self-published – Page 7 – Self Publishing Advisor

Advocacy in Self-Publishing, Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, the joy of publishing

Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer: 08/28/2015

WHY SHOULD I PUBLISH? Part IV – The JOY

Oh, yes! Joy is definitely a defining and delectable feeling that comes with being a published author. When I was asked to autograph my book for the first time, I suddenly realized that I had not taken the advice of my author-friends to prepare a short sentence for these occasions. Yet, within my next heartbeat, the phrasing flowed forth. Since then, I’ve honed it a bit and definitely change it up considering the person who will walk away with my book. Someone once told me that I’d get tired of autographing books. At this time, I doubt it!

SO…on to the next joyous elements of being that published author.

Prestige—Respect—Acknowledgement. In recent years the literary world’s perspective of publishing with a traditional publisher versus self-publishing has narrowed considerably. Readers are searching for excellent writers in their genre-of-choice in both arenas and admire the authors who have done the work and written an exceptional book.
Connection-s. There is something very special about an author’s connection with their readers. When those words on the page talk to the person who is turning the pages magic It matters little whether the book is fiction, non-fiction, memoir, poetry, cookbook or a photographic collection of bird species around the world. When the author’s enthusiasm for their topic touches the passion within the reader that becomes a marvelous connection, indeed!
Open Doors. Several years ago, an author friend told me that she continues to write and publish because “…even when you’re sleeping, someone in the world is reading what you’ve written.” When writers publish that first book, this statement can seem a bit exaggerated. However, consider the ease with which readers can access the internet these days, find your book, and have access to it instantly. Don’t be surprised when someone from another state—or country—sends you an email asking questions about the content of your book or simply wanting to “meet” the author and thank you!
Continuing Education. Once you’ve published that first book, you’ll be amazed by ALL that you’ll learn in the areas of marketing from developing your “tribe” of folks who share interest in your field to improving your skills in the multi-media avenues of promotion. If you’re thinking that you’d prefer not to get involved in all of this, so you’ll wait for a traditional publisher to pick up your book(s), please think again. TP’s will do some initial work in this area, but every author will need to learn these elements in order to keep their book “alive” in the eyes of today’s readers.
Writers I know who have published are actively writing their next book(s). I’m sure you’ve heard the cliché statement that “A Rose is a Rose is a Rose.” The same is true for the writer—A Writer is a Writer is a Writer. It is an addiction that fills your mind and heart, cannot be denied, and will give you GREAT JOY in return.

And, so we have it! After looking at the pros and cons of traditional publishing versus self-publishing, digging a little deeper into the publishing processes, and talking a bit about literary agents and publishing contracts, you’re now aware of the main pieces to include as you make your decisions. It is my hope that your passion for what you’re writing will bring you the JOY of being the published author you’re meant to be! ⚓︎

ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene has been writing something since before kindergarten days and continues to love the process. Through her small business—DOYLE WRITING SERVICES—she brings more than 40 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their projects. This is a nice fit as she develops these blogs for Outskirts Press (OP) a leading self-publisher, and occasionally accepts a ghostwriting project from one of their clients. Her recent book release (with OP) titled FIREPROOF PROVERBS, A Writer’s Study of Words, is already receiving excellent reviews including several professional writer’s endorsements given on the book’s back cover.

Royalene’s writing experience grew through a wide variety of positions from Office Manager and Administrative Assistant to Teacher of Literature and Advanced Writing courses and editor/writer for an International Christian ministry. Her willingness to listen to struggling authors, learn their goals and expectations and discern their writing voice has brought many manuscripts into the published books arena.

from the archives, karl schroeder, Kelly Speaks

From the Archives: “Statistics Suggest Good News for the Self-Publishing Author”

Welcome back to our new 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: December 17th, 2008 ]

Bowker, the global leader in bibliographic information management, recently released 2007 book publishing statistics compiled from its Books In Print database. Based on figures from U.S. publishers, Bowker is projecting that U.S. title output last year increased slightly from 2006 to almost 300,000 books. That’s over a quarter of a million books published in one year alone.

