Although it may not feel like it at the time, writing a book – whether it’s fiction or not – is actually the easiest part of the process, and many new writers fall into the trap of thinking that now that’s done, everything will just fall into place automatically.

But once it’s written the really hard work starts, and it’s hard not because it’s going to take longer or be more difficult, it’s harder because this is about how you will ‘sell’ yourself and your book to a paying public. And, understandably, many people find this emotionally challenging as much as it might be technically complex.

Having a mentor on hand who understands what it feels like to expose yourself, who has been through the whole process of both self-publishing and then marketing books several times over, can be a godsend for many who are embarking on the adventure for the very first time.

Sometimes, all a new author needs is a friendly hand to help them along the path of discovery.

So, what will mentoring give me?

Let’s be clear from the outset, the role of a mentor is to help you navigate a clear path through all the tasks you need to do to make your book available, and help you put an achievable plan in place to market your book. And, it’s all based on what you feel you can accomplish within the time you have available.

I will use my knowledge, experience and skill to give you advice, recommendations and guidance about the things you need to do, as well as those to think about.

I will work with you for as long as you need me – whether that’s just a single session or for the longer term.

Why you? What’s make you stand out as a self publishing mentor?

I’ve been working with online audiences since the mid 1990’s and, as well as writing books, run one of the UK’s largest women’s health speciality websites. Two of my non-fiction books are best sellers in the UK and the US so you might say I understand something about the whole process of getting my book into a purchasers hands.

What self publishing and marketing topics can we cover?

There are so many topics you could cover, that it’s impossible to list them all. I’ve added some suggestions in a rough order for you below:

Self Publishing

  1. How your objective influences what you can and can’t do with your book;
  2. Types of self-publishing;
  3. Self-publishing services and print on demand;
  4. The British Library and UK published books – for UK authors;
  5. Creating your book information sheet;
  6. Using an ISBN number and what free ISBN numbers mean for Tax;
  7. Setting the publication date;
  8. Setting a price for your book;
  9. Comparing the cost of self-publishing;
  10. CIP Records and Nielsen Bookdata – for UK authors;
  11. The importance of editing your manuscript;
  12. Practical editing techniques;
  13. Improving your manuscript;
  14. Laying out your book for print publishing;
  15. What influences book cover design;
  16. Choosing imagery;
  17. Putting a front cover together;
  18. Creating the back blurb;
  19. Choosing and using a self-publishing service;
  20. Getting to know your chosen service;
  21. The production process of creating a physical book;
  22. Different types of ebook;
  23. Formatting your ebook;
  24. Reviewing the proof copies;
  25. Making changes and amendments;
  26. Completing the publishing process..

Marketing your book

  1. Creating a marketing strategy;
  2. Writing your marketing plan;
  3. Understanding and segmenting your audiences;
  4. Finding out where your audiences are and what motivates them to buy books;
  5. Understanding the different types of marketing opportunities;
  6. Social media marketing;
  7. Content marketing and blogging;
  8. Email marketing and building a mailing list;
  9. Measuring your activities to work out what works and what doesn’t.

OK, you got me at hello, what do I need to do next?