“I changed my description one afternoon, not thinking twice about it. And that book was selling 2000 copies a day within 48 hours.” – Alessandra Torre

In this episode, we discuss:

• The unique path Alessandra Torre took to author success, navigating through the intricacies of self-publishing and traditional publishing.
• The secrets behind consistently hitting the bestseller lists.
• The creation of InkersCon, a novel virtual conference dedicated to empowering fiction indie authors.
• Insights on becoming a victorious self-published author, focusing on building a loyal readership.
• The power of continuous learning and persistence in the ever-evolving authoring scene.
• How to leverage Amazon's sprawling platform to your advantage as a self-published author, with focus on Kindle Unlimited, the Amazon Algorithm, and various discoverability opportunities.

Alessandra's Unique Path to Bestselling Author

Jumpstarting her author's journey in 2012, Alessandra Torre dabbled in self-publishing inspired by the phenomenon of E.L. James. After releasing her first sexy romance novel on Kindle Direct Publishing, she altered her book description, setting off a surprising surge in sales. This propelled her from an unknown writer to a sought-after author by agents and publishers, leading her to lucrative deals and reaffirming the surprising paths to success in the industry.

Creation of Inkers Con

Recognizing the need for a community-centric platform for indie authors, Alessandra established Inkers Con. This unique forum offers live, professionally recorded presentations and workshops, creating an accessible and effective learning space for writers worldwide. With its focus on networking and industry insights, Inkers Con empowers authors with knowledge and tools to navigate the publishing landscape successfully.

Memorable Moments:

00:07:20 – Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing,
Alessandra found that her self-published books were more successful and profitable compared to her traditionally published books. Self-publishing allowed her to be agile and adapt to trends, while traditional publishing was slower and less profitable

00:17:17 – The Birth of Inkers Con,
Alessandra discusses how the idea for Inkers Con came about. She wanted to bring together the best people in different areas of writing and publishing to share their expertise. She believes that no one person is amazing at everything, so the conference aims to highlight different strengths and knowledge.

00:30:36 – Benefits of Amazon for Self-published Authors,
Torre and Alexa discuss the advantages of Amazon for self-published authors. They highlight the difficulty of getting traction with bookstores and other retailers and agree that Amazon offers more opportunities for book discovery through algorithms and organic recommendations.