Advocacy in Self-Publishing – Page 7 – Self Publishing Advisor

Advocacy in Self-Publishing, Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

Dispatches From The Hybrid Publishing Experience

Last week, we took a cursory first glance at the hybrid publishing experience, in hopes of defining it with a touch more clarity than has been the norm. Our final conclusion? The simplest and most straightforward definition of hybrid publishing might be as follows:

Hybrid publishing is any publishing model that allows authors to enter into direct, flexible, contractual collaborations with industry professionals that in traditional publishing would be indirect (they would be paid by the publishing house, not the author) and are not traditionally available to self-publishing authors. This includes companies like Outskirts Press, which offers a range of collaborative services, and excludes the so-called “hybrid author,” or someone who has moved from traditional publishing into self-publishing or vice versa.

(You can catch up by reading the full original post here.)

But what does it feel like to publish through the hybrid model? What is the experience like? I thought we might glance over some of the statements that have been made about hybrid publishing by the authors who choose it themselves––a couple of collected dispatches, if you will! Here are the two dispatches I keep coming back to:

Norman Smith (Dog Ear Publishing)

I have just finished my third book with Dog Ear Publishing, and if there is a fourth–not likely–I’d not hesitate to go with them again.

To try to find a publisher for my first book was intimidating. I tend to research everything from buying a can opener to buying a new car, so I went to the omnipotent internet–and promptly got overwhelmed. There are dozens and dozens of publishers, of course, all spouting promises and rewards, so I was pretty much in the dark. I found that Dog Ear Publishing seemed to have generally favorable reviews, as well as a package that seemed to fit my needs, but a lot of other companies appeared competitive. But sooner or later one has to fish or cut bait–so I crossed my fingers and pushed the button and they took my money, just like that.

I was assigned to Amber, who proved to be a gem, patiently answering all my questions both promptly and understandably. But alas, she wanted to start a family, and I was switched to Adrienne. I didn’t like that–at first–but she didn’t miss a beat and proved to be an apparent clone. All went reasonably well and the book became a best seller. (Well, at least in my family.)

The second time I went with Dog Ear Publishing was because of these two women, but it was also smoother because I learned to make it a bit easier by more care on my end–strive hard to get the copy as close to right the first time, learn from one’s mistakes, allow for the inevitable exception, that sort of thing.

The third time I went to Dog Ear Publishing for the same reasons, but did wonder what would happen as a few wrinkles showed up. Again, both Amber and Adrienne took turns holding my hand and guiding me though, and I certainly needed them, because of two particular situations: One, for the cover I wanted to use one of my own photos, but the contrasts in tone and subject matter made it difficult to include the title/author in clear type. But Amber was relentlessly patient, repeatedly having the design dept. come up with some adjustment till we finally got it right.

Second, when the five comp copies came, they were acceptable–almost. They were very readable, but some pages did have a noticeable lighter font. I didn’t know if Dog Ear would agree with my assessment, but it was my baby, so I pushed for a reprint. I was surprised to find no pushback whatsoever. They did ask for sample photos of the text to validate the differences, but then quickly reprinted and sent me five new copies as well as extras to cover a few that had already been sold.

So there you have it–and perhaps I should have placed this first–Dog Ear provided;

Varied and useful packages, including developing a website for me and getting the books on Amazon and other outlets, and providing PR materials as per contract. Outstanding customer support on all levels. Knowledgeable, professional, and patient caretakers (Amber and Adrienne especially). Prompt and thorough responses to a multitude of questions, and a willingness to truly “work with” the author.

I love this review, not just because it gives one specific company a good review, but because it speaks to the real strengths of the hybrid publishing experience: constant communication, flexibility, and a real willingness to put the author’s vision at the forefront of the publishing process. That’s amazing!

Mirtha Michelle Castro Mármol (Outskirts Press)

MMCM: One day I had an encounter with a boyfriend I’d had in years past, and we talked about what had gone wrong between us. It was already too late for us, so after I went home that day I wrote a letter to say all the things I hadn’t been able to say to him in person. When I read it over the next day I really loved it, so I decided: all of these poems that I’m putting together are connected to these men I have loved–past and present, you know, since I still love them–and I decided to write the stories that go along with the poems.

[…]

OP: How did you discover Outskirts Press?

