Here is a product review. Read it. Ponder it. Debate the pros and cons. Ask your dog if you should try it. Listen to dog. Dog is always right. Happy dog, happy blog. Sorry – for some reason I had to finish off with a rhyme. Now on to the review!

I have not been paid for this review. I did not receive any discounts or freebies for this review. I did take this course and loved it so much that I had to write about it. 

How to Smash Self-Publishing on Amazon

with Debbie Stansil

I’ve been working on publishing a book for several years, but have been very intimidated by the Amazon requirements for uploading manuscripts. There are formatting requirements for ebooks, different ones for paperbacks, then you have the cover design and all its overwhelming elements that must be considered.

Writing the book is the easy part!

I had taken a previous course by Debbie, and nearly jumped for joy when she announced her new course on a whole new platform. CourseCraft is a wonderful site that allows Debbie to divide the content into easy to follow lessons. Printing off materials is easy and because the course stays available online, you no longer have to download and organize the files for future use – just log in and they are there! There is also a wonderful commenting section that allows you to ask a question and get Debbie’s response, which then stays on the course pages for future reference.

So that’s the platform, now let’s talk about the course content.

The self-publishing on Amazon course is comprised of 5 lessons, from formatting requirements to marketing strategies, complete with a printable checklist. This checklist provides you a place to track your formatting decisions as you go, something I didn’t necessarily think I would use – until I panicked and couldn’t remember which font I had chosen and in what size.

Save yourself the agony and use the checklist, it is your lifeline!

I spent the most time on lesson number two, which is the actual formatting part, and I used it as a step by step guide as I formatted my Word document. Debbie did a wonderful job of breaking down the information and delivering it in small steps that virtually anyone (even the tech challenged!) could follow. All the instructions were laid out in regular English, there was no tech talk that required a google search for clarification. (Not that you need it, there is that handy comment section after all!) There were also very valuable recommendations given throughout the course – learned through Debbie’s personal experiences with publishing on Amazon. Once you’ve made the hard decisions on your fonts and sizing, Debbie’s guide will get you to the final publish button.

I published an ebook and two paperback books using this course!

Here’s a breakdown of my favorite parts of the course.

  • The ease and clarity of the formatting instructions.
  • The commenting section. Debbie was so wonderful about responding to all of my questions as they popped into my head, even ones that were a bit off topic.
  • The printable checklist.

I would definitely recommend this course for anyone who is ready to publish their ebook or paperback on the Amazon site. I cannot say enough good things about this course, so be sure to head over to Debbie’s site to check it out for yourself!

I have not been paid for this review. I did not receive any discounts or freebies for this review. I did take this course and loved it so much that I had to write about it. 

The Oath of Product Reviewing

I shall not write a review that does not reflect my actual thoughts on the product.
Even if the creator of the product is my friend on Twitter.

I shall not accept compensation for a review and let it bias me in any way.
Even if that compensation is food. I really hope it is food!

I shall not demand that you agree with my review.
Even if I think you are ridiculous for trying to wear a hat as a pair of pants and complaining the hat isn’t designed well.

I shall not betray this oath for any reason.
Even if Lola is making adorable dork face at me in order to see how strong my moral code really is.

23 replies on “How to smash self-publishing on Amazon…”

  1. Thank you so much for this review. I’m so glad you enjoyed the course. I hate taking courses where half of the battle is wading through jargon so it’s something I always try to avoid when writing my courses.
    I wish you loads of luck with your book, you’re going to smash it!
    Debbie

    Liked by 1 person

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  2. Thank you so much for your review. I have been thinking of taking a course too, but I just cant get my head around it yet. Hopefully soon.
    P.S. I LOVE YOUR OATH OF REVIEWING !!! it is the best! So happy to have found your blog.
    Cant wait to read more articles 😉
    Kristine

    Liked by 1 person

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  6. Thanks for this, I am thinking about an ebook. Not quite ready yet but if I do I will keep this in mind as formatting for one is not a strong point of mine. #ablogginggoodtime

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  7. I’m so glad that Debbie has helped you so much. I may take the plunge one day…maybe when days have 48 hours instead of 24? Or when my kids grow up? Let’s just hope it’s before I die! …rushes off to start typing a draft….
    Good luck with your books x

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    1. Debbie is wonderful! I honestly could not have published without her. I was paralyzed with fear, dreading books being sold that looked like garbage. We’ve all seen those ebooks that sloppy due to formatting problems!

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  10. Great Oath! I actually got my big pile of paper (book) yesterday and realised it has been four years this year since I wrote it and yet it still sits there in my desk drawer and on my computer like an abandoned sock. I have always been too afraid to do anything with it, a few people have read it and I got great feedback, but I struggle with ever feeling good enough, being rejected. I am working on other writing projects, and I need to decide whether to try to get things published or self publish, so thank you for the recommendation! And also thanks for linking up #Ablogginggoodtime

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. I will say, self-publishing gave me the greatest confidence boost ever! I love that I chose that route for my first book, I would have been upset to be turned down by multiple publishing houses. I may eventually look for a publisher but I’d like to get another book under my belt before I do that.

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  11. I’ve taken one of her courses and I enjoyed it. I didn’t take this one because I wasn’t ready but within the next few months I will be so this course will help a great deal! Thanks for the review Heather! #MixitUp

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  12. This sounds like such a useful course, I’m a big fan of courses that properly walk you through things step by step, and the checklist sounds so helpful! #ABloggingGoodTime

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. I think that is the hardest part about getting yourself published on Amazon. It’s hard to know where to start. Amazon offers free tools, but they don’t do it in a very easy to follow format. This course is perfect for someone who has written their book and now they need to know what to do next.

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