Hugh Howey Interview on Writing and Self Publishing | Publishing

Self-Publishing is Not as Hard as You Think!

Expert: Kathi Casey
www.HealthyBoomerBody.com

I love research; in fact, it’s one of my favorite things to do. So when it was time to publish my first book, I signed up for newsletters from lots of publishing gurus, like Dan Poynter, and read everything else I could get my hands on!

 

I was both surprised and disappointed at how little traditional publishers are willing to do for you these days. Unless you are J.K. Rowling, or have an enormous platform, they do not even want to talk with you! And at that point I wasn’t even sure what a platform was…

 

So I attended many webinars from New York Times bestselling authors like Arielle Ford and Peggy McColl, on both platform building, and getting published. And I began building my platform by writing articles for magazines and getting radio interviews.   

 

Then I went to the self-publishing sites and checked them all out. I went with Createspace.com for three reasons:

·         They are an Amazon company, which means they get more cooperation from Amazon.

·         The royalties are higher than all of the other on-demand publishers I looked at.

·         They put your book in Ingram, which makes it available to bookstores nationwide.

A friend went with another self-publisher, Friesen Press, because they promised her a web site for the book – which essentially means one page on their site and a few other items like book marks, etc. 

She is disappointed in the small percentage of royalties she receives from Friesen, compared to what I receive from Create Space, so I encourage you to research the field thoroughly.

 

Each of us has different interests and skillsets, so, for instance, if you are savvy enough to build a one page book site through Word Press, for example, then you don’t need a publisher that offers that option in exchange for lower royalty payments. If you don’t have the time or inclination, you might get Fiverr.com to build that website for you for next to nothing.

 

If you have a following on social media and can build some buzz around the launch of your book, you can most likely get into the top ten in your Amazon category, “with a little help from your friends,” so self-publishing may be a good option for you. Here’s a helpful hint: choose an Amazon category for your book that has less than 1000 books in it. This increases your chance of getting onto the best seller list when you launch your book. Once you are an Amazon bestselling author, adding that to your resume will help get you speaking engagements and maybe a guest appearance on local TV, further building your platform.

 

If you already have a reputation in the field you are writing about, your articles get good page rank on Google, you’re on the radio show circuit, and you have an extensive social media following, then perhaps your platform is big enough to interest a traditional publisher. There are some great people on Elance.com with experience writing proposals to traditional publishers, so check them out and hire one. Always remember that Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen received 108 rejection letters before a publisher agreed to publish “Chicken Soup For The Soul.” And you know how that turned out... Don’t give up!

 

Best of Health,

 

Kathi Casey

The Healthy Boomer Body Expert

www.HealthyBoomerBody.com

www.KissBackPainGoodbye.com

www.FitWomenBoomers.com 

 

Writing and Self-Publishing Tips

Expert: Amy Leigh Strickland
http://www.amyleighstrickland.com/

Writing Tips:

·         Writing a period piece? Bookmark a good etymology dictionary so you can constantly check if your words are too modern

·         Outline before you being. When you get stuck, go back to your outline and force yourself to keep writing.

·         Set deadlines for yourself and be a mean boss. Didn’t finish your chapter? No sushi night for you!

·         If time permits, put it aside for at least two weeks before you try to edit.

·         Acquire some brutally honest friends (you can usually find these in Massachusetts) and ask them to Beta read. Be ready to take a knock to your ego and not fight back. IT will be worth it.

Self-Publishing Tips:

·         Let a handful of Beta readers have your book for free before you put it on sale. Ask them to let you know if they catch any typos.

·         Invest in solid cover design. Your cover is your best endorsement, but a poor covery can easily become your worst.

·         Never respond to negative reviews. Any response to negativity will quickly spin into a firey cyclone of internet hatred that will consume your reputation, no matter how wrong they are.

·         Get out there and do events. Offer your smiling face as guests at conventions, libraries, and book stores. People like to support projects by someone they’ve met. IT gives them a personal connection to your budding celebrity.

·         Don’t’ expect to become a celebrity. Don’t even expect to sell many copies of you first book. Indies find they sell more copies of each book when they have more titles on the shelf. Have patient and keep plugging.