Tips for Authors and Self-Publishing on Amazon

Tips for Amazon Authors

When I published my first book on Amazon in 2010 I knew that what I was experiencing was a revolution in the world of publishing. Just a few years earlier Amazon had rolled out its Create Space POD (print on demand) program, allowing people like you and I the opportunity to publish books and get them into the hands of readers without having to go through the traditional publishing process or the expense of a “vanity press” company.

Over the years this system has changed and evolved, and several years ago that was instrumental in leading me to create me own small publishing house, Hunter’s Moon Publishing. I’ve published a dozen of my own books through this company, as well as almost fifty books for entrepreneurs and small business owners who wanted to publish their book on their own terms.

But in order to play in this world of self-publishing, you must understand how it all works. I was reading a post by Brooke Warner over at Huffington Post on the topic of the top ten things all authors should know about Amazon and this one jumped out at me:

“You need to claim your book via Author Central. Many authors know this and somehow forget to do it. When you publish a new book, you must claim it. Claim books you’ve contributed to as well, if you can. Claiming books on Amazon is like collecting chips; you’re building your little empire and making your bio page more robust. Amazon Central is an extension of your author platform and should be tended to as such. Update your photo, bio, and other information as regularly as you would your website.”

I will highly recommend that you read all of Brooke’s post and bookmark it for further review. She makes some excellent points there and shares very detailed information on Amazon and self-publishing in general.

I visit Author Central regularly to update my books on Amazon. I just published my fourteenth book this week and immediately claimed it so that it would appear on my author page. I also updated my bio while I was there and added the details of my upcoming live event. Knowing the ins and outs of how everything works gives you a distinct advantage over those who do not take the time to do so.

Becoming a multiple bestselling author has changed my life in so many ways. None of this would have been possible without Amazon jumping into the publishing world. What other questions do you have for me on the topic of self-publishing on Amazon and becoming a published author?