This version of APE was updated with the most recent content, facts, figures, tools, and resources on March 5th, 2013. To see what content has been added since the last update of APE, please visit apethebook.com/updates. This is version 1.2 (Baldacci).

In 2011 the publisher of one of my books, Enchantment, could not fill an order for 500 ebook copies of the book. Because of this experience, I self-published my next book, What the Plus!, and learned first-hand that self-publishing is a complex, confusing, and idiosyncratic process. As Steve Jobs said, "There must be a better way."

With Shawn Welch, a tech wizard, I wrote APE to help people take control of their writing careers. APE's thesis is powerful yet simple: filling the roles of Author, Publisher, and Entrepreneur yields results that rival traditional publishing. We call this "artisanal publishing"—that is, when writers who love their craft control the publishing process and produce high-quality books. APE is 411 minutes of step-by-step, tactical advice and practical inspiration. If you want a hype-filled, get-rich-quick book, you should look elsewhere. On the other hand, if you want a comprehensive and realistic guide to self-publishing, APE is the answer.