Writer on a Budget: Insider tips and resources to help you write, polish, publish, and market your book at minimal cost by Sarah Lentz
I’ve been remiss in not posting more book reviews to my blog. I read a great many books, blogs, and downloads and have learned many tips and techniques about writing and book marketing. I should share this information more often. My latest download is Writer on a Budget: Insider Tips and Resources to Help You Write, Polish, Publish, and Market Your Book at Minimal Cost, written by Sarah Lentz.
Do you need to spend a fortune getting your book to market?
Sarah Lentz says no. After going the pro route for her first book, paying for someone else to edit, format, and build a cover, she determined to find a better, less expensive way to do the same work on her own.
The author takes on a logical journey through the writing process, starting with writing the book, and the steps she’s taken, the pitfalls she’s encountered, and the resources she’s used. At the end of each chapter, she liberally lists her sources, from books she’s favored to blogs and YouTube videos.
You’ll learn the going rates of hiring an editor, what editing software is available, and where to find beta-readers.
In the formatting chapter, she shares the tools she’s used, how to set up styles, insert images and hyperlinks.
Formatting isn’t as hard as you think
The author delves into the ins and outs of formatting a book from cover page to end matter, proving it’s a matter of following guidelines for both ebooks and printed versions. She also praises the ease in creating a cover with Canva.com (as I did in this post).
KDP Select or not?
Should you put all your (distribution) eggs in one basket? How do you choose the right keywords? What categories should you choose, and can you add more than the two Amazon allows? (Her answer is Yes!)
Which marketing books are worth the money (or download)?
Which self-help authors are worth your dollars? Do I launch my Amazon book on Kindle Select, free, permafree, at 99 cents, or more? How do I promote my book before and after launch?
In conclusion
Sarah Lentz has written a helpful, comprehensive book on taking your book from concept to bookshelf. She shares a boatload of books, blogs, links, and advice, and if she has no experience with a resource, she’ll admit it. She has impressed me with the amount of research she’d done and her willingness to share with the D.I.Y. writing community.
Thank you for joining me on my blog today. If you know of someone who can benefit from Writer on a Budget, please share this post.
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Blessings,
Cheryl
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