When Self-Publishing Makes Sense

Barbara Freethy is the author of over 30 novels published under the imprints of Pocket, New American Library, Harper Collins and has won numerous writing awards. She also has sold over one million copies of her older out of print titles as eBooks. Each of those titles fell out of print with her publisher and the rights were reverted back to the author giving her an opportunity to breathe new digital life into old print books.

Each was repackaged and priced between $2.99 and $5.99 thus avoiding the low price point of $0.99 that many first time and new eBook authors fall into to attract readers. In Ms. Freethy’s case she has a long standing reputation and breadth of content with which to market and her success has been tremendous. These backlist were all published through Barnes & Nobel’s PubIt! Digital service and sold through B&N as well as Amazon and Apple.

Eight of the author’s seventeen self-published eBooks have hit the New York Times and/or USA Today Bestseller List with one title, SUMMER SECRETS hitting #1. She is currently under contract with Pocket, a division of Simon & Schuster, but plans to self-publish all future original manuscripts as new eBooks.

Author Leaves Publisher

Author Polly Courtney is a novelist who leveraged her self-publishing success a few years ago to land a three book contract with Harper Collins to be published under their paperback imprint Avon. Up to this point she is known more for her recent announcement at the launch party for her third book than her writing success. This was the scene where Ms. Courtney told everyone in attendance that she was leaving her publisher and going back to self publishing.

Turns out that Ms. Courtney was upset with the handling and marketing for her three books, she felt her writing was being positioned in a manner which did not reflect her work. The publisher was categorizing her books as literary fiction and she preferred commercial fiction. Understandable since the audience for the literary genre is small when compared to general fiction.

The disagreement also spilled over into the areas of title and cover design where the author claimed the package completely “misrepresented” the content. She felt her writing was not properly reflected by the “chick lit” design of the cover. The decision to leave was the result of “three years of pent–up frustration.”

Avoid Conflicts with Your Publisher

Unfortunately these situations do occur and the only way to prevent this type of problem is develop relationships with those in-house having a hand in publishing your book. If an author develops relationships and understands the production process then before decisions are made they have an opportunity to provide input. Working closely with only an editor is a disadvantage for the author. Often times the publisher and author have different opinions but understanding why decisions are made and how to offer feedback is the only chance an author has of avoiding conflict.

Publishers make decisions based on a books ability to generate revenue and that includes changing the title, category, content, package and price. If an author is not willing to bend to these requirements then don’t sign a contract in the first place. Publishers do not look for ways to derail their authors with misleading categorization or shoddy packaging, they want every title to sell copies and be profitable.

If you are considering a contract and hope to prevent these conflicts then let me encourage you to read my book. I describe in detail what a writer goes through from the day they sign a contract to the day the book goes on sale as well as how to prevent problems with all sorts of issues. Authors need to understand that publishing contracts do not mean the company is going to work with the author, it means they plan to do whatever they feel is necessary to maximize revenue and be profitable, even if that means at the expense of the author.

Jerry D. Simmons is a former New York publishing executive and author of “What Writers Need to Know About Publishing”

Most titles are unsuccessful for a handful of reasons—overpriced, bad market timing, unidentifiable package, poorly written, poorly edited and lack of appropriate marketing are the most common reasons. For the independent author is could be all of the above plus the method in which the title was produced and published. The marketplace for book sales is a tough one and one misstep can result in bad or nonexistent sales. 

Under the very best of circumstance book sales are unpredictable, combine that with a print-on-demand production process with a combination of bad decisions and the result is highly predictable. Failure to market is the single biggest reason why books fail to sell copies. Marketing a book is a difficult process and the only way to maximize the opportunities for any title is to work with a professional. 

Self-marketing without consulting an expert is tantamount to sailing around the world without experience in a boat. You won’t lose your life with a bad book but you can certainly put a hit on your wallet and sacrifice hours treading water. The price of a consult is much less expensive than any product or service you can buy. Starting with a basic consult will save money as well as time.

