What Not to Do When Self Publishing Your First Book
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Today I’m sharing a special guest post from Katie R. Aune as part of a WOW! Women on Writing Blog Tour for her book Finding Katya. Take it away, Katie!
When I quit my job to backpack the former Soviet states in 2011, I launched a travel blog to share my experiences with friends and family. I never dreamed I’d end up writing a book about the experience. And when I finally set out to write Finding Katya ten years later, I really had no idea what I was taking on. As a result, I made a lot of mistakes. Here are a few things I learned not to do when self-publishing your first book:
1. Don’t get derailed by the pursuit of perfection. When you first start, just write, write and write some more! Editing will come later. Don’t worry about anything being perfect when you first start – it’s more important to get it all out on paper. Then worry about fine tuning it with the help of a professional editor.
2. Don’t wait until you finish writing to start marketing. I was so focused on writing and trying to fine-tune my manuscript that I didn’t do any marketing before I was ready to publish. Indeed, I didn’t even Google “how to do a book launch” until I was confident my manuscript was ready to go. When I finally did that, I realized I should’ve developed a book launch plan and started promoting months earlier. I wouldn’t say my launch was a failure, but I didn’t find the kind of leverage I could have if I’d planned much earlier.
3. Don’t be afraid to self-promote. To sell books, you need to sell yourself. But self-promotion can be hard and it doesn’t come naturally to everyone. While it can feel awkward to post frequently on social media asking people to buy your book, it’s necessary. How are people supposed to know about it if you don’t tell them? And with the way social media algorithms work these days, friends may not see your posts right away. I still have friends buying my book for the first time months after I published it.
4. Don’t get discouraged. You will make mistakes along the way and it’s important to maintain a support system – ideally consisting of other self-published authors who understand what you’re going through. When I was struggling, I tried to explain my challenges to non-writer friends and it was hard for them to relate. As a result, I didn’t find the type of support I really needed. It’s also easy to get discouraged when your friends and family don’t run out to buy, read or review your book. Try not to let it get to you! Not everyone is your audience.
Writing my travel memoir and publishing it for the world to read gave me a great sense of accomplishment. But I couldn’t help but feel like I could’ve managed the whole process much better.
About Author Katie R. Aune
Katie R. Aune is a recovering tax attorney who has worked in nonprofit and higher ed fundraising for more than a decade while also dabbling in travel blogging and writing. Despite not traveling overseas for the first time until she was 25, she has been to nearly 70 countries and all seven continents. Born and raised in Minnesota, Katie is currently based in Washington, D.C. and has a habit of rooting for sports teams that find ways to lose in devastating fashion.
You can find her online at:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/katieaune
Instagram: https://instagram.com/katieaune
Threads: https://threads.net/katieaune
Facebook: https://facebook.com/katieaune
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/katieaune/
About Finding Katya
Finding Katya is the inspiring and compelling story of one woman who ditches everything to embark on an unconventional adventure through the former Soviet Union.
On her 35th birthday, Katie Aune was at a crossroads. Still reeling from a difficult breakup and longing to find more meaning in her life, she hopped on a one-way flight to start a year-long journey of discovery. Once a Russian and East European Studies major in college, Aune plotted a course that would take her through all 15 states of the former Soviet Union.
In a book that is part memoir, part travelogue, Aune takes readers along as she discovers places that are far off the typical tourist track, from riding the Trans-Siberian Railway across Russia and taking a cargo ferry from Ukraine to Georgia, to volunteering in Tajikistan and camping in the desert of Turkmenistan. Faced with the vulnerability of traveling solo through unfamiliar lands, she shakes off her insecurities, embraces the unknown and realizes that each journey is worthwhile, even if it doesn’t go as planned.
ISBN-13: 979-8988365907
ASIN: B0C5B6MR8Y
Print length: 286 Pages
Purchase a copy of the book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. Make sure you add it to your GoodReads reading list.
