I recently guested as an Indie author/publisher on a Publishing Panel for Toronto East End Writers 20th Anniversary Celebration, along with True Crime Writer Nate Hendley, Blue Denim Press Publisher Shane Joseph, and historical fiction author Tom Taylor as moderator. This is quite informative and speaks to different publishing and marketing experiences. See my two latest journal posts (So, You Want to Indie Publish, parts 1 & 2) for details.
Our Publishing Panel is gathering Wednesday May 26 for the East End Writers – 20th Anniversary Celebration. You can access it here through Facebook. The event runs from 4-6pm PST and our panel comes up for the last half hour.
After my Lulu foray — which I honestly consider a mistake because I was all exuberance and no strategy — I re-edited To Charm a Killer, and republished it in 2016. I’d retired from public school teaching that year and “came out” as an author using my own name: W. L. Hawkin (Wendy Louise.) This made me feel a little more like a “real” author.
This time, I purchased the services of Shane Joseph at Blue Denim Press as I knew Shane, slightly. We met, discussed my project, and agreed on a contract. Shane offers “assistance in preparing manuscripts for submission to other publishers or for self-publishing.” His business also offers: manuscript evaluation, substantive editing, copy editing, formatting for production, and proofreading. I hired Shane specifically to format my manuscript for print and ebook. This meant, he had to create three separate and distinct files: a pdf for print, a mobi for Kindle, and an epub for all the other platforms (Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble, etc). Shane graciously introduced me to his style of publishing and gave me lots of information. For example, when the zip file came back containing my cover, mobi file, and inside images, all I had to do was upload it on Amazon and it magically appeared as an ebook right before my eyes.
Shane asked me for input and then gave me a choice of covers, and I must say, this cover is still one of my favourites! He formatted my print book and sent me all the different files with instructions as to how to upload to IngramSpark book distributors for (print and epub). IngramSpark charges fees to upload to their site ($49US for print or for print and ebook or $25US for just an ebook; however they frequently run free promotions so, if you can time it right, you can avoid the set-up fees. I still use IngramSpark to print and distribute my paperbacks, but I now use Draft2Digital for epubs (Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Nobles, etc.) Draft2Digital are incredibly author-friendly. You can upload your manuscript and try out their different themes; actually see them and digitally leaf through the book. You upload for free and they take their cut when the book sells.
Tip: If you’re planning to mail your print book, make sure the finished wrapped copy will fit through the letter slot at the post office. The book Shane produced was beautiful but did not fit and cost $15 to mail. This is not cost effective ($20 for book + $15 for postage = too much to ask.) When I revised it to fit with my trilogy in 2018, I used a slightly smaller font and made sure it fit through the slot. My books now cost $5.50 to mail in Canada.
In 2018, I completed the sequel, To Sleep with Stones. I am comfortable with technology and had spent years writing and formatting newsletters and desktop publishing, so felt confident that I could do what Shane had done. And I mostly could; though I probably went a little greyer around that time.
I used Shane’s original Word file as a prototype to format my book using Word. I now know many Indie authors and many of them are still reluctant to take on Word. Honestly, it can drive you insane! However, I’ve recovered sufficiently and formatted enough books now to feel comfortable offering my own formatting service. To be specific, when you format a book for print on Word, you set up EVERYTHING from a blank document: headers, footers, page numbering, page breaks, front and back material, images, and it all has to look PERFECT on the page — at least for me. I will confess that a few times I’ve discovered one line dangling at the end of a chapter and actually gone back through the chapter and changed the wording to make that dangler fit on the preceding page. This depth of formatting requires hours and hours of intense left-brained concentration and perfectionism. There are other ways:
Tip: Many Indies I know recommend using Vellum. As they say on their site: “Everything for Print. No setup required. You’ll have a book that looks like it took days to create . . . in minutes.” For that you’ll pay $249.99 US for unlimited ebooks and paperbacks. The price is a drawback, but if you write and Indie publish many books, this can be a good investment. You only pay once and when you need to change a type-o, you only change it once. On Word, I have three files to fix when I find a tiny error. Several platforms will create your print book from your ebook including Draft2Digital and KDP (Amazon). Do your research and price them out. Then do what you feel most comfortable with.
Right about now, you might be asking: why does this mad woman continue to use Word when there are alternatives? Three reasons. One, my files are all on Word now. Two: I feel proficient in using it now. And three: I have more control over THE LOOK. For example, I found a jazzy Celtic font that suited To Sleep with Stones. I used it for the inside cover and chapter heads and my cover designer used it as well, so everything matched beautifully. I also cut and pasted Celtic knots for scene breaks in this book. Here’s the cover for my second stand-alone in sequence. I still like the detail in this cover and it suited Dylan McBride, who was the featured witch in this story. And check out the cloud face in the top right corner that happened by accident. There is an evil vampire in this story too and there he is!
