The publishing industry is changing—I mean, Pangaea-during-the-Jurassic-Period changing.
Many of the changes in the publishing industry are making it easier for self-publishers to get a foothold in the book market, but easier doesn’t mean easy. Even with the rise of e-books, blogs, and print-on-demand services, self-publishers still have to climb a steep road to success.
These 23 resources can help you pull yourself along.
Book Riot is a fantastically inclusive blog and podcast that gives airtime to classic, bestselling, and indie titles alike. Listen in for writing inspiration, insight into the publishing industry, and networking opportunities.
Reedsy is a vetted platform where self-publishers can hire top quality editors, marketers, publicists, and cover designers to work on their books. Many of these professionals are expats from big-5 publishing houses, professionals who have worked on bestselling titles. The quality of their work is unparalleled.
Amazon is the biggest book distributor in the world, and it’s very supportive of self-publishers. Amazon offers support for e-books and print on demand services
Indie Writer’s Network is a networking platform with a lively community and opportunities for author spotlights and interviews.
NYT bestsellers is your chance to keep your thumb on the pulse of the book market. Go here to sniff out hot topics, see what book covers in your genre look like, and accidentally stumble upon a book that you MUST READ. (It happens to the best of us).
Smashwords is an e-book retailer that can help you design your e-book and get it distributed through major retailers. Their royalties are also above average.
ACX. Ever considered making an audiobook? ACX can help you connect with voice actors for your audiobook, get your audiobook accepted by major retailers, and promote yourself.
Nook Press. The world’s second largest seller of books provides as much support as Amazon does, with online and print publishing services.
Deviant Art. Because not all books can pull off a stick-figure cover design, many self-publishers need to recruit an artist to help with illustrations or cover design. Deviant Art is the world’s largest collection of artist portfolios.
Persona Publishing is a division of James P. Morgan, a traditional publishing house with a sterling reputation. Persona offers self-publishers the exact same services that they put into their traditionally published books, so the final quality cannot be beat. However, Person is still selective about the projects they take on, so getting in takes a little extra work.
E-junkie. Want to sell your e-book directly through your website? E-junkie can help you build a shopping cart into your site.
Reading Like a Writer. I can’t tell you my favorite book, but I can tell you the book which has had the biggest impact on my life. It’s this one right here. Buy it. Read it. Be revolutionized.
Story Cartel. Book reviews are one of the most powerful ways to generate hype about your book, but getting them from even your biggest fans can be like pulling teeth. Most readers simply don’t realize how valuable their feedback is to you. Not so on Story Cartel. It’s a site where authors exchange free editions of their book for a guaranteed review.
Ingram Spark is a self-publishing agency that can help you develop your e-book or print book and market it. I’ve heard from several self-publishers that Ingram Spark is their preferred collaborator.
Serious Reading is a book-review and author interview service with a readership of 150,000 and connections to Amazon. For the right price, you can get intelligent feedback about your book and be featured on the site’s homepage.
The Write Life is a rocking blog devoted to helping writers make a living. They feature posts that can help you hone your craft, figure out marketing, and avoid rookie self-publishing mistakes.
Editor’s Eye. For many self-publishers, a professional editor is outside of the budget. This book, recommended by the prolific Jane Friedman, can help you understand the editorial process and help you develop a critical eye for your own work.
NPR. Okay, I’m pretty sure I would swoon mid-interview if my book was ever featured on NPR (National Public Radio). This uber-intellectual channel hosts a variety of shows that seek out authors for interviews. If your book is relevant to a recent event or to one of NPR’s staple shows (my favorite is Fresh Air), it’s worth reaching out to them with your work. Remember, they have 24-hours of airtime a day that has to be filled!
Creative Penn is another world-class website with tons of advice about self-publishing and marketing, from voices who have been there, done that.
Eleanor. And, of course, you need your book! In my case, that is Eleanor. Can’t wait for the release in August!
But wait! That’s only 21 resources!
It’s because the last two are ones that I know all of you already have. Just read down the first letters of each resource. : )
M. Miles 
Best wishes for your launch. This was a very helpful post and I will follow up on your leads. Thank you.
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Thank you, Brigid! Hope some of the leads are fruitful for you!
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Great post Miles! I’ve been thinking along these lines for the past year, but don’t have a clue as to where to begin. Now I have a bunch of clues!
Thank you!
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Thank you Paul! Glad I could be helpful! These are just some of the resources that have been useful for me. It’s actually a little overwhelming how many options are out there for self-publishers these days! (Overwhelming in a good way).
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