Hard Truths Every Self-Publishing Author Must Know

(That Advocates Donʼt Tell You)

Hard Truths Every Self-Publishing Author Must Know (That Advocates Don’t Tell You) By Jill Bennett

About The Author Jill Bennett is LitFire’s spokesperson and publicist. She has several years of publishing and book marketing experience under her belt. Also under her belt is the mastery in taking care of three cats named Ginger, Pepper, and Marty.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever without express written permission from the author and publisher.

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This guide is provided to you by LitFire Publishing, your lifetime self- publishing partner. If you would like to know more about our services, please contact us at 1-800-511-9787 or e-mail us at [email protected] Hard Truths Every Self-Publishing Author Must Know (That Advocates Don’t Tell You)

With the current book publishing landscape, today has never been a more perfect time to write. Times are better for writers than they used to be. True. However, if you dream of a blossoming career as an indie author, you need a reliable plan in place, or else your work may end up down a hole where it will never see daylight again.

Also, because almost everyone has discovered the viable and popular route to publication that is self-publishing, there’s been a lot of noise obscuring the entrance to that route.

Understanding the tough truths about self-publishing will help you build a firm foundation for the publishing journey ahead of you.

Truth #1: You are responsible for your success (or failure). This is both a reward and a significant deterrence. The moment you decide to self-publish, you must think like an entrepreneur. While writing is an art, publishing is a business. Authors are in the bookselling business, and no matter how you look at it, business will always be business.

When cartoonist Lars Martinson submitted the first of a series of webcomics to Reddit, his site’s visitors jumped from 100 a day to 48,342 within a single day. That’s a 25,000 percent increase in website traffic. He took this spike as an opportunity to sell shiploads of eBooks. You’d think he would sell a ton of books, yes? Well, actually, no, he sold 23. That means only 0.048% of the extra visitors purchased.

Here’s the thing about advertising on the Internet: you can tweet, blog, and use Facebook to tell everyone to buy your book, because that’s what you want them to do. You can do all these things but still make little progress.

To increase book sales, what you need is:

• Dedication • Consistency – stay active in your book marketing efforts • A multitude of bookselling methods

Below are bookselling tips and tactics to help you maximize your book’s sales potential.

1. Social Media Marketing

When it comes to social media marketing, your target should be audience engagement and brand awareness. With these goals in mind, you can create and share content that can attract clicks, reads, and even book orders. So, the first step should be to grab attention. You can do this by posting a photo of the vintage car your character drives on Pinterest; sharing an article about the historical event that inspired your story; or tweeting a link to a review from a book blogger. There are endless things you can do. Always post interesting, inspirational, or entertaining pieces of content and use a compelling headline so people will like, share, favorite, and comment. On Facebook, always like and comment back when people comment on your posts. They will appreciate the attention from you, and this will encourage them to interact with you.

2. Blogging/Author Website

Think about the last author or book you really liked. What did you want to do after finding this brilliant writer or great read? Probably follow the author’s blog; like their Facebook page; watch their interviews on YouTube, etc. This is one of the many reasons to blog – give people a place where they can learn more about you.

A blog is a staple of all authors these days. This is where you can provide valuable information about yourself and your book; link to social media; offer details about the next giveaway or promo; and post about anything to your heart’s content.

Don’t just blog about your thoughts; post writing tips, book recommendations, and posts about your experiences in writing and publishing. These posts are the kind that book fans, writers, and authors like to read.

3. Book Reviews

Reviews are influencers. Even negative reviews can arouse people’s curiosity about your book. Word of mouth has been a huge advertising tactic for most of the popular books in the history of literature – how did Fifty Shades of Grey received so much fame? Nothing propels word of mouth advertising better than getting a reviewer with authority say that everyone should read your book.

4. Book Festivals/Exhibits

There are all kinds of people who visit book exhibits, namely, literary agents, publishers, librarians, educators, and of course, book lovers, all of whom are there to find new authors and titles and to buy books. Book festival facilitators often seek authors to showcase their book and give talks, and they usually have several events throughout the year. If you miss an event, go for the next one.

If you have a physical book, don’t let opportunities to join book festivals slip away. Use a mixture of online and offline tactics to increase exposure of your book.

5. Get Involved with the Community

Book clubs are everywhere on the Internet. Such groups are usually comprised of authors and bookworms who love talking about book recommendations, books they’ve penned, and anything related to their interests (we all want someone to talk to about our interests after all). Some of the websites where you can find them are Goodreads, LinkedIn, and Meetup, as well as Facebook Groups and Facebook Pages for authors. The best part is that members often help each other out to promote books from other members. Befriend, get involved, and network with these groups. Note that most book clubs using Facebook Groups are exclusive and closed to the public. Only when you befriend individual members who will vouch for you to be invited can you join a group.

