Coffee with an Author (Episode 1)
10 Questions to Learn More About Self-Publishing and Writing
One of the most significant ways to become a better writer, and one that helped me start self-publishing, was by asking questions of writers and authors who were a little farther down the road from me.
In 2019, I started working on my first book, reaching out to people who had already written a book and asking questions about their experience.
Those responses helped prepare me for the failures and successes that would come with writing and publishing a book. Most of all, they helped me see that we are all in the same boat and that anyone can actually publish a book.
Coffee with an Author
As such, I will start a featured post on my Substack with a virtual interview where I will ask authors ten questions about their self-publishing journey and share them with you.
The idea for this came to me in a dream about sitting down and interviewing authors. In the dream, I connected with authors worldwide to learn about their experiences and share their books and platforms.
This may eventually evolve into a podcast or YouTube channel. But for now, I thought it would be fun to create a simple interview-style post with my questions and help you connect with other authors.
Coffee with J.R. Heimbigner
To kick things off, I thought I would answer the questions, and next week, we will hear from someone else. So, let’s dive in!
What inspired you to pursue writing and publishing books, and how did you get started?
In 2019, I wrote a series of posts (21), and when I completed the series, several authors shared with me that I should consider turning the content into a book. When I started looking into it, I realized I could try it. Before that, I hadn’t thought much about writing and publishing books. But, after that first book, I was hooked.
What challenges did you face writing and publishing your first book, and how did you overcome them?
With my first book, I didn’t know what I was doing. So, I picked up a book by a well-known, self-published author and followed his framework. When I encountered something unclear, I would research the answers as problems arose. This has been my practice from my first book to my fifteenth.
How long was it from when you decided to write and publish a book to when you actually did it?
In January 2019, I decided to turn all that content about productivity into a book, which I published in June 2019. It took me a couple of months to work up the courage to make it happen, but when I did, I went all out to get my book written, edited, designed, and published.
What platforms do you use to publish your books, and why did you choose them?
I use Amazon KDP primarily. Though I have published on other platforms, I found that Amazon was the best place because of its built-in nature for searching and buying books. To this day, it is the main platform. Now, I use Gumroad too, but Amazon is where I sell most of my books.
How do you build and engage your audience as an independent author?
I have done many things to build an audience, but the main thing is to stick to the niche that my book is in. When I write about writing, I focus on writers. When creating Christian devotionals, I create spaces just for Christian readers. The niche has been vital. You can’t mix and match.
What marketing strategies have worked best for promoting your book?
My #1 marketing strategy has been free book promotions with The Fussy Librarian. I have had huge success getting my books to #1 Bestsellers with this promotional strategy, and it helps keep my books selling regularly.
How do you handle editing, cover design, and formatting without the support of a traditional publisher?
I use a mix of DIY and hiring out. When I was hired, my editor was a friend I visited daily. He has helped make my books great. When I hire out for cover design, I have another friend who has done a great job designing for me. Otherwise, I do a lot of self-editing and designing. And I format all of my books myself because it is my favorite activity besides writing.
What advice would you give to someone considering self-publishing for the first time?
Get help! Over the years, one thing that made a difference for me was getting help from other authors or hiring someone to answer my questions and keep me accountable. This made the writing and publishing process so much easier for the first-time author.
How do you balance writing with the demands of self-publishing and promoting your work?'
I’ve shared this before, but everything I work on goes towards my books. Blog posts are chapters and sections of my books, or they help promote my books. I have stopped creating content purely to create content; it has to be built into my self-publishing business.
What’s one thing you wish you knew before starting your self-publishing journey?
I wish I had known where I was going with writing and publishing before I started. I wrote my first book based on a suggestion while trying to figure out my niche and passion for writing. So, I have done a lot of niche-hopping and restarting with audience building over the years. If I had known better initially, I would have dialed that in first.
Featured Self-Published Book
***This section will typically share the author's books in the interview, but I wanted to share my friend’s book today.***
I want to introduce you to my friend
who write this excellent book:Purposeful Pen: 31 Days to Discovering Why You Love to Write and Finding Your Purpose
Unlock the True Purpose Behind Your Words Are you ready to discover why you write? This book takes you on a transformative journey to uncover the deep motivations fueling your writing passion. Whether you're an aspiring writer or an experienced wordsmith, this book will guide you in understanding your writing purpose.
Learn how to write and publish an Amazon Bestseller in 90 Days!
Have you wanted to write and publish a book? Yet, you haven’t done it. Book a call with me, and I will help you write and publish a bestselling book on Amazon!
My name is J.R. Heimbigner and I am a #1 Bestselling Author on Amazon with 15 self-published books. I have two things I want to share with you:
A short book to help you write books with your Substack posts called Substack Books.
The New Writer School on my Gumroad Store. You will find a free checklist for daily engagement, my Writer’s Starter Pack, and a sign up to have a one-hour call with me to discuss writing or self-publishing.
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 enjoyed hearing the thought process of the "behind the scenes" from a published book writer. I look forward to reading more.
Great post and interview - Appreciate the perspective and tips here. Hoping to go the KDP route for my book early next year!