Here’s another interesting statistic, while traditional book publishing was basically flat last year, there was a staggering rise in the reported number of on-demand and short-run books to 134,773, pushing the grand total for projected 2007 U.S. book output to 411,422 books. In fact, Bowker has planned to separate this particular output from its traditional reporting and has begun tracking the On Demand industry segment separately.

What does this mean for you? To begin, your book may not stock in every bookstore. Or any bookstore. And it’s entirely possible that you may not want it to.

As a self-publishing author, these statistics undoubtedly suggest your sales opportunities will continue to grow and become more profitable. Sales are shifting from offline to online. More and more people are becoming comfortable with (and even accustomed to) shopping online. Selling books online is more cost-effective than selling through a typical bookstore, and that means more money in your pocket. It’s no coincidence that Amazon’s book sales numbers mirror the same increases on an annual bases. That’s good news.

It’s been said before on this blog, make sure your self-publishing choice lets you set your own retail price, royalty, and discount to take maximum advantage of shifting consumer trends.

Something to keep in mind as you wrap up your writing and begin the publishing process.

Have fun and keep writing.

– Karl Schroeder

Well, it should come as a surprise to no one that Bowker has updated its data sets since we first wrote this blog back in 2008–and the news is, unsurprisingly, mixed but mostly positive when it comes to the world of indie and self-published authors! The newest report, which covers industry data for precisely the years that have elapsed since our original post (2008-2013), shows that the market for ebooks as well as self-published books has mostly stabilized.

Here’s what’s changed: while overall, the growth of print and ebook sales has proven to be exponential (436.53% in five years––not bad!), the rate has slowed to a still-impressive 16.56% between 2012 and 2013. There’s no reason to believe that this should be interpreted as a “slow-down” rather than a natural stabilization, as the Bowker report breaks down the percentage of increase or decrease by indie, hybrid, or self-publishing company. The fact that some companies are proving to be breakout successes (Smashwords and Blurb, for example) while others have seen steady growth, others slight decline, simply goes to show that the self-publishing market has responded to increased pressures by diversifying and steadying. Says Bowker Director of Identifier Services, Beat Barblan, self-publishing is “evolving from a frantic, wild-west style space to a more serious business.” There’s also the lovely little fact that, in 2013, there were as many self-published works (458,564 to be precise!) as there were total titles published in 2007 (including those published by traditional means).

Ebook sales continue to account for the majority of percentage increase in terms of sales over the last five years, which may provide some guidance as you move forward in selecting your self-publisher. Whatever avenue or company you choose, take a good long look at both the Bowker report and your own personal desires when it comes to sales margins and profits. You get to call the shots, so make sure they’re on target with the most up-to-date information. And the verdict is in: the statistics still suggest good news for you, the self-publishing author! ♠

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, Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, literary agent, Royalene Speaks

Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer: 08/21/2015

WHY SHOULD I PUBLISH? Part III

Now that some of the decision-making publishing stress triggers have been talked about, I will briefly mention one more stressor and then move forward with the FUN parts of publishing.

IF you’ve decided to test the traditional publishing waters the CONTRACT(S) you’ll be asked to sign can be intimidating.

Literary Agent contracts (or agreements)!
- Most authors look at the Agent Commission percentage(s) first. Standard rates range from 15% (of you advances/royalties) up to 25%.
- Higher rates could mean that they plan to “split” commissions with a co-agent, someone you may never meet or know—or want to work with.
- Verbiage you’ll need to understand includes: domestic and/or foreign/overseas sales, dramatic sales, and other concepts such as “bargain rates for first time authors.” Beware of those bargains.
- MOST important is what “authority” is being given to an agent with your signature on that contract. Are you agreeing to work with/pay this agent for the longevity of this ONE book or several? Is there a Retainer Fee? What Agent expenses will they want reimbursed?
- HOW is their “termination clause” written? Can you (or they) terminate the contract at any time for any reason?