Once the writing is complete and editing in progress, that would be the time to have a preliminary discussion about the next step. Once the revising and rewriting is complete and the manuscript is ready to go, then is the time to launch into the next phase. However that next phase is dependent on the personal goals for the writer and whether or not the manuscript is strong enough to meet those goals.  

Final marketing, publishing and distribution decisions are highly dependent on the strength of the writing, genre and current market conditions. It might mean writing the query letter and shopping to agents or making independent publishing decisions. However none of that should happen before the manuscript is complete, done, over and finished. I’m all for getting an early start but not too early, the writing comes first.

Writers value their work and that is understandable but at some point reality needs to set in and they must understand they are producing a product to be marketed and sold. That product has value, the writer is a commodity. There are tons of writers that can produce valued content however the market is only so big. It can accommodate only so many books. There is not an unlimited market for quality content. 

As the business transitions the model under which publishers can work will change. There is little time now to nurture authors who need their hand held through the tough times. Resources are limited and the new publishing model will require authors to have a basic understanding of the market. There will be no more hand holding or nurturing through poor sales. Start now, learn the market, and get smart about your business or else you will be destined to become a former author.

The same concerns for eBooks exist as they do for print, mainly you must create a professional product that is packaged, priced and positioned for the market. There are already tons of companies offering low priced everything for eBooks and the same principles that hold true for print hold true for digital—buyer beware! In publishing you never want to rush and you absolutely never want to buy on price. In addition you must be knowledgeable about who is handling your content. Are they reputable? Were they recommended? Do you know anyone that has used the services of the company or person? Do they have a contact number in case of problems? Are they located in the US? And the list goes on and on. Due your research, network, and trust the company or individual handling your writing.

Just like Blockbuster and Hollywood video the mega-bookstore may well be nothing more than an historical notation with empty buildings and faded memories from long removed or faded store signs. The credit squeeze from major publishers means these large companies can only order so many books to place on shelves. Should either of these two chains suddenly file bankruptcy the publishers that subsidize the inventory do not want to be in a position of holding the bag for unpaid and unsold books. 

Without an unlimited supply of credit from major publishers to order more new copies it becomes a Catch-22. Publishers are limiting their exposure and the retailers need more copies of titles to sell. Ultimately the consumer is the loser because the older backlist titles that everyone shops for and buys will no longer be readily available aside from a special order. It is truly a sad day for the major publishing houses not to mention the few remaining readers of this country who actually buy books.

What Happens Next? 

The big New York companies are doing two things, (1) they are systematically over time eliminating positions within the company, and (2) cutting their list of titles and reducing acquisitions of new manuscripts. It becomes a downward spiral where retailers point the finger at publishers for their problems and publishers point the finger at retailers for falling sales. This puts the squeeze on new writers and agents since each need an open market for selling new manuscripts. It also leaves writers without the open source for marketing their writing. 

The result over the past several years has been an explosion of self-published books. The lack of new title publications that has cut the market for new writers only exacerbates the bigger problem—how do we sell more books? Many in publishing have left because they were frustrated with the big companies’ lack of innovation and unrelenting quest to do things as they have always been done, regardless of the results. This is why the major companies are suffering today and on the verge of what could become a meltdown similar to what we experienced in the financial world two short years ago. Do not misunderstand, I’m not equating what happened on Wall Street with what may happen inside the boardrooms of major publishing houses. I’m merely suggesting the publishing world could be on the verge of a meltdown. 

Opportunity Exists 

There will be no Washington bailout of the publishing companies but there will be a transformation. Publishers are going to have to redesign their future in an environment where printed book sales and prominence are in decline, digital publishing is exploding and the rights of authors are being challenged by the writers themselves. This creates an opportunity for writers that never existed. 