6. Media Exposure

If you get picked up by the media, they can do the information dissemination on your behalf. Seeking media exposure can be as simple as writing a guest post for blogs or as effortful as seeing TV, radio, or print interviews. The secret to garner media exposure is telling your story in an intriguing angle and finding your platform or niche. Start from there and you’re bound to draw attention.

Truth #2: Many self-published authors earn less than $500 a year. Of course, this would imply that most of these authors have bookselling as their night job and that superstar authors like Amanda Hocking are an exception.

With Hocking raking in millions in book sales, Fifty Shades author E.L. James exploding into mainstream America, and a bunch of other self-published successes, it seems like the self-publishing sector is a goldmine for authors. However, a survey of 1,007 self- published authors conducted by The Guardian found that half of writers are earning less than $500.

On the other hand, many authors don’t measure their success by reaching the 1,000 or 50,000 mark in sales; money isn’t always the primary goal. They see success based on achieving specific goals. Your goal might be selling 10 books a month, and that’s already a measure of success. The same survey by The Guardian found that only 5% of respondents considered themselves “unsuccessful.” Most of the surveyed writers were still eager to continue with self-publishing and release more books.

Survey findings aside, the question now is: How can you reach your bookselling goals? What can you do to be one of the authors who found fame and fortune in the self-publishing business? First, look at how traditionally published books are presented, distributed, and marketed. Traditionalist books are professionally packaged to make them the best they can be. So:

• Invest in a good cover design – A great cover that accurately reflects your book and your title can make the difference between a professionally constructed book and an amateurish attempt at writing a book. Consumers actually judge a book by its cover. Get a cover that will leave an impression, particularly a good one, on whoever chances upon your book. • Use multiple distribution channels – Distribution will allow authors to actually get their books in front of readers. Examples of distribution channels are Amazon and Barnes & Noble. There are thousands of book distribution channels, whether you have eBook or a print version of your novel, but for optimal visibility, make sure to target the major ones, such as Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Amazon’s Kindle Direct Program, Kobo, and Apple iBooks. • See tips in Truth #1 – It doesn’t end with just distributing your book; you also need to promote and market them. The list of marketing methods in #1 will definitely help you get the most out of every source of sales. • Implement professional copyediting and proofreading – You may want to remain artful and maintain a particular writing style, but remember that you’re also writing for an audience. Copyediting will ensure that your manuscript is cohesive, well-organized, grammatically correct, and consistent in structure. While you may have read and re- read your content dozens of times and have had beta readers comment on your book, nothing can compare to the skilled and experienced eye of an expert editor. This leads to the next hard truth.

Truth #3: Your beta readers are not all reliable. So you partially or completely finished your manuscript. You need initial feedback to know what needs improvement, so you get acquaintances or your English major friend to go over your work and provide recommendations and comments. Or maybe you found a few pre-readers from Goodreads or some other website.

Having beta readers is great, but, here’s the big but: you can’t expect them to deliver remarks that a pro would, because: (1) they’re not experienced professionals knowledgeable in all aspects of proofreading, and/or (2) people aren’t always brutally honest when commenting on their friends’ work.

Let’s say one beta reader says your fourth chapter is weak when it’s a chapter you feel proud to have written. Do you drop that chapter altogether and write a new one? Remember, you have no guarantee that your beta readers represent the average reader, and remember that there is no “average reader.” All your beta critics will have individual opinions, and their responses may not match that of other readers. Consider thoroughly evaluating their comments; weigh the pros and cons of their suggestions. If you have several betas and they have the same feedback, consider revising your manuscript, but if you have two betas and only one disagrees to something, don’t rewrite it just yet.

There will also be times when you completely want to disregard a beta’s critique, and when this happens, you know it’s completely fine. They’re just inexperienced pre-readers, right? You don’t have to feel guilty about anything. As a self-publisher, you have complete control over your story. Of course, the easiest, most uncomplicated solution to this is hiring a professional copyeditor.

Before releasing your book for public consumption, the writing must be immaculate. With a reliable copyeditor by your side, you can rest assured that your manuscript will adhere to standards of usage, grammar, and style, and that your manuscript will be handled by people who know exactly what needs to be done to create a professional book. In fact, you can skip the beta readers and go straight to finding a good editor.

Truth #4: Designing and crafting a cover is not easy. Do NOT design a book cover if you’re not a graphic designer or any qualified artist, please.

Creating an attractive cover requires skills and a strong grasp in graphic design and layout. You need to be able to create a collage with each photo blending seamlessly into another. You need to know how to layout images so that they occupy the same space, and not overlap or be spaced away from each other.

If you don’t have the skills, get a professional; invest in a good cover design. You’re going to spend a few hundred dollars, but it’s going to be money well spent. Think of it as an investment.

The cover is the first thing people will see, and if it’s poorly designed or doesn’t reflect your story, you’re going to lose some potential sales. Your book is going to land a spot on Amazon (among other book retailers), and it’s going to be surrounded by hundreds of other books. If you think you can get away with a lousy cover, you couldn’t be more wrong.

