So, yesterday, I signed up with #Ingramspark. The self-publishing arm is similar to KDP, but Ingramspark are also distributors. That is, they distribute to national and international partners
Why did I join?
Because I need to get my books in front of more readers. I only have this one book published on Amazon, at the moment, but there are two more in production, and I'm working hard to finish them.
By ‘broaden the reach’ of my novels, I mean that I want to get them into libraries and I want bookstores, like Book Depository Ltd, Waterstones and even Walmart in the US, to be able to stock the novel, or at least have the opportunity to order it from their usual suppliers.
I’m still working through the sign-up pages, adding the details of the novel: key words, ISBN, blurb, etc. When that is done, later today, I can then upload the cover and PDF of my novel, Daughters of the Famine Road. One of the good things is that I can add some phrases from the reviews I have received on Amazon. It feels a bit like I’m getting ready for my 'Daughter’s' graduation!
Alliance of Independent Authors, #ALLi
The second thing I did, was to join the Alliance of Independent Authors, (ALLi). I want to learn as much as I can about the business of self-publishing and marketing my novels.
ALLi is a professional organization that offers advice and support to indie writers. They also give discounts on services. The main discount for me right now, is that it is free for members to upload their novels onto Ingramspark. Unlike Amazon, this process is not free. The discount from ALLI makes it free.
I’ve also got a badge from ALLI to show I’m a member and that is now on the front page of my website. I just need to figure out how to move it to the best place!
I’ll update this post when I've finished the job of publishing Daughters of the Famine Road on Ingramspark.
Then I'll attend my 'Daughter’s' graduation!