MMCM: I had a conversation with a literary department at an agency I currently work with, and they told me ‘Yeah, we can do the book. We can submit it to different publishers.’ But they said, ‘Realistically, this could take up to two years, and if we were you–you already wrote it, you’re already promoting it, you’re already building a fan base. You should go ahead and self-publish.’ I started looking into different self-publishing companies, but I immediately liked that Outskirts wasn’t Barnes & Noble or Amazon. I didn’t know much about the publishing world, but I just knew I didn’t want to drive myself crazy. I looked into different companies as well, but Outskirts was what felt right, and I went with my gut.

OP: Artist Deanna First helped create the cover of your book. It’s an intriguing piece–how did it come to be?

MMCM: Deanna is a really amazing fashion illustrator. I found her online, through a blogger friend of mine. I loved how soft and mystical her art was. I live in Los Angeles, but I went to New York for a wedding and for New York Fashion Week, and I met up with her. I had a vision of what I wanted, and she totally understood what I was trying to do. I sent her a copy of the book, and an image of myself that I really loved, and told her to make the artwork her own. She sent me three proofs one day, with variations in color and lettering, and as soon as I saw it–her art was so, so beautiful. I chose the version with black because I felt it was symbolic for a chased chapter, a closed book. I was starting a new life at that point, and the art expressed a sort of mourning. Since Letters is an intense book, with lots of ends of loves, it fit.

OP: What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of becoming a published author?

MMCM: The most rewarding part is and will always be the ability Letters has to touch people. It’s crazy because I didn’t think people really read books anymore. But for me, having these girls go and buy my book, and spend their twenty dollars or so on Letters–it’s amazing, that someone believes in things still. People say my book has helped them heal, and that it has touched them, and that they have read and reread the book five or six times. It’s not a long book, but still! That’s the best feeling.

A lot of girls and guys have hit me up, saying I inspired them to write again. It’s so great, because I’ve had people inspire me throughout my life, so it’s kind of like I’m paying it forward. I love showing people that things are possible. When I first saw Jennifer Lopez in a movie, you know, I was like–wow, a Latin girl on screen! I was being represented. It was so powerful. If I can be an inspiration to someone to write, to publish a book, that’s beautiful.

What I love so much about Mirtha Michelle Castro Mármol’s account (above) is that she speaks so clearly and directly about how hybrid publishing can bring an author’s whole and complete vision into the world. She describes her vision, and how she collaborated with the staff of Outskirts Press to bring it into being––from writing the book, to finding the company she wanted to go with, to finding a designer for her book’s cover, to connecting with her readers after the fact. For Mirtha Michelle, you simply can’t divorce the publisher from the published experience, and I think that’s a beautiful thing.

And there you have it! Two of the most insightful dispatches from inside the world of hybrid publishing … when it goes well. Next week, I’ll take us full circle back to marketing––and answer the questions: How does hybrid publishing assist an indie author in the realm of marketing a book? Does it offer tangible benefits? How can an author know when the expense is paying off? Watch this spot next Wednesday for more about this new and growing niche in the self-publishing industry!

Thank you for reading! If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or contributions, please use the comment field below or drop us a line at selfpublishingadvice@gmail.com. And remember to check back each Wednesday for your weekly dose of marketing musings from one indie, hybrid, and self-published author to another. ♠

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.

Advocacy in Self-Publishing, from the archives, Kelly Speaks, Self-Publishing, Uncategorized

From the Archives: “Avoid these 5 mistakes when choosing your publisher”

Welcome back to our Tuesday segment, where we’ll be revisiting some of our most popular posts from the last few years. What’s stayed the same? And what’s changed? We’ll be updating you on the facts, and taking a new (and hopefully refreshing) angle on a few timeless classics of Self Publishing Advisor.

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[ Originally posted: April 23rd, 2010 ]

1) DO NOT CHOOSE SPEED OVER QUALITY
Avoid publishers that claim to publish in 24 hours. After the time it took to write your book, do you want it published right, or overnight? Avoid overnight publishers no matter what they charge because the only one looking at your book will be a computer. It should take between 6-15 weeks.

2) DO NOT BE FOOLED BY HIGH ROYALTY CLAIMS
A royalty is simply a percentage of another number. The actual dollars and cents you earn depends upon that second number. The truest royalty is a royalty based upon the retail price of your book. Many publishers use “net royalty” which is a royalty based upon their profit. To be sure, always confirm your profit in dollars and cents.

