Are You Wasting Money as a Self-Published Author?

Many self-published authors dream of hitting six figures but stall out because they pour money into the wrong things. If you’ve been struggling with low royalties despite hard work, the problem isn’t always your writing, it’s often what you’re spending money on. Let’s break down the top 8 areas where indie authors waste money, and when spending can actually give you a positive ROI.

1. Should You Hire a Personal Assistant?

Hire a PA only when you have recurring tasks that must be done but cost you less to outsource than the income you could earn in the same time writing or running profitable Amazon ads. For example, if an assistant costs you $20/hour but you can make $100/hour by writing and publishing, the math makes sense. Otherwise, it’s a financial drain.

2. Do Teaser Images Really Sell Books?

Pretty graphics and teaser images are fun, but they don’t convert strangers into buyers. If you already have a loyal fanbase, these imag...

Every author wants to write books that readers devour in a single night. But why do some novels create super-fans, while others stall out after a few chapters?

The difference isn’t just talent or luck. It’s Reader Psychology, the heartbeat of the Reader Cloning System  we teach at Six Figure Author Career and Seven Figure Author Career.

Coined in 2016 by author coach Rebecca Hamilton, Reader Psychology explores the psychological and biological triggers that keep readers engaged. When you understand these triggers, your books stop being “just another read” and become addictive experiences.

What Is Reader Psychology?

There’s a major myth in the author world: that market research means chasing trends.

Too many writers look at what’s hot on TikTok, Amazon, or BookTok and try to copy it. Yes, this may make a little money in the short term, but it burns authors out. You end up constantly targeting new audiences instead of growing your own brand.

And the worst case? Authors pour money i...

If you’re serious about scaling your author career, and want to actually sell books rather than just publish them...then market research isn’t optional. It’s the foundation of everything: your positioning, your marketing, and yes, even your writing.

At Six Figure Author Coach, we don’t just talk about market research. We help our clients implement it using tools we’ve developed (and refined) to cut through the noise and give authors the clarity they need to grow.

Why Your Audience Might Not Be Who You Think It Is

Even authors who know their genre and write familiar tropes often miss the mark when it comes to identifying their true audience. And that’s understandable, because most market research tools out there don’t go deep enough.

Inside our 3xP Program, we guide clients through our proprietary Author Nebula Research Tool, which helps them isolate the most relevant data for their current career stage.

And quite often, this process leads to one major revelation:

“My readers...

If you’re new here, welcome! I’m Rebecca Hamilton, a multi-listing New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, and the only author career coach who has helped over 550 authors hit national bestseller lists while teaching hundreds more to earn six and seven figures a year writing fiction.

Today, I run the Six Figure Author Coach platform to help serious authors, whether just starting out or already established, turn their creative passion into a scalable, profitable business.

What I Do (and Why It Works)

When people ask me what I do for a living, I get to say something pretty wild:
I help fiction authors become millionaires.

And no, it’s not hype. I’m able to guarantee six-figure NET profit increases for authors who follow our methods not through fads, but through a data-driven, psychology-backed system I’ve built over the last decade.

Why So Many Fiction Authors Struggle (and How We’re Different)

Over the years, I’ve talked to thousands of authors. Most...