Just wondering if Jack Slater has contacted any of you about Fiverr? Do you know about it? Have any of you used it to self-publish?

I’m planning future workshops on editing, manuscript preparation, publishing best practices, book launches, and other practical parts of the independent publishing process. To make sure I’m scheduling them at times that work for as many members as possible, I’d love your input. Please vote for the option that usually works best for you. Also, feel free to comment with your time zone and any specific time windows that are especially good or impossible. I’ll use your responses to plan upcoming Guild workshops.

Hello everyone. I look forward to learning about your experiences as an aspiring author. I am considering self-publishing, but some aspects seem daunting. Especially the marketing end of it. Also the cover art. I have so much to learn. I hold a BA in writing with a minor in drama. My professor's predicted I'd have success as a novelist. That definitely hasn't happened. I've completed five novels, with a few more in the works. I believe my writing compares favorably with those of established authors; but my many, many agent rejections have eroded my confidence. Research concerning trad publishing has been an eye opener. Even if a debut author is lucky enough to procure publication, publishers will spend piddly on marketing their books. Ninety-five percent of a publisher's marketing budget is devoted to authors with name recognition. As a result, book sales for a debut author in the first few years are disappointing. I was chagrinned to learn that established authors are offered contracts for books they haven't even written yet. Often these authors rush to meet deadlines, and as a result, the books are often poorly edited. Publishers don't care. Said authors rest on their laurels. It's becoming harder and harder to find a really well-crafted book these days. Bottom line: Maybe self-publishing, (self-empowerment) is the only way we can take a stand against the unfair practices of the publishing industry.