3) DO NOT SIGN YOUR RIGHTS AWAY
The main advantage to self-publishing alternatively with a on-demand publisher is that you keep all the rights to your work. The rights are valuable. Read the contract. Your rights should clearly stay with you.

4) DO NOT BE CONFUSED BY BULK DISCOUNTS
If a publisher normally offers discounts to an author who buys their own book in bulk, that tells you two things. 1) It tells you they are more concerned with selling to you than to other readers. 2) It tells you they are charging you too much for lower quantities. Do you really want to be forced to buy 100 books at a time just to get a fair price? “Bulk” discounts simply trick the author into buying more books than they need, which defeats the whole advantage of on-demand printing.

5) DO NOT BE TRICKED BY AUTHOR DISCOUNTS
As an author, your per-book price should be based upon the production cost of the book, not the retail price. No wonder publishers inflate their retail pricing. You should always receive a below-wholesale price, regardless of how many you buy. You will never make money if you have to buy your own book at wholesale from the publisher.

When push comes to shove, all five of these points boil down to the same core idea:

You ought always to look for a self-publishing company that puts you––the author––first. A company that shares your ethics and vision for rendering stories accessible to readers. A company that knows how to treat people right and does so consistently, day in and day out.

A company that works solely to satisfy its bottom line and invested parties is a company that has forgotten the human element … and the whole point of self-publishing, to be perfectly frank. Responsibility to shareholders and investors is one thing, but the deliberate choice to inflate profits at the expense of quality products, customer satisfaction, and author empowerment is unconscionable and inexcusable. I sometimes wonder how much of the corporate soullessness we see in certain corners of the world today has its roots in people not loving the work they do––not finding value and meaning in enriching the lives of others in addition to their own, and not seeing the significance of their daily tasks or the opportunities to craft a career that is as much art as it is science. But here I’m rambling!

Looking back nearly six years to this original post, I now see the five mistakes noted above to be more a list of symptoms than a list of “to-not-dos” … because each and every single one points to a company that prioritizes itself over its product and clients:

If a company maximizes profits by creating artificially high prices that only seem reasonable when reduced to a bulk or “author-only” rate, it is clearly a company that cares very little about balancing the need for profit and survival in a competitive market with the reality that self-publishing is a market and industry that demands transparency, accessibility, and progressive thinking. It is a company that looks to trap its customers into a long-term, toxic, parasitic relationship.
If a company prioritizes speed over a quality product or quality customer service, then it’s a company that sells itself using gimmicks … and gimmicks, as we are all well aware, are the desperate empty gestures of a company lacking imagination. Innovation and creativity do not produce inferior versions of a thing; they find new and fresh ways to look at problems and to improve upon that thing.

In short, no, nothing really has changed in the six years since this post first hit the Self Publishing Advisor front page. There were ungenerous self-publishing companies in existence then, and there are ungenerous self-publishing companies in existence now. We haven’t changed that fact in half a decade, and we’re not particularly likely to change it in the next. What we can change, however, is our own degree of discernment. We can spot the warning signs––the symptoms above––and steer well away from companies that manifest them. We can choose not to sell ourselves short, and to choose instead a publishing option that respects us as authors and empowers us to better ends than a bottom line.

If you have any other ideas, I’d love to hear them. Drop me a line in the comments section below and I’ll respond as quickly as I can. ♠

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.

Advocacy in Self-Publishing, elizabeth speaks, in your corner, Self-Publishing, Uncategorized

In Your Corner : Loving Your Self-Publishing Company

What does it mean to love self-publishing? It’s one thing to love the theory of going indie: the creative control, the rights and royalties, the community spirit, and everything else that goes along with making your own way on your own schedule at your own page. But it’s another thing to love the experience of going indie, and as our veteran self-publishing readers can attest, this experience depends in large part on the company you choose to self-publish through.

Has Amazon KDP moved past its “Big Bad” corporate image to provide personable services? Will Kobo Writing Life treat you right? Has AuthorHouse overcome its checkered past? How do Smashwords, Lulu, and hybrid publishing companies like Outskirts Press measure up? For those of you who are just starting out down this road for the first time, the answers to these questions may hold the key to unlocking the joyous, fervent love-affair you never expected to have. I’m speaking, of course, about your love affair with your self-publishing company.

