Before I got serious about publishing my book on my own, I didn't have a promotion plan or a platform or much of an idea of where to start. Once I knew I wanted to self-publish, I did my homework and got started and I've slowly built on that foundation since then. And all of this started a while before I was ready to publish. So when should you start promoting?
The general consensus and recommendation of pretty much everyone in the publishing industry these days is as soon as possible. If that is too general an answer, let's just say don't wait until you've published your book or right before it's coming out to start. Promotion is a gradual, accumulative process that takes time. And a lot of it.
Keep in mind that direct book promotion is not the only promotion you need. Book promotion is just an offshoot of self-promotion and good self-promotion will lead perfectly into good book promotion. The nice thing about self-promotion is that you can start that at anytime. Even if your book is not coming out for a while, you can get a readership going anyway. Start building an audience now and they will follow you to your book when you release it.
There are a lot of good promotion ideas out there for authors. I recommend reading Get Known Before the Book Deal by Christina Katz as a platform primer, and checking out author Jody Hedlund's blog and The Creative Penn for lots of promotion-related advice and suggestions.
You should know that any type of marketing is a trial and error process. Some of that is figuring out what works for you, and some of it is figuring out what works period. Most authors seem to have a few main promo tools that work for them. So don't be afraid to experiment and take risks until you find your groove.
So when should you start promoting your book? The answer is now! Gather ideas from sources online and off, and start building a solid promotion plan for you and your book today.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
A Quickstart Guide to DIY Self-Publishing
If you're thinking about DIY self-publishing, you may wonder what you'll need to get your book out into the world. This list will help you get a plan and get organized and get up and running! Articles to come will cover various aspects of these subjects more in-depth. If you have a particular question about any of these topics, leave a comment and I may cover it in a future post!
DIY Self-Publishing Outlets
This is a relatively new field and I'm confident more outlets are on their way. These are the DIY self-publishing places I'm aware of. If you know of more, do share!
Ebook Publishing
Createspace (a.k.a. Amazon)
Smashwords
PubIt (Barnes & Noble)
Print-On-Demand Publishing
Createspace
Wordclay
What You'll Need
Regardless of where you publish, there are four basic things you'll need to get your book ready for distribution (especially if you're serious):
Other things you might want include a website and/or a blog, a business card, and a book trailer.
Pulling It All Together
Do your research before choosing a DIY self-publishing company. Once you're ready to publish, you'll need to format your manuscript and get your cover ready. Then you should give a little thought to writing an enticing description and then a brief, professional author bio.
While this is a condensed version of the work you'll do, knowing what's ahead will help you to plan for a successful release of your book!
DIY Self-Publishing Outlets
This is a relatively new field and I'm confident more outlets are on their way. These are the DIY self-publishing places I'm aware of. If you know of more, do share!
Ebook Publishing
Createspace (a.k.a. Amazon)
Smashwords
PubIt (Barnes & Noble)
Print-On-Demand Publishing
Createspace
Wordclay
What You'll Need
Regardless of where you publish, there are four basic things you'll need to get your book ready for distribution (especially if you're serious):
- Professional Book Cover
- Properly Formatted Manuscript
- Book Description
- Author Bio
Other things you might want include a website and/or a blog, a business card, and a book trailer.
Pulling It All Together
Do your research before choosing a DIY self-publishing company. Once you're ready to publish, you'll need to format your manuscript and get your cover ready. Then you should give a little thought to writing an enticing description and then a brief, professional author bio.
While this is a condensed version of the work you'll do, knowing what's ahead will help you to plan for a successful release of your book!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
3 Reasons Not to Shy Away From Self-Publishing
I hesitated to self-publish at first. I worried how I would go about it and if it would work of course. But I also worried about the wisdom of choosing self-publishing over traditional publishing for my first book. After thinking it all over, I finally settled on trying self-publishing, much in part to the following reasons.
1. Self-publishing is not a permanent decision. Just because you self-publish today does not mean you can't publish traditionally tomorrow. If you self-publish once and decide it's not for you, you don't have to do it again. Initially, I was looking at the decision as a written-in-stone commitment. But I gained perspective and chose to go for it just once. Now, I'm planning to self-publish at least my next two novels.
