Cate Baum | Self-Publishing Review

Why Self-Publishing Works (And Why It Doesn’t)

What sort of books do well with self-publishing? Which don’t? And why do we hear success stories of self-publishers making millions? Cate Baum discusses the choices to make when self-publishing.

We’ve all heard the cries. Self-publishing means you keep control over every aspect of your book journey! Self-publish, and never give a cent to the demonic publishing houses! You cannot make money from self-publishing! There are reasons behind everything, and here they are.

Success is relative

There are three types of self-publisher: The hobbyist, the enterprise author, and the serious author. Which one are you?

Hobbyists are basically scrapbookers. They […]

Cate Baum2018-05-10T03:43:53+02:00March 12th, 2018|Categories: Features|

All the Browser Categories for Amazon KDP Fiction

Here they are! Free! You can also download this Amazon Kindle Categories List FICTION PDF.

Want more categories? Join SPR as a free member and get NON-FICTION and JUVENILE FICTION AND NON-FICTION too!

Make sure when you use them, you check Categories With Keyword Requirements.

The sub-levels are listed: Blue>Orange>Red

Try to list as deep as you can in your KDP account. If this is not possible, choose the highest category, then add the rest of the categories as keywords, e.g.:

African American as your chosen category
Then add the keywords (note keywords are also key phrases): Historical, Mystery &

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Cate Baum2018-06-13T10:37:47+02:00February 9th, 2018|Categories: Features, Resources|

SPR BOOK AWARDS 2017 NOW OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS!

Enter your self-published or indie book now, to get the best promotion deals for your book, including reviews, Amazon promotion, and a quarter of a million readers seeing your book, worth over $1800! Every year, Self-Publishing Review runs a competition to give one lucky indie author a chance to win promotion and prizes to help them on the way to a successful career in indie authorship. This year, we have two massive packs of goodies to be won that will get you seen on Amazon, with a heavy emphasis on review success.

To find out more, or to enter your

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Cate Baum2017-11-13T16:37:39+02:00November 13th, 2017|Categories: Features|Tags: SPR Book Awards|

Mythbusting The Amazon Algorithm Part IV – Is Amazon Ranking Broken?

Cate Baum examines the latest author outrage that Amazon is Broken.

Many blogs have been shouting about how Amazon has a loophole that means authors are scamming the system and stealing mountains of cash from the KDP Global Fund. Some authors are being strung up and called out. These shady goings-on must be examined! Welcome to the notorious Mythbusting, Part IV.

MYTH: Amazon’s Ranking is Broken.

Truth: Amazon Ranking is not ‘broken’, but there’s a front-facing issue with how ranking is displayed when switching from Free to Paid that is confusing people.

After reading about several authors that seem to […]

Cate Baum2019-12-16T08:36:28+02:00October 16th, 2017|Categories: Features|Tags: Amazon Algorithm Tips for Authors, Amazon News and Tips, Book Promotion Articles, Mythbusting Amazon For Authors|

An Interview with Kayl Karadjian, Author of Dragonsoul

Fantasy author Kayl was subject to internet outrage because his book made it to #1 in all of Amazon using promotion methods flagged against Amazon Guidelines. Kayl’s book Dragonsoul received many fake one-star reviews from other angry authors calling him a “scammer.”

Kayl agreed to a ‘transparency interview’ with Cate Baum at SPR, with never-before-revealed analytics, and his conclusions on the pitfalls with choosing book promotion services.

So Kayl, why don’t we start with why you decided to write? What were your motivations?

I was, and still am, a huge nerd. I grew up reading fiction, particularly fantasy and sci-fi, […]

Cate Baum2017-10-16T11:27:25+02:00October 16th, 2017|Categories: Interviews|Tags: Amazon Algorithm Tips for Authors, Mythbusting Amazon For Authors|

What Book Promotions Are OK and Not OK on Amazon Now

This is the first in a series on author internet outrage and Amazon adventure by Cate Baum.

There’s been a fair amount of internet hysteria lately regarding Amazon’s court cases against authors, and confusion about getting book reviews through promotional services. Here’s how to tell what’s acceptable, and what’s not, and the truth about those court cases.

First, let’s start with what book promotion techniques are acceptable to Amazon.

What’s OK

1. Using promotional services that promote to reader lists

Examples: BookBub, SPR’s Kindle Promotion Packages, BookGorilla.

Why is this OK?

A UK or US-based service that has built […]

Cate Baum2018-05-10T06:44:47+02:00October 6th, 2017|Categories: Features|Tags: Book Promotion Articles|

Review: It Feels Good to Feel Good by Cheryl Meyer

In It Feels Good to Feel Good: Learn to Eliminate Toxins, Reduce Inflammation and Feel Great Again, author and health coach Cheryl Meyer has lived through her own process of eliminating toxins to address her autoimmune system’s issues, and she has now set out a clear pathway for others to follow.

The US now faces its biggest health challenge ever. Many are obese, allergic, or diabetic (or a combination), with a 300% increase in these toxic conditions in recent times. Chronic pain and inflammation often leaves many without good options except prescription drugs, with terrible repercussions. But what if […]

Cate Baum2019-02-11T09:29:14+02:00September 25th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Health Book Reviews|

Self-Editing Your Book And Why It’s A Bad Idea

It’s tempting to convince yourself, as a native speaker of the language you just wrote a book in, proffering your English degree perhaps, that you are in fact exactly the right person to edit your own book. What does it mean to have your book edited, and why is it that nobody can edit their own words? Editor Cate Baum discusses.

Your brain literally cannot do it

You’ve heard the phrase “wood for the trees.” This is precisely what happens to you when you try to re-read words you have written and read many times over. Instead of actually making […]

Cate Baum2017-08-21T08:07:10+02:00August 21st, 2017|Categories: Features|Tags: Book Editing Tips|