By BookBaby Author Paul Goat Allen

Too many self-published authors make common blunders that guarantee their books will receive negative reviews and no buzz. Here are five mistakes that will doom any self-published book.

This post is brought to you by BlueInk Review.

For the last 25 years, I’ve been a full-time genre fiction book critic — writing for BlueInk Review, Publishers Weekly, and The Chicago Tribune. I’ve evaluated titles in every genre category and reviewed both traditionally published and independently published titles.

I’ve read and reviewed enough books (10,000+) to know that self-published authors make common blunders that virtually guarantee their books receive negative reviews and ruin any chance at creating a positive buzz. These are giant red flags — ear-piercing alarms — warning me of an imminent bad read.

Consider this a public service announcement. As a reviewer, I want you, the self-published author, to bring your best book to the table. I would love to be blown away by your self-published novel and shout about it from the rooftops for the whole world to hear.

Listed below, in order of importance, are five mistakes that — in my humble opinion — will doom any self-published book.

1. Typographical and grammatical errors

Learn your craft, writers. Spelling and punctuation errors are the biggest red flags there are. If you can’t spell words that most fifth graders should know and you don’t understand how to use commas, chances are you shouldn’t be writing a book.

That’s not to say that a bad speller can’t be a fantastic novelist. It says he or she should have let a professional editor and/or proofreader correct it before publishing.

When I review books, I keep track of every single typographical error the author makes in a trusty notebook. A dozen errors in total is only mildly irritating; anything over 50 is unacceptable. I’ve read self-published books with hundreds of errors — grammatical mistakes on every page, in every paragraph, almost in every sentence. I actually reviewed a self-published novel with a typo in the title on the front cover!

Do not publish a novel until it’s finished — and it’s not finished until you know that the majority of errors have been found and removed.

2. Chest beating

Don’t brag about what a great writer you are. I’ve read more than a few author bios that state that Author X knew from an early age that he was an incredibly talented wordsmith. It’s a special gift he wants to share with the world. Don’t say it — do it. A little humility goes a long way.

3. No understanding of genre expectations

Before you endeavor to write a historical whodunit, ecological thriller, or steampunk romance, you need to understand the genre in which you are writing. This ties in peripherally with understanding your craft. There is a level of literary awareness here that cannot be understated. Do you understand the history of the genre in which you’re writing? Have you read more than a few classics and/or current releases? Do you know what kinds of storylines are trending? Are you aware of the conventions and clichés?

The popular Edmund Burke quote, “those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it,” is true in this case. I can’t tell you how many self-published novels I’ve read that have had premises or narrative elements eerily similar to iconic works.

I don’t think it’s plagiarism so much as ignorance.

Consider any category of fiction — such as apocalyptic fiction, paranormal fantasy, or amateur whodunit — to be a vast forest. Every novel is a tree, every short story a bush or vine. The more you explore the woods in which you intend to plant your own narrative tree, the stronger that tree will be.

4. Amateurish cover art

Yeah, I know, people shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. But guess what? They do. I’ve seen it happen time and time again: a mediocre novel with eye-catching cover art sells well while a brilliant novel with bad cover art comes and goes unnoticed.

This is a big deal. It’s essential to choose your cover art wisely. You are doing yourself and your novel a great disservice by accepting amateurish or ill-conceived cover art.

5. No social networking presence

Some people may disagree with me about this, but I think it’s critically important: if you’re a self-published author, it is imperative that you have a social media presence. If you’re trying to promote a self-published novel and you don’t have a website and you’re not active on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, etc., you’re effectively shooting yourself in the foot.

This is where your readers are. Potentially millions of them. Get your name and your book out there and grow your audience!

Readers of the BookBaby Blog can get a $50 discount on a BlueInk review by using the key code “Allen.” (This does not guarantee a review by Allen.)

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The Importance Of Editing For The Self-published Author
How to write a great author bio that will connect with readers
How An Author Platform Helps Promote Your Work
Before You Write That Fantasy Novel…

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