I’d like to offer you a list of characteristics I think make for the ultimate lovable self-publishing company and also make for the most positive self-publishing experience. What should you, the eager author, look for as you research what options are out there?

Expertise. A company that says it knows what it’s about is all well and good, but a company that actually knows what it’s about makes for a far superior experience. Since this year is a presidential election year here in the USA, bear with me a second: it might prove helpful to think of your publishing candidates the way you would your political ones. What do you look for in your future president? Know-how, that’s what. Companies that lack this crucial characteristic slide headfirst into problems of honesty, accountability, schedule-keeping, transparency, reliability, and trustworthiness. When researching your options, you can get a good sense of a company’s expertise by watching for those tell-tale symptoms of a company in retreat––a company that throws up smokescreens to disguise its lack of expertise.
Experience. Coming on the tails of its close cousin, Expertise, this characteristic is of equal importance. You simply won’t feel confident in your choice if you know you’re a living and breathing guinea pig for a wet-behind-the-ears company looking to build its portfolio. And if you don’t feel confident, well, you won’t find yourself falling in love anytime soon. As you carry out your research, watch for testimonials provided both by the company on its own website and by past clients elsewhere. It’s easy to find out if a company has the necessary experience, since authors love to blog about what they love and hate; all you need is Google! (And some spare time.) The benefit of going with a hybrid self-publishing company is, in my mind, that you only have to research one vendor (the company itself), whereas if you take time to research your cover and interior book designers, editors, publishing coaches, website designers, copywriters, eBook and print on demand experts, and marketing specialists … well, you’re looking at a substantial investment of time and energy. With a hybrid self-publishing company, these experts are vetted for their skills and reliability already.
Diverse offerings. Your book is a work of art, and every work of art has its own special demands. One of my college professors once compared books to babies, not just because authors feel a deep emotional connection with them, but because they seem to take on lives of their own and often prove as troublesome and demanding as a fractious toddler. Because your book by its very nature requires special treatment, you as an author need to trust your self-publishing company to provide diverse customizable offerings to fit it––and you. And while some self-publishing platforms might be willing to work with you on creating something totally custom from the ground up over the course of a dozen panicked phone calls, it’s better to start with set of offerings that you can winnow down to something close to what you want––and customize from there.
Flexibility. Is this self-publishing company going to be a pleasure to work with? Are they going to be calm, flexible, and eager to please––or are they going to be stubborn, inflexible, and resistant to your suggestions? Are they willing to revisit decisions you’ve already made, or change course in the middle of the design process if you find this is what your book requires? At the heart of a company’s openness to flexibility is its fundamental perspective on the nature of books. If a company looks at your book as merely a product it is bringing to market, then of course it’s going to look for the fastest, most expedient way to do so. If that company, however, understands that your book is a masterpiece and you are a partner rather than a problem or an obstacle in the way of publication, its representatives will work with you rather than around you.
Soul. “Inside us there is something that has no name, that something is what we are,” wrote José Saramago in his book Blindness. When you go looking for a self-publishing company, you’re not just looking for an entity that ticks all the boxes in your “looking-for” list; you’re looking for a company with that little something extra, that thing which moves a person or a company out of the realm of “things I’d be okay with” to “things I feel a deep connection to.” You’re not looking for a company. You’re looking for company along the journey. You’re looking for a good match between you and professionals who know what they’re about, and who share your heart and vision for your book. If this sounds a little like you’re looking to fall in love with someone, then you’re not far off!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Always remember: you are not alone. ♣︎

ABOUT ELIZABETH JAVOR: With over 18 years of experience in sales and management, Elizabeth Javor works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable publishing consultants, pre-production specialists, 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.

Advocacy in Self-Publishing, Book Promotion, Book Promotion Strategy, from the archives, Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

From the Archives: “5 Ways to Increase Book Sales by Giving Away the First Chapter”

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[ Originally posted: June 17th, 2011 ]

I love Amazon! I frequently search for books on Amazon. I pay attention to what Amazon recommends for me. I have a Kindle and often check Amazon’s list of “Top 100 Free” Kindle Ebooks. As a reader, the choices for “what to read next” are endless. My “to read” list is never under 25 books. Readers have so many choices these days, so, as an author, how do you convince readers to choose your book to read next?

