Stop the Madness

post by Michelle Griep

Writers, traditional or indie, are on the same team.

It used to be that traditional publishing was king. If you weren't writing under a contract for a "real" publishing house, you were pond scum. No, less. You were the ugly underbelly of the pea-green floaty stuff that smells like rotten eggs. You, my friend, were a loser.

But then things changed. They always do. Self-publishing started a big push back, especially with the advent of CreateSpace and the ebook. Indies started to climb the ladder of publishing success, some even waving to the masses standing on the same rung as traditionally published authors. I know, right? Gasp! One would think that the rising tide of such innovation has lifted all writers to equal acceptance.

Hah. Not.

The vitriol has not ended. There is still a squabbling and poking-fun-at ruckus in the ranks of indie authors. Why? (click to tweet)  Because there's a spectrum of self-publishing.

You've got those who wrote their copy then handed it off to someone else to complete all the grunt work such as cover design, formatting, yada, yada.

Then there are those who wrote their copy, found their own designer and editor, then handed it off for things such as ISBN's, Library of Congress paperwork, and the like.

Or there are those who take the bull by the horns and do absolutely everything themselves. Everything. E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.

It's within the ranks of this spectrum that pride has painted with the oozey liquid from the pond, ranging from:
"Oh, you didn't do it all yourself? Slacker!"
to
"Oh, you created your own cover? Yeah. I can tell. My preschooler could've done better."

So, I'm only going to say this once, people. Lean in. Listen hard. Read my lips . . .

Jump down off your pedestals. Let's be buddies, encouragers, looking for the good in each others journeys, not needling the bad. We are writers, and Lord knows that gig is hard enough without in-fighting.


TWEETABLES

Writers, traditional or indie, are on the same team.~Michelle Griep (Click to Tweet)

Let's be buddies, encouragers, looking for the good in each others journeys ~Michelle Griep (Click to Tweet)


_____________________________________________________________________

Author Michelle Griep

ABOUT THE AUTHOR ~ MICHELLE GRIEP

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. Follow her adventures and find out about upcoming new releases at her blog, Writer Off the Leash, or stop by her website. You can also find her at the usual haunts of Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Like what you read? There’s more. WRITER OFF THE LEASH: GROWING IN THE WRITING CRAFT is a kick in the pants for anyone who wants to write but is stymied by fear, doubt, or simply doesn’t know how to take their writing to the next level.

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Boxed Set Basics

HEATHER DAY GILBERT currently has a novella, Out of Circulation, in the Smoke and Mirrors Romantic Suspense Collection, and she's enjoying every minute of it. Find this highly rated set here on Amazon for only 99c! Heather's Viking historical novel, God's Daughter, is an Amazon Norse bestseller. She is also the author of  Miranda Warning and Trial by Twelve, Books One and Two in the bestselling A Murder in the Mountains mystery series. Trial by Twelve is the 2015 Grace Award winner for Mystery/Romantic Suspense/Thriller/Historical Suspense. Heather has also written the IndiePublishing Handbook: Four Key Elements for the Self-Publisher. You can find Heather on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

Boxed Set Basics

Until last year, boxed sets with multiple authors were just a pipe-dream for me. I'd heard good things about them from my author friends, but I hadn't been invited to join one yet!

When I joked with my author friend Karin Kaufman that we should do our own set because we enjoy each other's mysteries so much, we began to realize we could create a boxed set. We just needed to find other authors we felt meshed with our books.

I've since participated in that boxed set, Fatal 5, and one other, Smoke andMirrors, which by no means makes me an expert, but it has given me some perspective on contracts and other issues you'll want to consider before you launch a set of your own.

1) Choose a set theme/rough publication date. This way, you'll have solid facts to take to the authors you ask to join the set so they can make informed decisions. Most sets stick with one genre or a mix of comparable genres (our Fatal 5 included both mysteries and thrillers).