Praise for Finding Katya
"[A] candid recounting of a long journey with low and high points not presented as a sugar-coated fantasy...This engaging travelogue illuminates a historically significant part of the world that remains little known to many Americans." — Kirkus Reviews
"Reading Katie's book feels like traveling beside her to places both familiar and harder to reach. With candor and insight, she captures the joys and challenges of heading out alone into unfamiliar places and the unique experiences she had along the way. A fun read and inspiration for your next adventure!" — Audrey Murray, author of Open Mic Night in Moscow
"Katie is a trailblazing solo female traveler who made the former Soviet republics a priority long before they were on anyone's radar. I admire her courage and resourcefulness." — Lee Abbamonte, TV travel commentator who's been to every country in the world
"Katie's raw and honest voice puts you front and center into her travel adventures (and misadventures!), making you feel like you are riding them right along with her. Her story is a testament that travel isn't always perfect, but that the lessons we take away from it change us completely." — Beth Santos, founder, Wanderful
Follow the Blog Tour
December 4th @ The Muffin
Join us at WOW as we celebrate the launch of Katie R. Aune's memoir Finding Katya. Read an interview with the author and enter for a chance to win a copy of the book.
https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com
December 6th @ Pages and Paws
Stop by Kristine's blog for a guest post by Katie R. Aune about how to quit your job to travel.
December 7th @ Chapter Break
Visit Julie's blog for a guest post by Katie R. Aune about what she wish she had known about writing a book. You can also read an interview with the author as well.
December 10th @ Shoe's Seeds and Stories
Visit Linda's blog for her review of Finding Katya.
https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/
December 12th @ The Faerie Review
Visit Lily's blog for her spotlight of Finding Katya.
https://www.thefaeriereview.com
December 13th @ Bookplaces
Visit Kay's blog for her review of Finding Katya.
December 14th @ Nikki's Book Reviews
Join Nikki for her review of Finding Katya, a memoir by Katie R. Aune.
https://nikkitsbookreviews.wordpress.com/
December 15th @ Michelle Cornish's blog
Visit Michelle's blog for a guest post by Katie R. Aune about what not to do when self-publishing your first book.
https://www.michellecornish.com/blog
December 18th @ One Writer's Journey
Stop by Sue's blog and read her review of Finding Katya by Katie R. Aune.
December 21st @ Knotty Needle
Visit Judy's blog for her review of Finding Katya, a memoir by Katie R. Aune.
http://knottyneedle.blogspot.com/
December 23rd @ A Storybook World
Visit Deirdra's blog for her spotlight of Finding Katya by Katie R. Aune.
http://www.astorybookworld.com/
December 24th @ Lisa Haselton's Reviews & Interviews
Join Lisa's blog for an interview with author Katie R. Aune
https://lisahaselton.com/blog/
December 27th @ World of My Imagination
Join Nicole for her review of Finding Katya by Katie R. Aune.
https://worldofmyimagination.com
December 28th @ Boys' Mom Reads
Visit Karen's blog for her review of Finding Katya by Katie R. Aune.
https://karensiddall.wordpress.com/
December 29th @ One Writer's Journey
Stop by Sue's blog again for a guest post by Katie R. Aune about traveling off the beaten path.
December 31st @ Affinito Lit
Visit Stephanie's Instagram page for her review of Finding Katya.
https://www.instagram.com/AffinitoLit
January 2nd @ A Wonderful World of Books
Visit Joy's blog for her spotlight of Finding Katya by Katie R. Aune.
https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/
January 4th @ Choices
Visit Madeline's blog for a guest post by Katie R. Aune about female solo travel tips.
January 4th @ Rockin Book Reviews
Visit Lu Ann's blog for a review of Finding Katya by Katie R. Aune.
https://www.rockinbookreviews.com/
January 6th @ Boots, Shoes, and Fashion
Visit Linda's blog for her interview with author Katie R. Aune about her memoir Finding Katya.
https://bootsshoesandfashion.com/
January 7th @ Jill Sheets' blog
Visit Jill's blog for her interview with author Katie R. Aune about her memoir Finding Katya.