What about books directly marketed to potential buyers instead of listed on retail sites? If you take your book directly to a book reviewer, your bookworm acquaintances, or a Goodreads group, the same thing will most likely happen. Some reviewers immediately send a rejection letter upon seeing a poorly designed cover, and your acquaintances might simply take one flabbergasted look and then never think of you again.

Think there aren’t any crummy book covers out there? Some actually convert a raw .doc story into PDF, throw in a homemade cover photo, and call it a day. It’s sad but true. Maybe you’ve seen these kinds of covers – the “cut and paste” type that takes random but semi-related photos and slaps them together as though the scene were from a 1970s B movie with terrible special effects.

You don’t need to spend everything you have to get a stunning cover. When it comes to graphic design services, how inexpensive or pricey the service charge can’t always determine the quality.

• If you want to hire a graphic designer or a publisher, make sure they specialize in book covers. Graphic designers and illustrators have different specialties. • You can judge how good they are by looking through their portfolio. Be warned, if you choose a publishing company that offers book cover design services, make sure to study their previous work, because their quality still depends on how good their designers are. • Look at their qualifications. A graphic design-related degree will give them bonus points, but it isn’t always necessary. Some experts have years of apprenticeship, a good track record, and a stellar portfolio that make them the seasoned artist they are. • Experience is a plus. Yes, there are young artists with superhuman talents and skills, but experience is essential in understanding and designing book layouts. • Study the contract. A contract will protect your rights and will also legally bind you with the service. Thoroughly read the company’s contract prior to signing up. • Judge them by their personality. You’re going to have close interaction with the vendor. Choose one that is responsive and communicates well. Even with your initial phone calls or e-mail correspondence, you can already gauge how well the designer or publisher communicates with customers.

Truth #5: The most effective sales strategy is luck… and word of mouth. Fifty Shades of Grey is insanely popular. It came out of nowhere and generated howls from sticklers for good writing. Yet, it sold 25 million copies in four months. It’s bigger than Harry Potter and looks like it’s going to be bigger than the Twilight franchise, the very thing that inspired it. How did it get this popular? Through online advertisements maybe? Facebook marketing campaigns? Celebrity endorsements?

Nope. The answer is luck and word of mouth.

Let’s begin with word of mouth. The more attention Fifty Shades gets, the more attention it garners. Women, who make up most of the book’s readership, recommend it to their women friends, who then spread the word about how this is a must-read and completely disregarding how low the quality of writing is until it became the first erotic romance novel that took the world by storm. Now, let’s move on to luck. A bevy of billionaire romance novels has circulated around the world even before E.L. James’ book was written. So, why is this book the one that seduced the world to get on its knees? Who knows, right? Who really knows? If we all knew the formula to being discovered, all authors would probably be millionaires.

Are there ways to improve your luck? Yes, there are. After studying Fifty Shades of Grey’s rise to success, here are tips that can help you write the next bestseller. Note that these tips are based on a certain formula. There is no cookie cutter for writing a book, and if you have your own original story, that’s wonderful!

1. Jump on the trend.

When Twilight and Hunger Games exploded around the world, scores of other authors jumped on the trend and published their own young adult and teen fiction with such themes as vampires, fantasy worlds, and dystopia. Even TV shows and movies hopped on the bandwagon, and some fiction stories written long before Twilight were repackaged to follow the newest trend (e.g. The Vampire Diaries). It was only a matter of time before these other authors got picked up by the YA reading masses, publishers, and the media. Amanda Hocking, who rose to success through self- publishing, gave her YA characters tails (mermaids) and went on to sell millions, and Isaac Marion (Warm Bodies) gave his scary zombies a heart that could love a human.

2. Give an original twist.

Give your story a unique element. Think outside the box. Hocking and Marion didn’t sell books by writing the same thing. They probably had the same audience in mind, but their story’s original touch was what attracted millions. 3. Write what your target audience wants or fantasizes about.

If you’re writing for teens and young adults, give them something they want and use your passions to guide you. You’re also going to need some writing tips, because it can be hard to think and write like a young adult if you’re 30. Everything is an important issue when you’re a teenage – your first boyfriend/girlfriend; first breakup; a fight you’ve had with someone you’ve been friends with since kindergarten; not getting into your dream university. Romantic relationships and darker side of life are topics that enthrall younger audiences partly because it’s something they fancy or want to happen in their life. Use a theme that readers can interact with and let your characters create the story.

What’s peculiar about trends is that you have to apprehend what trend is going to blow up, but there’s no way of knowing what will blow up. Luck still plays an important role here, but when you recognize a lucrative trend brewing up, it may be your chance to strike gold.

Conclusion

Self-publishing is a promising option for authors, but it will require hard work. There will be bumps on the road that you will discover for yourself if you don’t read the warning signs. By preparing yourself for the yellow brick road to publication, your path to book publishing will be straighter and smoother.