Author: selfpublishingadvisor

Book Reviews

Reposting Original Book Review: “I’ll Fix America Tonight” by Nathan Andrew Roberts

OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION

If you are tired of Democrats and Republicans making empty promises and their followers dogmatically choosing sides on every debate and issue so their guys can remain in power, you’re a lot like the author of this book. Tackling tough issues like the immigration debate, slavery reparations, minimum wage, taxes, college tuition, the insurance industry, business, the role of government in ordering our lives, prisons, the relationship of society to police, and many more, he proposes revolutionary solutions instead of choosing to spend 70,000 words needlessly criticizing. Coming from the view that every human is an image-bearer of God and that all man-made structures and agendas are open for debate, he offers solutions to some of America’s most burdensome problems that can be considered and implemented to make both sides happy. Understanding that too many people nowadays take themselves far too seriously, he gives the reader many self-deprecating and humorous asides (something sorely lacking in political and social debate). Buy this book and join the fight against poverty . . . namely, his poverty.

REVIEW:

What an unexpectedly timely book!

It just so happens that Nathan Andrew Roberts’s I’ll Fix America Tonight (well, at least by the weekend) hit the top of my reading pile at the same time as the peak of America’s chaotic situation a few weeks ago. That means I’m posting this review in a bit of a changed world from the one that existed beforehand. I sense that feelings are still running extremely high among both Republicans and Democrats here in the USA and that not everyone is quite ready to open their minds to entertain the many exciting and interesting thought experiments that Roberts describes in his book. But I hope and even truly believe (by force of will, maybe) that just as many if not more people are eager to reconcile with their friends and family on the other side of the aisle. Perhaps a book such as this one has a real and useful function as we move forward into our brave new world.

Speaking of, I find our cultural associations with that Shakespeare reference (see below) quite useful indeed. It comes from The Tempest, my favorite of Shakespeare’s works, and is spoken by a young woman named Miranda, who has been sequestered on an island since infancy. When she meets outsiders for the first time, her reaction is:

In the eons since Shakespeare penned those lines, we have also seen the reference given quite the negative connotation, thanks in no small part to the British pessimist Aldous Huxley, who published Brave New World in 1932. Both Shakespeare’s play and Huxley’s dystopic novel are replete with social commentary, particularly on the nature of different worldviews.

For my part, I’ve always been drawn to Miranda’s approach. She falls in love with everything she meets and is willing to suspend judgment, where others leap to the worst conclusions about one another around her.

Nathan Andrew Roberts’s recent book is more or less designed for us Mirandas. He asks us to suspend our judgment of one another, work toward common goals, and make daring attempts to heal the breaches between our American political parties.

In his introduction, Roberts writes:

Government (including education and municipalities), business, places of worship, and other societal groupings are the pillars of society. Family is the foundation. When the foundation crumbles, so do the pillars. What I propose is drastic changes to all of these. Mind you, many of my ideas come from a morally conservative Christian viewpoint (if you can’t even bear to listen to my words past this sentence, I would be happy to provide you a refund), but I take a centrist and liberal stance on many different political and societal issues.

I’ll Fix America Tonight by Nathan Andrew Roberts (2020), p. iii

Having framed his own personal stance in this way, Roberts says: “Now, there are some ideas pertaining to a lot of facets of our society contained herein.” So far, so good. But Roberts also has a request of his readers! “What I would ask of even the most unreasonable of readers is that if you detest one idea or belief of mine that you refrain from waving off all others.” He describes the book as a buffet, full of various thought experiments from which a reader can pick and choose what appeals and leave the rest.

And, wow, does he cover quite a few topics! It’s worth noting here that my family too is fractured between two (or three, or four, or more) radically different worldviews and certainly represents both sides of the current political system. Running down Roberts’s table of contents is a lot like looking at a list of conversation topics we try not to bring up over the dinner table: the military, reparations, welfare, and education, among them. We are not so invested in some of the other topics he covers, like foreign aid––but as this is a buffet, I didn’t feel as though I had to have a clear opinion on what the “fix” should be by the end of that chapter; I was merely curious what radical changes Roberts might suggest, and what funny anecdotes he might share. For some of the chapters that have been topics of serious disagreement among my family and friends, I found myself paying more attention to the suggested “fix” than the humorous bits. Knowing that I had Roberts’s, how shall I put this, permission to move back and forth meant that I didn’t set the book down when I disagreed with a point (or ten). I simply made a note (and probably said huh! out loud) and moved on, knowing that I’m not being asked to carry the burden of forming a set opinion just to entertain a possible future by way of a thought experiment.

