Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should

By David Gaughran

"You won't make any money from self-publishing."

MYTH!

The internet has revolutionized every business it has come into contact with, and publishing is no different.

For the first time, these changes are handing power back to the writer. It's up to YOU if you want to profit from them.

"Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should."

This guide contains over 60,000 words of essays, articles, and how-to guides, as well as contributions from 33 bestselling indie authors including J Carson Black, Bob Mayer, Victorine Lieske, Mark Edwards, and many more.

It covers everything from how the disruptive power of the internet has changed the publishing business forever to the opportunities this has created for writers. It gives you practical advice on editing, cover design, formatting, and pricing. And it reveals marketing tips from blogging and social networking right through to competitions, discounts, reviews, and giveaways.

If you are considering self-publishing, if you need to breathe life into your flagging sales, or if you want to understand why it's a great time to be a writer, "Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should" will explain it all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: XinXii
• Release date: Dec 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9789187109034

Reviews for Let's Get Digital

[sdramsey-298717 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Some really great and practical information here for the aspiring self-publisher. If you've been around the writing block for a while, you may find it most useful to just pick and choose the information you haven't come across before, but there's enough variety here to make the book definitely worth picking up. Straightforward and useful advice, at a very minimal cost. Definitely recommended!

[debraparmley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read an older edition I believe as the data only went up to 2011, but it was still a good book and relevant in many ways. I'd recommend this one to any writer who wants to self-publish.

[cwaldrum_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is a must read for any writer - new or old - who is looking to jump into the self publishing field. This is also a must read for anyone that has already self published and perhaps needs to redo what they have already done. Even when Mr. Gaughran didn't layout the specifics he had a resource section that directed the reader to the right place. A great read and inspiring for fledgling authors looking at the wide world of publishing. Like me.

[purplequeennl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Having already read Decoding Amazon by David Gaughran, I already knew some of this book, so I did skim in some places.

I had thought it would be a detailed 'How to' but it was more discussion on all aspects of self-publishing and packed full of resources, about where to go for the 'how to' and listing the most important things to do to market and promote your books. I was very grateful for the lists of priorities, it made it all more achievable and doable, and actually infected me with some of David Gaughran's enthusiasm for marketing and the excitement at all the possibilities (I didn't think that was possible).

Starting from scratch (as I am) some of it doesn't apply: I don't have any budget or money to spend on anything, including my own domain name (and why always Wordpress? Never found it user friendly myself, despite trying several times), and things like BookBub - which I had never heard of before reading David Gaughran's books. It's where indie authors can pay to get their book into readers hands, and which seems to be a very important place to go for Indie authors. I can only hope that once I do have a mailing list, have earnt something from book sales and have more than 10 reviews under my belt I might qualify for such a step.

The main reason why this book didn't make 5 stars for me was the last 90-100 pages being devoted entirely to 30 stories from Indie authors of their self-publishing success and links to their sites. I think I might have read maybe 3 (5 of these would have been plenty). It also meant I skipped the 'end matter' that David talks about being important for all Indie authors to have in their books.

But despite those few drawbacks, I highly recommend this book: it is a must-have for all would-be Indie authors as it is packed full of necessary information on how to go about marketing and promoting your book, and will make you realise how limitless the possibilities are. I felt like I had stepped into a room where all the cool, successful Indie authors lived, and been made privy to tricks and tips I would never have been able to access otherwise.

[jwilker-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great primer on advertising and getting a grip on how Amazon's systems work.

[bemislibrary · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Gaughran divides the book three sections; Digital Revolution, Digital Self-Publishing and Success Stories. One thing was made absolutely clear, it is hard to get an agent, and anyone can self-publish a book. There is a lot of interesting information and statistics provided without any sources to support the claims. There is a list of resources in Appendix D. At minimum, there should have been either an index or a bibliography of the success story contributors.

