Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 8/08/14

INSPIRED PERSPECTIVE

Walking through a shopping mall recently, I caught a conversation segment as a young lady’s voice rose to a higher pitch: “…and if I’d never seen that—for myself—I wouldn’t have believed it.”  Oh how I wanted to ask her what she’d seen!  I didn’t, of course, so my imagination was left to fly off in multiple directions.

Now, sitting at my computer, writing to other writers, I’m acutely aware of how inspiring that snippet statement is—confirming the fact-based nature of humans who so easily believe what they see—even if what they’re seeing is a special-effects fabrication.  Long ago, the marketing/public relations gurus recognized this element of human nature.  Their skill in creating just enough illusion in the sales-pitch of their products seems to increase by the hour as earth’s population becomes ever more susceptible.  We want “the facts” to be “true.”  Don’t we?

Well, that’s a bigger discussion than I’m able to provide in this space and time.  However, the concept—as it relates to writing—is a valuable one to talk about.  Below are two food-for-thought statements:

STICK TO THE FACTS in non-fiction writing.  Always?  Most-of-the-time?  The definition of this term non-fiction is: A report or factual account…history…empirically true assertions and descriptions written by an authority in that field.  The fact about non-fiction writing is that it is also a narrative and/or story of the topic/subject being addressed.  It is a cumulative work of research developed by an author who believes his or her facts are true.  These authors offer their readers their knowledgeable, inspired perspective on the subject matter they are writing about.

BRING ON THE WIZARD OF OZ!  Fiction writing is often labeled a theoretical, imaginary flight-of-fancy “invented” by an author to provide escape from reality.  Personally, I don’t like labels and I don’t appreciate that definition.  Elements of it are true; however, my version would go something like this: Authors of all fiction genres provide a unique and inspired perspective to their subject matter by incorporating “what if” scenarios giving readers the opportunity to explore possibilities they might not have imagined before.

THERE IT IS…the connective umbilical cord that supports ALL WRITERS…inspired perspective.  Over the last several blog entries, I’ve given examples of books that I consider to be superbly written by authors utilizing this gift—their uniquely inspired perspective.  From Anne Lamott’s BIRD BY BIRD: SOME INSTRUCTIONS ON WRITING AND LIFE to THE ROBE by Lloyd C. Douglas and THE MOTE IN GOD’S EYE by authors Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, each author has offered readers fact-based, imaginatively told stories meant to open hearts and minds to new and exciting horizons.  THIS IS EXCELLENT WRITING!

Without doubt, there is someone reading this blog right now who has this gift of writing!  ARE YOU USING IT?  Are you writing?  Are you ready to publish?  THEN DO IT!  Don’t make the rest of us wait any longer!  Search out the self-publishing company that best fits your needs and enjoy the satisfaction of holding that book IN YOUR HANDS!

Royalene ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene Doyle is a Ghostwriter with Outskirts Press, bringing more than 35 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their writing projects. She has worked with both experienced and fledgling writers helping complete projects in multiple genres. When a writer brings the passion they have for their work and combines it with Royalene’s passion to see the finished project in print, books are published and the writer’s legacy is passed forward.

Weekly Self-Published Book Review: My Brother’s Keeper

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.

When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review by Midwest Book Review:

 

My Brother’s Keeper

A. J. Farris

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432784287

As we face our demise, we wonder what lead up to this point. “My Brother’s Keeper” follows Morgan Sheldon, as he faces accusations of a murder he holds was in self-defense, but no one will believe his claims. As his world collapses around him, he looks for anything to prove his innocence, as time runs shorter and shorter. “My Brother’s Keeper” is a strong pick for general fiction collections, very much recommended.

Summer Writing Goals Check-In

Earlier in the summer, I encouraged you to take advantage of the summer to achieve your writing goals. I recommended you set goals related to starting and finishing your manuscript, publishing your book, and marketing your book. Well, there are only a few weeks of summer left. (Sad, I know.) Now is the time to check-in and hold yourself accountable.

