Luke J. Wilson | 22nd December 2025 | General Articles

So, you’ve written a book—maybe a devotional, a character study, or your first novel—and now you're wondering: “How do I actually publish this?” Don’t worry. Self-publishing doesn’t have to be overwhelming or expensive. In fact, I’ve refined a process over the years that removes nearly all the hassle, even if you're just starting out. Here’s my streamlined, step-by-step guide to publishing your book without needing to learn complicated formatting software or juggle multiple publishing platforms. ✅ Step 1: Write and Format Your Book Using Reedsy (FREE) 📍 https://editor.reedsy.com Reedsy is a free online book editor that handles professional formatting for both ebooks and print-ready manuscripts. Just sign up, paste in your chapters, and Reedsy will: Automatically format your book to industry standards Include front matter (title, copyright, etc.) Add back matter like About the Author or Also by this Author Export both an EPUB (ebook) and a PDF (print) version This means no need to mess around with Microsoft Word or typesetting software—Reedsy does the heavy lifting for you. ✅ Step 2: Distribute Your Book Using PublishDrive 📍 https://publishdrive.com Once your files are ready, head over to PublishDrive. This platform lets you publish your book to multiple global retailers (like Amazon, Apple Books, Google Play, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and more) all from one dashboard. There's a free tier for one published book. Paid tiers are available if you’re publishing more titles. It helps track and manage all your sales, royalties, and reports in one place. This saves you the headache of uploading your files separately to each store and logging into five dashboards every month. ✅ Step 3: Buy an ISBN (Optional but Recommended) If you’re publishing print versions, you’ll need an ISBN. 🔗 Cheapest ISBN source for UK authors: https://bookisbn.org.uk 🔗 Cheapest ISBN source for ...

Luke J. Wilson | 19th May 2025 | General Articles

You’ve written your book. You’ve published it. Now comes the tricky part: getting people to notice it. With traditional marketing channels becoming more expensive and competitive, authors are turning to social media, particularly TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, to grow their audience and drive book sales. And the good news? You don’t need to go viral or dance on camera to make an impact. Here’s how to build your brand, connect with readers, and market your books authentically on each platform—without (hopefully) burning yourself out! 📱 TikTok (a.k.a. #BookTok) Why It Matters: TikTok has become one of the most powerful platforms for authors. A single video can launch a self-published book into bestseller status if it resonates with the right audience. What Works: Short, punchy videos (15–30 seconds) Behind-the-scenes content: your writing process, inspiration, book cover reveal Reader-focused videos: "If you liked this, you’ll love that" Trends with a twist: use popular sounds/memes/trends but relate them to your book or niche Hosting Live Q&As, giveaways, or launch parties Easy Content Ideas: “3 books that inspired my novel” “The hardest chapter I had to write” “Things only writers understand” A dramatic reading of a powerful line from your book Annotated flip-through of your print edition Tools: Use CapCut for quick, stylish edits Add on-screen captions for accessibility and retention (A 2019 study conducted by Verizon Media found that up to 69% of consumers prefer watching videos without sound, so captions are a must) Tips: Post 3–5 times a week (or build up to this, consistency is key) Use #BookTok, genre-specific hashtags (eg, #YAfiction), and niche communities (eg, #IndieAuthor) Don’t worry about polish—real and authentic is better than perfect 📸 Instagram Why It Matters: Instagram is a visual platform perfect for...