Thoughts on indie publishing

I usually don’t blog about the publishing business, but next week marks the completion of my second year as an indie publisher of novels, and I’ve been thinking about that. Specifically, the state of the business. If this isn’t your cup of tea, I understand, and I’ll be back to my regular blog posts in November.

For the rest of you who are still here… welcome and hello! First off, let me say I think this decade is the best ever, in history, to be an author. For the first time, every author has the opportunity to have their books published, to find their readers, and to possibly build a career. You can walk right around the former gatekeepers of the industry with nary a glance. The publishing world is open to you!

That’s the good part. The bad part is… well, it’s a lot of work. Not only do we have to write the books, but we have to wear most of the hats that are worn in a traditional publishing house: publicity, advertising, promotion, art, formatting, bookkeeping… the list goes on.

If we’re smart and can afford it, we hire people. Editors (or a team of them), cover designers, accountants, etc. If we can’t afford it, we do the best we can, and make do with that.

It seems that the biggest hill we authors struggle on is publicity, including promotion and advertising. It’s all expensive. Much of it is ineffective. Worse, if our product is anything less than stellar (including the book, the cover, and the blurb), even the most expensive and effective methods won’t work.

So far, I’ve experimented with Amazon ads, Bookbub ads, and various promotional newsletters that send e-book bargains to their subscribers via email. I’ve not tried Facebook ads, or Pintrest or other social media advertising. Mostly because I haven’t had time to learn about those platforms yet.

In the two years I’ve been part of this parade, the price of advertising has risen, while the effectiveness has diminished. As more authors climb on the bandwagon, this trend will likely continue. The competition is getting crowded. I’ll continue running Amazon and BookBub and newsletter ads, but I’ve recently reached a new conclusion about all this….

And at the end of two years, here’s what I think: the most effective way to try to make a living in this very crowded field is to write and publish your next book. And the next one. And the next. Preferably several a year. Last year, I published four. This year, I’m on track for the same. I think I have the best job in the world!

A few other suggestions for newbie or wannabe authors: Make sure your book covers are professional and perfectly on-target for your genre (I struggle with this sometimes), and make sure your blurbs (book descriptions and back cover copy) are enticing (I always struggle with this). Have your manuscript edited and proofread.

Build up your own author newsletter as soon as you start publishing. I started late on this, but now recognize it as a huge asset for both me and my readers — they get all the information on discounts, free books, new releases and giveaways, and they help me launch my books. Win/win!

And that, my friends, is that. My opinion, for whatever it’s worth.

God bless you, and have a great day!

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