1. What were your goals?

Take a look back and see what your goals were. Did you want to start a new project? Begin the self-publishing process? Focus on promoting your book?

2. Where are you now?

Have you accomplished your goals? How much work do you still have to do? Do you want to add new goals to your list? Also, consider why you are where you are. Were your goals realistic? Motivating? Clear? Measurable? Take these things into consideration when re-evaluating your goals.

3. What are you going to do with the rest of your summer?

Whether you’ve exceeded your goals or lost sight of your vision, August still offers plenty of time to accomplish your summer writing goals. Update your goals based on your progress, and start working on achieving them before summer ends. You can do it!

I’d love to know, how much progress have you made towards your summer writing goals?

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the 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 at http://kellyschuknecht.com.

Self-Publishing Week in Review: 8/05/14

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry. This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Tuesday to find out the hottest news.

Self-Published Authors Make A Living — And Sometimes A Fortune (http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2014/07/25/334484331/unknown-authors-make-a-living-self-publishing)

This article discusses how much money self-publishing authors make and how some authors are able to make a “fortune.” It also discusses Hugh Howey’s report that suggests that self-published authors make more money overall from ebooks than those signed with the big five publishing houses. It is an interesting read for all authors.

31 Percent of Daily E-Book Sales Are Now by Self-Published Authors

(http://smallbiztrends.com/2014/07/self-published-ebooks-on-amazon-study.html)

According to a report by the author’s advocacy group Author Earnings, self-published ebooks now account for 31 percent of daily ebook sales on Amazon, and self-published authors are now earning nearly 40% of all ebook royalties on the Kindle store.  This data is very encouraging to independent authors.

Surprising Self-Publishing Statistics

(http://booklife.com/books/07/28/2014/surprising-self-publishing-statistics.html)

This article also looks at the report released by the group Author Earnings as well as a 2014 survey from the founder of Smashwords. Key findings include:

  • The Big Five traditional publishers now account for only 16% of the e-books on Amazon’s bestseller lists. Self-published books now represent 31% of e-book sales on Amazon’s Kindle Store.
  • Indie authors are earning nearly 40% of the ebook dollars going to authors.
  • $2.99 and $3.99 are currently the pricing sweet spots for most ebook bestsellers.
  • Readers prefer longer ebooks. In fact, bestselling books tend to be over 100,000 words.
  • Pre-orders give authors a sales advantage.

Be sure to check out the full article for more surprising statistics!

If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

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 at http://kellyschuknecht.com.

Are Self-Published Authors Successful?

I’ve heard many writers ask, “Are self-published authors actually successful?” My answer is always the same: Yes! But let me explain further…

What is success?

According the dictionary, success is defined as the accomplishment of one’s goals. This means that the definition of success is personal and depends on each individual’s goals. While one author may define success has earning a certain income, another author may define success as something entirely different. Some common definitions of success among self-published authors include:

  • Sharing their story with family and friends
  • Reaching a niche market
  • Finishing and publishing their manuscript, regardless of how many books they sell
  • Gaining fame
  • Earning an income
  • Increasing their business
  • Building their following of readers
  • Adding to their resume
  • Getting picked up by a traditional publisher
  • And many, many more

Self-published authors are capable of doing all of the things on that list.

How do you define success?

In order to be successful, you need to figure out how you define success. What do you want to accomplish by publishing your book? Are you looking to earn an income? Improve your professional career? Simply finish the manuscript you’ve been working on and see it in print? Share a story with your children?

Now, set your goals based on your definition of success. For instance, if earning an income is your ultimate goal, set goals to market and promote your book. Aside from writing and publishing a great book, you will need to focus on how you’re going to sell your book.

Earning money and gaining fame are not easy tasks, but they are possible. There are plenty of successful self-published authors who have proven this. For more information on becoming a successful self-published author, check out this great book: The Highly Effective Habits of 5 Successful Authors. Available at http://tinyurl.com/heho5sa

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 25 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Director of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order 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, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.