Okay, I've been seeing more questions pop up about ISBNs. Many people think they must buy one before publishing a book, but that isn't always true. Here's a simple breakdown: 📚 You probably DON'T need to buy an ISBN if: ✅ You're publishing only on Amazon KDP ✅ You are okay with Amazon showing as the publisher ✅ You're testing a book idea before investing more money ✅ You're creating low-content books, journals, or books under a pen name where publisher branding isn't important Amazon will actually give you a FREE ISBN for paperbacks and hardcovers. Now here is when buying your own ISBN may make more sense: 💡 Consider buying your own ISBN if: ✅ You want to publish your book beyond Amazon (Barnes & Noble, bookstores, IngramSpark, libraries, etc.) ✅ You want YOUR name or publishing company listed as the publisher instead of Amazon ✅ You're building a long-term publishing brand ✅ You plan to expand into multiple distribution channels One thing many people don't realize: ❌ One ISBN does NOT cover everything. Each format typically needs its own ISBN: • Paperback = 1 ISBN • Hardcover = 1 ISBN • Ebook = usually not required on KDP For beginners, I usually suggest keeping costs low and using the free KDP ISBN while learning the process. You can always invest more as your publishing business grows. Question for you: Did you buy your own ISBN, or did you use the free KDP option?

One thing I see a lot with coloring book creators is they publish their book and then sit back waiting for reviews to magically appear. The challenge with coloring books is that they are usually only offered in paperback format, which can make reviews a little slower because readers actually need to receive the book, use it, color in it, and enjoy the experience first. Here are a few ideas that can help: ✅ Build a small review team before launch - reach out to your network and ask people if they would be willing to support your book launch (while staying within Amazon guidelines), community members, or people already interested in your niche and let them know your book is coming. ✅ Share flip-through videos- Create short videos on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Pinterest, or social media showing pages inside the book. People are more likely to buy and review when they can see what they are getting. ✅ Include a reminder inside your book - Add a page at the beginning or end with something simple like: "I hope you enjoyed this coloring book! Reviews help independent creators like me continue creating more books." ✅ Drive more sales first- Reviews usually follow volume. If your book sells 5 copies, reviews may be very limited. If it sells 100+ copies, your chances increase naturally. ✅ Create excitement around your niche- People often buy coloring books because of a passion or interest. Join communities where your audience already hangs out and become part of the conversation. One thing I wouldn't do: ask for only positive reviews or offer incentives in exchange for reviews. Amazon takes review policies seriously. Question for you all: If you have published a coloring book already, what has helped you get reviews? 👇

One of the biggest misconceptions in self-publishing is thinking that CONTENT is what sells the book. Yes, quality content matters. You want readers to have a great experience so they leave positive reviews and recommend your book. But before someone ever reads your content… they first have to CLICK and BUY your book. That comes down to 3 major things: 1️⃣ Keyword Optimized Titles If your title and subtitle don’t contain keywords people are actively searching for, your book may never appear in front of the right audience. Amazon is a search engine. This is why I always recommend using tools like Publisher Rocket to validate keywords before publishing. 2️⃣ A Professional Looking Cover People absolutely judge books by the cover. In the Premium Classroom, I teach how to DIY covers using Canva, but if you really want your book to stand out, hiring a designer can make a huge difference. I personally like 99designs because you can run contests and get multiple mockups from designers. Your cover’s job is to get the click. 3️⃣ Reviews Reviews build trust. A buyer may love your title and cover, but weak reviews can instantly hurt conversions. That’s where quality content becomes critical, helping you maintain strong reviews, referrals, and repeat buyers. Visibility + Clickability + Trust = Book Sales. Publishing isn’t just about writing. It’s about positioning your book correctly.

One thing I think people are going to regret is NOT starting their own Skool community sooner. When I got started back in 2024, there was no $9 Hobby Plan. I’ve been paying the $100/month plan ever since. I could downgrade now, but honestly, the affiliate feature alone has been worth keeping because it gives members an incentive to share your community and bring in new people. That has absolutely helped this community grow. Another thing I’m noticing? Skool is investing heavily into helping communities get discovered on the platform itself. Right now there’s still opportunity because the platform isn’t completely oversaturated yet. The earlier you build, the easier it is to establish momentum before thousands more communities flood in competing for attention. Now obviously I’m not a Skool insider, but personally, I wouldn’t be shocked if the $9 plan doesn’t stay around forever. If you can lock that pricing in now, there’s a good chance future-you will be happy you did. So if you’ve been thinking about starting a community… stop overthinking it. Yeah @Greg Junge @Todd Rosenthal @Vicky C @Lisa Jeffries - I'm talking about you 😉 Open the group. Start posting. Start building relationships. Start learning the platform. Why wait when it’s only $9/month? ➡️ START YOUR COMMUNITY NOW

Do you have a book you absolutely loved to read? 👇 Drop your favorite read in the comments!