[janesteen_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Where I got the book: purchased on Kindle as part of a boxed set special offer.Let me say straightaway that I’m viewing this book as what it is: a self-publisher helping others and making some money at the same time. Most books about self-publishing are like that; they’re often based on advice given on blogs and so on. I haven’t yet come across one that has that slick and professional feel that makes me go “Yes! An authority!”, although Joanna Penn (whom I’m currently reading) comes close. (Frankly, given the amount of books on self-publishing written by self-publishers out there, you'd have to be crazy to spend a fortune on producing a slick book because your competition's likely to do just as well, can be quicker with updates, and can sell for less.)Still, I don’t mind recommending this book to a specific audience, namely writers who are attracted by the idea of self-publishing but don’t really have a clue what it’s about or where to start. This is a decent read as an introduction, and I probably should have read it four years ago—right now, I’m looking for something a little meatier.What does it cover? You get a fairly long section on the benefits of self-publishing, with a bit of history and some practical advice on how things work at the time of writing (one caveat with self-publishing how-tos is that something new has happened almost as soon as the latest edition is published, but what are you going to do?) By the time a newbie’s read through that, he or she will have a pretty good idea of how the self-publishing world looks and why people choose to do it. If you’ve made the plunge into self-publishing and are feeling a bit lost and daunted, this book will also help by showing what you need to concentrate on and what shiny things you can disregard because they won’t help you much. This first bit’s in two parts which seem to overlap slightly, as if they were written at different times.For me there was nothing new in any of this, but then I’m not the book’s intended audience. And then came the success stories…thirty of them. Hoooooly cow. I enjoyed the first few, then started to get a bit bored—again, not really my book because I’m already committed. If you need to have your socks blown off before you hand over your money, though, this litany of thousands of books sold will get the juices flowing.The last part of the book consists of appendices, and frankly I was a little puzzled why this material wasn’t worked into the body of the book because it was the same kind of overview approach. The book’s full of links, which means you have to read it on a platform with some decent kind of browser. My Kindle Paperwhite wasn’t the right environment, and I always get annoyed when I tap the screen to turn the page and find I’ve hit a link instead. So this is very much a Your Mileage May Vary book. Your reaction to it’s going to depend on where you are on the self-publishing timeline, and even on how you’re reading the book. Totally new? Spend the money. Newish? Still worth it. In both cases it’s a shortcut compared to trawling through the internet looking for blog posts when you’re overwhelmed and don’t have a clue where to start. Gaughran writes in an engaging, clear manner, encourages professionalism, and steers you away from some of the worst pitfalls. That’s all good.

[peterjameswest · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The 2nd edition is a good update on the current state of publishing.
There's some useful information here and useful resources.

[tootsweet89 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful book that any person who is contemplating self-publishing should read. Even if you already self-published, you will still learn quite a few things in this wonderfully clear and inspiring book.

[janarose1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

David Gaughran, through his own success in self-publishing, talks about how to succeed in a digital world. He provides some resources and tips on how to self-publish. Overall, i thought this was a good resource. It provides interesting information in a non-condescending way. Overall, I would recommend this book for authors seeking to self-publish.

[thoroughbredlibrary · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If your toes are only half way in the water, and your manuscript lies in wait, set it aside for a moment and dive into Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should, by David Gaughran. If your friends and family shake their heads at why you spend your time writing your dream and make kind comparisons to the $2 book stores, throw caution to the wind and follow Gaughran's excellent information on the world of self publishing. This is an easy read, and will pay dividends to the aspiring writer. The straightforward and extensive knowledge can be readily applied and may be the just enough for those ready to sink or swim in pursuit of publication.

[difreda · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love to read books. I want to write a book. I can sell a book - or two or three. Perhaps many more. How David Gaughran take this formidable task and distills it to essential elements for self-publishing is remarkable. He steps out of the ink and print paradigm to the reality of e-publishing. he gives us the basics, tells us how to earn a living by writing, how to sell, price, market and in short - How to be an E-publisher of our work. David- you've done a nice piece of work here - can't wait to see it in print...... NOT!!!!I agree - E-publishing profits are here for the taking - join the train or get left in the dust!

[laray_8 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Received through LibraryThing Member Give AwayThis is an interesting read for anyone looking for more information on the publishing world. It is general and no too deep for the casual researcher. The author gives good references to use to self publish your work and doesn’t forget to include links for more information. I usually find it difficult to make it through “guide” books, but the author’s writing style was entertaining enough to keep me interested. I will be keeping this for when I finally manage to write my “great American novel” or at least a fairly good bit of fiction. 

[mrsflicker_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have been sitting on two novels that I poured a great deal of time, energy, effort and love into. After reading David Gaughram's book, I not only have the courage it takes to risk publishing, but step by step directions on how to get the job done. I am grateful that he has written his manual in a no-nonsense manner and am appreciative that I know have a map to follow. What a great tool he has given to all writers who want so desperately to be published.

[camillac-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book isn't just a case of 'here's how I did it and it might work for you' like some self-published authors writing on their experience. Instead one of Let's Get Digital's best features is the advice it contains from more than thirty indie writers who are successful in a variety of genres (thrillers, romance, paranormal etc) and who have, between them, sold hundreds of thousands of books without the backing of a publisher (Mark Edwards, J Carson Black, Victorine Lieske...). Equally appealing to both US and UK audiences, the book is split into three parts: Part One: Digital Revolution, Part Two; Digital Self-Publishing and Part Three: Success Stories. This book is ideal for the absolute beginner, and/or traditionally published author, who wants to be inspired by success stories as much as they want to know the inner workings of how to get their book ready for the digital market. Established self-publishers will undoubtedly use the book as a reference manual while dipping in to the success stories for golden nuggets to help them on their way. Beginners will get tips and advice on the whole process of creating a story from writing to editing and formatting and how to get your book on sale to online marketing, plus what to spend your money on (editing, a professional cover) and how to ensure you are paying for what you need (e.g. doing your own prep first so you aren't sending half-assed work to your editor and costing you more).Some downsides? A few of the success stories let Part Three down as they are little more than "yay! I did it, I really did!" but these are easily outweighed by the ones that contain valuable information that could be easily incorporated into a self-publisher's marketing plan. Additionally, the section 'Format your story' tells you why you should format your story correctly for e-publishing...but not how, something which may well frustrate readers who expected notes on how, rather than why. While I also liked the tabulated content, it would have been useful to have a 'back to contents' link at the end of each section as the book is ideal for dipping in and out of and not just reading in a linear fashion.I've read a handful of books by successful self-publishers now and this is easily one of the best, largely because of the motivational success stories in part three. Combined with the basics to get you started, along with the hows and whys, the book also gives indie writes the motivation to keep on going. Disclaimer: this book was gifted by the author via a LibraryThing giveaway - all opinions are my own.