2. The publishing industry is changing. Even traditional publishing is moving in different directions these days. And self-publishing is too. It's not as limited as it used to be. If you go the DIY route, it's not as expensive either. With the Internet, you have a lot of marketing options and opportunities to reach your audience and gain a solid readership.
3. You can build your readership. Whatever your long-term goals, publishing on your own will help you gain a loyal following. This was one of the biggest factors in my decision to self-publish. With ebooks, you can even publish shorter works to attract interest and eventually lead your fans to your book.
Self-publishing can be a stepping stone to greater things. Or, it may be enough all on its own. However you look at it, you don't need to be afraid to take the leap.
If you've self-published, what concerns did you have and what made you choose to self-publish anyway? If you're thinking about self-publishing, what worries you most?
1. Self-publishing is not a permanent decision. Just because you self-publish today does not mean you can't publish traditionally tomorrow. If you self-publish once and decide it's not for you, you don't have to do it again. Initially, I was looking at the decision as a written-in-stone commitment. But I gained perspective and chose to go for it just once. Now, I'm planning to self-publish at least my next two novels.
2. The publishing industry is changing. Even traditional publishing is moving in different directions these days. And self-publishing is too. It's not as limited as it used to be. If you go the DIY route, it's not as expensive either. With the Internet, you have a lot of marketing options and opportunities to reach your audience and gain a solid readership.
3. You can build your readership. Whatever your long-term goals, publishing on your own will help you gain a loyal following. This was one of the biggest factors in my decision to self-publish. With ebooks, you can even publish shorter works to attract interest and eventually lead your fans to your book.
Self-publishing can be a stepping stone to greater things. Or, it may be enough all on its own. However you look at it, you don't need to be afraid to take the leap.
If you've self-published, what concerns did you have and what made you choose to self-publish anyway? If you're thinking about self-publishing, what worries you most?
Saturday, February 5, 2011
A Q&A About Smashwords
I've noticed a lot of writers asking about Smashwords. So from a writer's perspective and having now published two works on their site, I'm going to address some of the questions I've heard along with a few of the concerns I had to start with. If you have a question I haven't addressed, please leave it as a comment and I'll try my best to answer!
Is Smashwords as good as it sounds?
I wondered this myself when I decided to give them a try and I'm very happy with that decision. Without paying an upfront fee, you can sell your book through major outlets like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple (with strict adherence to the style guide of course). If you set a price for your book, Smashwords takes a commission, but they focus on the writer and that's what I like. It's not perfect, of course, but a dream for any writer who wants a vehicle for selling books without paying a hefty fee.
Is it complicated to format your book?
If you just glance over the Smashwords Style Guide you will feel overwhelmed. Like most how-to guides, it's easier when you put it into practice. I suggest taking the guide step-by-step and worry about each one as you come to it.
Will formatting take a long time?
I went into it expecting to spend a day or so on formatting, but I finished Dead Locked in a few hours. Formatting "Bast & Immie" took me under two hours. I also chose to take my time with both so I did things right the first time, and I highly recommend that approach. It's easier than trying to fix problems later.
How long will it take your book to go live?
I'm not sure this is mentioned on the Smashwords website, but I feel it's worth saying. Once you hit "Publish," your book goes into a queue, awaiting conversion. I wasn't aware of this the first time and it kind of threw me. My magic number seems to be in the 600s, which means your book will be converted in three or more hours. I recommend starting this process either early in the morning or later at night and planning your first promotional blitz accordingly. (P.S. You don't have to sit there and wait for it to convert. You can leave the site and it's not going to affect anything.)
Will your book sell?
As with any kind of publishing (including traditional), that mainly depends on you, not your chosen outlet. The Smashwords Marketing Guide has a lot of good ideas. Plus, there are many excellent blogs out there that cover book marketing and promotion. If you put forth the effort, you will sell your book no matter where you sell it. That said, Smashwords, though still up-and-coming, has a good following and I've been impressed by the results I've had before I've even announced my book is available.
How do you get your book into Smashwords?