As my father would say, Roberts is something of a “goofball.” He loves a good pun, cracks himself up with his own “dad jokes” and stories, and generally keeps the entire book lighthearted. (“That question isn’t rhetorical,” he writes at one point. “I want you to compose your answer in a well-worded essay and mail it to me. Route it through my temporary office at the North Pole.”) That said, he always clearly signals when he wants his readers to take him seriously. I really appreciated that. He’s seen and been through enough to more than fill out a straight memoir, but he chose to take on this project because he wants to help this country heal. I love that about this book: its intentions are so pure.

It certainly doesn’t hurt that Roberts also writes well! His language is accessible, and the book has been edited well. It doesn’t dither around but rather is nicely streamlined. I can’t remember the last time I picked up a book (any book!) dealing with politics under 400 pages––and Nathan Andrew Roberts gets all his work done in fewer than 300. My wrist (and attention span) is eternally grateful. And he ends the book on such a positive note: “I believe in us. Ready?” Yes, wolf pack supervisor, I am ready. Let’s build some bridges.

IN SUMMARY:

In a world riven with civil unrest (and sometimes, uncivil unrest), there is absolutely a need for more books like Nathan Andrew Roberts’s I’ll Fix America Tonight (well, at least by the weekend). His goal of providing fresh ideas to address social and political inequities that all parties can agree on is fabulous. I enjoyed the thought experiments he describes in this book, and I have the feeling this will be a book that lands well among people already willing to reconcile and make compromises to improve public discourse.

WHERE TO BUY?

You can find out more on the Outskirts Press Author Page.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

* Courtesy of Outskirts Press book listing.

SONY DSC

ABOUT KENDRA M.: With nine years in library service, six years of working within the self-publishing world, as well as extensive experience in creative writing, freelance online content creation, and podcast editing, Kendra seeks to amplify the voices of those who need and deserve most to be heard.

 

elizabeth speaks

How to Use Your Day Job to Become Better at Self-Publishing

Yes, some self-published authors earn enough to write full-time. But even the top authors—self-published or otherwise—typically keep their day job before making publishing their sole career.

High-quality self-publishing requires investment up front, both money and time. Bestselling self-published authors hire other professionals to put out books that compete with traditional publishers, which means paying for editing, layout, design, and other services.

Finances aside, writing a book is a time-consuming affair, time that an author takes away from a career or leisure activities. On top of that, a debut book rarely earns enough money to sustain its author full-time. The top-earning self-published authors build up a catalog of titles, eventually building enough of a backlog to achieve full-time earnings.

So, unless you have another way of financially sustaining yourself—such as having a working partner or hefty savings—you may not want to quit your day job yet.

That said, you don’t have to view your day job as adversarial to your self-publishing job. Instead, you can see your day job as supplementing your publishing in both craft and business.

With this in mind, here are the common skills that many writers develop in other professions, then transfer to their writing.

Writing and communication

Yes, writing skills are a no-brainer for a writer, but not just for the typical reasons.

The obvious reason is that writing in any form improves novel writing. For instance, a journalist frequently incorporates storytelling into articles. The skill set to report a feature story about real-life daily events can be easily employed in a longer form, like a novel or memoir.

And even more technical types of writing can help one’s creativity. For example, a software documentation writer must learn how to convey clear information to the reader. Clarity helps tremendously with nonfiction and fiction.

And the skill of writing goes beyond the book. In most books, you learn how to communicate professionally with others, whether that’s coworkers or customers. That’s useful when you’re explaining to a freelance designer the exact cover you want or convincing a potential reader to buy your book.

Project management

If your day job involves planning out and following a complex line of steps to completion, then formally or otherwise, you’ve practiced being a project manager. A self-published novel being a project, that type of management comes to good use.

Like any entrepreneur, a career author must use project management to bring a novel to publication. Project management is integral to getting a book to a timely and thorough publication, whether creating the actual plan, carrying out the tasks, adjusting for unexpected events, or even coordinating with collaborators.

Marketing

I have a more in-depth article on self-publishing marketing, so I’ll keep this section brief.

What’s handy about marketing is that the tools for promoting a project are universal. The same techniques you may use to sell a software solution to a business client will come to use for promoting your book to readers.

