“Good reviews are wonderful for the ego, but an informative negative review can be invaluable. You are not infallible and you cannot expect your work to be any different. It can always be better.”
That’s according to self-published writer Kealan Patrick Burke as told to Publishers Weekly. The author won a 2004 Bram Stoker award for his novella The Turtle Boy, but could not make writing his full-time job.
However, some years later he decided to get back into writing and he decided to self-publish his backlist as an experiment. After three years he was able to quit his job as a fraud investigator and write full-time.
Burke researched self-publishing extensively before committing to it. He sought out advice from others so that he could get a balanced view of the pros and cons. He brushed up his Photoshop skills so he could design his own covers and he read about the formatting of books.
He admits that he underestimated the need for marketing. Nobody will read your book, he says, unless you teach yourself how to be a savvy marketer.
His other top tips for self-published authors are:
Editing. Make sure your book is thoroughly edited and proof-read.
Stand Out. Find new and innovative ways to make your book stand out.
Reviews: Good reviews, he says are great for the ego, but an informative, negative one can really help. You can learn from it. Another tip is never to engage with reviewers. Your one and only chance to sway their opinion was with your book.
That’s according to self-published writer Kealan Patrick Burke as told to Publishers Weekly. The author won a 2004 Bram Stoker award for his novella The Turtle Boy, but could not make writing his full-time job.
However, some years later he decided to get back into writing and he decided to self-publish his backlist as an experiment. After three years he was able to quit his job as a fraud investigator and write full-time.
Burke researched self-publishing extensively before committing to it. He sought out advice from others so that he could get a balanced view of the pros and cons. He brushed up his Photoshop skills so he could design his own covers and he read about the formatting of books.
He admits that he underestimated the need for marketing. Nobody will read your book, he says, unless you teach yourself how to be a savvy marketer.
His other top tips for self-published authors are:
Editing. Make sure your book is thoroughly edited and proof-read.
Stand Out. Find new and innovative ways to make your book stand out.
Reviews: Good reviews, he says are great for the ego, but an informative, negative one can really help. You can learn from it. Another tip is never to engage with reviewers. Your one and only chance to sway their opinion was with your book.
