-romance#/

🌟Start your BookBub partnership and claim your author profile: https://partners.bookbub.com/

🌟Learn more about New Release Alerts and launching your book with BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/partners/launch_a_new_book

🌟 Learn more about BookBub’s Preorder Alerts: https://insights.bookbub.com/introducing-bookbub-preorder-alerts/

🌟 Follow Shanon (S.D. Huston) on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/s-d-huston

🌟 Follow Ben Pick on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ben-pick

🌟 Follow Morgan Lee on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/morgan-lee-62a20d4f-98ef-4f4e-ab0d-5cae2f1e44ee

🌟Drop us a line at [email protected]

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Thanks for watching and listening!

🔗 ➤ FACEBOOK: Self-Publishing Tips & Tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/selfpublishingtipstricks

🔗 ➤ Guest Registration for Self-Published Authors: https://forms.gle/a5kagunHv9x1jxvm6

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CONNECT WITH US!

▶Shanon (S.D. Huston) Links: https://linktr.ee/sdhuston

▶Ben Pick YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Running2Write

▶Ben Pick Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/running2write

▶Morgan Links: https://linktr.ee/authormorganlee

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#selfpublishingtipstricks #sptt

SPTT 039 – Ghost Categories on Amazon

Episode 039

Released on: September 19, 2023

In this week's Self-Publishing Tip or Trick of the Week, we'll be demystifying ghost categories on Amazon—what they are, how to identify them, and most importantly, how to avoid them when selecting categories for your book. Kindlepreneur's Dave Chesson coined the term “ghost categories” for this issue in his recent category research. Ghost categories sound mysterious, but picking the wrong ones could sink your book's discoverability. Tune in to learn what you need to know about navigating Amazon's category overhaul and choosing the right categories to maximize visibility.

IMPORTANT LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE:

🌟 Shanon’s Indiegogo for A Curse of Scales & Feathers: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-curse-of-scales-feathers-a-fantasy-romance#/

🌟 Kickstarter Basics Masterclass: What is it & What can you do?: https://youtube.com/live/CWtWoJzXz_I

🌟 Amazon KDP Categories Update, What You NEED to Know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Za6nTLYKDA

🌟 INSANE Amazon Category Change [NEW Rocket Feature]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mipvGBvtL-8

🌟 Amazon Book Categories: My Secret Method to Choose Clear Winners: https://kindlepreneur.com/how-to-choose-the-best-kindle-ebook-kdp-category/

🌟 🚀 Publisher Rocket (keyword & category research tool) - https://DaleLinks.com/Rocket (affiliate link)

🌟Drop us a line at [email protected]

Where noted, outbound links are affiliate links, which means that your support helps other authors while the purchase price for you remains the same!

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Thanks for watching and listening!

🔗 ➤ FACEBOOK: Self-Publishing Tips & Tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/selfpublishingtipstricks

🔗 ➤ Guest Registration for Self-Published Authors: https://forms.gle/a5kagunHv9x1jxvm6

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CONNECT WITH US!

▶Shanon (S.D. Huston) Links: https://linktr.ee/sdhuston

▶Ben Pick YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Running2Write

▶Ben Pick Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/running2write

▶Morgan Links: https://linktr.ee/authormorganleehttps://www.instagram.com/running2write

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#selfpublishingtipstricks #sptt

Episode 038

Released on: September 15, 2023

In this episode, Inka York, writer of queer fantasy and contemporary gay romance, shares with us why she decided to pursue a subscription model in addition to use the traditional retailer platforms. She delves into some of the things she’s learned after creating her subscription services on Ream this year. Ream is a new subscription platform similar to Patreon and Ko-fi, but one made for authors by authors. She also talks about the early release model she uses to attract subscribers.

