Tips and Hints for Indie Authors
I’d like to advise those who read this that I’m probably in the same position – struggling to make my way through a vast, crowded ocean full of vessels and bobbing heads who all have the same thing in common. We all want to make our mark and get our work noticed, make sales and increase our status – while we scramble to reach higher ground.
I am by no no means an expert and definitely not a high profile author. I am also still learning and making mistakes, so you might well ask, “Why does she think she could help me?” My answer is – I can only help those who are currently in the same position I was in two years ago – when the world of self-publishing was a huge, looming giant in the center of a maze that was continuously morphing and adding new levels every day.
Of course, we are all at different stages in our writing careers. When we share what we’ve learned, we fill in the gaps and strengthen our positions. Some might find what I share here incredibly useful, while others might yawn and say, “Been there; done that!” Therefore, this post is meant for the former – while the latter can surely think of other tidbits to share via comments – if they so desire.
When navigating the maze of never-ending information and hints and tips for authors who decide to go the route of self-publishing – it’s inevitable that you will run into some – if not all of the following:
- Dead ends or leads that go nowhere – leading you on a wild goose chase
- Scams and fraudulent claims about services offering the earth
- Monthly charges for bogus programs who do little or nothing for your work
- Websites and services that are all fluff with no substance
- Confusing terms, buzz-words or language that only rehash prior info
- Fads and trends that distract you without adding any value
There’s probably more that I could’ve added to this list – but for me – the above has been the most prominent during my own promoting and marketing journey, not to mention the actual art of writing!
I’m attacking this subject from the position of an author who either can’t or won’t spend a lot of money. What I find interesting about “high profile” authors, meaning those who we see all over social media and getting many reviews on Amazon, etc. – is that, while they seem to be doing extremely well – obviously spending quite a substantial amount of money for sleek or flashy advertising and so on, they still seem to be struggling like the rest of us.
I say that without a shred of jealousy or bitchiness. Sure, the majority of those authors are strangers to me – most of them are not well-known and some of them are still working a full time day job. I have often ventured into the world of expensive services and programs, only to discover that the bottom line was me all along. Throwing money into a bottomless pit with scant return bit me on the butt most of the time – and hurt my bank account.
So, without further ado – here’s the skinny (or my skinny!) – broken into two parts: The Writing Life and The Marketing/Promoting Life.
The Writing Life
There’s a glut of writing advice out there – in the form of daily prompts, newsletters, courses, websites and webinars. Many websites have their own links to information such as “100 Best websites for writers” and the like. The majority of them are great and you should seek them out. Here’s what helped me (and continues to help me) in random order:
Websites:
http://thewritelife.com/ (Great advice)
http://www.writersdigest.com/ (Wonderful)
http://www.grammarbook.com/ (Grammar and Punctuation)
http://www.writersmarket.com/ (Especially good for freelancing)
http://fundsforwriters.com/ (Tips and Tools – great site!)
https://writeon.amazon.com (Get feedback as you write!)
http://theditors.com/ (First 3,000 words critiqued for free)
goodinaroom.com – How to develop a pitch for TV
http://www.creative-writing-now.com/ (Great basic advice and free stuff!)
https://criticl.me/ (A great place to post truthful or even “dangerous” writing)
https://www.thekindlebookreview.net/author-resources/ (Great links!)
http://selfpublishersshowcase.com/author-resources/ (Great site for Indies)
Okay – I could go on and on – but these are great for a start.
I find the best advice encompasses the basics – as you’ll discover what works for you along the way. It all depends on the genre you write in and what you expect to get out of it. Some only write for pleasure and are happy to share their writing with those closest to them. Others write for a cause and want to change the world, while many of us write to escape – or at least – to create worlds full of adventure and other things we may feel are lacking in our lives. (Notwithstanding those of us who simply adore great literature and who are “addicted” to the pleasure of the actual process of creation.)
You’ll find basic rules of thumb everywhere – but here’s what I’ve found to be the most useful – in terms of the creative process of writing:
No matter what – just write
Save the editing and revision until the end – if you can stand it
Outline and plan your book – before you start writing
Create a chapter by chapter synopsis to use as a guide (it will change as you go)
Always use spellcheck and a thesaurus
Research everything you are not 100% sure about
Keep your finger on the pulse – but don’t be swayed by useless fads and trends
Be true to yourself – yet open to constructive criticism
Don’t take a bad review personally
Use beta readers and proper editing (when you can afford it)
Read the work of others
Share what you know and support other writers
Start a blog and post regularly
Hone your skills, take a class and/or join a writing group
Don’t ever give up!
