What It Actually Takes to Be a Successful Self-Publishing Author There’s a myth floating around that self-publishing success comes from one viral book, a clever hack, or cracking Amazon’s algorithm once. In reality, success in KDP looks a lot quieter — and a lot more repeatable. Here’s what I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way): 1. Consistency beats talent Plenty of talented writers never publish. Plenty of average writers build real income because they finish books and publish regularly. Momentum matters more than brilliance. 2. Think like a publisher, not a poet You don’t just write a book — you build an asset. That means: • clear positioning • knowing who the book is for • choosing categories strategically • writing descriptions that sell without hype Art matters. So does structure. 3. Short books are not “less than” Some of my most effective books are short, practical, and focused. They solve one problem well. Readers don’t buy page counts — they buy relief, clarity, or progress. 4. You need emotional resilience Reviews will sting. Sales will dip. Ads won’t work… until they suddenly do. The authors who last aren’t the ones who never struggle — they’re the ones who don’t quit during the quiet months. 5. Systems save your sanity Templates. Checklists. Repeatable workflows. The goal isn’t to hustle harder — it’s to remove friction so publishing becomes boring (and profitable). 6. Your backlist is your real business One book is a lottery ticket. Ten books is a catalogue. Twenty books is leverage. Long-term income comes from stacking small wins, not chasing big launches. 7. Success looks different for everyone For some, it’s full-time income. For others, it’s passive side income. For some, it’s authority, leads, or freedom to live quietly and write. Define your version early — or you’ll keep chasing someone else’s. Self-publishing isn’t easy. But it is fair. If you show up, learn the craft, respect the business side, and keep publishing — the odds tilt in your favour.

There’s a reason the phrase “a Kodak moment” stayed in our language long after film stopped ruling the world. Kodak didn’t just sell cameras. They sold meaning. A Kodak moment was never about the camera. It was about recognising a fleeting instant and saying: 👉 This matters. Remember this. For authors — especially those publishing through KDP — this hits close to home. Because most meaningful moments in publishing don’t look impressive from the outside. They’re quiet. They’re invisible to algorithms. They don’t come with screenshots of bestseller badges. They look like: - finishing a chapter you almost abandoned - uploading your manuscript after weeks of self-doubt - hitting “publish” on your first book - getting your first real reader message - fixing something in your blurb instead of quitting - choosing consistency over perfection for one more day Those are publishing moments. And they’re easy to rush past. But if you don’t pause to name them, you miss the point of why you started writing in the first place. That’s the culture I want this community to hold: Not just celebrating outcomes — but honouring progress. Because books aren’t built in breakthroughs. They’re built in moments you decide not to give up. Question for the community 👇 What’s your “Kodak moment” as an author right now — a small, quiet publishing win that deserves to be acknowledged before you move on to the next task? Share it. Let’s capture the moments that actually build books.

In this thread post your 3 bullet outline - WHO YOUR BOOK HELPS - HOW IT HELPS THE READER - WHAT IS THE TRANSFORMATION

I’ve published over 17 books to date, and this year my primary focus is a professionally written cyber-crime trilogy that I’m treating as a long-term flagship project. I’m currently reviewing my backlist and would value some experienced perspectives. A few of my earlier Kindle titles were written in fast-moving spaces (for example, a book on growing a business through social media). While the core principles still hold, parts of the platform-specific strategy are understandably dated given how fluid social media ecosystems are. From a KDP and brand-positioning perspective: - Do you see more value in retiring or unpublishing certain older titles to tighten overall catalogue quality and thematic coherence? - Or is it generally better to leave them live, possibly with updated descriptions, disclaimers, or revised editions, while focusing forward momentum on flagship projects? - How much weight do you place on catalogue consistency vs. historical breadth when building long-term author credibility? I’m less concerned with short-term sales and more interested in reputation, discoverability, and aligning my catalogue with where I’m going — not just where I’ve been. Appreciate any insights from those who’ve navigated similar backlist decisions.

If you are looking for a different way to promote your books, you may want to consider a few simple prompts in Gemini and you can produce up to 8 second video. This one was created in under 45 seconds. It’s all about how you prompt to get your end result and I think you’re entitled to 5 video clips a day. I’d love to hear if you’ve got other unique ideas to promote your book.