An Author's Journey: Navigating Publishing & Marketing Challenges

By D.C. Salmon

This might be the first week where I’ve seriously wanted to quit. It’s been a frustrating week, or let’s be honest, a frustrating month. Some of it is probably my own fault—I thought moving my book onto more sites would be a simple process, but it has been anything but. I still haven’t managed to get my book on any new sites, and Draft2Digital has been constantly stuck on "PUBLISHING."

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Then there's the new cover, which I’ll get into below. I even tried to give my booki away for free, but only one person took a digital copy. It just makes you wonder what you're doing wrong.

​🕵️ What's Happening with An American Treasure?

The short answer is: not a lot. The story is written, a few ARC readers have read it, and I have some minor edits to do. I really do need to get Book 2 out into the world, but An Irish Mystery is still taking up all my time and, more importantly, my money.

​After saying Book 2 was coming out with a set title, I realized something was off with An Irish Mystery. After speaking with people and thinking it through, I decided the blurb wasn't right, and the cover didn't truly portray the book.

​So, I rewrote the blurb and updated it on all my sites, including Amazon. I also updated it on Draft2Digital, which meant the publishing sequence started all over again—a wasted two weeks. I've added an ISBN number to An Irish Mystery, but I can't add my book anywhere else just yet because I'm still waiting for a new front cover.

🎨 The New Cover

​I mentioned last week how disappointed I was with the design of the new front cover. Hopefully, after some consultation, we can get it right this time. I've learned a valuable lesson: don't just say, "I think this is what I want, check out these authors, and wait for a design." If you’re having a cover designed, make sure you're involved in the process. Ask for a preliminary sketch or a mood board before they start the full design. This ensures your vision aligns with theirs and you can fine-tune the design together.

​💰 The Cost of a Hobby

All of this has unfortunately delayed the launch of An American Treasure. One reason is that I need to buy a program to edit and format my own books. I’ve decided on Atticus, which isn’t a huge cost, but it's still another expense. At this point, I have to treat this as a hobby because I’m not making any money from it. While I’ve sold some books, I’ve spent far more than I’ve made.

​This is another reason I want to invest in Atticus. It will save me money in the long run. For An Irish Mystery, I spent just under £1000 to have it edited, designed, and formatted. With the right program, I can do this myself, especially now that I have a team who can edit and review my books for free.

​Another reason for Book 2 stalling is the book cover—again! As any author knows, the cover is the first thing a potential reader sees. I need the new cover for Book 1 so I know what direction to go with for Book 2. It’s a bit of a catch-22, but the series needs to have a cohesive look.

​✍️ Calling All Bloggers!

Are you a blogger and an author who would like to collaborate? Let's work together! I'd love to hear from you. Send me an email, and let's talk.

Enjoyed the ride? 📖

​I balance my writing life with a full-time day job, which means covers, research, and advertising all come out of my own pocket. If you’d like to see these books reach more readers—and help me stay caffeinated while I write them—you can support my work here. Your help keeps the "Stream" flowing and the books coming.

📬 Want to follow the journey?

I send occasional emails about writing, publishing, and the stories behind The Newman Adventures.

Newsletter subscribers also get an exclusive sneak peek of Book 2, An American Treasure.

👉 Join here: The Newman Chronicle 

📖 Enjoyed this post?

An Irish Mystery is a fast-paced historical adventure about stolen treasures, hidden histories, and the cost of obsession.

Ebook, Kindle Unlimited, Paperback & hardcover

👉 Available on Amazon: An Irish Mystery

You can also find me on Instagram / Bluesky / X / Facbook, where I share writing updates and behind-the-scenes moments.

🌍 www.dcsalmonbooks.com