[dolphinchick · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I’ve read a couple of David’s short stories and loved them! I knew he was a great writer but I wasn’t sure if that would spill over into a ‘how to’ book… of course it did!! Awesome job! The way he talks you through every aspect of self-publishing (plus all the why and why not’s) is great! It makes you excited to try and interested in learning how! It’s very conversational… not preachy! He gives you both sides of the story, which I like a lot. In part one, he’s very detailed in his explanation of how the numbers break down, or could break down and helps you understand this eBook world we’re now in. Part two, he tells you step by step how and why you need to do certain things while writing, editing, designing a cover, formatting or blogging and then how and where to look for help in these areas. In part three there are a number of success stories!! Plus several appendixes with resources and other great practical info like copyrights, short stories, going International and more. As others have said, some of this information can be found in pieces around the web, but to have it all in one place and so easy to access and read is perfect!

[hydrografie_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Received this book through LT Members giveawayHaving authored a number of 'real' books which were all almost 'self-published', I was really interested to learn from this book how to improve / get new ideas. The author, who claims himself to be some sort of an expert (but is actually only a few months into the self-publishing business!) is obviously a 'fiction' author. That is both good and bad for this book...The good news is that there is experience in writing books and also in publishing a few of them. As a result there is a lot of information and little is left out. The bad news is that this book indicates little experience of the author with non-fiction books. Instead of giving short, concise information on the subject, the book is a long series of repeats and thick prose. Not bad for a novel, quite a killer for this type of book. For example the numerous referrals to the increase in sales of e-books between november 2010 and february 2011 which is used as an argument for self-publishing gets quite boring after the first two referrals. Also the constant hammering on why you really, really, really should self-publish and why you should avoid all those publishing houses gets boring after the first few chapters. Finally, the almost complete absence of bullets, tables and the like do not help in the readability and make it hard to use the book as a reference. Some further suggestions to prospective readers (authors?). Skip the 33 succes stories as you will learn very little from them. They may be fun to read (I didn't think so, but who am I...) but add little to the solutions for your problems. Furthermore, the practicalities at the end of the book are really practical and should be read together with the main text (appendix signals may read, these are a must read!). Also make your own calculations about revenues and whether it is worthwile to self-publish. The authors' calculations are at the least misleading and at the worst plainly incorrect. Self publishing does cost money and time (time = money) and the actual costs and time are not calculated against the potential revenues as should be in a proper cost-benefit analysis. For example the calculation on 'debugging' your document states that it may cost US$100 - US$200 to have this outsourced, so the idea of the author is that it is better to do this yourself which cost him a day! A simple cost-benefit analysis teaches us: 1 day = 8 hours; minimum hiring cost for labour (NL) = US$20 (approx) = US$ 160... So having your book professionally debugged costs around the same as having your house cleaned by a professional. So on your first book with nothing more to do and little money in the bank it is worthwile to do this yourself. If you are a bestselling author, better spend the day writing a new story...My verdict: worthwile information if you are able to wrestle your way through it..

[njmom3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should by David Gaughran is a wonderful guide to the world of self-publishing. The first quarter of the book presents an overview of the publishing industry and a look at why you may want to self-publish. The second quarter of the book is a step by step look at the process of self publishing. The second half of the book is testamonials from successful self-published authors. The book includes an appendix with links to other resources.As a newcomer to the world of ebooks, I found this book to be very informational and an interesting read.*** Reviewed for member giveaway ***

[cidneyswanson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

But How Do You Pronounce His Last Name?The above question is actually the only one raised by the book that wasn't answered in sufficient detail. Seriously, however, this is a must-read if you are considering self-publishing and have questions. David provides rich detail from his own experience as well as offering a good analysis of publishing as it exists today. His tone and style are pleasant, and his prose is clean and professional. Gaughran neither harangues nor bullies. He does, however, present a compelling case for why all authors should at least consider self-publishing some of what they write.Most helpful to those who are uncertain about the dreaded "invisibility curse" of self-publishing will be the thirty-three testimonials at the end of the volume. Each of these authors has hit or exceeded 1,000 sales a month. Their stories of how readers found what they wrote is fascinating and informative.I highly recommend this book.