Chelsea Morning

Chelsea Morning is the Chief Experience Officer at The Bookshelf, where she liaisons with authors to help them achieve success with building and running their websites. With over a decade of experience in publishing, she’s worked with authors of every genre to help them navigate steps from manuscript inception to launching books with impact, bringing a rounded approach to the business of being an author.

Written by Chelsea

For many writers, publishing a book feels like the finish line. But in reality, it’s only the starting line. If you want to build a sustainable, profitable career as an author, and not just publish a...
For years, selling books online as an indie publisher only went one way: uploading files, crossing your fingers, and hoping an algorithm brought you good fortune.  Retail platforms and...
An author website is no longer just a digital business card. It’s the foundation of a sustainable writing and publishing career. Whether you’re publishing your first book or managing a growing...
Publishing your first book is exciting! After months—or potentially years—of writing, it’s natural to want to give your new book every possible advantage. Many authors finally reach the publishing...
Your domain name is your website’s address on the internet, or the URL that readers type into their browser to find you, like janesmithauthor.com. It’s one of the first pieces of your author brand...
It’s not an uncommon question: is an author legally required to form a business entity (like an LLC) in order to sell books directly to their readers? The short answer is no—most authors would not be...
For years in the self-publishing world, “rapid release” was treated almost like the magic formula to publishing success; publish quickly, publish consistently, keep readers hooked, and watch the...
For independent authors, few publishing decisions shape how your business will grow more than choosing whether to keep your books exclusive to Amazon or to “go wide.” You’ll hear both phrases referred...
Selling your books directly to readers through your own website can sometimes feel like you’re stepping into an entirely different business from the one you originally set your sights on as an author...
The way readers discover books is evolving. While social media and Google searches are still very relevant, a third contender is quickly becoming popular: discovery via AI-powered tools. If SEO helps...
Having a nice, effective website for your author business is a wonderful thing. But if you don’t know how to get people to it, it unfortunately doesn’t do you nearly as much good. While you can...
When you’re deciding how to publish a book, the formats you choose to produce aren’t just a technical choice. They’re strategic, too.  Each format (eBook, print, and audiobook) reaches readers in...