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Welcome to the
SWATT Books Blog

On a regular basis, Sam Pearce posts articles on the SWATT Books’ Blog to help authors navigate the sometimes-confusing world of book design and self-publishing. We will also be including some inspiring stories from self-publishing authors who have been through the process and are now reaping the rewards.

 

What do you want to read about?

Is there a topic you want to read more about, or do you have a post already written on a topic about book design or self-publishing?  If so, please get in touch.

5 Common Book Design Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

5 Common Book Design Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

Let’s be honest, not every author can afford to have their book designed and typeset by a professional.  For those authors on a tighter budget, producing your own book artwork is entirely feasible, but there are some common book design mistakes that you need...

How to Write a Kick-Ass Book Cover Design Brief

How to Write a Kick-Ass Book Cover Design Brief

Aside from writing a good quality book, having a professional eye-catching book cover is of paramount importance to publishing a successful book. But what goes into writing a great book cover design brief that will ensure your book shines? Read on to find out…

Book Distribution: How to Go Wide

Book Distribution: How to Go Wide

Book distribution is one of the areas that many first-time authors considering self-publishing struggle with. This article looks at the various ways to distribute your self-published book and the benefits of ‘Going Wide’.

Book Metadata: The Ultimate What, Why & How Guide

Book Metadata: The Ultimate What, Why & How Guide

Book metadata is an essential ingredient in book marketing and discoverability. This ultimate guide is going to look at what it is, why it’s so important, and give you some practical tips on how to best put metadata to work promoting your book.

5 Ways a Book Can Boost Your Credibility

5 Ways a Book Can Boost Your Credibility

It's no secret that if used correctly, writing and publishing a book can be a very powerful marketing tool to boost your credibility; not only for your company but also for you as an author and entrepreneur. In this article, I'm going to share with you 5 different...

Self-Publish or Publisher: Which is Best For You

Self-Publish or Publisher: Which is Best For You

A debate has raged in the literary community for decades as to whether self-publish or publisher is the best route for authors to take to get their books into the hands of their readers. Both sides of this equation are so evenly matched, it's very difficult to choose...

How Much Should It Cost to Self-Publish Effectively?

How Much Should It Cost to Self-Publish Effectively?

I get asked a lot how much it costs to self-publish a book these days, and there are actually several answers. There’s the ‘technical’ answer, there’s a minimum answer and there is a recommended answer. In this article, I’m going to explore those different options so that you can put together a realistic budget to publish your book based on what you want to get out of it.

What You Need to Know About Legal Deposits

What You Need to Know About Legal Deposits

Many first-time authors are surprised to learn that Legal Deposits are in fact a requirement that is written into law in many countries… and as a self-publishing author, the responsibility for submitting your Legal Deposit copies falls squarely on your shoulders, as do the consequences for non-compliance. To make sure that you don’t fall foul of the law here is a basic primer on what you need to know about Legal Deposits.

How I Wrote My Book with Just 30mins a Day

How I Wrote My Book with Just 30mins a Day

One of the most common questions I hear from first-time authors is “How long does it take to write a book?”  Though many experienced authors, writing coaches and publishers can spout all kinds of rough estimates at you, the realistic answer to that question...

What Happens to Your Book Royalties After You Die?

What Happens to Your Book Royalties After You Die?

Asking what happens to your book royalties after you die might seem like a very morbid question, but it is one that I’ve been asked several times recently. So I asked for some advice from a colleague of mine, Grant Notman from Kept Assets, who specializes in estate...

How I Used my Book to Get on the Radio

How I Used my Book to Get on the Radio

In an article I wrote back in November 5 Powerful Ways to Measure Self-Publishing ROI I mention that a book can be a fantastic way of attracting valuable PR opportunities such as speaking gigs and interviews. Here is a perfect case in point of how easily that can...

