What does it take to succeed today as a self-published author? Here are inspiring lessons from Phyllis Zimbler Miller.

In her blog post today, Phyllis Zimbler Miller shares the story of how she breathed new life into her breakthrough novel, Mrs. Lieutenant…4 years after its first publication!

Phyllis Zimbler’s Miller has important lessons for self-published authors from several perspectives.

Her story illustrates the importance of patience, perseverance, and adaptation in author self-publishing success.

Her story also illustrates that a self-published author’s brand today can include include a mix of fiction and nonfiction titles.

Patience + perseverance + adaptation = self-publishing success

Phyllis Zimbler Miller’s story weaves together classic author success traits, like patience and perseverance, with a description of how self-publishing empowers authors with opportunities never before available.

It also illustrates the importance of social media to an author’s self-publishing success.

• Patience. Mrs. Lieutenant originated in the author’s experience’s during her first weeks as a new “Mrs. Lieutenant” in the spring of 1970 following the Kent State shootings. It’s a  story— a slice of women’s social history at the beginning of the women’s liberation movement in the U.S. — she’s wanted to share for 40 years. Telling it required mastering the tools and skills of writing, as well as the tools of print-on-demand self-publishing as they became available.
• Perseverance. In about 2 weeks, on August 20 and 21, Mrs. Lieutenant will be available as a free download as part of Amazon.com’s Kindle Select Program. (You can bookmark the page where it will be available on August 20 and 21–or purchase it ahead of time). To get to this point, of course, required making some changes in her book’s distribution that she shares in her blog post.
• Adaptation. Lots of authors are patient, and many are persistent, but not all authors are willing to adapt to the challenges and changes posed by today’s digital, self-publishing world. As important as patience and persistence are, her story illustrates the importance of not only taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the latest self-publishing tools, but also changing and taking action to benefit from the latest publishing technologies.

Creating a “bi-coastal” author brand

Finally, although Phyllis doesn’t bring up the point in her blog post today, I find it refreshing that her author page on Amazon.com contains a mix of fiction and non-fiction books.

In an age of brands, niches, and specialization, I find it refreshing to discover authors who are comfortable writing in multiple genres. This opens doors to new opportunities for all self-published authors.

What are your takeaways from Phyllis Zimbler Miller’s story?

After you visit and read Phyllis Zimbler Miller’s log post, please share your takeaways as comments, below. Did I miss any other important lessons? Did her blog post spark any concerns or questions. Most important, are your ready to patiently persevere and adapt as you take advantage of today’s self-publishing opportunities & tools?