Subtitled ‘A new author’s guide to publishing and marketing for success’ this book was recommended to me by another writer, who thought it might be of use to me. It is!

First, I’m a published writer, both self-published and published with a small indie publisher, so, on the face of it, this book could seem superfluous. In reality, the author has covered so many of the bases I skipped that I’ve found this book invaluable as a guide and stimulus.

The book starts with an Intro, which explains how the book came to be written, and why.

The other chapters are entitled: How I Got Started In Self-Publishing, Writing Your Book, Editing For Free And For Less, Formatting Your Book, Covers, Copyrighting and ISBNs, Publishing Your Book, Marketing Your Book, The Business Side of Books, Spotting A Con Publisher And What To Do, and In Conclusion.

My writing journey started long before computers replaced typewriters, long before the internet and mobile phones. When I began, books were almost exclusively published by commercial publishers, who at that time did most of the marketing as well. Not anymore, of course.

Publishing these days is possible for anyone. And that’s a real problem. In the same way that people who own a digital camera often believe themselves to be photographers (I was a professional photographer in the days of film) nowadays people with any digital device seem to think they can be authors, even without the basic requirement of good language skills and the ability to frame a story.

So, that’s my background in reviewing this book for you.

The author is immediately honest about his route into publishing, which comes as a refreshing change from the many con-artists out there posing as publishers. The book is just what it says on the cover, a manual to help writers self-publish and avoid being conned.

In fewer than 100 pages, TW Robinson guides us through the process from beginning to end in all the detail needed. He does advise against self-editing, unless the writer has the equivalent of a degree in English Language, advice I fully endorse, but he also explains how it’s possible to perform this task to a reasonable level if your financial state is as dire as is usually the case for most writers.

The information provided is practical, clear, and comprehensive. So are the warnings against falling into the many traps set by the huge army of con-artists who are out there simply to extract money from you. I receive an average of 15 emails a day from people who want to ‘represent’ me, introduce me to their reading group, promote my work, market my work, or, more recently, claim to be other writers seeking online companionship. I report all these as spam and block them, as personal experience has taught me something this book explains in stark detail. It is a warning well worth applying. Please, don’t get taken in by these robbers.

The information will, if properly applied, get you published, and at little cost. But if I may make a plea to all newbies; please, before you set out on this journey of hope over expectation, do one thing: read ‘Becoming A Writer’ by Dorothea Brande and do the exercises. It will save you a great deal of time if the writer’s life is not really for you.

This book by TW Robinson will upset traditional publishers, but it will also, hopefully, allow some otherwise unheard-of authors to become household names if they apply the advice given, and, of course, write a damn good book!

[Any review is a personal opinion. No reviewer can represent the view of anyone else. The best we can manage is an honest reaction to any given book.]