2) Choose your authors carefully. The more big-name authors with large followings you can get, the better. This will necessitate going to quite a few authors to find those who can not only meet your publication deadline, but who are willing to pitch in their time to market the set.

3) Set up a private Facebook group where authors can interact quickly. This is so much faster than trying to set up an email loop, and it's much more effective, because with boxed sets, there will probably be hang-ups that arise that need to be addressed immediately.

4) Write up a contract. For both the sets I've been in, we followed a contract that all the authors agreed to before getting rolling with the set. We posted it on our private Facebook group wall, so authors could refer to it as needed. This contract included the following elements:

         a) Boxed Set Goal: This can include such information as an agreement to keep all the books in Kindle Unlimited if the set is in KU. It can also underline the reason for the set—to drive new readers to all the authors.

         b) Timeline: This lays down a very specific timeline for the authors, including dates drafts are due for formatting and when the book will be uploaded, when the set will be dissolved, and when and how payments will be made.

         c) Theme/Title: This is updated as the group agrees on a theme and title. You want a catchy, memorable title that somehow captures the feel or theme of all the novels/novellas in the set.

         d) Cover: This is updated as the group decides to use talent in the group or pay for a cover artist.

         e) Formatting: This specifies who will format the book—whether someone in-group or hired.

         f) Price for Boxed Set: This specifies the pricing on the boxed set, including specials that will be run. Individual set agreements vary, but some might wish to specify that authors' individual novels/novellas will not undersell the set as a whole for the duration of the set. For example, authors agree not to price their individual novels/novellas below the set price of 99c. This directs attention back to the set and guarantees everyone works hard to promote the set, not just their individual novel/novellas.

         g) Royalty payouts: This specifies when/how authors can expect to be paid by the one who uploads the set to vendors.

         h) Promo expectations: This section clarifies what will be expected from all the authors by way of promo, and it includes an agreement on how ads will be paid for and by whom.

5) Nail down theme/title/cover art/formatter/uploader. These are things that can change as additional authors join the set, but most groups work together to decide the best route to take on these things. Often, decisions are carried by a majority vote. The dynamics of each set vary, but I always see authors working to accommodate each other. Authors in my latest set, Smoke and Mirrors, decided to have our cover art designed, and we were all able to contribute thoughts and were pleased with the outcome:

6) Get rolling toward those deadlines, get the final file out to early readers, market like crazy, then reap the rewards of being in a boxed set!

Inevitably, boxed sets will run into hitches—just ask anyone who's been in one. You might shoot to be in Bookbub and then realize your set doesn't meet the specifications (be sure to read those first—Bookbub requires a 2D cover, novellas and not novels, as well as a certain number of pages per novella). You might have an author who can't make the final deadlines. You might have authors who poop out on marketing and don't participate.

When your set is reviewed, it's inevitable some readers won't like your contribution. You're mixing author styles and some can be vastly different. Don't expect everyone to rate yours highly.

There are any number of variables, but you have to try to be prepared for anything and ride the boxed set waves, however smooth or choppy they may be.

Yet I probably don't have to tell you that the payoff can be huge. Yes, there are a plethora of boxed sets these days, but some are still making the USA Today bestseller lists. Most will bring new readers/newsletter subscribers to each author in the set. Valuable connections are made with the authors you work with and the new readers you gain.

Finally, boxed sets are a lot of fun! If you're asked to be in one, first consider carefully if you can meet the deadlines and if you'll be able to contribute to the marketing, and if so, enjoy the experience! 

TWEETABLES: 6 Basic Points on how to self-publish a boxed set. #writing #PubTip (Click to tweet)

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Are You Ready To Publish?

The world of publishing is changing. And you know this unless you just awoke from a long 10 year nap.

There are more options available to writers today than ever before. 

The e-publishing entrepreneurs have changed the way we see book publishing. 

Writers around the world rejoice. Authors with no platform, or with a stack of rejections can publish their books on their own.

Long time authors holding rights revisions can now do something affordable and effective to revitalize their out-of-print books.