Layout and cover design

Most authors don’t have all the skills required to produce a book, so they must outsource those responsibilities. Fortunately, if you’re already professionally proficient with one of those skills, you can save money and even be more precise with your vision.

For instance, if you illustrate or design art for a living, you could create your own cover. Similarly, you can take other production competencies like layout or typography to give your book that extra shine. If you do professional voiceovers, you could even narrate your own audiobook!

Even if you intend to pay for a layout or cover designer, at least it’s useful to have a fundamental understanding of these areas. Knowing what’s possible and realistic about these production elements will help you better communicate with your collaborators and improve your chances of getting the desired results.

Inspiration

Many writers mine their real-life experiences for story material. It’s near-impossible to write genuine stories if you don’t have life experience, while a nonfiction writer ideally needs firsthand expertise with a nonfiction book topic.

If you have an interesting day job, it’s an excellent opportunity to write a story or nonfiction book about your profession. But even if you consider your work relatively mundane, there’s still much to mine from your life.

Even a pinch of verisimilitude makes a novel feel real, and even the most tedious jobs may bring you a memorable experience that becomes the origin of a pivotal scene.

And so forth . . .

I can continue to enumerate many other skills that you can bring over from your day job, but I hope you get the point.

Make the most of your experiences, and your writing and publishing endeavors will be all the more richer.

Over to you: What is your day job? What are some skills that you learn in your occupation that you can transfer to self-publishing?

Elizabeth Javor Outskirts Press

ABOUT ELIZABETH JAVOR: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Elizabeth Javor works as the Director of Sales and Marketing for Outskirts Press. The Sales and Marketing departments are composed of knowledgeable publishing consultants, customer service reps and book marketing specialists; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Elizabeth Javor can put you on the right path.

Self-Publishing News

What is the Maryland Library Ebook Law, and What It Means for Self-Publishing

Hand holding a tablet reading an ebook

In February, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction on a first-of-its-kind library eBook law, the Maryland Act, marking a momentary win for the plaintiffs, the Association of American Publishers (AAP).

The injunction follows a hearing where the AAP argued that the Maryland Act would’ve infringed upon publishers’ federal copyright protections, especially the exclusive rights publishers and authors hold under copyright law.

As reported by Publishers Weekly, the Maryland Act had required “that publishers offering eBooks to consumers in the state must also offer to license the works to public libraries on ‘reasonable terms.’”

In other words, if a publisher sold an eBook on Amazon or a similar store, then that publisher would’ve had to offer public libraries the opportunity to lend out electronic copies of their books, or else the publishers would’ve faced penalties, both civil and criminal. Currently, publishers have the discretion to not allow libraries to license their books electronically.

Despite the injunction, Maryland’s attorney general’s office plans to defend the Act in court. The Act was initially passed unanimously by the Maryland General Assembly in 2021 and went into effect on January 1, 2022.

The state argues that the Maryland Act is in the public’s interest, as it aims to support public libraries by addressing “the unfair and discriminatory trade practices of publishers at the expense of public libraries.”

The preliminary injunction signifies that the library eBook law may not stand. When determining if a preliminary injunction should be granted, a judge must evaluate four factors: “a likelihood of success on the merits; irreparable harm; winning the balance of equities; and that the injunction was in the public interest.”

As the court issued the injunction on behalf of the AAP, this suggests that the court likely deems that the law would’ve been harmful to publishers and that the AAP will likely succeed in getting the law struck down. Furthermore, the judge’s formal opinion states that the Maryland Act is probably a violation of federal copyright law.

The ramifications of this case will likely go beyond Maryland. As of late February, eight states have proposed bills similar to the Maryland Act, the latest being Connecticut. New York would’ve been the second state to put its own library eBook law into place if it weren’t for its governor’s veto. At the time, New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed the AAP’s concern that the law would’ve violated federal copyright law.

So, what does this news mean for self-publishing authors? It depends on whether the law will survive court. As for now, the safest choice is to assume that the status quo will continue. Even if the Maryland Act doesn’t make it to the Supreme Court, a defeat in a lower court may deter other states from proposing and passing similar legislation.

It’s worth it for self-published authors to note that these laws are being proposed because large publishers have been stringent with making their books available electronically to libraries. For instance, Macmillan used to have an embargo on distributing eBooks to public libraries, a decision the publisher has since lifted.

