Guest Post from Elle Field: My Top 5 Things Being A Self-Published Author

Back in January, best-selling author Elle Field invited me onto her blog. You can read my interview here and I’m delighted to return the favour today. Elle reached number one in the Amazon chart this week with her novel Kept and I asked her to tell me what she likes best about self-publishing…


Being a self-published author is amazing, and I’m so thrilled that my debut novel Kept made it to #1 a few days ago in the Amazon.com free Best Sellers chart. There are some wonderful and beautifully written self-published books out there, and I’m so thrilled to be a part of that community. Here are my top five favourite things about being a self-published author:


1. The support of the self-published community: I’ve connected with some brilliant authors and bloggers and their support is invaluable. There’s a real community out there; being a part of it is both inspiring and motivating.

2. Connecting with my readers: Of course I’d connect with my readers if I was a traditionally published author, but I think there’s a deeper level there as a self-published author, especially with social media. It’s brilliant to chat to people who have read my books and who developed a real connection with the characters I have created.

3. Learning about all aspects of the publishing industry: This adventure has being a real eye-opener and I’ve learnt so much, not just about writing a book! From marketing to designing my book covers, the financial aspect to formatting, I now have a better knowledge of what’s involved in publishing a book which can only be a good thing.

4. Setting my own schedule: As someone who also has a day job, it’s quite nice at times to be in control of my schedule and have the freedom to release books when I want. I appreciate the freedom self publishing allows.

5. Seeing my work out there: Whilst having my books in an airport or bookshop would be fantastic, having my books being read now and enjoyed by readers makes it all worthwhile. There’s definitely being a shift in the perception of self-published vs. traditional authors – I think readers are caring less and less about how a book is published. For them the story is paramount, and I’m with them on that!

 

Kept promotion

Elle Field’s fab and quirky debut novel Kept, published last April, made it to #1 in the Amazon.com Best Sellers (free) chart this week, as well as #1 in the Literature & Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Romance and Humorous Fiction categories . It also reached #5 in the Canadian Best Sellers chart and #13 in Australia.

This was the last time Kept will ever be free on Amazon but, to celebrate the huge demand, Kept will now be available for the next five days at the bargain price of 99p/99 cents for all those who didn’t get their free download. With an average rating of 4.5/5 on Amazon.co.uk, you need to read this book!

As a thank you to all those who help to spread the word about this, make sure you enter yourself into Elle’s giveaway  for your chance to win one of six Amazon vouchers or a signed copy of one of Elle’s books. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kept’s sequel – Lost – will be out in summer 2014, but if you fancy reading another fabulous novel by Elle Field before then, Geli Voyante’s Hot or Not is available worldwide on Amazon in Kindle and paperback formats.

 

 

About Kept

‘Did she really just say that? I am fifteen again, except the reality is I am experiencing full parental horror, aged twenty-five. I want to die.’

Life hasn’t quite worked out how Arielle Lockley imagined it would. Becoming the next Coco Chanel was always her childhood dream, but she’s spent the past four years living a dizzying whirl of glitzy parties, luxurious holidays and daily shopping sprees – all paid for by boyfriend Piers – and not doing anything to make her Coco dreams happen.

When the recession hits, it’s not just the economy that takes a tumble and Arielle finds herself living back with her parents, on bad terms with Piers, and having a CV that’s as welcome as a pair of knock-off Jimmy Choos. And maybe it’s the location, but she’s also finding unwelcome thoughts of her childhood sweetheart are popping into her head…

What’s a girl to do? Can Arielle figure out what it is she now wants to do with her life and move on, or will she be doomed to spend the rest of her life dwelling over her worst mistakes, stuck listening to her parents’ embarrassing dinner table talk each night?

 About Elle

Elle Field is a twenty-something chick lit author who lives in London with her boyfriend. She enjoys exploring and photographing Blighty’s capital, seeing far too many musicals, and eating her way around London’s culinary delights.

Her first novel Kept was released in April 2013; Geli Voyante’s Hot or Not followed in October 2013. Look out for Kept’s sequel, Lost, in Summer 2014

Read her blog at ellefield.co.uk, follow her on Twitter: @ellefie and find her on Facebook: Facebook.com/ellefieldauthor

Links

Kept UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kept-Elle-Field-ebook/dp/B00CHCOO7E/
Kept US: http://www.amazon.com/Kept-Elle-Field-ebook/dp/B00CHCOO7E/

By Cathy Bramley

Cathy is the author of the best-selling romantic comedies Ivy Lane, Appleby farm, The Lemon Tree Cafe and A Vintage Summer. She lives in a Nottinghamshire village with her family and Pearl, the Cockerpoo. Her recent career as a full-time writer of light-hearted romantic fiction has come as somewhat of a lovely surprise after spending eighteen years running her own marketing agency. However, she has always been an avid reader, hiding her book under the duvet and reading by torchlight. Now she thinks she may have found her dream job.

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