You have to start with the premise that content is king. Well written, professionally edited manuscripts that inform, entertain and even enlighten are going to become the new gold standard in publishing. Up to this point the major companies have shifted too much of their focus to publishing celebrity books with built-in publicity and not focused enough on the quality of the work itself. There is no plausible reason why a TV star should receive a seven figure advance for a single title when that money could have been invested in several potential bestselling authors who up to this point are unpublished and unknown. 

 For too long the major companies have searched for the quick bestseller as opposed to building a steady stream of consistent, predictable mid-list titles each with the potential for break-out. The seasonal lists of publishers became top heavy with bigger and bigger single titles while cutting the heart out of the very fabric that provided them with most of their revenue and profit, the mid-list author. During the transformation publishers will be forced to forget about a single seven figure advance and move toward signing more authors with quality content. 

 What Writers Should be Doing Today

 You can’t worry over what may or may not happen, the important thing to do right now is write and market. Even though you may be unpublished or published with few sales you have to share your work with readers. It is very important to write articles, blogs, or anything that will allow readers to read your work. Building an audience via social media specifically and the worldwide web in general is the best and least expensive way to market your writing. 

If you are worried about piracy, as I’ve told many that attend my presentations, the bigger concern should be obscurity. You do not need to copyright everything and you certainly do not need to concern yourself with someone stealing something you have written. Like myself, I’m the author of this piece and have stated that “all written material is Copyright 2010 Jerry D. Simmons.” If you add the universal copyright symbol “©” with your name and year you should be protected, as far as this protection allows. No one is completely protected from piracy even with a certified copyright from the US government. 

Once the gates of acquisition again swing wide open, publishers will be searching for more quality content than ever before. However, the key will be how much content and how well written and edited. As the industry reinvents itself the single most important thing for writers is to create content. Work with a professional editor to refine, revise and rewrite your work making it the best it can possibly be. Then market yourself and your writing to as many web sites as possible. Place yourself in a position when the call finally comes that you are ready and have a lot of material to be published. 

We will see a transformation and those that prepare will benefit the most.

 Industry Knowledge Will Become Paramount

 While the publishing business redefines its model, writers need to become market savvy.  When a publishing committee evaluates manuscripts for possible purchase and publication they look at many things. One is whether or not the author is marketable but the new area of consideration will be whether they understand the basics of the business. As the big companies take a new approach to the way they purchase and publish manuscripts the marketability and market knowledge each writer has will become more important than ever. 

Publishers today spend entirely too much time dealing with the small, petty issues that authors come up with. Editors spend too much time on the phone explaining and comforting, while marketing people waste precious resources trying to make each author happy. Executives are struggling to figure out how to get themselves out of the mess. The coming meltdown will be the perfect exit strategy for the old ways of doing business while the new author profile will be created. That new profile equates to market knowledge, basic understanding of the business, and how to maximize opportunities with your publisher.  

If you do not read your category competition then you need to start. If you don’t keep up with industry topics then start familiarizing yourself with them. If you have no clue how books are prepared for publication, worked through the system for marketing and sale, then you really need to start educating yourself about the business. Publishers are not going to take care of your individual personal needs in the future, they won’t have the time and will not expend the resources. Those days are over! 

Read, learn, and listen to how the business works. Visit bookstores before it’s too late and start to plug yourself into the marketplace by observing how it all works and how the pieces fit. The new author mantra will need to be “how can I help you (the publisher) sell books.” That along with lots of good content and market knowledge will elevate your value as an author and give you the best opportunity to signing a future contract. 

 What You Don’t Know

 Over the past seven years I’ve attended more than one hundred writer’s conferences and what surprises me more than ever is the lack of information about publishing. I understand these conferences are for writers and learning to improve skills however the end result, the book, has to be sold. I’ve contacted many conferences across the country that has rejected the idea of speaking on topics that relate to publishing simply because their focus was on “writing.” That is a bit naïve for me since good writing should be published which eventually must be sold to someone somewhere. 

