What Experiences have Other Self-publishers had?

[JeanneT]

Ok, I'll give you my advice as someone who has sold a fair number of "self-published" novels: Never, ever sign with a "self-publishing company". For your previous books, it's too late. But, seriously, don't do it again.

If you don't want to do the formatting for putting your novels into ebook form, you can find freelancers who do that for you for a small flat fee. Upload to Amazon KDP. Most indie author sales are of eBooks not of print books though. The eBook revolution changed pretty much everything for authors.

Most self-publishers or indies publish their paperbacks through CreateSpace. Again, if you don't feel you can do the formatting, you can have it done for a small fee by a freelancers.

ONLY pay flat fees for services. Covers? I hire an experienced cover designer, one who has done covers for many publishing companies, to do my covers.

Advertising? Yes, advertising can help but there is a very short list of publications that have a record of doing well with ads for books. Pixel of Ink is one. eBook News Today is another. They are generally booked for ads as much as a year ahead. Certainly, I would suggest having links to your books in your signatures.

[Falen]

Ok, I'll give you my advice as someone who has sold a fair number of "self-published" novels:

Just a random question - why did you put self-published in quotes? Are they not actually self-pubbed?

[JeanneT]

Ok, I'll give you my advice as someone who has sold a fair number of "self-published" novels:

Just a random question - why did you put self-published in quotes? Are they not actually self-pubbed?

Because I was quoting. It's not a term I use myself. Like many indie authors, I refer to myself as an indie.

[Falen]

Indie published and self-published is not the same thing

Indie published still have publishing houses, even if they're small. Self-published do it themselves, even if they create their own publishing label.