5 Self-Publishing Lessons From 2024
3 Bold Predictions for 2025.
I have moved the most books in one year than ever before in 2024.
Looking at the stats, by the end of this month, I should 4x my total number of books sold compared to last year and it will double the total number of books sold all years prior to this one.
This increase means I am making regular income, getting book reviews, and every time I launch a new book, it does super well and I add to the number of #1 bestsellers.
What’s better, is my most recent book became a #1 Bestseller, Top New Release, and #1 New Release in several categories. This launch of a book has also led to additional sales on other books. Here’s a snap shot:
Most of this is because I learned valuable lessons this year which I had missed in the past. So, today, I thought I might share some of these lessons learned.
5 Powerful Lessons Learned About Self-Publishing in 2024
Now, there are a lot of lessons learned, some I might even have shared before, but I conclude that these lessons are the primary drivers to my success this year. And, I am banking on them helping me grow even more this next year.
#1 - Believe in Your Book
I know, you might be scoffing at this idea. Why would an author write a book they don’t believe in. The truth is, lots of authors write a book they believe in, but the moment they publish and start promotion, they start to have doubts.
When I started believing that my books were worth reading, even after a bad review or a slow book launch, it helped me get the ball rolling.
Not every book will hit, but if you believe your book is worth the time an effort to write, and it is worth reading, then you need to act like it and share the crap out of that book.
Your level of promotion is your level of belief.
#2 - People Need to Read Your Book
Yes, we want people to buy and download our books. But we need people to read our books so they can leave reviews, tell their friends about them, and start sharing them online too.
Listen, you can put your Kindle book up for $9.99 and your paper back book up for $24.99 to set a high profit margin for an order. Unless you have a huge following who craves every word of your writing to begin with, you aren’t going to sell. And in turn, no one is going to read your book.
You need to make your book accessible if you aren’t an established figure. This means keeping the price low, this means giving it away for free, this means putting it into people’s hands to read up front.
The more your book is out there, the better it will do in the long run.
#3 - Short Books are Changing Everything
We are living in the age of the mini book. Yes, there are established readers out there like you and me who are not afraid of jumping into a 300+ page book to enjoy the experience of reading, but the reality is, we are a minority group of readers.
Most people, if they read books, are looking for answers to problems. And because of the invent of TikTok and X, they want that information in a concise, easy-to-read, super actionable manner.
This means, a short book is going to do better than a long one. And this is 100% true. This year, I wrote more short books and my KENP (Kindle Unlimited) reads are through the roof.
Keep it short and more readers will read your book all the way through.
#4 - Reviews are Essential
If there is anything I have learned it is the power of the review. I think we hear this a lot as we try and take in as much information as we can about self-publishing, but we think getting 20, 30, or 50 reviews is nearly impossible.
And guess what? It is if your book isn’t out there in front of people. It’s even harder if you aren’t making it easy for readers to review your book too.
While the majority of my books have low reviews, and I am working to resolve this issue, the ones that are 20 or more sell every single day. This is a huge difference compared to the books that have less than 10 reviews.
The more reviews you have, the more sales you have over time.
#5 - You Need to be Writing a Series of Books
The book series is essential for ongoing sales at an organic level. The more books you have in a series, the more sales you are going to get of those books (no matter the price point).
I have found that if someone buys one book in a series, they will buy at least one more from it, maybe all of them. This has been a significant driver to my sales. Especially as I launch a new book in a series, give it away for free, and then people jump over and pick up two to three at regular price.
The book series is an easy marketing and sales tool for your books. And it helps establish your authority as an author because you have written on multiple topics in your niche.
Don’t write one book, write a series.
Bonus: 3 Bold Predictions for 2025
Alright, with 2024 coming to a close, I think there are some things we need to talk about when it comes to 2025. I have been thinking a lot about my plans for writing and self-publishing for next year and they revolve around these three predictions I have for 2025.
Audiobook consumption will continue to climb. I think more and more people are listening to audiobooks while they workout, commute to work, or go about daily life. If there was a place I want to make sure my books are, it’s in audiobooks. And it has never been easier to create them with the new AI voice options with Amazon.
2025 will be the year of the Mini Book. This year taught me that people want short, easy-to-read, and actionable books. My sales have taught me that and I think this will double or even triple next year. If you have been working on a long legacy book, maybe it’s time to break it up.
Self-publishing author will be able to 10x their results in 2025. People are getting tired of seeing the same old faces in different writing niches. Sure, they are predictable and you know what you will get (like Starbucks), but people want something different. Self-publishing authors will provide that this year and find wild success.
I am banking on my lessons learned to play a huge impact for my success in 2025 and I am convinced that my predictions will come true. And since that is the case, I want to help people get started on their journey as an author.
So, I am launching a course and community in 2025 that is so affordable, it is a no-brainer to join. Not only will you be able to learn at your own pace the entire process of writing and publishing a book, but you can do it with other people who are right where you are too.
The Minimalist Author Way & The Club
With my course, The Minimalist Author Way, I will take you from book idea to bestselling book. This means we will discuss everything from idea validation, writing the book, editing and design, to publishing on Amazon and promoting your book to a bestseller.
And for a limited time, I am offering The Minimalist Author Club with the course for no additional charge. This means, when you sign up for the course, you will get The Club as well!
Now, the course and club go 100% live January 1st, but you can reserve your spot today, and even get started on the earlier portions of the course right now.
Why wait any longer? Now is your time to write a book and in 2025, capitalize on the growth of self-publishing!
My name is J.R. Heimbigner and I am a #1 Bestselling Author on Amazon with 18 self-published books. I have two things I want to share with you:
Also, this post may contain sales or affiliate links, so I might get a little kickback if you purchase anything. Thank you in advance!
I have (and read) your Substack-Posts-to-Manuscript book. Can I use the Minimalist Author Way course to further my Substack posts into a book? Or do I need to begin with a new idea for your course? Thanks. (It's very reasonably priced, by the way.)
This is a great summary. Thank you! All of my past books - whether traditionally or self-published - have been 300+ pages. But I'm going to publish a lighthearted childhood memoir in late January that will only be 150 pages or less. I'm very interested to see how this plays out, both the lightheartedness and the length.