WEBSITES/ITEMS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

🌟 Shanon’s Indiegogo for A Curse of Scales & Feathers: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-curse-of-scales-feathers-a-fantasy-romance#/

🌟Inka York’s first book—A Storm of Paper Starlings: https://inkayork.com/books/a-storm-of-paper-starlings/

🌟Inka York’s affiliate link for Ream: https://reamstories.com/create/inka-york-believes-in-you

🌟Subscriptions for Authors podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@subscriptionsforauthors

🌟Subscriptions for Authors Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/subscriptionsforauthors

🌟Subscriptions for Authors Summit 2023 YouTube Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPLFc4z-u1aMu0kP0TeeHmyL8VMphdwV&si=6xPuUG1cmBPMoMHL

🌟How to Be a Reader’s Favorite Author with Christopher Hopper (SFA Summit 2023): https://youtu.be/dTYjtSF9_-8?si=7DGVrJtqVwgU67wt

🌟Subscriptions for Authors FREE book: https://subscriptionsforauthors.com/subscriptions-for-authors-book/

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Thanks for watching and listening!

🔗 ➤ FACEBOOK: Self-Publishing Tips & Tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/selfpublishingtipstricks

🔗 ➤ Guest Registration for Self-Published Authors: https://forms.gle/a5kagunHv9x1jxvm6

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CONNECT WITH INKA YORK!

🌐Inka York's website: https://inkayork.com/

📧Inka York's subscription: https://reamstories.com/13club-afterdark

📚Inka York's affiliate link for Ream: https://reamstories.com/create/inka-york-believes-in-you

🎥Subscriptions for Authors YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@subscriptionsforauthors

📱Subscriptions for Authors Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/subscriptionsforauthors

📘Subscriptions for Authors FREE book: https://subscriptionsforauthors.com/subscriptions-for-authors-book/

CONNECT WITH US!

▶Shanon (S.D. Huston) Links: https://linktr.ee/sdhuston

▶Ben Pick YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Running2Write

▶Ben Pick Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/running2write

▶Morgan Links: https://linktr.ee/authormorganlee

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#selfpublishingtipstricks #sptt

Episode 037

Released on: September 1, 2023

In this episode, Troy Lambert, mystery author and editor, talks to us about Plottr, where he is also the Education Lead. Plottr is visual book planning software for all types of writers, whether you plan your writing ahead of time or if you’re a discovery writer like Shanon (S.D. Huston). Plottr helps writers outline faster, organize smarter, and increase productivity. Besides giving us his expertise as the Education Lead at Plottr, Troy shares his personal experiences in using the software, his unique tip in using the software in his writing life beyond the book, and the most important moment with any software: “And then…”

WEBSITES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

🌟Plottr: https://plottr.com/

🌟2023 Authortube Writing Conference (AWC) presentation “5 Steps to Organize Your Books (and Series) with Plottr | AWC 2023”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puK3mhA_6gs

🌟Draft2Digital “Visual Story Planning with Plottr | Self Publishing Insiders 122”: https://www.youtube.com/live/AXjaEpakZHc?si

🌟The Self Publishing Show: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2ZHpP6O4od2dStQH0VKddaqVH-qTFMAu

🎊Did you miss Shanon’s Kickstarter? You can still get your order of A Curse of Scales & Feathers today 👉 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-curse-of-scales-feathers-a-fantasy-romance#/

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Thanks for watching and listening!

🔗 ➤ FACEBOOK: Self-Publishing Tips & Tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/selfpublishingtipstricks

🔗 ➤ Guest Registration for Self-Published Authors: https://forms.gle/a5kagunHv9x1jxvm6

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CONNECT WITH PLOTTR!

🌐Plottr Website: https://plottr.com/

🎥YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Plottr

📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plottrapp/

🖇️LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/plottrapp/

📱Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plottrapp

CONNECT WITH US!

▶Shanon (S.D. Huston) Links: https://linktr.ee/sdhuston

▶Ben Pick YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Running2Write

▶Ben Pick Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/running2write

▶Morgan Links: https://linktr.ee/authormorganlee

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#selfpublishingtipstricks #sptt

Episode 036

Released on: August 15, 2023

In this episode, C.M. Lockart talks to us about why she built her brand identity around Written in Melanin and how she has evolved as both a writer and a champion for Black authors. We're so grateful for all awesome tips she shares that she wished she would have known when she first began publishing. (Also learn why she uses tacos and bacon to represent spice levels in her books 😉)

WEBSITES/SERVICES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

🌟Written in Melanin Library: https://melaninlibrary.com/

🌟Written in Melanin Podcast: https://www.writteninmelanin.com/podcast

🌟Written in Melanin Editing & Formatting Services: https://www.writteninmelanin.com/services

🌟PREORDER BOX for We Are Dying Gods: https://shop.writteninmelanin.com/b/wadgpb

🌟The Stygian Collection: https://www.stygiansociety.com/?ref=5porep5c

🎊Did you miss Shanon’s Kickstarter? You can still get your order of A Curse of Scales & Feathers today 👉 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-curse-of-scales-feathers-a-fantasy-romance#/

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Thanks for watching and listening!