Publishers also often demand high prices for licensing—which libraries find untenable—and they often refuse to negotiate licensing prices while imposing strict restrictions on lending.

Since big publishers license fewer eBooks and electronic copies to public libraries, self-publishers can benefit by seizing this gap. Self-published authors can license their books to public libraries through book distributors, the same services that allow authors to publish their books on multiple storefronts. Even with eBook formats, authors can still earn money when libraries obtain licenses.

On top of making their books available through lending services, self-published authors can also boost their discoverability by including bestselling books that are similar to their own in their book descriptions. This can work out to a small author’s benefit if the bestselling book isn’t available at the library, as the smaller book can still turn up in the library’s search results.

Separate from the legal merits of eBook library laws, large publishers seek to retain control of what eBooks they lend to libraries and how many. In this aspect, self-publishers can fill the gap left by these restrictions.

elizabeth speaks

Authorpreneur: How to Embody Both the Author and the Entrepreneur in Self-Publishing

Authorpreneur: it’s a portmanteau—a combination of words—of “author” and “entrepreneur.”

You may encounter this new term elsewhere on the internet, whether from authors in the blogosphere or profile headlines on LinkedIn. You may even find the word too cheesy, or you may find yourself describing yourself as an authorpreneur.

No matter your feelings, I still advise you to take to heart the concepts that inspired someone out there to coin “authorpreneur.” If you want to make a career from self-publishing books, you must embody both sides: the author and the entrepreneur.

The “-preneur” in “Authorpreneur”

Let’s first look at the definition of entrepreneur, as defined by Investopedia: “an individual who creates a new business, bearing most of the risks and enjoying most of the rewards.”

When a writer enters self-publishing to make money, that’s entrepreneurship. It’s an individual endeavor in that an author (or occasionally a small group of coauthors) is not only responsible for writing the book but also producing and selling it.

This contrasts with traditional publishing, where an author collaborates with a company to release a book. An entrepreneur may sometimes run a publishing house, but the author wouldn’t be the entrepreneur.

Then there’s the business part, which I find especially important. When self-publishing, you’re in charge of either undertaking or delegating all the business decisions of bookselling. You must choose the cover and layout design. You must find printers and distributors. You must handle marketing and publicity. You even must do your taxes as both the employee and the employer.

In all, if you want to make money from self-publishing a book, you must run the publishing process as a business.

And finally, an entrepreneur is defined by one’s risk. In entrepreneurship, one does not simply walk away from the venture but instead invests significant time and money into a mission that they believe in.

Few self-published authors ever make a significant profit off their books. So instead of choosing a more stable and reliable career, they’ve decided to follow their passion and dedicate a substantial portion of their lives to publishing books. In return, the self-published author enjoys the prime share of rewards in the form of larger royalties than one would obtain through a traditional publishing deal, not to mention the accomplishment of handling every step of publication.

This investment—emotionally, in one sense—brings us back to authorship.

Putting the “Author” Back into “Authorpreneur”

Many aspiring authors hesitate to embrace the business part of publishing because they fear that it would take the creativity out of writing.

This fear is understandable. Acknowledging it will help you preserve that creative spark. Some business folks see bookselling as solely a profit generator, and it would be a dismal world if publishing were only about the money. Most books are written by authors who never expected to profit.

Yet, there are many reasons published authors decide to choose writing as a business. It’s because you believe in your writing!

When you decide to publish your book, you’re telling the world that your book is so valuable that it needs to be shared.

There wouldn’t be a need to put a price on your book in an ideal world. In our imperfect world, it’s how you can support yourself, feeding yourself and giving you the means to write even more. Some authors can only publish books because the proceeds make it possible, even if it’s just enough pocket change to cover some of the costs. In that light, it’s understandable you’d make a business out of authorship.

And think about it from the perspective of the reader. While a bookstore customer may have to pay money for your book, that same customer also enjoys that book and has a better day because of it. You’re mutually benefiting from the arrangement. And if a reader can’t buy your book, there are other ways for you to be compensated, such as getting your books into libraries or classrooms. It’s not selfish to want compensation, especially if you follow the professional standards required for a successful book.

I’ll always insist on treating publishing seriously as a business. Still, I will believe that the authorship is why the publishing business exists as a business in the first place.

With that in mind, you may be more convinced by the value of thinking yourself an “authorpreneur”—or you may still find the word an abomination of the English language.

