Alright, fellow authors, here’s your reality check: your book business is a marketing business. We’ve done the hard part (writing the book), but now we’ve got to sell the thing. And since we’re self-publishing, guess who’s in charge of marketing? That’s right—us. The first step in this marketing marathon? Your WEBSITE. Sure, get your social media game on point, but all roads should lead back to your website. This is where the magic happens: book sales, building trust, and offering valuable resources to your visitors. Below are the key elements your author website needs, listed in no particular order, because they’re all equally important.

Ah, marketing. The word alone is enough to make me want to throw up. You’ve poured your heart and soul into creating your book, but now comes the daunting part: actually selling the damn thing. And guess what? Since we’re self-publishing, the responsibility of marketing falls squarely on our shoulders. Yep, cue the nausea. But before you reach for that brown paper bag, let’s talk about some of the very beginning, very easy steps to get you started on this wild marketing ride.

So, you’ve finally finished your manuscript (congrats!) and now it’s time to hand it over to someone who can polish it up and make it shine. But where do you find this magical being? Fear not! I’ve got you covered with three platforms where you can find freelance editors to take your book to the next level.

There are two major killers of writing: fear and perfectionism. Fear that you’re not good enough, and then the flip side—being unable to release something that isn’t perfect. Why are we constantly told that no one is perfect, yet we believe we need to reach perfection to share anything creative? It’s weird! We need to rewire our brains. Here are a few ways to do that.

Hi there, and welcome to my secret corner of the internet! If you’ve stumbled upon this, you’re either a fellow author, parent, teacher, social media follower, or just a nosy human (totally get it). Let me introduce myself—I’m Chazelle Ahearn, a mother, wife, realtor, and now, apparently, a self-publishing author set to release my book in Spring 2025.