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Wealth Streams Academy
370 members • Free
Lessons in Self Publishing
437 members • Free
8 contributions to Lessons in Self Publishing
12d •
The Gap Between Two Launches
I compared two authors who published in the same month, same genre, similar quality. Six months later, one had a steady stream of readers finding their book weekly. The other hadn't sold a copy since launch week. When I looked closer, the gap wasn't talent, effort, or even marketing budget. It was something much simpler. Anyone want to guess before I share?
0 likes • 8d
@Author Rachel Mays @Writer Larry A. @Lisa Bennett great guesses, all of you, and honestly you're all circling the right answer from different angles. The real gap came down to consistency after launch. The author who kept selling weekly didn't have a bigger budget or more talent, they just kept showing up, posting, engaging readers, staying visible, long after launch week ended. The other author put everything into the launch itself, then went quiet once it was over, and sales dried up right along with the visibility. Larry and Lisa, you basically nailed it. Discoverability matters too, Rachel, but it turns out ongoing visibility is often what creates discoverability in the first place, not the other way around.
0 likes • 8d
@Ashley Muñoz @Snider Laura @Summer Riley jumping in here since a few of you are curious about YouTube, it can genuinely work well for authors, especially for building a personal connection with readers beyond just the book itself. That said, it works best when it's consistent rather than a one-off video, think regular content around your writing process, genre, or behind-the-scenes rather than just promo. Would love to hear if anyone here has actually tried it and what worked.
28d •
One conversation can change your entire journey.
When I began building my online business, I believed success came from figuring everything out on my own. I spent countless hours learning, making mistakes, and second-guessing every decision. Looking back, I wasn't lacking effort; I was lacking the right guidance. Everything started to change when I learned from someone who had already achieved the results I wanted. That guidance saved me from unnecessary mistakes, gave me a clearer direction, and helped me make better decisions with confidence. I think self-publishing is very similar. Writing the book is only one part of the journey. Publishing, positioning, marketing, and reaching the right readers all come with their own challenges. The good news is that no one has to figure it all out alone. That's one of the reasons I joined Lessons in Self Publishing. This community is full of people with different experiences, and one shared lesson can save someone else weeks or even months of frustration. So I'd love to hear from everyone here: Where are you in your self-publishing journey? What's the biggest challenge you're facing right now? If you could get guidance in one area, writing, publishing, marketing, or getting reviews- what would it be? Don't keep your struggles to yourself. Sharing them might be the first step toward finding the answer you're looking for, and your experience could help another author move forward. Let's learn from each other. What's the one thing you need help with today?
1 like • 19d
@Jessica Willow Yes, actually, that's part of what led me here. I've been involved in online business for a while now, and a lot of the same principles apply, understanding your audience, staying visible, and being consistent rather than chasing quick wins. Seeing how those principles played out in other spaces made it pretty natural to bring that same approach into helping authors, since so many of them are essentially building a business around their book whether they realize it or not. What about you, do you run any other business alongside connecting with authors here?
1 like • 12d
@Jessica Willow That's great to hear, eCommerce definitely teaches you a lot about visibility and consistency too, probably even faster than most niches. For me, aside from working with authors, I also help Etsy and Shopify sellers increase their sales, a lot of the same principles apply, understanding your audience, staying visible, and building trust consistently rather than chasing one time spikes. It's less about one specific niche and more about applying those core principles wherever they fit. What platform are you mainly selling on, and what's been the biggest challenge for you so far?
🔥
Jun 17 •
Authors ✍️ What's Your Biggest Struggle Right Now? 👇
What's your biggest frustration? 😊 I'm genuinely curious, and it'll help me understand what authors are struggling with most right now. Feel free to leave a comment too
Poll
3 members have voted
2 likes • 25d
@Adeline Carter Great question, Adeline. A few things I have seen make the biggest difference: getting really specific on who your ideal reader is before you market at all, building relationships in communities like this one instead of just broadcasting, and treating launch as the start of visibility rather than the end. Consistency after publication matters just as much as the launch itself, that is honestly where I see most authors drop off. Happy to go deeper on any of those if it would help.
0 likes • 12d
@S H That makes sense, in person sales work because the trust is already there before you even ask. Honestly, getting 2-3 sales a year just from word of mouth tells me there's real demand for your book, it just hasn't reached anyone outside your circle yet. That's actually a good sign. I have a pretty specific idea for how you could take that same word of mouth approach and translate it online without it feeling forced or salesy. Since we're just in the comments here, feel free to message me directly and I'll walk you through it.
25d •
The One Small Thing
I recently asked a handful of readers what makes them leave a 5 star review versus just quietly finishing a book and moving on. The answer had nothing to do with plot or writing quality. It came down to one small thing most authors never think to do. Anyone want to guess what it is before I share?
3 likes • 23d
Great point, Carley, that distinction between feeling appreciated versus feeling persuaded is everything. From what I have seen, they actually work best together, but at different points. The author note inside the book plants the seed while the reader is still emotionally connected to the story, so it feels natural rather than salesy. A follow-up email or message later works as a gentle reminder, especially for readers who meant to leave a review but got busy and forgot. Used alone, the note tends to get a few reviews right after finishing, but pairing it with a follow-up usually catches the readers who needed a nudge later on.
4 likes • 22d
You're spot on, Lili! It really does come down to that personal connection after the last page, a simple thank you or invitation to share their thoughts, done genuinely, makes readers feel like part of the journey rather than just an audience. That feeling is usually what turns into a review, not the quality of the writing alone. Have you tried something like that with your own readers, or is it something you're thinking about adding? By the way, would you be open to connecting sometime? I would love to hear more about your book and what you're working on.
Jul 16 •
The Pattern Nobody Talks About
I've noticed something odd. The authors who eventually get the most readers are rarely the ones who write the "best" book. There's a specific reason for that, and most people never figure it out until years in. Anyone else notice this pattern?
2 likes • 25d
Great question, Jessica. From what I have seen, the biggest factor is starting the reader relationship early, not waiting until launch day to think about who is going to buy and care about the book. The authors who build loyal readerships usually treat their audience like an ongoing relationship: they show up consistently, share their process, and stay visible long after publication instead of going quiet once the book is out. The ones who stall out tend to treat publishing as the finish line instead of the beginning. It comes down to mindset as much as strategy.
3 likes • 24d
@Maggie Haberman That's one of the most common struggles I hear, Maggie, and honestly one of the most fixable. Writing the book is a finish line for effort, but visibility is really a whole separate skill authors rarely get taught. What's helped for others in a similar spot is narrowing in on exactly where their ideal readers already hang out, then showing up there consistently instead of trying to be everywhere at once. Are you finding it's more the "getting discovered" part that's tough, or keeping momentum once someone does find your book?
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