The best self-publishing courses

(they won't tell you this) [View in browser]( Sometimes people ask me to "prove" my self-publishing course is the best. It isn’t. It probably says what most other self-publishing courses say. Authors don’t like that, because they’re looking for one, simple hack that will work EVEN IF they get everything else wrong… even if the cover sucks, the blurb isn’t engaging or targeted, the benefits or audience isn’t clear, and they can’t get any reviews. That doesn’t exist. The good news is, if you get the basics right, it will work, and a lot of authors are making a full-time income with their writing. Many of the people who have gone through my courses are making serious money. But it’s not about the course; the course can just help you put your best foot forward and help you avoid critical mistakes. Some authors don’t have patience for that stuff. Let me tell you, I'm not a fan of courses in general: if I'm stuck, I'm ready to pay someone to just figure it out for me. But what I've found is, nobody else can build your platform or do promotion for you - because it always dries up and doesn't fix conversion. Also, I find I have to keep paying for the same things, over and over again, like clockwork - which is the cost of not learning how to do them yourself. The main (only) way to sell books, is to figure out the essential ingredients - who will buy this, why, cover+social proof (reviews); and that's the stuff few authors manage to get right. It's necessary just for the bare minimum chance of breaking even, after which you can fine-tune and start scaling. Publishing is just book design + uploading files. On the one hand, it's not that difficult; on the other hand, it's 'death by a thousand cuts' if you're losing readers all the way through your funnel and it's not profitable. Any good course will show you the basics, but getting them right and fixing problems for yourself, without help, is still difficult. And the longer and slower the journey, the more doubt and frustration will seep in and slow you down. So, for those of you who might be looking for a self-publishing course... or ready to overpay for a "book marketer" - here's a fancy special offer: Mark Dawson's self-publishing 101 course is closing (today, in a few hours). If you sign up for $597 - there's a $32/month payment plan too - I'll give you access to my Guerrilla Publishing course as well (FREE). "But what do I want with two courses?!" You might think getting two courses you won't use isn't that awesome, so let me break it down: Mark's course [(Self-publishing formula)]( is wide and covers a great deal of topics, but it's a bit more general. However, you get access to his community and a whole ton of partner deals and discounts. My course (Guerrilla Publishing) is messier and less polished, but covers way more topics and I tend to get sidetracked. It's a deep dive, but an overwhelming, Alice in Wonderland down the rabbit hole kind of experience, where you might get disoriented but will emerge stronger and smarter on the other side. HOWEVER: I'm still offering way more support and coaching than I should be. I'm not usually a fan of consultations because I don't like talking to people who could've answered their questions with any basic self-publishing course (because then I'm repeating myself, and why do that?) That said, I know a lot of people are impatient and short on time: they'd rather just pay for quick answers or feedback, to have someone they can reach out to, than spend dozens of hours consuming a course. The thing is, with all the extra services I keep adding, I end up doing a lot more work than I'd usually do just providing those services directly. So I've been thinking about adding a simple list of bonuses on a "get out of jail free" card, which I intended to turn into a pretty graphic but haven't yet... Get out of jail free card. Choose 3: - Cover that doubles conversion* - Blurb that doubles visibility - 5K developmental critique to boost engagement - Complete review of your author platform - 45 min. strategy call Each of these would cost around $297, but I'm putting the card value at $500... that way I can make the course $997 with help or much cheaper as mostly DIY/self-study. Here's the thing though... I'm heavily invested in my own writing and series, and I'm starting to see meaningful progress. If all goes well, I'll quietly fade into the woods, never to be seen or heard from again - I may never "launch" Guerrilla Publishing again in the future; though I may do another course sometime, the materials in this course cover nearly everything I'd ever want to say about writing and publishing, and come with so much material you'll never run out. Sales trickle in, when people are eager enough to get help from me, even though I don't promote it or make it easy to find (because, currently, I'm undercharging for the amount of work I put into it, and there are simpler ways to earn money). I'm kind of like a leprechaun you need to chase, catch and shake for gold coins and cookie crumbs to fall out. But for right now, you can get full access + plus my $500 coupon to save for a rainy day: basically after you've perused the courses and tried to implement and still can't get traction, that's when a few well-placed comments or tips can make a huge difference. That's a $997 bonus, and I'll get a small kickback for sending you to Mark, where I know his expertise and team will do everything they can to help you; and I'll be the backup, waiting in the wings, ready to appear like the Phantom of the Opera to save the day if necessary. These are specialized services I'm uniquely qualified to provide, but that I can complete in a day or two; and it means you'll be accessing two different "schools of thought" and actual communities of authors (pretty large ones) so you don't get stuck in a feedback loop and are always pretty plugged into what's happening. I'm only mentioning it now because I want you to get the best deal you can, and this two-for-one offer is pretty juicy. If I wake up tomorrow before time runs out I may send some extra details, otherwise, get in while you can... Enroll here: [Self Publishing Formula 101]( Just send me an email with a screenshot or the receipt, and I'll give you access to all my GP materials as well. If it's not a good time for you, no worries! I post a lot of my content for free or on YouTube, though I don't email often... this is just for people who need some of my time and attention and are prepared to level-up their author career. Happy writing, Derek Murphy [facebook]( [instagram]( [twitter]( [youtube]( - PS - My get out of jail free card doesn't include a brand-new, custom cover design, only a quick makeover or redesign that will absolutely sell more books than what you currently have. It'll work, but I won't spend a ton of time on it. That said, cover design is my first love and I'm pretty great at it. [Share to Facebook]( [Share to Twitter]( [Forward email]( Do not want to see it again? [Unsubscribe]( Derek Murphy [Creativindie.com]( | Portland, OR Location Independent - Usually in a castle or cabin.