Author: Paul Ardoin

Paul Austin Ardoin is the USA TODAY bestselling indie author of The Fenway Stevenson Mysteries and The Woodhead & Becker Mysteries. He holds a B.A. in creative writing from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an M.B.A. in marketing from the University of Phoenix. His book Zero to Four Figures: Making $1,000 a Month with Self-Published Fiction is scheduled for publication in June 2023.

Nothing ‘Lucky’ about It

Does Your Story’s Main Character Have Enough Agency? Paul Austin Ardoin In one episode of the TV sitcom The Big Bang Theory, several of the characters get disappointed after they realize the hero of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones, does nothing to affect the outcome of the story. Though they love the movie, […]

More Scams Are Targeting Authors—How You Can Avoid Them, from a Cybersecurity Expert

Cybersecurity Tips to Avoid Scams Targeting Your Author Business Scams became much more prevalent with the widespread use of the internet, and as perpetrators grow more sophisticated and continue to update their tactics, it’s no longer just the technologically un-savvy who are falling victim. Cybersecurity professionals categorize many of these scams with the term “phishing,” […]

An Inside Look at Formatting Software Options

Independent authors wear many hats: author, editor, cover designer, blurb writer, and more. Among all those responsibilities, however, one self-publishing task that often gets funneled to the back of the queue is the formatting of the book’s interior. While not as top-of-mind as the book cover or blurb, interior formatting is a crucial element that […]

Promo Newsletters for the Marketing Novice: How You Can Find Success

For the first couple of years after I became an indie author, I struggled to get sales. But when I changed my strategy to use paid promotional newsletters, my sales grew significantly. It took a big mindset change for me to offer my first-in-series for free, but it completely changed the trajectory of my author […]