One idea is to give away the first chapter of your book. Everyone likes getting something for free, right? The first chapter will give the reader a taste of the book and will entice them to want to read more. There are a few ways you can get your first chapter into the hands (or onto the screens) of your potential readers:

Add a message in your email signature asking your contacts to let you know if they would like to receive a copy of the first chapter of your book. For those who reply, send them a PDF copy of the first chapter and let them know where to buy the hardcopy if they like it and want to read more.

Put an ad in your local newspaper with a short (1-2 sentence) synopsis of your book, inviting potential readers to email you for a PDF copy of the first chapter for free. When you email the file to these contacts, let them know where to buy the hardcopy if they like it and want to read more.

Similarly, put an ad on Craigslist (in the “free” section) with a short synopsis of your book, inviting potential readers to contact you for a free PDF copy of the first chapter. And – you guessed it! – when you send it to them, let them know where to buy the hardcopy if they like it and want to read more.

First Chapter Plus publishes and distributes a monthly e-catalog, which includes the first chapters of print and digital books, and mp3 clips of audio books to over 35,000 opt-in subscribers. This listing will include the necessary details for where potential readers can find and purchase a copy of your book.

If you’re a blogger, publish the first chapter of your book in a blog post or link to a PDF file where your readers can open the first chapter and read it. Be sure to let readers know where to buy the book once they’ve read the first chapter and want more. Author Ian Lurie actually allows his viewers to read the entire contents of his book, Conversation Marketing, online. See how he does this here: http://www.conversationmarketing.com/internet-marketing-book/

DISCUSSION: What are some other ways that you might distribute the first chapter of your book to potential readers?

– by Kelly Schuknecht

The world has shifted somewhat since 2011. By that, I don’t mean to suggest that my original points are somehow now invalid––they’re all still great ideas and, except for the newspaper advertisement and First Chapter Plus (which runs about $100 for one month of promotion) they’re free–but I do mean to introduce social media to this list. Back in 2011, most of the more popular websites (such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) already existed––but they hadn’t yet quite reached the cultural tipping point where they are now at, where a single post can go viral and by force of sheer momentum, alter reality offline, outside of the internet. This makes for some very good news for you, the self-publishing author, especially when it comes to promotions like free sample chapters.

Here are three more ways to get your first chapter into the hearts and homes and hands of your potential readers:

Take advantage of your existing social media presence (and maybe even beef it up a little). There’s never been an easier way to spread the news that you have a sample chapter out there waiting to be read than by alerting your followers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, Tumblr, and elsewhere. Not familiar with one of these social media platforms? It might just be worth taking a look to see whether it might be of use to you, both for this promotion and for other networking purposes. Except for Tumblr, none of these platforms can actually serve as host for your chapter’s file––with Tumblr, you can just copy and paste into a text post, and it will preserve almost all of your formatting––but part of their appeal is that they create exactly the right kind of “bite-sized” bits of information that makes for shareable content. My suggestion is this: upload your .PDF file online or steal your Amazon book listing’s hyperlink, and paste that link into a cute little promotional post for each of these platforms.
Fans will sometimes do the sharing for you, as with this sample chapter to George R.R. Martin’s next book that appeared on Tumblr recently.
Take advantage of the Kindle Store’s automatic sample*––in several ways. Did you publish through KDP, or Kindle Direct Publishing? If you did, then 10% of your book is automatically accessible to your readers for free. It’s worth noting at the outset that one of the downsides to publishing through KDP is that you can’t choose which chapter or what content is made available this way, but such are the hazards of publishing through a large company with little customizability. If you do publish through Amazon’s KDP, however, take full advantage! As I mentioned above in point #1, you can grab the hyperlink to your book listing and share the sample chapter’s availability far and wide. Additionally (or alternatively) you might use the automatic sample as a guidepost to what you should steer clear of including in your own promotion. If Amazon, for example, offers the first chapter, you might upload a .PDF to your blog of chapter two. This might prove to be an especially clever move, since dedicated readers will have to access both your Amazon book listing and your personal blog––and doing so increases their exposure to your product, which in turn increases the odds they’ll purchase your book!
Make it visual, and make it embeddable. Software designer Nathan Barry writes that “moving from a text link to a more visual graphic can double the number of downloads of a sample chapter. That’s expected since it is much more visual and will grab more attention.” How do you go about doing this? First, create a graphic snapshot of your book’s cover or first few pages––something attractive that intimates the look and feel of your book––and then use a software app or program like ConvertKit to generate email subscription and download options. This will create an embeddable piece of HTML code that you can insert into your blog and any other platform that allows for HTML content.
image credit: nathanbarry.com

And there you have it: three new ways to engage your readers with the wonderful promotional tool that is the free sample chapter!