I’ve mentioned before how I write every chance I get. When I was working my 9-5 job, I was writing in my breaks and lunchtimes – then after work and sometimes even before work (when I could get up in time!) and on the weekends. In between – I’d be scribbling notes on anything I could get my hands on – as well as emails to myself.
The Marketing/Promoting Life
Now that I’m a full time author and freelancer – I’ve structured my days to ensure that I get to spend time writing – outside of promoting and marketing or creating my own ads and blog posts.
There are great, cheap or free services out there – which I will share further on – but I found it rewarding to use programs such as paint, Corel and an old Microsoft program (which is easier than Photoshop) – called Microsoft Photo Premium 10. I’m no expert and I’m sure that those experienced Graphic Designers would scoff and cringe at my ads, book trailers, banners etc. For me – it’s all about saving money – while at the same time having a lot of fun! Here’s a few examples of what I’ve done on my own (using free images – websites to be shared further on.)
(Book cover created by Jessica on Fiverr – the rest of the ad was me!)
Okay – on with cheap and freebie services (for creating ads etc):
https://www.fiverr.com/ (Anything you can think of – incl. Book Covers – for $5 and up)
https://pixabay.com/ (Completely free images and video footage!)
http://www.freeimages.com/ (Free images)
http://www.freeepy.com/ (Free images)
https://foodiesfeed.com/ (Free food images)
https://unsplash.com/ (Free images)
http://cupcake.nilssonlee.se/ (Free images)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (Free images)
https://videos.pexels.com/ (Free video footage)
http://www.videezy.com/ (Free video footage)
http://www.lifeofvids.com/ (Free video footage)
http://freegifmaker.me/ (Make your own gifs)
https://www.canva.com/ (Free banners, wallpapers, book covers and lots more)
http://www.bookbuzzr.com/ (Cheap book “flipper” to display excerpts)
http://tineye.com/ (Find out where images on the web came from!)
This list is by no means exhaustive – but it’s a good start!
Of course, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with forking out a little cash for professional services. For me – I’m on the fence – as it depends on your goals and how much you’re willing to spend. I agree with the adage that “you get what you pay for” – but it’s heartening to see many people out there willing to offer their products and services for free or on the cheap. That being said – I know that more discerning authors (and readers) might consider a “home-made” ad, book cover etc to be less valuable or worthy than one with a sleek design.
It’s sad that poorly marketed books can fall by the wayside – especially when their stories are well-written and worth the read. I’ve also seen many well-marketed books with great exposure for stories that are at best – run-of-the-mill or poorly written. This is the quandary that indie authors often find themselves battling with.
Here are some great sites for Promoting and Marketing:
https://www.fiverr.com/ (Anything you can think of – incl. Book Covers – for $5 and up)
http://www.ebooksoda.com/authors/ (Cheap ebook promotion)
http://booktweeters.com/ (Reasonable pricing with good conversion)
http://selfpublishingadvice.org/ (Great info on promoting, marketing etc)
http://www.indiesunlimited.com/advertise/for-authors/ (Free promos etc.)
http://www.bookdaily.com/ (Emails sample chapters to readers)
https://www.librarything.com/ (Ebook giveaways, etc)
https://www.rafflecopter.com/ (Advertise your Giveaway on your blog or site)
Awesome tools for Authors! (119 tips and resources!)
One important thing I’d like to point out is that self publishing is daunting on it’s own – before you even start to think about promoting and marketing. Whether you decide to use Amazon (user friendly – well, I think so!) and Createspace, Kobo or some other platform – publishing your book is one of many steps in the life of your writing.
When it comes to social media, setting up profiles on Twitter, Facebook and Google+ are just the tip of the iceberg – and some would say not worth the time and effort. Others say that email marketing – using newsletters (and services such as Aweber or Mailchimp) are the way to go – however, in order to build your mailing lists, you need to be able to drive people to your site to opt in. Using social media is one way to do this.
Having a blog has the same issues: driving people to the blog in order to read it and click through to buy your books. Here’s a small list of steps to think about – from “go to whoa” – and beyond!