Publishers Contract…
- Yes, your Agent is an excellent resource for explaining every paragraph of this publishing house agreement and a strong advocate for encouraging the best possible agreement between all parties. However, many authors I know want will still retain a Literary Lawyer to “review” it.
- Traditional Publishing is a “for profit” business industry, and their contracts are specifically written for enhance their interest—not the author’s best interests.
- Over many years, The Writer’s Digest has offered multiple articles about the ins-and-outs of publishing contracts. This is an excellent place to start your research into: Rights, Subsidiary Rights, Royalties, Advances and most importantly Copyright ownership.
- There are still sad stories being told by authors who signed away overseas rights or movie/film/TV rights and lost their rightful income from those venues.

BOTTOM LINE about these Contract/Agreement stressors is BE PREPARED by reviewing multiple sample contracts (found online), and talking with Agents and Literary Attorneys at writing conferences and/or by phone if they are willing to offer a brief “free” consult.

IF you Self-Publish you’ll also sign an Agreement. However, the language is usually very straightforward, clearly outlining the responsibilities of both parties—Author and Press.

NOW…about the FUN part of becoming a Published Author! Next week I’ll share with you the JOY I felt the moment I held my first book in my hands and the EXCITEMENT of signing that first autograph, reading the first online review…and more! ⚓︎

Elise Speaks, from the archives, Kelly Speaks

From the Archives: “How Much Do Self-Published Authors Make Per Year?”

Welcome to our new 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: July 13th, 2011 ]

You want to become a self-published author, but you also have bills to pay and a lifestyle to maintain. So you pull up Google (or your search engine of choice), and search for “average income for book authors” or “average income for self-published authors”. You skim the results but can’t find any solid statistics. There’s a good reason why. Ready for it? Authors aren’t paid a salary. They earn royalties based on the sales of their book. These royalties are paid to them on a set schedule – usually provided that they meet the agreed upon “minimum earning threshold”.

So, will I be able to pay my bills if I become a self-published author? That’s an excellent question. Unfortunately, there is no “one size fits all” answer to it. When you publish a book, you are essentially taking a “gamble” on yourself. Many authors keep their day jobs until they are able to earn enough to support themselves on their book sales alone. One dedicated Outskirts Press author made $100,000 in only 180 days (6 months). However, there are some authors who don’t earn anywhere near this amount in a year. Furthermore, there are some authors who may not sell even one book over the course of a year.

How do you know where you fall? Self-publishing is all about investing in yourself. Given that successfully publishing a book involves 20% writing and 80% marketing, you should naturally spend most of your time/money on promoting the book after you write it. If you need help, you may consider enlisting the services of a book marketing consultant.

The income of a self-publishing author is 100% in their own hands. No one can “predict” how much you will earn as that is only a result of two things: the quality of your book and substantial effort in marketing it to the right audience.

Four years (and a few weeks) have passed since Elise first posted this blog about potential profits in self-publishing, and everything she wrote about then still holds up today. But if you were looking for some statistics or some hard data to back up her assertions, consider the following information mined from a 2013 Forbes article:

20% of self-published authors reported making no income at all from their writing, with a median income of under $5,000.
traditionally published authors had a median income of between $5,000 and $9,999.
hybrid authors–those who self-publish through a company like Outskirts Press–had a median income of between $15,000 to $19,999.
of authors who self-published, 1.8% made over $100,000 from their writing (in 2012); of traditionally published authors, 8.8% made a comparable amount; outdistancing the pack, hybrid authors performed the best, with 13.2% making over $100,000 in the same year.

The Forbes article stressed that theirs was an “non-scientific” sampling, so as not to be construed as “nationally representative” or even wholly accurate. Still, when you look at the data, you can’t help but be impressed by one thing: hybrid authors are making out like bandits, comparatively! We shouldn’t be discouraged by the first point, as the numbers don’t look all that great for traditionally published authors when it comes to profit and loss.