The biggest shock to most writers is what they do not know and were not even aware an issue existed. Unless you’ve worked behind the scenes and actually watched the sausage being made (so to speak) you wouldn’t know what to avoid or be concerned about. My job has been and will always be to answer questions and provide guidance to writers in publishing their work. It’s unfortunate but this business is not complicated, it just takes experience in the process to understand the questions as well as the answers.

 What you as a writer do not know about publishing may not only hurt you but damage or destroy your future career as an author. For those publishing on their own frequent mistakes include perception problems, packaging and pricing errors, lack of market positioning, plus an overall void in understanding what distribution actually means for your book.  For those seeking an agent it includes how to market and position your career to the agent and eventually your editor and publisher. This is a very competitive business that requires certain marketplace knowledge to survive.

This will impact the business model the major companies operate under and will give birth to a major transformation in publishing. For writers this means two things: (1) content is now and will always remain king so the more content you create the better, and (2) not only will major publishers give strong consideration to the marketability of the title and author but to the level of publishing knowledge the author possesses. The reason is evident, they cannot afford the time or resources to hold the hands of worrisome authors. 

If you have not started to school yourself in the basics of how the business operates it would be a good idea to get going. There is plenty of information available but only one book. I know because I wrote it and now sell it at this web site exclusively. You need to understand what goes on behind the scenes and how you as an author can help your publisher sell books. It’s not difficult but important, as much as reading your category competition and visiting bookstores (while they exist) on a regular basis. It is the market knowledge you need as well as a good personality and professionally edited content.

Certainly you can walk to the grocery or drug store, which will take longer and you may encounter bad weather. Walking long distances can also create other problems but eventually you may get to where you want to go. Certainly the lack of transportation is a problem if you hope of moving beyond your local neighborhood and venturing out to another city or state. The time and effort required to get to your final destination may be beyond your capability. You have a perfectly good car in the garage but have limited access to the services you need for your family.

Distribution or access to the market for published content is key to having any opportunity at selling significant quantities of your work. Publishers that utilize the print-on-demand model may provide you with a car, but it will be restricted to back roads. The major booksellers will never allow your POD book in their stores. This is limited access to the market and a major problem that most self-published authors face in today’s marketplace. The same scenario holds true for eBooks. A simple PDF file is great for downloading to another computer but in the real market for eBooks, again, you are limiting yourself to the back roads. 

If your published work is not allowed direct access to booksellers via direct sales to book buyers working for those booksellers, your chances of becoming a successful author is handicapped. Distribution comes in two forms: access and availability. Here is a description of each. 

(1)Access to the market is described as a sales group or distribution company selling your title to book buyers of established and recognized booksellers for the purpose of ordering quantities for their stores or catalogs. These titles are often stocked for quick and easy fulfillment and placement onto store shelves and online catalogs.  

(2)Availability means your book title is being entered into a database with the millions of other book titles making it available for sale should a consumer walk into a bookseller and special order. This is the type of distribution used by the print-on-demand companies which in essence is not distribution or access to the market. 

The same process is at work for digital content in the form of eBooks and Audiobooks via MP3 files. The biggest difference is that print book distributors are heavily influenced, subsidized and dependent on the major print book publishers. In the digital field that is not the case, at least not yet, digital distributors have no dependence on the biggest publishers. This makes distribution of digital content much more accessible for the independent author. 

Regardless of whether you decide to publish in print or eBook format, without access to booksellers you cannot sell significant quantities of your work. Whether the seller is a brick and mortar store or an online retailer, library or school, if you do not have the ability to expand your readership through access to those that actively market and sell product then your audience may forever remain small. 

My recommendation for authors is they consider all formats for their published work: trade print, eBook and Audiobook. At this time the market for the eBook has tremendous opportunities for the independent author over either of the remaining two formats. 

