Coffee with an Author (Episode 3)
Mini Book Author, Chris Stanley
Good morning!
Today, I am excited to introduce to you someone who probably no introduction, mini book author,
!Chris is a 26x Author, 16x #1 Amazon Bestseller, Founder and CEO of IA Path, an $800k/yr online coaching business for independent auto insurance adjusters (funny thing, he and I both write and publish books, and my day job is working as an insurance adjuster).
Today, we’ve got multiple forms of communication as Chris kindly recorded a video from answering the questions for the interview and he put them in writing so you can read them if you like.
First, the video:
What inspired you to pursue self-publishing, and how did you get started?
I started an online company that taught people how to become independent auto insurance adjusters and appraisers. I knew I needed something to establish myself as someone people could trust. I read Chandler Bolt's original version of “Published” and spent the next few weeks writing and editing my first book, Hail Adjuster’s Playbook.
What challenges did you face during the self-publishing process, and how did you overcome them?
Biggest challenge was cover design.
My first cover I did myself on Canva. I modeled after a book I liked and my version was garbage.
I launched with it but quickly updated it once I had a little money. I hired a designer ofd of Fiver to do it.
Turned the design they did into a template for all the books in my series.
This is a nice tip for paying for one cover and then designing the rest yourself based on the template.
How long was it from the time you decided to write and publish a book to the time that you actually did it?
About 20 days.
What platforms did you use to publish your book, and why did you choose them?
I published to Amazon using KDP Publishing because it's the biggest bookstore on the planet. It matters to people when I say, "You can find my book on Amazon."
How do you build and engage your audience as an independent author?
I primarily interact with people through LinkedIn and my email newsletter. Writing a weekly deep dive for my audience has been a huge source of engagement for me. I eventually started a Mighty Network five years ago. That community is the backbone of my high-end coaching products and allows our people to be deeply connected.
What marketing strategies have worked best for promoting your book?
BookBub has been a game changer for me. Using their BookBub ads platform to target readers of specific authors and genres at affordable prices has been amazing. Once I get my books to around 75 reviews, I submit them to BookBub for their Featured Deal promotion. When selected, my book was downloaded over 10,000 times in 24 hours.
The best way I get reviews is by giving my book away via other promotion sites like Robin Reads, Freebooksy, or Fussy Librarian. For every 100 downloads, I typically get 1 review. Getting more downloads is key, and these promotion sites often get me over 1,000 downloads per promotion.
How do you handle editing, cover design, and formatting without the support of a traditional publisher?
I use Atticus for my word processor and formatting. With one click, it formats perfectly, and another click exports to digital or paperback formats. I use Canva for all my designs.
My framework for creating book covers is the QUICK Book Cover Model:
Q – Qualify what a good-selling book cover looks like by finding three you like the feel of on Amazon.
U – Upload those designs to Canva or Bookbrush.
I – Insert the elements and recreate the book cover as closely as possible.
C – Customize the cover by changing the title, subtitle, author name, images, and colors to match your book and brand.
K – Kindle-ready, ensure your cover meets Kindle requirements and is ready for publication.
For editing, I have used freelance editors from three different sites at mid-priced ranges and got varied results. I've hired an editor for $1,500 for a 10,000-word book. I've self-edited using ProWritingAid, and now I rely heavily on ChatGPT to do the bulk of the editing.
What advice would you give to someone considering self-publishing for the first time?
Just start. Determine what problem you want to tackle and make a POWER promise to the reader.
You communicate your promise in five different ways:
P – Problem the reader faces.
O – Offer a solution to the problem.
W – Words that create a great hook in your title.
E – Expectation of transformation stated in the subtitle.
R – Reveal the genre and overall theme with your cover.
If you nail the problem, solution, and transformation, you'll be on your way to a great book. Spend time outlining and sticking to a strict format so you keep the scope tight.
If you are struggling to figure out the direction of the book or fuzzy on the outline, you haven’t gotten specific enough on the problem. For instance, "write and publish a book" is OK. But "write and publish a book in 7 days or less" is an even clearer promise of what the book is about.
How do you balance writing with the demands of self-publishing and promoting your work?
By having a routine for building my business and growing my readership base. I post three times weekly on social media, email a deep dive weekly to my newsletter, comment on five people's posts each day, and do at least one big promo for a book each month.
If I want ongoing promotion, I spend $20-$30/day on BookBub ads.
What’s one thing you wish you knew before starting your self-publishing journey?
I wish I knew it wasn't hard to publish. The hardest part is promotion and getting reviews. I felt like a failure when I should have been dancing in the rain after getting 25 reviews in the first month on my first book.
Check out Chris’s Books!
I want to thank Chris for spending some time with us and encourage you to subscribe to her publication here on Substack. Most of all, check out her books on Amazon to support her work and learn more about writing and self-publishing!
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!
Great advice!
Great stuff, thank you!