Self Publishing Mistakes to Avoid with @BookLaunchers

About this video

Dale introduces an interview clip with fellow YouTuber Julie Broad of BookLaunchers, described as an Amazon overall #1 best-selling author who has been in self-publishing longer than Dale, and asks her about the most common self-publishing mistakes to avoid in a book launch. Julie’s main answer is that people are writing a lot of boring books: self-publishing is easier than ever, so people move too fast and skip the essentials that make books great — extensive editing, research, and figuring out what makes them different and what the hook is that makes someone need to read the book right now. She describes the failure pattern as brain-dumping material into a book, hiring a cheap editor, and publishing a boring book. Her second point is skimping on professional quality: she reframes the debate as professional publishing versus unprofessional publishing, warns that you get what you pay for when authors balk at, in her example, $3,000 for copy-editing and use a free or $1,000 alternative instead, and says authors have not invested in a top-quality professional look. Her test: if you were in an elevator with someone you deeply respect, such as Richard Branson in her example, would you proudly hand them your book? If not, you have not invested enough in it.

Key takeaways

• Julie Broad’s top launch mistake is publishing boring books by moving too fast and skipping research, editing, and finding a distinct hook
• A brain dump plus a cheap editor produces a book nobody feels they need to read right now, in Broad’s account
• Reframe the choice as professional versus unprofessional publishing, not self-publishing versus traditional publishing
• Skimping on professional editing and presentation is false economy — you get what you pay for, per Broad
• Use the elevator test: would you proudly hand your book to someone you highly respect? If not, invest more before launching

Episode details: published April 10, 2018 · 3:22 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are Dale L. Roberts’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

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