Read and get inspired
Research and plan your book
Write your book with necessary revisions
Get beta readers to review and offer feedback
Edit the book – either yourself or with a reliable editor
Write the blurb and create an excerpt
Find out your target audience and where they hang out
Create a cover, ads and a book trailer
Create or update your author website
Update social media and blog
Publish it
Create a buzz through giveaways etc
Promote via different platforms
Come up with different ways to sell your book
Consider the following:
Create an audiobook
Create profiles on Goodreads and Amazon
Guest posting on other blogs
Blog tours
Create a Podcast
Post videos on Youtube
Conduct readings at local libraries and bookstores
Get involved in Book Fairs
Radio and print interviews
Marketing material, such as bookmarks etc
Create an ebook as a giveaway
Email marketing
More links that might be useful:
http://www.artistfirst.com/authorswanted.htm (Radio interviews)
http://www.thebingbing.com/ (Like Ebay, Twitter and Facebook all in one!)
http://www.weebly.com/ (Great free websites – easy to use)
http://speculativeliterature.org/grants/ (Grants for quality literature, etc)
http://thewritelife.com/writing-residencies/ (Author residencies)
http://www.indiebound.org/ (Find out where your book is available)
http://bookfairs.com/ (Find a local Book Fair)
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ (Get interviewed)
http://www.authorgraph.com/ (Offer signed ebooks!)
http://www.outbrain.com/ (Promote your content)
You’re probably drowning in all these bits and pieces – yet there’s millions more to discover and as I said – I’m still navigating my way through and trying to figure it all out. I just wanted to share what I have discovered so far and will drop by to comment every now and then – when I’ve found something new or need to offer an update.
Good luck and by all means – if you know of anything else that might be useful – leave a comment!
Dream Blogging – Kids and Cops
(This dream was last weekend – been too busy until now.)
I was walking along a road – going to the store, when I saw a little girl – like a street urchin. She was dirty and very sad. I stopped to talk to her and she told me that she was starving and that her father was very cruel. She told me that he deliberately starved her and my heart broke. I took her with me to the store and we waited to be served for a long time. There was a man behind me who left his baby in the pram and walked off. The baby was covered in a blanket and I had to make sure he could breathe.
There were several dogs in the shop, milling about – restless but not dangerous. When I got to the front of the line – desperate to purchase the food for the little starving girl – the women at the counter suddenly walked off for a break. I yelled at them – telling them that it wasn’t good customer service – but they ignored me.
Then I was driving down a road – very fast – following a truck. We went through a few red lights and I was worried about the police pulling me over.
When I got further down the road, I stopped at the lights and saw two policemen – riding on tiny unicycles. They were so low to the ground – I wondered how they could catch anyone. Then I saw – through a fence – a training academy for the police – where a rookie was being trained on how to ride one of the small unicycles. He was starting off on a rock – which had a groove down the middle to balance the unicycle.
Then I was inside the academy, alongside a police woman – who was trying to walk down a stairwell with ice skates on – but the blades were made out of rubber. She had a lot of difficulty going down the stairs – but I had no trouble (wearing the same kind of skates).
THEMES: Starvation, poverty, neglect, anxiety, responsibility, recklessness, ability.
SYMBOLS: Dogs, blanket, cars/driving, red lights, unicycles, school/education, skates.
EMOTIONS: Anger, concern, compassion, reckless behavior, ridicule, competition.
ARCHETYPES: Fathers, children, dogs, police, shop attendants.
INTERPRETATION: The starving girl represented me – as I try to nurture and take care of that side of me that I feel has been neglected. I have – of late – been concerned with my health. However I’ve also been concerned with spreading myself too thin and not being available to others like I feel I should be.
Women – and men – often have issues with abandonment and I think this dream was dredging up some old issues in that vein. It’s funny how you think you’re over the old stuff and at times – they rear their ugly heads – forcing you to face the fact that you still need to deal with them. (Or at least – aspects of yourself that you still do battle with – in the subconscious areas of your mind.)
Dogs can represent the Self – and perhaps they indicated that they are waiting for me to recognize them – as they too were waiting in the line. The baby being covered by a blanket could either represent a project that I’m neglecting (I know of two that are niggling in the back of my mind!) – or an aspect of myself that I’m covering up or ignoring. Sometimes my impatience gets the better of me – so in respect to that – maybe the dream was telling me that it’s time to uncover the things I prefer to hide from.
Waiting in line could symbolize how I feel with my writing and my business – never feeling like I’m getting anywhere. Again – my impatience is an issue here – as I know that I’m taking steps to get to where I want to be. The women at the counter who turned away and ignored me could indicate either how I feel others view my efforts at getting my book and business noticed – or even how I am towards the important things in my life.
Racing down the road – speeding through the red lights (and following someone else doing the same thing) represents how I’m travelling through my life – at breakneck speed and feeling like there’s no end to the ‘chase’. Seeing the police on unicycles could symbolize how I view authority – which could be applied to my job (ha ha – true – but I’m not divulging here!) Especially as they were struggling and the fact that I was better at walking down stairs on rubber skates! I am at a phase in my life when I finally feel capable of doing anything – a first for me!