Smashwords does not have any strict guidelines about who can publish and you don't have to be approved beforehand. Basically, you sign up, follow the guidelines to format your book, and upload everything. There are stricter guidelines for the premium catalog, but those aren't scary either.
If I've missed anything you're concerned about, please leave a comment and I'll try to answer your questions! Also, if you have used Smashwords, feel free to mention anything you were concerned about that I didn't bring out. I always recommend doing research before making a decision so read over the Smashwords website carefully before you submit.
Is Smashwords as good as it sounds?
I wondered this myself when I decided to give them a try and I'm very happy with that decision. Without paying an upfront fee, you can sell your book through major outlets like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple (with strict adherence to the style guide of course). If you set a price for your book, Smashwords takes a commission, but they focus on the writer and that's what I like. It's not perfect, of course, but a dream for any writer who wants a vehicle for selling books without paying a hefty fee.
Is it complicated to format your book?
If you just glance over the Smashwords Style Guide you will feel overwhelmed. Like most how-to guides, it's easier when you put it into practice. I suggest taking the guide step-by-step and worry about each one as you come to it.
Will formatting take a long time?
I went into it expecting to spend a day or so on formatting, but I finished Dead Locked in a few hours. Formatting "Bast & Immie" took me under two hours. I also chose to take my time with both so I did things right the first time, and I highly recommend that approach. It's easier than trying to fix problems later.
How long will it take your book to go live?
I'm not sure this is mentioned on the Smashwords website, but I feel it's worth saying. Once you hit "Publish," your book goes into a queue, awaiting conversion. I wasn't aware of this the first time and it kind of threw me. My magic number seems to be in the 600s, which means your book will be converted in three or more hours. I recommend starting this process either early in the morning or later at night and planning your first promotional blitz accordingly. (P.S. You don't have to sit there and wait for it to convert. You can leave the site and it's not going to affect anything.)
Will your book sell?
As with any kind of publishing (including traditional), that mainly depends on you, not your chosen outlet. The Smashwords Marketing Guide has a lot of good ideas. Plus, there are many excellent blogs out there that cover book marketing and promotion. If you put forth the effort, you will sell your book no matter where you sell it. That said, Smashwords, though still up-and-coming, has a good following and I've been impressed by the results I've had before I've even announced my book is available.
How do you get your book into Smashwords?
Smashwords does not have any strict guidelines about who can publish and you don't have to be approved beforehand. Basically, you sign up, follow the guidelines to format your book, and upload everything. There are stricter guidelines for the premium catalog, but those aren't scary either.
If I've missed anything you're concerned about, please leave a comment and I'll try to answer your questions! Also, if you have used Smashwords, feel free to mention anything you were concerned about that I didn't bring out. I always recommend doing research before making a decision so read over the Smashwords website carefully before you submit.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Getting Started on the DIY Path
First of all, hello! And thanks for taking time to check out my new blog. This blog is a spin-off of a series I thought about publishing on my fiction blog, amy & the pen. But after considering everything, I thought it made more sense to take my ideas to a new blog. That said, let me explain why I'm writing about do-it-yourself self-publishing at all.
The Big Decision to Self-Publish
I decided to self-publish my first mystery novel, Dead Locked, back in late Winter of 2010. I didn't know exactly how to approach it, but I did know two things: I had no money to spend on expensive self-publishing packages and I'd seen some place called Smashwords on Twitter and I thought they had something to do with self-publishing.
To make a rather long and arduous story short, I published my novel with Smashwords on November 10, 2010 and I just released the print edition via Createspace, which I discovered in November. And I did everything on my own. I designed the cover, formatted for Smashwords and Createspace, created my own book trailer, website, and business card. I've had a lot of big learning curves in the process but I don't regret a minute.
Why did I choose to go it alone? Because I'm incredibly impatient for one. But more importantly, I wanted to develop a readership and I could not do that without something (other than blog posts) for people to read. After giving it some thought, I decided it was time to take the independent route. Granted, going my own way is nothing new. My mom was the ultimate do-it-yourselfer and she taught me well. I published two magazines and one newsletter independently when I was a teenager, and I ended up doing freelance copywriting after college with some graphic/web design on the side. Eventually, all that independence led me right here.
