When I started self-publishing in 2017, I had one goal: get my stories into readers’ hands. What I didn’t realize then was that writing the book is only half the job. The other half is running a business.

Here’s are a few things I’ve learned from a 30,000 foot view.

1. Your Book IS a Product

It’s easy to get emotionally attached to your book—and you should. But once it’s finished, you now have to think like a business owner. Your book needs a compelling cover, a clear description, and the right metadata. You need to take the time to research and define your ideal audience. You’re not just selling a book—you’re selling an experience.

2. Marketing Never Stops

I used to think marketing was a short-term push around a launch date. WRONG. Marketing is an ongoing effort and it is a machine that never gets unplugged. Email lists, newsletters, social media, ads, podcasts, reviews—they all matter and you have to find a way to be omnipresent. The only way to do it is to find what works for you and STAY CONSISTENT. One post won’t move the needle. One hundred might. It will not be perfect either! Even after writing fifteen novels and publishing eleven of them, I still struggle to stay consistent with the marketing side. Allow it to be fluid, find a process that works and then do your absolute best to stick to it.

3. Invest in Professional Help

I’ve edited books myself, designed my own covers, and uploaded files at 2 a.m.—and I’ve learned when to stop doing that. A professional editor, cover designer, or audiobook narrator isn’t just a cost—it’s an investment in quality. Readers can absolutely tell a difference! Beyond that, it is not enough to just hire anyone. You have to vet the people or companies you are hiring. My first novel I paid WELL over what I should have for editing services, simply because I didn’t know any better. Super expensive? Much mean the quality is super high! Wrong. The outcome was dozens of reviews notifying me of simple spelling or grammatical errors that any high schools student would have caught, much less a professional editor. On that note, once you hire someone, it doesn’t mean go hands off. Now you have to MANAGE those resources and ensure that what they are producing for you is acceptable work and that it is helping your product, and not hurting it.

4. Track Your Metrics

Treat your publishing career like a business and do your best to keep clean records. You have to know what you spend, what you earn, and what platforms are performing best. What gets measured gets improved, anything that you aren’t paying attention to will likely fall through the cracks. This is imperative to know if you are marketing to the correct audience and if your work is hitting the mark!

5. Play the Long Game

Success does not come overnight. It just doesn’t. Even those rare occasions where Fifty Shades of Grey or Harry Potter happen and it seems like these authors have their lives change overnight, it was not overnight. The result may happen quickly, but the work that went into that result was likely done for months if not years on end leading up to the outcome. You have to be willing to commit to the long game if you want to make your writing a career. It also takes time to build up a catalog. The vast majority of my sales now come from backlist books that continue to earn month after month. In short, keep writing, keep publishing, and keep improving. Every new release is a chance to bring readers back to your entire catalog! In the end, would you continue to write whether anyone bought your book or not? If the answer is no, you probably aren’t a writer, even if you think you are. If you would write every day regardless of if anyone ever read your work; stay the course. You were meant to be a writer!

Let me nutshell this thing for you. Self-publishing gives you total control—but with that freedom comes TOTAL responsibility. If you’re in it for the long haul, you can build something sustainable. Treat your writing like art. Treat your publishing like a business!

Until next time,

Tyler