🔗 ➤ FACEBOOK: Self-Publishing Tips & Tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/selfpublishingtipstricks

🔗 ➤ Guest Registration for Self-Published Authors: https://forms.gle/a5kagunHv9x1jxvm6

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CONNECT WITH C.M. LOCKHART!

🌐Written in Melanin Website: https://www.writteninmelanin.com/

📗We Are the Origin: https://amzn.to/3XcPV3X

📗We Are the Origin LIMITED EDITION: https://shop.writteninmelanin.com/b/wato-le-ebook

📗Written in Melanin Books: https://www.writteninmelanin.com/books

🎥YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/WrittenInMelanin

🐦Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WrittenNMelanin

🎵TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@clockhartwrite

🔗The Links: https://WrittenInMelanin.com/links

💹Patreon: https://Patreon.com/CMLockhart

CONNECT WITH US!

▶Shanon (S.D. Huston) Links: https://linktr.ee/sdhuston

▶Ben Pick YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Running2Write

▶Ben Pick Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/running2write

▶Morgan Links: https://linktr.ee/authormorganlee

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#selfpublishingtipstricks #sptt

Episode 035

Released on: August 1, 2023

In this episode, we talk with thriller and short story writer, Bethany Votaw. Bethany also works as a ghostwriter, and we were interested in how she became a ghostwriter, what it's like working with clients, and how she balances her time to publish her own works. She also shares her tips and tricks for being a ghostwriter and an indie author.

🌟2023 Authortube Writing Conference: https://www.authortubewritingconference.com/

🌟"Non-Writing Resources for Writing | AWC Session 11" by Natlie Locke & Chandra Arthur on Flash Fiction: https://www.youtube.com/live/UoBNMzmgBlw?feature=share

🌟"Research Tools and How To Use Them | AWC 2023 Session 14" by Chandra Arthur & Natalie Locke on Flash Fiction: https://www.youtube.com/live/so4Y7GQXc0E?feature=share

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Thanks for watching and listening!

🔗 ➤ FACEBOOK: Self-Publishing Tips & Tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/selfpublishingtipstricks

🔗 ➤ Guest Registration for Self-Published Authors: https://forms.gle/a5kagunHv9x1jxvm6

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CONNECT WITH BETHANY VOTAW!

🎥YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BethanyVotaw

📧 Sign up for Bethany's newsletter for freebies!! http://eepurl.com/gVlJcH

📕Scribbles and Scrawls: https://books2read.com/u/4Nw8pz

🔉Scribbles Audiobook: https://www.audible.com/pd/Scribbles-and-Scrawls-Audiobook/B09PQC6KBF?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-292562&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_292562_rh_us

📕Tracker: https://books2read.com/u/bPy6E7

📕A Season of Darkness Anthology: https://books2read.com/u/bxaYZo

👕Bethany's Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/bethanyjvotaw/shop?artistUserName=bethanyjvotaw&asc=u

💬Join Bethany's Discord Community! There we find beta readers, critique partners, and have an open space to self promote and collaborate! Find it here: https://discord.gg/28yGjEJ

📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethanyjvotaw/

☕Support Bethany on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/bethanyjvotaw

CONNECT WITH US!

▶Shanon (S.D. Huston) Links: https://linktr.ee/sdhuston

▶Ben Pick YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Running2Write

▶Ben Pick Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/running2write

▶Morgan Links: https://linktr.ee/authormorganlee

Episode 034

Episode 033

Released on: July 1, 2023

In this episode, we talk with Estelle Van de Velde to find out her process of translating her travel memoir into French, all the steps it took, the missteps, and the differences in marketing the new translation. We also asked her how other authors could translate their works and best practices.

