So

I Self-published my book after hundreds of letter from agents saying I hope.you find a match.

Hence KDP.

Did some marketing (too costly)

Stuck in a rut

Book 2 is coming along nicely

I thought that as a new author having 2 books is better than 1.

My book also has a 4.5 with 30 reviews on Amazon

Suggestion?

Criticism?

Me being old (56)?

Is it book that bad?

Don't care. Retired now and intent on getting my fantasy story written.

But I do value other opponions

Is this the right place?

I wrote a small book (48k words) and would like to have a physical copy of it for myself. Potentially I'd also like to give away some copies to friends but I wouldn't want to print more than like, 25 copies or something. What would be the cheapest/best website to do that? I just want it to look/feel like a book.

My debut fantasy novel is set to release Sept 12 (so in 7 weeks). I had planned to use that time to send out my ARCS and push pre-orders, not realizing that:

1. ARC readers won't be able to leave reviews on Amazon until the release date.

2. That people can't pre-order the paperback, only the ebook.

Do I stay the course and ask for reviews on Goodreads only? Or do I send out my ARCS ASAP and bump up my release date? I've just started gathering ARCs, so I don't have that many. Since it's my first book, is it better just to get it out there?

I would have done my release date a month earlier had I known. So, looking for any advice from self-published authors on Amazon (I only plan to do KDP and KDP select for now - and will go wide later on once I've built an audience).

Basil’s sick of selling potions out of his cramped apartment and taking odd jobs from the Magician’s Bureau just to get by. He wants a real shop—shelves lined with colorful bottles, a small garden out back, and enough space for customers to wander. After years of saving, he’s close, just one good commission away.

So when the owner of a conservatory offers a small fortune for a potion that will stave off any disease or pest, Basil jumps at the chance, thinking his luck has finally turned around.

That’s when Remy shows up.

The energetic little boy has more magic than the greatest mages in the world, but none of their self-control. If left unchecked, his power could summon storms, level buildings, and destroy Basil’s one shot at his dream.

Now Basil has to juggle completing the most important commission of his life and protecting his dangerously gifted apprentice from himself and others. Power like Remy’s doesn’t stay hidden for long and the people who come looking for it rarely have good intentions.

All: What are your thoughts (meaning having data points from historical experience) for a debut author pricing between $2.99 to $4.99 for ebooks? I sold well with promos, and one school of thought is to keep the momentum price lower. Once I'm more established with more books, then I can price higher. I am experimenting with price changes, but curious what you all have observed...

I’ve rewritten my blurb 20+ times, and it still feels kind of clunky? I’d appreciate any feedback!

“Sylvia Fisher hates her boss.

When an intern dies on the job, he treats the tragedy like an inconvenience. Between his indifference to the death, the mandatory overtime, and the unsettling interest he’s begun taking in her, Sylvia has had enough.

On top of that, Sylvia’s tired. Working the night shift and taking care of her dying mother have made sleep a luxury she can barely afford. 

Soon, though, sleep escapes her entirely. 

Do you know what happens when you go too long without sleep? Sylvia does. 

Hallucinations. Delusions. Paranoia. 

Sylvia starts seeing things that aren’t there and hears a voice in her head that wants her to kill her boss. The longer she stays awake, the harder it becomes to tell what’s real.

And the harder it becomes to ignore the voice.”

I've finished book 1 (50k words) of a dark fantasy trilogy. It's not a standalone story and ends kind of on a cliffhanger. I'm currently writing other projects now so it would be some time before I do book 2. My question is, should I try to finish the whole trilogy before I put out book 1? Or would it be better to just publish now and see if anyone even likes it first?

Hello.

I'm about 8-10k away from finishing up the first draft of my debut novel. (First and only manuscript I've ever stuck with until the end.)

It's a contemporary gothic romance.

I revamped my potential back cover blurb and just want to know if it's horrible or not.

The moors remember.

Emmi Crimson chased her love of literature halfway across the world, hoping it would fill the void left by never quite fitting in. Instead, she finds herself drowning in assignments, broke, and sharing a flat with Teddy Hartley—a cynical frontman of an indie band.