What You Need to Publish the DIY Way
Do-it-yourself self-publishing is not for everyone. Here's a rundown of what you'll need to go this route successfully:
Gumption. DIY self-publishing is a little down and dirty sometimes so you'll need a lot of determination to make things happen.
Patience. Everything will take longer than expected so you will need a good dose of patience to see it through. (And you don't need to come by it naturally as my experience proves.)
Discipline. Nobody's on your back to get the work done - except you. It takes as much discipline as writing, if not more.
Perseverance. Things will not always, if ever, go as planned. So it's important to have the will to stick with it when things don't go your way.
Benefits of DIY
You will gain a lot from the experience. Some of the things I cherish most about going it on my own include:
Satisfaction from seeing my book all the way to the end. I didn't just write it, which was a learning experience all by itself. I was hands-on the whole way. Frustrating sometimes? Yes. But also incredibly rewarding.
Improved discipline and perseverance. I mentioned you needed these two qualities. Well, when you face a lot of potential set backs and keep going anyway, you will come out with twice the amount of both qualities.
Appreciation for what happens behind-the-scenes. It may seem ridiculous at the outset that it takes a year or so for a book to be published traditionally. After handling all the work though, you will no longer wonder and in fact you'll appreciate the hard work that goes on relatively unnoticed by the rest of us.
In this blog, I aim to share what I've learned with you. If you're ready, it's time to take the journey into DIY self-publishing.
What is your motivation for DIY self-publishing? Are you new to this or been around a while?
The Big Decision to Self-Publish
I decided to self-publish my first mystery novel, Dead Locked, back in late Winter of 2010. I didn't know exactly how to approach it, but I did know two things: I had no money to spend on expensive self-publishing packages and I'd seen some place called Smashwords on Twitter and I thought they had something to do with self-publishing.
To make a rather long and arduous story short, I published my novel with Smashwords on November 10, 2010 and I just released the print edition via Createspace, which I discovered in November. And I did everything on my own. I designed the cover, formatted for Smashwords and Createspace, created my own book trailer, website, and business card. I've had a lot of big learning curves in the process but I don't regret a minute.
Why did I choose to go it alone? Because I'm incredibly impatient for one. But more importantly, I wanted to develop a readership and I could not do that without something (other than blog posts) for people to read. After giving it some thought, I decided it was time to take the independent route. Granted, going my own way is nothing new. My mom was the ultimate do-it-yourselfer and she taught me well. I published two magazines and one newsletter independently when I was a teenager, and I ended up doing freelance copywriting after college with some graphic/web design on the side. Eventually, all that independence led me right here.
What You Need to Publish the DIY Way
Do-it-yourself self-publishing is not for everyone. Here's a rundown of what you'll need to go this route successfully:
Gumption. DIY self-publishing is a little down and dirty sometimes so you'll need a lot of determination to make things happen.
Patience. Everything will take longer than expected so you will need a good dose of patience to see it through. (And you don't need to come by it naturally as my experience proves.)
Discipline. Nobody's on your back to get the work done - except you. It takes as much discipline as writing, if not more.
Perseverance. Things will not always, if ever, go as planned. So it's important to have the will to stick with it when things don't go your way.
Benefits of DIY
You will gain a lot from the experience. Some of the things I cherish most about going it on my own include:
Satisfaction from seeing my book all the way to the end. I didn't just write it, which was a learning experience all by itself. I was hands-on the whole way. Frustrating sometimes? Yes. But also incredibly rewarding.
Improved discipline and perseverance. I mentioned you needed these two qualities. Well, when you face a lot of potential set backs and keep going anyway, you will come out with twice the amount of both qualities.
Appreciation for what happens behind-the-scenes. It may seem ridiculous at the outset that it takes a year or so for a book to be published traditionally. After handling all the work though, you will no longer wonder and in fact you'll appreciate the hard work that goes on relatively unnoticed by the rest of us.
In this blog, I aim to share what I've learned with you. If you're ready, it's time to take the journey into DIY self-publishing.
What is your motivation for DIY self-publishing? Are you new to this or been around a while?
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