Regardless, I wish you well in your author career.

Over to you: What do you think of the concept of the authorpreneur? How accurately (or inaccurately) does it describe your writing career?

Elizabeth Javor Outskirts Press

ABOUT ELIZABETH JAVOR: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Elizabeth Javor works as the Director of Sales and Marketing for Outskirts Press. The Sales and Marketing departments are composed of knowledgeable publishing consultants, customer service reps and book marketing specialists; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Elizabeth Javor can put you on the right path.

self publishing news

How Print Book Sales in 2021 Increased Again—And Why It May Not Last

Head inkjet during printing on pink vinyl banner

No matter your role in the publishing industry, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we publish and read.

So, considering how rough the pandemic has been, it’s great to go into 2022 with some good news. According to NPD BookScan, its reporting found that compared to 2020, unit sales of print books increased by 8.9% in 2021. Put differently, sales grew from 757.9 million print books sold in 2020 to 825.7 in 2021. That’s a jump of nearly 68 million copies!

This growth is doubly impressive compared to the increase between 2019 and 2020. In that timespan, sales rose 8.2% from 692.7 million. That puts 2021 at a whopping 132 million copies over 2019 and its prepandemic levels.

So, what drove the increase in 2021? Young adult fiction led the pack, rising more than 30%, with adult fiction not far behind at more than 25.5%. Almost every age category and print format also saw growth, except for juvenile nonfiction and mass-market paperbacks.

Within these categories, the adult graphic novel genre was the bigger winner, with sales more than doubling (109.3%). But even more impressive is the explosive popularity of manga, Japanese comics, which are often compiled in graphic novels. Young readers have driven the sales surge in manga, which is paired with youth interest in anime (Japanese cartoons) that accompany the manga series.

Other standouts include small travel books, which recovered in sales after 2020 hammered the travel industry. Young adult fiction’s surge can also be partially attributed to “BookTok”: a community of book reviewers and enthusiastic readers on the hip new social media platform TikTok. BookTok primarily focuses on backlist titles, leading to unexpected boosts of titles that have left the front of bookstores.

So what should you as a writer focus on? First, when looking at these numbers, temper the urge to jump onto a category just because it’s trending because when you finish a book and get it ready for publication, the trends will be different.

What matters more is that every increase is an opportunity. The more books you put to market, the more chances you have to strike gold when your niche becomes the latest craze, as currently being seen with graphic novels and BookTok recommendations.

With all of this said, this increase will likely not last forever. In a recent webinar, BookScan executive director Kristen McLean predicted that print book unit sales would probably fall in 2022.

McLean cites one big point: 2020 and 2021 were uniquely unusual years for BookScan and the book publishing industry in general. Not only did lockdowns and quarantines push readers to books, but readers became more invested than ever in social justice issues and the books about them.

Other changes include the supply chain problem, as we’ve covered previously. This problem has already plagued publishers with supply shortages and shipping congestion last year, and it will likely linger into 2022. This may translate to price increases for print books—at least for the ones that can even reach bookstores in the first place.

Add in worries about inflation in the United States, along with increasing concern about paper’s impact on the environment, and readers may be more reserved about their book buying, at least relative to 2020 and 2021.

So which channels may readers pursue instead? McLean speculates that online purchases will decrease as brick-and-mortar shops reopen and customers feel safer about browsing in person. Readers may also turn more toward used books and eBooks, and the rise in library eBook borrowing may mean patrons may continue borrowing books virtually.

What should we take away here? First, it’s essential to diversify your book format. That means making your book available in print format and as an eBook and audiobook form, along with any other medium that emerges as technology evolves.

Then consider the different places where you can sell your book, from online retailers to physical bookstores to even stocking libraries with physical and electronic copies of your work. Every platform you add your book onto is another way that potential readers can buy and read your book.

You should also stay on top of promotional opportunities. BookTok was especially fruitful for the authors it highlighted, and the popularity of social media websites rise and fall by the quarter. You might find success through BookTok this year, but keep an eye on where your audience is going and meet them there.

Like how the pandemic led to unpredictable changes in reading habits, no one can say how readers will change their preferences as COVID cases plummet and people return to vacation trips, outdoor activities, and crowded venues.

But be aware of how the industry changes, stay nimble about what comes next in publishing, and be proactive in covering your bases and growing your writing career. Hopefully, 2022 will be another fruitful year for authors