At this point, I was using beta readers, joining organizations, learning the craft, going to conferences, and giving live readings. One of the beta readers reported that my character, Michael Stryker, had made a stupid mistake in To Sleep with Stones. I thought, Yes, she’s right. He did. At that point, I could change it, or leave it in, and see what happens. I decided to leave it in and the third book bounced off Michael’s stupid mistake!
Tip: Get experienced eyes on your draft. Find beta readers to give you feedback, join a critique group, and employ a developmental editor if you can afford it. Listen to what they have to say. Try not to inflict your drafts on your family and friends. They can’t really be honest and what you need is honest feedback.
My stories all follow in sequence and I rely on the characters to tell me what happens. I also do not outline or plan. I write the whole story intuitively by listening and watching what the characters show and tell me. I did things a little differently with my third book, To Render a Raven. I hired a developmental editor to read my final draft and comment. She really helped me create an amazing book and I’ve hired her twice since then.
By 2018, I had completed book three, To Render a Raven, and I had a trilogy to publish. I worked with another cover artist to create trilogy covers because who doesn’t love matching covers?
Now, you might be wondering if I ever tried to get my books picked up by an agent or editor and published traditionally at any point after that first conference. I did. Through conversations, again at the SiWC, I was told that no one wants to acquire a book that’s already been self-published unless it’s sold thousands of copies and is a major hit. And, more importantly, no one wants to pick up a series that’s already had one or two books published.
Tip: If you’re planning to write a series and want to traditionally publish, hold off on self-publishing. Really try and find an agent or editor. If you Indie published your first book and want to write more in that series, you must finish it first, and then query with a brand new book unrelated to your series. You should have a solid platform at that point with a website and social media links and that will help in your queries.
I suppose you could put your Indie published series on hold, query with a new book, and rework your old series later on, but what about your series fans? And how do you tell your characters they can’t come out and play?
I’ve written four so far in this series and I’m open to writing a fifth. In December, I worked with a graphic artist to design The Tattoo Editions. Every cover features the tattoo of a character in the book. I reformatted all of the books to match (yes I am a little mad) and recently released them. And I’ve learned so much during the last few years. The Internet can answer all your questions but you can also become mired in the sheer amount of information available regarding Indie Publishers. Be kind and forgiving with yourself and follow your passions.
Meanwhile, I’ve completed something new: a contemporary small town romance. I’m currently shopping for a home for it by querying agents. Being a hybrid author — someone who combines both Indie publishing and traditional publishing — is acceptable now. While I wait, I’m writing the draft of another novel. Having several projects at different stages and wearing many hats is what writing and publishing requires today.
Again, if you have any questions please ask in the comments and I’ll do my best to point you in the right direction. There may be a part 3 to this post after the panel on Wednesday!
The topic of Self or Independent Publishing has been coming up frequently for me lately. In fact, I’m sitting on a panel for Toronto’s East End Writers Group on May 26. They’re celebrating their 20th Anniversary and invited me to participate as an Indie author, something I consider quite an honour. That invite got me thinking about my own journey.
I’ve been publishing my books independently since 2010, although not seriously until 2016. I’ve learned everything by trial and error and hope to share some of that with you.
Let me start by saying two things. One, I’m a Canadian author and this post will reflect that. I don’t know how things work in other parts of the world for Indie authors. Two, I don’t like the term “self published” because there is still a stigma attached to it. Some people assume your work can’t be good because you can’t find someone to publish it. This might be true, but it’s not always the case. Often, editing is an issue. If you can’t afford a good editor at least use a software program like Pro-Writing Aid to flag your errors. I hire a developmental editor but do the final line edits myself using Moira, my Irish text-speech woman. As I listen to Moira read out loud, I read along and make corrections. Then, I create a mobi file and read the whole book on my Kindle stopping to note errors in longhand. If you continually read the same draft on your computer, your brain just glosses over the error time and time again. Please do not publish a book with grammatical and typing errors. This is how self-publishing got a bad name to begin with. Having said that, I read many traditionally published books which have been through editors and still have small errors. So don’t feel bad if you miss something here or there. If you’re self-publishing you can go back and fix those errors.
Though I’m using both terms in this post, I prefer the term Indie publish as it has more panache and a tad more clout. Here are a few pluses and minuses to Indie publishing:
-Some awards and contests are only open to traditionally published authors which feels discriminatory to me. “We’re all the same but we’re different?” +There are separate awards now for Independent Publishers such as Whistler Independent Book Awards and Independent Publisher Book Awards. You, as the author/publisher, will pay fees to enter but I think it’s worthwhile, especially if you win.
