From Studying Sociology to Becoming an Author and Now Launching Hundreds of Books—How Has This Journey Been for You?
Building a service-oriented business in a rapidly evolving industry has required me to establish completely new best practices and pathways to success for my authors, starting from scratch.
Two decades ago, the concept of a book coach didn’t exist. If a writer pitched an idea to a traditional publishing house and got accepted, they would collaborate with the publisher’s acquisition editor throughout the writing process.
With the rise of self-publishing, writers still needed guidance in developing their manuscripts, leading them to seek professionals who could assist in structuring and writing their books. That’s where I started—helping individuals organize their thoughts, develop content, and write their books.
Soon, my clients began requesting assistance with publishing. While I had expertise in writing and editing, I lacked knowledge in publishing and marketing. To bridge this gap, I wrote and self-published my own book, experimenting with multiple marketing techniques and refining the process along the way.
Today, I have established efficient systems and assembled a skilled team of editors, designers, formatters, marketers, and project managers. Together, we launch over 50 books annually at Paper Raven Books. With each release, we continuously assess industry trends, maintain proven strategies, and optimize key aspects to enhance sales, rankings, and reviews for our authors.
Writing a Book Can Be an Overwhelming Task. What Was Your Experience Like When Writing Your First Book?
When I started writing my first book, I had just welcomed my third child. I was already awake for a 4 AM feeding, so I used that quiet time to write from 5 AM to 6 AM—right before my other children woke up and the day began. I dedicated a few weeks to structuring the book before spending two months writing the first draft in those early morning hours.
Luckily, after guiding numerous clients through their writing journeys, I was confident that investing about 30 to 40 hours in writing would be enough to create a strong first draft, which I could then refine and prepare for publication.
For most of the writers I work with, having a well-planned structure from the start and optimizing each writing session allows them to complete a solid first draft in about 40 to 80 hours. The manuscript then undergoes multiple revisions before it’s ready for publication.
How Can First-Time Authors Gain Visibility and Media Attention to Boost Their Book Sales?
Amazon is the primary platform where most readers discover new books. That’s why we advise first-time authors to focus on optimizing their book’s Amazon sales page. Planning a launch week with a promotional ebook offer (either free or at a discounted price) and assembling a team of 50 supporters to download and review the book can be highly effective.
Additionally, authors can reach out to book promotion sites, such as CraveBooks.com, to inform their audience about the book’s promotional offer.
Generating a few hundred downloads within a short period can significantly boost a book’s visibility by propelling it to the top of its category. Selecting the right categories is essential—on Amazon, authors can choose up to 10 categories, and selecting niche categories within broader genres can help maximize exposure.
For instance, if your book is about leadership, launching it in the broad “Business & Money” category may not yield great results due to high competition. However, selecting a more specific subcategory like “Entrepreneurship & Small Business > Entrepreneurship” increases the chances of ranking higher. Achieving a #1 ranking in a niche category signals Amazon’s algorithm to promote the book to a broader audience.
Once a book reaches 1,000+ downloads or sales, earns a few #1 rankings, and accumulates 50+ reviews, additional marketing efforts become even more effective. Since most readers visit an Amazon sales page before purchasing a book, ensuring that page is well-optimized with strong reviews and rankings is crucial.
What Are Three Common Mistakes Authors Make That Impact Their Long-Term Sales and Visibility?
- Not Understanding How Readers Find Books Many authors don’t research what potential readers are actually searching for. Most books are purchased on Amazon, and search patterns matter. For instance, rather than searching for a generic term like “business book,” readers might search for something more specific, like “business lessons about failure.” Using keyword research tools, such as Publisher Rocket, authors can identify high-traffic search terms and strategically tag their books to increase visibility.
- Lack of a Clear Reader-to-Customer Journey When readers purchase books, they become customers of the bookstore (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.), not the author. Without a strategy to capture reader information, authors miss opportunities to build an audience. One way to address this is by offering bonus content, such as a companion workbook, which readers can access by providing their email addresses. This approach helps authors turn book readers into engaged followers or customers.
- Unstructured Book Writing Many authors struggle with structuring their books effectively, leading to a collection of ideas rather than a compelling narrative. Without a well-organized approach, readers may lose interest. Professional book coaching can help authors refine their content, ensuring a seamless reading experience.
How Does Paper Raven Books Help Authors With Visibility, Marketing, and Customer Acquisition?
At Paper Raven Books, we empower authors to self-publish with professionalism while retaining their creative control, legal rights, and profits. Our experienced team of book coaches, editors, designers, formatters, and marketers provides one-on-one guidance through the entire process, from writing and publishing to launching and marketing.
We focus on ensuring that books align with the author’s vision and serve the right audience. Additionally, we help authors develop a customer journey so that readers can seamlessly transition into clients or engaged community members.
By optimizing Amazon book listings, securing podcast interviews, and leveraging various marketing strategies, we ensure that our authors’ books reach the right readers and achieve long-term success.
As the Founder and CEO of Paper Raven Books, What Is Your Role in the Company’s Daily Operations?
I oversee every aspect of our clients’ journeys—from the advertisements they see about our services to their experience in our workshops and interactions with our team. I also meet with select clients weekly, host all-client meetings, and check in with different departments to ensure they have the resources they need to support our authors effectively.
What Do You Think the Future Holds for the Publishing Industry, and What Role Will Modern Technology Play?
I believe that direct-to-consumer sales will shape the future of publishing. Currently, eBooks are primarily purchased through Amazon due to Kindle’s dominance, but imagine if readers could buy eBooks from any website and seamlessly transfer them to their e-readers. This shift could significantly disrupt Amazon’s monopoly on book sales.
Additionally, while bookstores today focus on selling books, they could evolve into experiential spaces—offering memberships where visitors can browse, enjoy coffee, and scan a code to have books instantly delivered in their preferred format.
Emerging technologies, such as NFTs, Web 3.0, and decentralized peer-to-peer exchanges, could also redefine how books are distributed and consumed. While these innovations are still developing, they present exciting opportunities for the future of authors, publishers, and bookstores alike.
Ultimately, the publishing industry remains driven by people who love books, and I’m excited to see how technology continues to transform the way we create, share, and enjoy literature.
