Elena Nikitina - From Zero to Self-Published Hero: Fearless Guide to Writing, Publishing, and Promoting Your Book on a $0 Budget

FROM ZERO TO SELF-PUBLISHED HERO

Fearless Guide to Writing, Publishing, andPromoting Your Book on a $0 Budget

Elena Nikitina

Amalia Beyduk

Copyright 2020 Elena Nikitina All rightsreserved

Visit my website at https://www.girltaken.com/

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Why you want to buy this book

CHAPTER 1. The matrix: the story behind myfirst book

CHAPTER 2. Meaningful encounters: how Iturned my story into a book

CHAPTER 3. The miracle of writing

CHAPTER 4. Agent wanted: pitch it like youmean it

CHAPTER 5. The slamming doors of rejection:how I handled them and found an agent

CHAPTER 6. Self-published: why I decided togo on my own after I found an agent

CHAPTER 7. Fear no more: how I self-publishedthe books

CHAPTER 8. American Dream: dont stopbelieving

CHAPTER 9. Three mighty whales: how Ipromoted my book using free online sources

CHAPTER 10. The fourth whale: howperseverance turned me into a media person

CHAPTER 11. The system of actions: a completeguide to writing, publishing, and promoting your book

A couple of final thoughts...

Acknowledgements

Social media links

About the Authors

Disclaimers

This book is non-fiction work with thepurpose to inform and entertain. Any views or opinions representedin this book are personal and belong solely to the author and donot represent those of people, institutions or organizations thatthe author may or may not be associated within a professional orpersonal capacity, unless explicitly stated.

All content provided in thisbook is for informational purposes only and serves as a resourcefor writers. Throughout this book you willfind links to external websites, overwhich the author has no control , or in any way affiliated with. These links are being provided as a convenience and forinformational purposes only and do not imply on the part of theauthor any endorsement or guarantee of any of the organizations orinformation (including the right to display such information) foundon their respective websites. Any comments or inquiries regardingthe linked websites or their content should be directed to theowners of the websites.

Although the author makes everyeffort to ensure these links are accurate, up to date and relevant,the author is not responsible for any of the content of externalwebsites, or the accuracy of such content. The author has made efforts to ensure that external links areoperational. If you come across anyexternal links that dont work, please feel free to email theauthor and she will update or remove the linkaccordingly.

The author has no commercial relationshipwith any website, product, or service mentioned or advertised inthis book. This book is not endorsed by, directly affiliated with,maintained, authorized, or sponsored by any service, organization,or business mentioned in this book.

All product and company names are theregistered trademark of their original owners.

The author will not be liable for any errorsor omissions in this information nor for the availability of thisinformation. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuriesor damages from the display or use of this information. The authormakes no representations as to the accuracy or competence of any ofthe above. Products, companies, or services mentioned are notnecessarily recommended. Website addresses may have changed sincethe book was written.

This book reflects the authors personalviews and experiences. As with any business, results may vary andwill be based on your individual capacity, experience, expertise,and level of desire. There are no guarantees concerning the levelof success you may experience. There is no guarantee that you willmake any income at all and you accept the risk that the earningsand income statements differ by individual. Each individualssuccess depends on his or her background, dedication, desire andmotivation.

The use of the information in this book,products and services should be based on your own diligence and youagree that the author is not liable for any success or failure ofyour business that is directly or indirectly related to thepurchase and use of this book, products and services reviewed oradvertised in this book.

If you dont want to accept the above, pleasestop reading.

Why you want to buy this book

Dazzling sunlight, bursting from rows ofoval windows within the aircraft, brightly illuminated the interiorof the gigantic Boeing, preparing to take off in just a meremoment. This great metal bird would soon carry me through timezones and snow-white clouds to my first-ever television showappearance.

I was so thrilled to be flying to London,the capital of England and the United Kingdom, where Id beeninvited to participate as a guest an author and writer on a TVprogram that would air on national television in Great Britain.

If four-five years ago someone wouldve toldme I would be a published author, Id smile. If they said that mybook would turn me into a media person, Id laugh in their face!But here I am: a published author whos given more than twentyinterviews and has appeared on TV and radio shows. Truly, God worksin mysterious ways.

About two years ago, in December of 2017, Iwas a brand-new self-published writer. Deep inside, I was veryproud of myself and oh-so-happy about the fact that I was able topen and publish for the first time ever a literary work of myown. Delighted, I soared in heaven. I was so blinded by myexcitement, that I neglected to contemplate the process which wouldcome only afterward.

A few weeks after self-publishing, I foundmyself tumbling down from the fairyland back to earth, where I hurtmy own sweet self on the sharp stones of reality. Heartbroken, Ihad been observing my book slowly die without the recognition ofreaders.

Of course, it should be noted that Ireceived a lot of attention from friends who bought the bookonline, as well as at my book signing within the first two monthsafter publishing. It was a wonderful first wave of a short-termfame and I was bathing in it, being endlessly grateful for my kindfriends and mindful supporters.

Once all of the buzz causedby my new book, Girl, Taken, calmed down and another handful of my friends onsocial media and in real life bought their copy, my book stoppedshowing any signs of sales whatsoever, neither on Amazon nor in anyother online stores. Girl, Taken started to gradually disappear from the world,chewed up by a thousand other books with big-name representativesbehind them.

I began to realize that, without workinghard on the aspect of promotion, my book would eventually justcease to exist. It would become buried in the book cemetery, alongwith bundles of other unknown, unrecognized and unappreciatedbooks.

How tragic.

In spite of my sad thoughts, I was stillvery delighted to have something I have dreamt about for so long in my hands, still alive. In contrast to this incredible event,other sides of my life were pretty harsh. I was a single mom whohad just been divorced a few months ago on extremely bad terms,lacking a stable job. An immigrant with English as a secondlanguage, with absolutely no budget to spend on my booksadvertisement. To fully imagine the picture of my life at thattime, add in the factor that I was amateur, completely unfamiliarwith the subtleties of the realm of book marketing.

On the bright side, I had a fascinatingstory and I was able to write a book about it. Most of all, I hadan insanely strong wish to share it with the world.

Whats next?

Thousands of questions were striking throughmy mind.

How can I promote my book and my story?

How can I attract the attention of readers,agents, media, TV and film producers, all the while being a poorself-published author?

How can I turn my self-published book into abestseller?

And most importantly, how can I accomplishit for free?