-Most grants are inaccessible to Indie authors. For example, Canada Council Art grants are only awarded to publishers who pay royalties and publish four trade books per year. Canada Book Fund grants go to publishers who are financially viable. So if you’re looking to make a living as a self-published author you might need to expand your thinking and your business. +If you join the Writers Union of Canada, you may be able to apply for provincial grants and find other ways to boost your income.
-I hear from many authors that they HATE marketing. Know this: if you publish with a traditional publisher you are expected to market your book, but as an Indie publisher you MUST market your book all on your own. Creative brain, Editing/Formatting Brain, and Marketing Brain all work differently. To be a successful Indie author you need to be an administrator and entrepreneur as well as an artist.
The bottom line: if you have a good book and you want to get it out in print, sell to family, friends, and the occasional stranger, self-publishing is an easy enough process and can be quite rewarding. Book publishing is a gamble no matter what you do and who knows? Your book might be THE ONE that suddenly takes off!
I embarked on my Indie publishing journey with an Irish-Canadian urban fantasy novel looking as green as a shamrock. Over the years, I’ve learned a few things that might help you get started.
When writing fiction, there are a couple of ways to decide WHAT to write. One, target specific agents and publishers and write what THEY want so you can query them later and try to sell them your finished work, knowing that what you wrote is on their wish list. Two, write what YOU want and look for a home for your finished book later. As an intuitive writer, rather than a logical thinking writer, I chose the second route. Well, I didn’t really choose it. I was teaching full time and just wanted to escape and play with my characters. I never thought I’d write a series or become serious about being an author, although once I embarked on this journey, I did want to see my book in print.
During the initial stages of drafting, I presented to a New York agent at the Surrey International Writers Conference (SiWC) — which is by far the best writing conference around — and she said my idea was too predictable.
Tip: Go to conferences. Learn the craft. Sit down with agents and publishers. Ask questions. Practice and pitch and listen to what they have to say. Don’t get defensive or disregard. They’re not always right but often are as they know what’s selling. Mull their advice, and then do what feels right for you.
I went home, created a Wicca coven to cloak my too-predictable killer and interwove the two stories. I obviously did it well because I often hear in my reviews that readers couldn’t decide who the killer was. I called the book To Charm a Killer and when it was finished, I sent it to a few publishers. I had interest from one but then he disappeared — people seem to move around in the publishing world — and I got a handful of rejections. Since I write cross-genre (urban fantasy/murder mystery/thriller) this is not surprising. Agents and editors want something they can fit neatly into their marketing schemes so it will sell. Agencies even have drop-down menus where you only get to tick one genre!
Tip: A handful of agents and publishers is not enough to query. You need to be rejected by tens and hundreds to join the Rejected Authors Club. You’ll be in good company there along with Madeline L’Engle, J.K. Rowling, Richard Adams, Alex Haley, James Patterson, Agatha Christie, and William Golding to name a few rejected greats.
To make matters worse, I was writing under an unpronounceable pen name — Charra Rede — because I was still teaching high school and didn’t want my students or their parents to know their English teacher wrote sexy books.
“I’m writing a book.”
“Oh yeah. What’s it called?”
“I can’t tell you.”
This is not a good marketing strategy. Still, I was excited and dying to get that book into print—even though I was only telling trusted friends. I decided to publish it myself.
Tip: When you publish be ready to hold up that book and smile for the cameras! So much work goes into writing a book you want to be proud of it and ready to “come out” fully as an author. Pen names are fine. Just be willing to go out and market your work under that name.
Some people are happy to self-publish their ebook and upload to the major sites. Personally, I like reading print books so I also create and sell them. There are platforms who will produce your print book for a price: Lulu Press, BookBaby, Amazon’s KDP Print, and Draft2Digital Print are the main print-on-demand (POD) players. You send them your completed manuscript, front and back matter, and cover art. They manufacture your book and you buy POD copies from them which you can sign and sell. Some also offer distribution.
Tip: Do your research. Read what each one offers and demands in compensation. Compare prices and percentages. Read reviews.
In 2010, I published To Charm a Killer by Charra Rede via lulu.com. An artist friend created the cover art which is quite striking. I did the writing and editing myself. Lulu did everything else. It cost me $600-$700 and I sold a few copies to friends. You’ll still see this cover on Goodreads and Amazon because they refuse to take down old books. There are even some great reviews! This route might work well for you.
I just costed out this same book on Lulu’s print rates for paperback and it’s around $7.65/copy US which is about par. If they’re doing all the preliminary set-up you’re going to pay fees on top of that. Be mindful, not to get taken advantage of by what we call “vanity presses” who charge several thousand dollars. Here is a great article that explains the difference between companies who help you publish and vanity presses.
In part two of his post, I’ll talk about other roads to Indie Publishing and what I do now. Please add your questions to the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them.