The market for publishing is changing rapidly and in order for authors to maximize their opportunities and in turn their potential, they must stay informed. The difficulty with the print market has been obvious for many years yet we all tend to think of print when discussing publishing. The business of printing books and shipping to booksellers is anachronistic and outdated way of thinking. As the market for print continues to decline the barriers to entry continue to grow. Not the case with eBooks. 

The digital marketplace is new, vibrant and growing rapidly. With over 760,000 new print titles being published each year compared to 50,000 eBook titles the competition is less and access to the market is open and available. The window of opportunity for any new market is small and the time for eBook publishing is today.

Have your manuscript converted from its original Word document into the style formats of the leading eReading devices by a professional eBook formatter. There is no need to worry about margins or page numbers, an eBook will be formatted to fit a particular style compatible with a multitude of market leading electronic reading devices. 

The reading devices that are on the market today require that eBooks available for download must be compatible with the formatting style adopted by that particular eReading device such as the Sony Reader or iPad from Apple. Currently there are over nine various formatting styles that fit a wide assortment of eReading devices. Unfortunately the industry at this point has not agreed upon a universal formatting style compatible for all eBook readers. 

Do-It-Yourself formatting is possible, however, if you are not familiar with the various styles for eReaders then it is not recommended you attempt the conversion on your own. If your eBook is not properly formatted to fit the particular style of eReader then the consumer will not be able to download to their device and the potential sale would be voided. This is an obvious problem for the author and eventually will result in your eBook being eliminated from the online catalogs of all retailers. The cost of converting a word document to the top formatting styles is inexpensive compared to the time and frustration of trying it on your own. 

Professional formatters who have experience with these styles make the process simple and inexpensive. The cost of converting a manuscript into an eBook is dependent on the length and various components of a manuscript. The price more than compensates for the potential problems you may encounter if you attempt to convert on your own and lose sales. 

In addition to the professional formatting of your Word document the other consideration is that your cover be easily read and identified by category on a computer screen. If your title is not easily recognizable by the category from which you write and easily understood by title and sub-title you stand a very good chance of missing a sale. Considering working with a professional who can guide you on how to properly price, package and maximize the marketability of your title. 

In some cases the original print cover may need only a slight variation in font, color or style. In other cases an entirely new design may be necessary. Since eBook covers are not as demanding from a consumer standpoint as a printed cover, prices are much less expensive. The visual component of your eBook cover as viewed on a computer screen is critical to your success. 

Once your original manuscript in a Word document has been converted to the top eBook style formats and cover is evaluated online, you will have a marketable eBook ready for distribution. Demand for the top professional formatters is high and most word documents can be converted within 30 days, in some cases that may run into 60 days. It all depends on the demand at the time the submission is made. The total cost of converting a simple Word document containing your manuscript into a marketable eBook with a complete new cover design will be a fraction of the cost of a similar print comparison.  

The eBook market is growing rapidly, the time for the independent author to take advantage of the opportunities is now. An eBook provides unpublished writers and published authors with a new market for selling content. An eBook is a new format for publication with a completely different audience. These are but two of the advantages that independent authors have when creating an eBook.

When the big New York publishers develop marketing plans for their titles they start with expectations from the editors and evaluate what is possible considering budget and sales potential. Once the framework is outlined they go about cooking to the recipe and combining the necessary components to make the book as successful as possible. Each book is different, there may be similarities but overall the marketing plans contain individual pieces that fit the particular title. 

For authors with limited budgets and time to promote their writing, there are fifteen key pieces for marketing your writing: 

1)   Take advantage of web sites that offer free author profiles, most notably www.NothingBinding.com. Any site that provides a free platform giving you an opportunity to post your photo, author bio and other aspects that an audience may find interesting is worth taking part. 

2)   Some sites also allow for free excerpts of your manuscript or book as well as free articles of interest that has a direct tie-in to your writing. Provide sample chapters and always post the most dramatic scene, leaving the reader wanting more. 

3)   Book reviews are one of the best ways of sharing what others think about your writing. Reviews are not meant to express what Aunt Millie or your neighbor thought but rather what professional book reviewers think. 