* NOTE: several other publishers, including indie and hybrid self-publishing companies, offer sample chapter options. You should always inquire after the options by contacting your Personal Marketing Assistant.

If you have any other ideas, I’d love to hear them. Drop me a line in the comments section below and I’ll respond as quickly as I can. ♠

Advocacy in Self-Publishing, elizabeth speaks, in your corner, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Uncategorized, Writing

In Your Corner : Resolutions for 2016 That Every Aspiring Author Should Make (pt 4)

Three weeks back, I launched off a new series for Self Publishing Advisor with the singular goal of answering one simple question:

What’s your goal for 2016?

This question, of course, lay the groundwork for a whole host of further sub-questions that rapidly morphed into a series of tasks I think every author probably keeps in mind as a new year rolls around–and indeed, these tasks make for an excellent New Year’s Resolution list if ever I saw one. Even though a small part of me cringes at the thought of yet another to-do list, I can’t help but recognize that the recoil is somewhat a consequence of semantics: I may not have had much success giving up sweets or processed foods or otherwise accomplishing resolutions of years past, but I fully acknowledge the fact that structured and manageable goals are important and sometimes even necessary things to move a book from ideation to final publication. If we divorce the word “resolve” from its holiday baggage, I think there’s no denying its powerful potential for instigating personal transformation. Just think of its original–and simple–definition:

With a firmness of purpose firmly instilled in our hearts and minds, we have already examined the first eleven of the fourteen total resolutions I propose (click on the links to view the respective blog posts):

This week, I’m going to close out the series with three more:

Writing consultation.
Learn about self-publishing, and
Embrace your style!

Now we come down to the brass tacks.

What is a writing consultation, and how can it help me? Have you ever been stuck in a rut? Is the dreaded “Writer’s Block” a regular or even constant companion of yours? There are untold untapped resources out there to help jump-start or fine-tune your writing and get your book back on track, such as the writing consultation service from Outskirts Press (my employer). A number of other indie, hybrid, and self-publishing companies offer similar services, and there are all kinds of free websites dedicated to the same thing–and the only downside to these free services is the fact that they can be hard to navigate. When you have thousands upon thousands of web pages to filter through for relevant bits of information, where do you get started? Herein lies the benefit of an actual, honest-to-goodness sit-down session with a live human being and professional: a consultation session gives you time with a skilled writer who is also an industry expert in order to address any writing issues you are experiencing. You should also emerge with a great deal of valuable advice and a plan of action for moving forward. A live consultation is the great rut-breaker!

And what’s this about learning about self-publishing? Simply put, the more you know about the self-publishing industry–and the options available to you, the author–the easier it is to find your way forward. Don’t be afraid of the Great Unknown! You can’t afford to not know what you’re getting into, and if you find yourself overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the self-publishing community through web forums or even the experts that your prospective self-publishing platform keeps on hand for just such a moment. They’re there to help! And while I can’t speak for all experienced indie authors, the ones I have had the pleasure to meet and work with are unfailingly kind and generous with their time, advice, and feedback. So: do your research and learn what you’re getting into. Odds are it’s not nearly as scary a process as you may imagine.

Finally, embrace your style! As a writer, you may do things a little differently from the next writer at the imaginary conference table, but that’s what makes you so special–and it is also what sets you apart and what will help you sell books later on. Never give up. Never surrender to self-doubt! Your style and your choices as an author are valid. Not only are they valid, but they’re your greatest strengths and your greatest selling points.

Don’t shrink from your quirks and “what makes you weird,” as one of my old writing instructors used to say. Own them! Play them up! If you’re doing things your own way and you feel like you’re writing the book you want to write, then I guarantee you that you’re writing a superior book.

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

Always remember: you are not alone. ♣︎

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Always remember: you are not alone. ♣︎

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