Indie Author School
Resources for self-published authors
Checklists, cost breakdowns, templates and the organisations worth knowing.
Author bio templates at 50, 100 and 200 words, and where each one is used
Three fill-in author bio templates at 50, 100 and 200 words, where each length is used, the order of facts, and when to write in first or third person.
Book launch checklist for indie authors: four weeks before, launch week, the week after
A one-page launch checklist for a self-published book: what to do four weeks before release, during launch week and in the week after, one line per job.
Copyright page template for a self-published book, UK and US
What goes on a self-published book's copyright page in the UK and US, what to leave off, and a fill-in template you can copy into your front matter.
ISBNs for self-published authors in the UK and US: when you need one and what it costs
Ebooks on Amazon need no ISBN, paperbacks do. Nielsen charges £93 for one and £174 for ten, Bowker $125 and $295. KDP's free ISBN works only on KDP.
Legal deposit for UK self-published books: what the law asks and how to do it
One copy of every UK printed book goes to the British Library within a month, five more if other libraries ask. Print on demand counts. Addresses and steps.
Resources for self-published authors: the organisations, help pages and standards bodies worth knowing
A directory for indie authors: author bodies and unions, the official help pages for each store, where ISBNs and legal deposit come from, and the trade reading that is worth your time.
The author press kit: what podcasters, bloggers, bookshops and event organisers ask for, on one page
What an indie author should put in a press kit, who asks for each piece, and how to keep it on one page so you stop rebuilding it for every request.
How much does it cost to self-publish? A breakdown by what you actually buy
A per-book and per-year cost breakdown of self-publishing, with current editing, cover, ISBN and platform prices, and where to spend first if the budget is tight.
The steps to self-publishing, in the order they have to happen
A working sequence from finished manuscript to book on sale, including which steps depend on each other, what you can change later and the one deadline with a real penalty.
The ten most important things for a indie author to do after writing the book
A running order for publishing a book properly: four moves on the book itself, two on retailer placement, two on connecting readers to your next book, and two on launch and measurement.
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