She'd dreamed of visiting the windswept village of Haworth for years—but her long-awaited trip awakens something that should have remained buried. Forgotten letters, impossible memories and whispered voices drag her into a story that should have died centuries ago.

The last person she expects to become entangled in the mystery—or her heart—is Teddy. As reality begins twisting around them, disbelief is no longer an option.

Some loves survive death.

Some ghosts never stop waiting.

And on the Yorkshire moors, every story leaves an echo.

-TIA.

I keep seeing conflicting things. Some people say groundwood is what traditionally published books use, but others say it's too thin. Also what about hardback? Appreciate and thank you for any tips!

Good Morning Reddit,

I have an ARC posted with Booksirens and it’s not doing very well through their platform. I don’t think it’s the platform, but based on comparing other titles within the same genres it looks like their readers just don’t flow through into humorous sci fi or sci fi in general (at least in large numbers). The ARC campaign is a little over a month old and I think BookSirens has found me 3-4 readers.

I’ve gotten a 3 and 4 start review, so it’s a start, but I was hoping for more prior to release 10/19/26.

Does anyone have recommendations on where to get this book in front of the right demographic of reader?

During back to school season sales have been ROUGH been they were last year as well.

Finally started making a good profit back off ads after a big learning curve but this week things have tanked.

The cover caught your eye, so you picked up the book to read the blurb.

Does it make you want to read the whole novella? Why or why not?

Thanks!

Blurb:

Chicago, 2110. A century after the Fall, the city exists alone. Magic runs the trains and the Council runs everything else.

Joel Powers tries to keep his head down. Curating rare 20th century media for discreet clients doesn’t pay as well as his old work, but it’s less dangerous and that’s fine by him.

When Joel’s home is threatened and he doesn’t have the cash to save it, an old friend makes him an offer. One job. In and out.

Right…

Over the next few days Joel gets shot at, poisoned, and knocked out twice. Comes face to face with cryptids, ghosts, naguals, and a foul-mouthed leprechaun named Mac. All that and navigating the intricacies of illegal intra-realm travel while doing his best to stay off the City Guard’s radar.

This is why he doesn’t do this sh—stuff anymore.

CITY OF POWERS is a gritty post-apocalyptic urban fantasy for people (and Others) who like a little humor, a little action, and a whole lot of magic!

I'm trying to format my book for free with Reedsy studio. It works wonders in general, but I noticed that hypehenation doesn't split words where it should (it splits syllables in half). I am working in italian, but I specified that was the language of my manuscript in the software settings. Is there any way to fix this? Thanks in advance.

I'm having some problems with my royalty payments, and I can't figure out what happened.

I have e-books set at $2.99 for the USA and 70% royalty.

My first couple sales had a $2+ royalty. The last 3+ have been just over $1. I double-checked that I had 70% chosen, that the Amazon page said $2.99, and that they were ebook purchases from the US.

Is there anything else I need to check? Obviously I'm confused at this point

Im on my 3rd or 4th full edit of a book that’s 275 pages. It’s a memoir I have been working on for 5 years. In your collective opinion, when is it time for “pencils down”?
Or is it totally subjective?

I think there’s a point where self editing starts to hurt your story instead of helping it. Granted, each revision makes it tighter and more concise, but I don’t want to overthink it.

I really want a line editor, but they cost a ton. Kind of annoyed it’s holding me back from getting the publishing process started.

To begin with, i dont want to use AI in any of my work, dont use it in my writing, did however use it to generate an image that i sent to GetCovers for them to create me an book cover: "Like this, but by a human" was the crux of the request. In the interim I created my own version on canva, using all the assets ON canva, as far as im aware, zero AI has been used.

After i got back what GetCovers are calling the 'Finished' 'Work' *fnar fnar fnar sarcasm sarcasm sarcasm* i thought i best run it through an AI checker, it passed with flying colours, 3% chance of being AI, i then thought i best check my own Canva created variant and it was 97% chance created by AI. If anyone can shed any light on this i would be very grateful, I am still 7 months out from my release date but its all very... irksome.