Is it warming up where you are? We’re seeing buds on our flowering trees here, and no letup in the interest in self-publishing. This week we’ve got a huge “AMA” on the subject, advice for the assault on Amazon, and lots of help building your author platform. Okay, let’s get on with it.

Henry Baum on Self-Publishing Review
Invaluable Reddit AMA from Author Hugh Howey
“There’s a huge amount of self-publishing wisdom in this Reddit AMA from Hugh Howey, author of the Wool series. The main takeaway is that writers need to be patient.”

Rachel Abbott on The Creative Penn
Amazon Bestseller: Top Ten Tips For Hitting #1 On The Amazon Store
“This is the key to it all. Your book needs to be visible. Amazon has loads of ways of making your book visible, and you need to exploit them all as far as you can. One of the best periods for doing this is in the first 30 days after your book is published.”

Jane Friedman on Jane Friedman
A Definition of Author Platform
“Platform is more about putting in consistent, focused effort over the course of a career, and making incremental improvements in extending your network. It’s about making waves that attract other people you—not about begging others to pay attention.”

Dan Blank on We Grow Media
Stop Worrying About The Cost Of An eBook – Start Focusing on Lifetime Value
“If a 99 cent or $9 or $15 interaction is the complete extent of your relationship with your customer, then there is something very wrong with your business model. A solid business model looks beyond the cost of one product, beyond a single cash interaction with a customer, it focuses on LIFETIME VALUE of that relationship.”

Rachelle Gardner on Rachelle Gardner
Goodreads: 8 Things Writers Should Know
“I promise I’m not trying to send you screaming into the street with social media overload. But I really do think … Goodreads may be (a) cost-effective way to use … your time if you want to connect with READERS, not just other writers.”

Photo by Lee Cannon