Take a look at this article from Publishing Perspectives, which includes a beautiful little infographic breaking down earnings by price bracket. Those authors who make no money at all are fairly similar between traditional and self-publishing groups, but drop dramatically in the hybrid bracket. On the whole, hybrid publishing platforms tend to spread out the earnings, percentage-wise, whereas self-published and even traditionally-published markets clump authors together into the lower income brackets. (All but the Lucky Few, that is.)

All this to say, there’s been a shift in the last five years away from “strictly” traditional and “strictly” self-published modes of authorship. The advent of indie and hybrid publishing–the diversification of the entire publishing system–has created more opportunities and more middle ground for authors who want to remain in control of the creative process. None of this impacts Elise’s sound recommendation to stick to the 20/80 ratio (20% writing, 80% marketing)–but it does provide food for thought when it comes to offloading some of that marketing to professionals. It’s no longer a question of “Can I find a niche?” but rather “Who is going to market my book most effectively?” The answer isn’t always what you might think. ♠

Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, stress

Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer: 08/14/2015

WHY SHOULD I PUBLISH? Part II

Last week I started our conversation by comparing a couple concepts between Traditional Publishers and Self-Publishing Presses. One particular piece must be added before other things are shared. I’m referring to the author’s stress levels during any publishing process, and how people deal with people during this specific “life event.” Yes, having one’s book published is definitely a “life event.”

If you’ve been writing for very long you’re aware of the birthing experience of placing words on a page—many pages—and reaching the point when you’re willing to let someone else read it—some-ONE. That is a big step with even steeper steps that follow that may include a critique/support group, then possibly an agent (or two) and finally the folks at the publishing house or self-publishing press. Each of these steps are milestones of accomplishment and there are no ways around them if you want to see you book in print. So let’s talk about the specific stress elements you’ll be facing.

Because writing begins as a solitary endeavor, we have the ability to agree (and disagree) with how our projects are coming along. Self-editing is a particular skill that we all have but is dangerous to totally rely upon. Thus, the value of connection with a writers support group. I’ve enjoyed fellowship in three amazing groups.
- The first one took me by my toddler-writing-hands and gently fed me concepts and skills that will be with me forever.
- The second was my writing/editing team at my place of employment where we developed magazine articles. This band of writers honed my abilities and further developed my appreciation for defining words before using them haphazardly.
- The third (and current) group is my rock. These writers not only encourage me, they also hold me to task in reaching for and completing my dreams.
- The stress felt in each of these group-settings is healthy stress—exciting and filled with people who become forever-friends.
WHEN your book is complete and that manuscript sits upon your desk it is time to DECIDE which road you will take to get it published.
- Will you seek an agent to “sell” your book to a traditional publisher?
- What percentage of your royalties will they take? 10%? 15%?
- Will you approach traditional publishers on your own? What royalties will they pay you? 20%? 30%?
- Does your book demand being in the hands of readers quickly—thus leading you to self-publish?
- Which self-publishing press will you select? How much money will be needed to self-publish?
- Weighing the pros and cons of this publishing decision-making process is, indeed, stressful. However, no one can make this choice for your book but you.
THEN comes more decisions about…
- Exterior cover (front and back)
- Interior design (headers/footers, introduction or preface, etc.)
- Hardback or softcover/paperback
- AND…marketing…(a discussion for another day).

There is a buzz-word that has appeared in the self-publishing world…Indie-Authors…short for Independent Authors. I like the sound of it. It speaks to me of pioneer days when independent dreamers crossed the plains and wrote of their dreams and adventures—much like we do today sitting in our writing rooms and allowing our imaginations (and research) the place to create great stories. Yes, I recommend self-publishing…becoming an Indie-Author and directing the players on my stage of book production and book release into the world. ⚓︎

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