5 Word Manuscript Tips to Save Time Typesetting Your Book

5 Word Manuscript Tips to Save Time Typesetting Your Book

Let's face it, writing and publishing a book can be time-consuming. But there are a few ways that you can save yourself a little bit of time that can make your book more professional in the end. Here are my top 5 Word manuscript tips to employ when writing your...

3 Factors to Consider When Setting an Attractive Cover Price

3 Factors to Consider When Setting an Attractive Cover Price

Sticking with our theme on the blog this month, let's talk about another big financial decision you need to make to make your self-published book a success – setting an attractive cover price. The cover price of your book is one of the key components that determine...

5 Powerful Way to Measure Self-Publishing ROI

5 Powerful Way to Measure Self-Publishing ROI

Self-publishing ROI (Return on Investment) can be a touchy subject in the world of self-publishing. Since I became involved in self-publishing in 2015, I’ve spoken with numerous authors about their motivations for wanting to publish their book.  I have heard a myriad...

How to Write an Amazing Book Publishing Plan

How to Write an Amazing Book Publishing Plan

I quite often get approached by people who have an idea for a book but don’t know where or how to start. I always refer them to this video of a 4Sight talk I gave back in November 2018 titled “So You Want to Write a Book – Now What?” where I discuss the idea of a...

10 Best Fonts to Make Your Book Look Like a Bestseller

10 Best Fonts to Make Your Book Look Like a Bestseller

A lot of authors who opt to typeset their own books ask me “what are the Best Fonts to use for my book"? And they invariably expect me to just give them the name of a font that they can then go and use knowing that it will be right. Unfortunately, there is a LOT more...

So you want to write a book – NOW WHAT?

So you want to write a book – NOW WHAT?

As part of my job as a self-publishing consultant, I have the privilege of speaking to lots of different authors at varying stages of their publishing journey. Some are already published, some are in the process of publishing their first book, and others are just...

Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing

Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing

I quite often get asked what the differences are between getting a traditional publishing deal and self-publishing. And the answer is a lot more than you think, but not in the ways you would imagine. There are the differences that everyone expects, such as royalty...

ISBN Numbers: Everything You Need to Know

ISBN Numbers: Everything You Need to Know

Many authors I work with find the topic of ISBN numbers quite confusing. So in this article, I’m going to share with you everything you need to know about ISBNs. I'm also going to debunk a few common myths about them.   What is an ISBN Number? Let's start right...

The Book Design Process

The Book Design Process

This article aims to familirise you with the book design process, so that you can be more informed when chosing a designer to finalise your book artwork.

Book Formatting Faux-Pas: 13 Common Typesetting Mistakes

Book Formatting Faux-Pas: 13 Common Typesetting Mistakes

Self-publishing has transformed the book industry, making it possible for anyone to create, publish and sell a book without using a commercial publisher. However, the quality of many self-published books leaves a lot to be desired, and as a result, only a small...

50 Shades of Self-Publishing Opinion

50 Shades of Self-Publishing Opinion

Since self-publishing has grown in popularity and accessibility, the opinion of the literary world as to whether it is a good thing or a bad thing have been varied and polarising. People either love it or loathe it, they tout is as either the destruction of the...

Why More Authors are Choosing to Self-Publish

Why More Authors are Choosing to Self-Publish

It’s no secret that more and more authors, even those who have been traditionally published in the past, are now choosing to self-publish. But why? What is all the hype about? Well, here is my take on the 9 reasons why so many authors are going indie.   1. Higher...

5 Keys to Designing a Killer Book Cover

5 Keys to Designing a Killer Book Cover

I had a client last week that was really struggling with her book cover. We were coming up with some great ideas, but the more feedback she got from friends, colleagues, and target readers, the more confused she ended up being. It got me thinking about what...

Why Font Choice is So Important in Book Design

Why Font Choice is So Important in Book Design

Clearly, writing the manuscript for your book is a critical first step on the road to becoming a published author, but there are other essential elements that you should think about if your book is to be successful. These include editing, interior layout, typesetting...