An Author's Journey: Navigating Publishing & Marketing Challenges

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."

​Then there's the new cover, which I’ll get into below. I even tried to give my book 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.

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📖 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