"How to Buy Stocks Online" is a Self-Publishing Success Story

NEW YORK - May 8, 2013 - PRLog -- Michelle Price had an idea for an investing book after talking with a frustrated new investor on a flight to Houston last summer.  But instead of spending months pitching her book idea to a publishing house, she self-published it.  

Since publishing her book in September 2012, she has consistently landed in the top 15% of business and investing books on Amazon.com, with additional sales from other sites.

"My seatmate was a new investor that couldn't find a practical, step-by-step book that taught investing, " says Michelle.  "I'm a fee only financial advisor in New York, and an entrepreneur.  My first thought was to write that book and publish it myself so that I could control the content and keep most of the revenue.

"I know people who've spent months pitching publishing houses.  While using a publishing house has its benefits, I felt strongly that I could create a book on my own that would sell."

Michelle outlined and wrote her book in a month.  "I stuck to what I knew, and wrote as if I was teaching a new investor how to buy stocks using free online sources, " she says.  She also created an Excel workbook to go along with the book, which can be downloaded for free at http://www.modernwealthmedia.com/stockworkbook.  

After she wrote her book, she used Microsoft Word tools to improve her book's readability and grammar.  She also took the cover picture herself with her camera and tripod, and used Adobe Photoshop to design the front and back covers.  

"I nearly gave myself carpal tunnel after a month of writing and editing.  And that was only half the journey."

She spent the next month setting up distribution for her book in paperback and electronic formats.  "I used CreateSpace to get my paperback on Amazon and in other networks like Barnes and Noble, Kindle Direct Publishing to get my book on Kindle, Barnes and Noble's Nook publishing platform, and Smashwords for a wealth of other platforms.

"Each platform had its own formatting requirements.  If I had to do it again, I would have written my book without any formatting in a text file first.  And used Word or other software like Calibre to format it after the fact."

Michelle released her book on September 7, 2012.  "It was a waiting game for all of the distribution networks to start distributing my book.  After approximately a month, distribution was complete."

She used her top 25 iTunes podcast, YouTube videos, and blog to market the book.  "You need a marketing platform ready on day 1.  I would even recommend building an audience a year before you release your book.  Otherwise, you'll release it and hear crickets."

Lucky for Michelle, she had buyers right away.  "I'm by no means an Amazon top seller.  But my sales have been respectable.  Best of all, I have a book to recommend if a new investor asks me how to get started investing."

Would she do it again?  "In a heartbeat.  The toughest part -- besides writing the book itself -- was formatting my book.  Now that I've done it once, I know what to do the next time so that I can avoid the frustrations of formatting it several times."

"How to Buy Stocks Online" by Michelle Price is available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and other retailers.  

Michelle provides investment advice through her company Price Capital.  Visit it online at http://www.pricecapitalcorp.com.