WEBSITES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

🌟2023 Authortube Writing Conference: https://www.authortubewritingconference.com/

🌟Shanon’s Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sdhuston/acurseofscaleandfeathers

🌟AI Translator: https://www.deepl.com/translator

🌟Joanna Penn’s Podcast: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/podcasts/

🌟Sacha Black: https://sachablack.co.uk/

🌟Bryan Cohen: https://bryancohen.com/

🌟Next challenge by Bryan Cohen starts 19 July: https://learn.bestpageforward.net/jul23/

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Thanks for watching and listening!

🔗 ➤ FACEBOOK: Self-Publishing Tips & Tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/selfpublishingtipstricks

🔗 ➤ Guest Registration for Self-Published Authors: https://forms.gle/a5kagunHv9x1jxvm6

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CONNECT WITH ESTELLE VAN DE VELDE!

🎥YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EstelleVandeVelde

🌐Website: https://vdvestelle.com/

📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vdvestelle/

🔗All Links: https://vdvestelle.com/links

📗PREORDER SEO for Authors: https://amzn.to/3I91eoK

📧 ENROLL into the 5-day SEO challenge: https://vdvestelle.com/seo-challenge

📗The Londoners: https://amzn.to/3Qhv7oJ

CONNECT WITH US!

▶Shanon (S.D. Huston) Links: https://linktr.ee/sdhuston

▶Ben Pick YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Running2Write

▶Ben Pick Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/running2write

▶Morgan Links: https://linktr.ee/authormorganlee

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#selfpublishingtipstricks #sptt

Episode 032

Released on: June 15, 2023

In this episode, Shanon and Morgan are joined by contemporary romance author and YouTuber Emma Bennet and Andy from the YouTube channel Easy Graphics as they discuss James Clear’s book, “Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones.” If you want to know how to build sustainable habits to achieve your goals, this book has real actionable advice that puts you on the right path to developing the right life-long habits for you and help you break your bad habits. We discuss how the principles of this book applies to our writer lives and how it could help other writers and authors.

Honestly, we all loved this book, and we’ve come away knowing so much more about ourselves and how we can improve our lives as writers and authors.

There’s even an honorable mention given to Richard Holliday, the second guest on our show in the very first season:

🌟Atomic Habits by James Clear: https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break-ebook/dp/B07D23CFGR

🌟2023 Authortube Writing Conference: https://www.authortubewritingconference.com/

🌟Fictionary: https://fictionary.co/

🌟Shanon’s Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sdhuston/acurseofscaleandfeathers

🌟Shanon’s Newsletter for the Short Story: https://bit.ly/Lies-Sun-Stone-Hybrid-Prince

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CONNECT WITH EMMA BENNET!

 🎥YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaBennetAuthor

📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/romanceemma/

CONNECT WITH ANDY!

CONNECT WITH US!

▶Shanon (S.D. Huston) Links: https://linktr.ee/sdhuston

▶Morgan Links: https://linktr.ee/authormorganlee

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Thanks for watching and listening!

🔗 ➤ FACEBOOK: Self-Publishing

🔗 ➤ Guest Registration for Self-Published

Episode 031

Released on: May 15, 2023

In this episode, Shanon does a solo review of “The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide To Character Expression” by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi. The book is a reference book for writers who want to improve their ability to convey characters' emotions effectively. Shanon talks about the book, how it’s helped her in her writing, its strengths, and its limitations.

WEBSITES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

🌟2023 Authortube Writing Conference: https://www.authortubewritingconference.com/

🌟First Page Critique Submissions for the 2023 AWC: https://bit.ly/first-page-submission

🌟Writers Helping Writers: https://writershelpingwriters.net

🌟One Stop for Writers: https://onestopforwriters.com

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Thanks for watching and listening!

🔗 ➤ FACEBOOK: Self-Publishing

🔗 ➤ Guest Registration for Self-Published

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CONNECT WITH SHANON (S.D. HUSTON): https://linktr.ee/sdhuston