As a new self-publisher, I’ve learned over these last two months that marketing is far harder than writing. For months I chased platforms — Skool, X, Pinterest, Reddit, Facebook — trying to get my book Fueling the Night Shift in front of real night shift nurses. But the results are not very noticeable. Then it hit me: what if I just… made videos for them? Sounded simple. It wasn't. I burned through nearly every mainstream AI video tool — robotic characters, stiff movements, hours of prompts for results I wasn't proud of. More than once, I nearly quit. Then I came across Gemini Omni Flash, and everything changed. I stopped obsessing over the tech and started asking the real question: what do night shift nurses actually struggle with at 3AM? That's when the angle found me — the coffee-snack-regret loop. Not a willpower problem. A biology problem. I wrote the script, refined it, rebuilt it. Way more time and pain than I expected. But that learning? Worth every hour. Where there's a will, there's a way. Now I'm committed to a daily series — one video every day. I don't know what it'll do for my book. Maybe nothing. But if even one nurse picks up one practical tip, I'm more than satisfied. First one's live here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SqV8INEl7V8 And since this community has seen countless videos — what resonated with you, and what didn't land? No sugarcoating, I'm still learning. Every honest note helps me serve those selfless night shift nurses better. Thank you. 🙏

I’m excited to be here and connect with other self-published and independent authors. One thing I’ve learned on my own author journey is that writing the book is only part of the journey, getting it in front of the right readers is another challenge entirely. I’m here to learn, share what has been working for me, and connect with authors who are navigating the same journey. I’d love to hear from you: What is the biggest challenge you're facing with your book right now, writing, publishing, marketing, getting visibility, or making sales? Let’s connect, learn from each other, and help more great books find the readers they deserve.

Quick question: You’ve written the book, published it on Amazon, and put it out into the world… But when was the last time you actually looked at your Amazon listing from a reader’s perspective? Sometimes the book isn’t the problem. The way it’s presented, categorized, or discovered can be. What’s the ONE thing you wish you could improve about your Amazon book listing right now? Drop it below 👇 I’d love to hear what authors are struggling with.

What’s the part of being an author that nobody really prepares you for? Is it finishing the book? Getting it published? Finding readers? Marketing? Or actually getting people to notice your book? 😂 I’ve been connecting with more authors lately, and I’ve realized we all seem to have a completely different journey. So tell me… What are you working on right now, and what’s been the most interesting part of your author journey so far? 📚 I’d love to meet some new authors here and hear what everyone is working on. 👋

I am currently struggling with consistency. I know that I need to put together a strict writing schedule, because without one I barely work on my book at all. How is everyones writing going?