SUMMARY: At times I feel very capable and that I’m doing well with the balancing acts – in regards to working a full time job, writing, promoting etc. Other times – not so good – feeling insecure, vulnerable and incapable of pushing through. I do have moments where I feel bad about all the time I’m spending on my projects – and that there’s just not enough time to achieve all that I want to achieve. It would be nice to be a ‘lady of leisure’ and have all the time in the world to devote to all the things and people in my life – and it’s so difficult to prioritize and organize schedules, etc.
In order to ‘normalize’ myself and my life – I need to incorporate a workable schedule and start meditating again. That would help me put things in perspective and gain a better understanding of where I’m headed and what I want to do with the skills I have. I fear that I’ll never get to the point where I can say “I’ve made it!” But – made what? Will I shrivel up if I “make it”? Is the struggle the impetus I need in order to create? If I was a lady of leisure – would I have the urge to write – or would I rest on my laurels, watch tv and eat bon bons for the rest of my life? I hope not – but all I want to do is write!
Soundcloud ad for my novel “Delwyn of the Realms”
Here’s the link to my ebook on Amazon – $3.95:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TD0RF7E
Here’s the link to the books’ website:
http://www.delwynoftherealms.com/
and here’s my Author website:
Chronicle Schmonicle – Here’s Delwyn!
It’s been so hard – as any self-published author knows – to deal with marketing and promoting on multiple platforms, especially when working full time. But it’s finally paid off – my first review and it’s 5 stars! Yay!
Delwyn of the Realms (Storming Archives – Book 1) – is the culmination of my chronicles – realized as a fantasy novel. As explained previously – I decided not to write a memoir and started channeling some of my experiences into a fantasy novel. (Which was a young adult novel at first – but it was so much more fun changing it to an adult fantasy – about a woman who deals with hypnagogic hallucinations and astral projection, and finds a mirror portal to the dream world.)
I’m almost finished with the first draft of the sequel – which has become a wild ride – to say the least. It was exhilarating to discover how easy the sequel flowed, once the first book was done. I started a group board on Pinterest – called “Storming” – where fellow (invited) pinners help to inspire me with images regarding the themes in the sequel.
What is daunting is the marketing and promoting. The platforms I’m using are Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and Goodkindles, Shelfari, Tumblr, Pinterest, Google+, Youtube – and others! I’ve used Fiverr for the book cover and advertising. I’ve paid for Twitter blasts and ad campaigns on Goodreads, Facebook etc.
However I knew that reviews would be the number one selling point – and my Beta readers (who say they’re loving the book!) – are taking their time putting reviews on Amazon. I am humbled by the amount of support they are giving me and understand that it takes time to first read a book and then review it. I’m just impatient – and seeing as I am not tech savvy – it’s been a giant learning curve.
Would I prefer to be going through a publisher instead? (Should I be so lucky? Is lucky the right word?!) I’d have to say – No – as much as the idea of someone picking it up and producing it for me is enticing. The problem is – especially these days – it could take an eon to finally get a deal with a publisher (or hook an agent), and after all is said and done – you still have to put a lot of legwork into the marketing and promoting.
So – for me – I find that having control over the book, and stretching myself thin and driving myself crazy with the promoting etc – has been a rewarding experience, after all is said and done. I released the novel as an ebook on Amazon in early Feb this year, and have only sold three units – but I started a freebie campaign today and I already have a 5 star review! (Oh Lordy – wiping sweat off my brow – teeth gnashing momentarily paused!) As at 9:19pm on this first day of the freebie campaign – 23 people have downloaded it.
I used to baulk at the idea of giving away my hard work for nothing – but the cloud has a silver lining. The great review was worth it’s weight in gold. It wasn’t selling that well without a review – so the freebie campaign has become a viable option. (The campaign ends on 3/10/15.)
What was bizarre – was that some of my Beta readers emailed me with glowing reports – but they weren’t putting the reviews on Amazon! (Sometimes it’s like herding cats – you have to be respectful and patient – not a strong point for me!) But it’s paying off and I’m learning as I go. The trick – I think, for any writer – is to persevere and not give up. Keep your eyes on the prize and remind yourself that your hard work is worthy of the struggle. (Pant, pant!)
I have created the paperback version on Createspace and am waiting for the proof to arrive so I can review it before I finally release it. I’m looking into creating bookmarks to take to bookshops, libraries etc. It’s amazing just how much is involved with promoting and marketing. AND IT NEVER ENDS! But I wouldn’t have it any other way! Once the sequel is ready for release, I will continue offering the first book free – occasionally – to keep pushing the units!!!! Where’s the vodka?
lilithu
Notes for a Chronicle 
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