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P2P Author Business Harbor

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Lessons in Self Publishing

437 members • Free

5 contributions to Lessons in Self Publishing
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?
3 likes • 20d
@Adam Erhart This is so true, Adam. Writing and marketing really are two completely different skill sets, and I think a lot of authors don't realize that until they've already lost real time. I know I underestimated it early on too. For those reading this, would you say you tried to figure out marketing on your own first, or did you seek out guidance early? Curious how much that timing ends up mattering.
The Blind Spot 7 Out of Ten Share
I went back and looked at the last ten authors I talked to who felt "stuck" after launch. Some of them had the exact same blind spot, and it wasn't about their writing at all. Kind of surprised me how consistent it was. Anyone else run into this?
2 likes • 23d
@Nataleh Nicole That's such a good question, Nataleh. For me, having the right guidance and structure around marketing made the biggest difference, more than any single tactic on its own. It wasn't about doing more, it was about knowing what actually mattered and staying consistent with it. What's been the most overwhelming part for you so far, figuring out which strategy to use, or actually staying consistent with one?
2 likes • 23d
@Nataleh Nicole Honestly, yes. Having someone experienced walk me through what actually matters made the biggest difference, way more than trying to piece it together from articles or random advice. Adam Erhart's been a big help with that for me, he's actually posted some really good insight on this exact topic recently if you want a starting point. But I think the core of it really is what you said, picking one proven approach and sticking with it instead of chasing every new tactic.
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?
3 likes • 26d
This mindset shift really is the key, Adam. I've experienced it firsthand, treating publishing as the start of a relationship instead of the finish line. Having that guidance early on made a huge difference in how I approached marketing and staying consistent after launch. For those still figuring this out, having someone to walk you through that shift, instead of learning it the hard way years in, can save a lot of time.
If you aren’t using social media to market…
how are you planning on getting sales? Are you going to be doing more in person sales through vendor events? Do you have a giant email list you’ve built over the years that you will be taping into? Let us know other ways you can market your book besides social media. (But also, I’m a strong believer that you definitely SHOULD be using it 😁)
4 likes • Jul 17
Great thread, this really shows the value of owning your platform, not just renting attention on social media. Liz, those Klaviyo results are impressive. For those with an email list already, how long before it started converting into actual sales, not just signups?
Pictures Of My Two Poetry Books, One At A Time
Hi Danielle and hi everybody! This is Michael Teferi here! Here are the pictures of myself with my two poetry books, one at a time! Please let me know your thoughts and opinions about them with me! FYI, I have decided to wait until I get published going forward. I just honestly need to be discovered! Here is my free, brand new Author Website: https://michaelteferi.author-pages.com
Pictures Of My Two Poetry Books, One At A Time
1 like • Jul 16
That's great that you're already active on Substack and Instagram, that's more than a lot of people do. How's it been going so far, are you seeing much engagement or growth from either one? I'm trying to get a sense of what's actually working for people versus what just feels productive but doesn't move the needle much.
2 likes • Jul 16
@Michael Teferi That's exciting, Michael, Querying agents and putting together a full trilogy proposal is no small task, so that alone says a lot about how seriously you're taking this. Five weeks in is a good sign, means you're in the real waiting window now. Rooting for you, keep us posted when you hear back.
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Danie Marie
2
2 points to level up
@danie-marie-9374
Author and Mother of two

Active 6d ago
Joined Jul 14, 2026