4)   Readers like bookmarks and they are one of the best and yet most inexpensive way of putting your book title in front of a potential reader. They are also more likely to hang onto an attractive bookmark as opposed to a business card. Writing pens are okay but not as important as a bookmark. 

5)   Never underestimate the power of video or audio. Big publishers send authors on book tours so readers can see and hear their favorite authors speak. Create a program around your writing and be informative and creative. Then record on video and post to web sites and You Tube. The web site www.NothingBinding.com allows authors to post video and audio for free. 

6)   Another terrific way to promote using multi-media is with book trailers, professionally produced they are in essence an advertisement for your book. Prices vary but you can get a quality job for a lot less than you imagine. 

7)   Social networking is the buzz, everyone is doing it and yet some of us still don’t understand the relevance. The fact remains, you have to do it. If you aren’t on one of the major social networking sites you miss out on meeting fellow writers who just might help you promote your book on their own web site or social network. Reciprocal promotion works if you can build a network via social media. 

8)   Blogging is another one of those activities that if you are not participating you are missing out. It seems that everyone is blogging and you need to find a way to post relevant content to your blog. If you are writing an Irish love story perhaps you blog about Ireland and the majestic land it is or how visitors to the Irish countryside can enjoy certain attractions. The point is to share your writing and become someone who loves writing about a subject that relates to their work. 

9)   Subscribe to Google Alerts. Back to the Irish love story, you would want Google to send you daily alerts which will list information about Ireland. Then you can link to the article and respond to what the author had to say. By offering your unique perspective to an article that appears on a prominent web site you have a chance of getting your name and book title in front of readers that may never have heard of you. 

10) Be willing to give your book away as a promotional item. You can accomplish this in a small group setting or even radio interview. A free book is a great way to promote your writing and if you publish on your own and not with one of the print-on-demand companies your printing costs are minimal. 

11) Change your email signature on all emails so your title and web address are prominently listed. If you are emailing on a regular basis, even to family and friends, it doesn’t hurt they know the title and where to purchase. Be careful, do not say where all books are sold, be specific and if your title is only listed on Amazon then say that. 

12) Issue press releases through your social networks and the press release services that are available. These services have access to hundreds of contacts that you have no way of communicating with so utilize what they offer. If you do not feel confident in writing your own press release then there are a multitude of services that can do that for you. 

13) Keep your status as an author updated on all writer forums or chat rooms that you visit and contribute to. Don’t aggressively try and sell your writing or you will get criticized and shunned. Be subtle, provide answers to questions based on your experience and throw out a notice about your blog, profile on www.NothingBinding.com or the occasional press release. Be helpful rather than self-centered and it will go a long way. 

14) Become an expert. If your book is the Irish love story then become an expert on Ireland and write about it, share what you know and become the local expert on Ireland. Whatever your category, find a way to share what you know with others and you will make fans of readers who may just buy your book. 

And finally… 

15) Price your digital content aggressively which means under what the major publishers price their own eBooks and you will go a very long way to selling volume that makes sense. You cannot compete head-to-head so don’t try. Be smart and price accordingly. 

Those are your top fifteen key pieces of marketing digital content. If those weren’t helpful enough, I’m going to offer you two more: 

1)   Associate yourself with a digital publishing company that can distribute your content globally and has great reputation for quality content. It’s important the company markets their brand, which is key in independent digital publishing. 

2)   If all else fails, admit your weakness and consult a professional marketer who can work within your budget and create a plan that fits your title. 

Marketing isn’t difficult, it’s getting the right pieces in place that can make an impact and hopefully get you noticed and your content purchased. Marketing takes time and consistency, even more so than money. Once you get the momentum going you have to keep it moving forward, otherwise you start from scratch at the beginning of the line once again. Best of luck and remember, answers to many marketing and publishing questions can be found free at this web site.