5 Obstacles of Kindle Publishing and How to Overcome Them
Guest Post from Angie Nelson
Many could-be successful Kindle authors are quickly scared off by the thought of self-publishing. It’s a frightening thought, especially when compared to what we have come to know as traditional publishing. Kindle publishing is not something to fear! And it can be a great way to supplement your online income. Here are five common obstacles new eBook authors face and ways to overcome them.
I Don’t Know What to Write About
Start with what you know and are passionate about. If you are a recipe blogger, start with a short cookbook. If you are a closet poet, release some of those poems for the world to enjoy. If you are a web designer by day, create a how-to eBook that relates to your industry. Everyone is an expert at something, and everyone has a story to tell.
I Don’t have Time to Write a Novel
You do not need to write a full-length novel. In fact, many Kindle offerings are short stories or reference materials under 100 pages in length. Even 50-page, $.99 eBooks can make a dent in your passive income attempts. Personal challenges such as “one page a day” or structured writing groups like NaNoWriMo (http://nanowrimo.org/en) and Camp NaNoWriMo can keep you on track and motivated.
It’s Too Expensive to Publish a Book
This myth couldn’t be further from the truth. If you are a DIYer willing to learn, you may be able to handle every aspect of the publishing process without any outside help. And Amazon only takes a percentage of future sales. They do not require any upfront investment from authors.
I Don’t Know How to… (design a cover, edit, format, etc)
Those tasks you do not have the skills for and do not want to learn can be easily and affordably outsourced to others. You may choose to hire a specialist that will handle the entire process or you may even opt to send one-off simple tasks to Fiverr Sellers. Whichever path you choose, ask for references or past work examples.
Only Kindle Owners Can Read My Book
False. Amazon has apps available that allow for reading Kindle eBooks in web browsers, iOS and Android devices and more. There is little chance you are leaving anyone out. If it is a big concern, you can always make your book available through multiple merchants or make a print version available with CreateSpace.
There should be no more excuses holding you back from self-publishing your first Kindle eBook. As Leslie and I discussed in a recent podcast, even if you can’t type out your masterpiece for one reason or another you can dictate it with voice recognition software. Where there’s a will, there’s always a way!
Angie Nelson has been an online business owner since 2007. Today she balances several successful online ventures and shares her passion for home business with others on her blogs The Work at Home Wife and The Best Direct Sales Companies.