And the publishers can do the same. There's new life to backlists. I recently had a four year old title, The Wedding Dress, hit the New York Times Bestseller list.

If you're not published yet, traditionally or independently, you have all kinds of options. But you must ask yourself, "Am I ready?"

Just because you can be published doesn't mean you should be published.

I know, I know, it's so hard to wait when you've been working on a book for months or perhaps years. 

You've edited that thing to death and your crit partners have read ad nauseam and refuse to read it “one more time.” 

You are ready to get your book out there. After all, you love your story. It’s your baby. But traditional publishers have failed to see it’s merits. So, you sneak over to Amazon's CreateSpace and think, "Hmm.. I could just publish it myself."

I love your entrepreneurial thinking. Going outside the box and finding a way to tell your story is key to being a great author. 

I did something similar back in ’02 when I sold my little romance, This Time, to an e-publisher. No one had ever heard of a Nook or Kindle back then but I thought, “Even if one person reads it and enjoys it, one person outside my circle of friends, then it’s worth it.” 

While it’s a sweet story, it’s not my best writing. It was only the second book I’d ever written. I’ve learned so much since then.

There are more things to consider about writing than “being published.” Or that the publishers just don’t “get” or like your story.

Publishers have to consider their market. They must give something to the sales team that they can pitch to a bookseller in a few short minutes. If that.

Publishers have to consider their own business goals and brands. Your story might be fantastic in every way but not a product that fits the vision and goals of a publisher. 

There are times I’m not sure I can come up with a high concept, pitchable story idea that will fire-up a sales team. So I consult with my writing partner, my agent, my editor and on occasion, my dog. She’s a good listener.

For every indie success story such as J. A. Konrath and Amanda Hocking there are a hundred Noname Jones and WhoAreYou Smith with books languishing in e-publishing la-la land.

Indie books, above all books, it could be argued, need to be a cut above. Why? Because the competition to be seen is incredible. 

If you are considering independent publishing, or even going with a small publishing house, consider these things:

1. Rewrite your book. Serious. Don’t just edit and “fix.” Rewrite. Books need to be crafted. And they are not written, they are rewritten. Fork out the money for a substantive edit. Then for a line edit. What’s the difference? A substantive edit is also called a macro edit. It’s a wide review of the story and characters from a trained eye to see if all the components work. You need more than advance readers in order to craft a good story. Readers often don’t have a critical eye. They overlook inconsistencies. They don’t understand craft. A skilled editor can help with characterization, plot, symbols and metaphors. But again, a macro edit is a sweeping, top-down view of your story.  I once worked with a private client who’d been through many professional “editors.” While they helped her with grammar and perhaps some minor elements of the story, they provided no services to her with story crafting. Her story and premise were riddled with holes. So find someone to help you craft your book. 
2. Hire a good line editor. Also called a micro editor. I love line editors. They really get into the “weeds” of the story. They focus on sentences and words where a substantive editor focuses on scenes, chapters, story and characters. Line editors can really help shore up a story and fine tune minute details.
3. Hire a good cover artist. Unless you’re a skilled artist, don’t try to do the cover yourself.   I hate when I see a poor quality cover on an indie book. It makes me not want to read it. There are a lot of skilled artist who will create a cover for a reasonable price. Also, research components of a good cover. Writers usually want way too much detail. But covers are really visual concepts of what the story is about. Covers should convey a feeling. It’s true, books are judged by the cover.
4. Pricing. The free verses cheap debate. Should authors give their work away for free? Aren’t we worthy to be paid for our labor? But free often gets the consumer’s attention. But so does cheap. Latest news I’ve heard is $.99 and $1.99 are fair and solid prices for new indie authors. But do your research. 
5. Build your tribe and social media platforms. Build relationships with other writers, with readers, with publishers. Be a friend. Be a fan. Be a supporter. Talk about others as much as you talk about yourself. I know when readers or other writers shout out to their social media venues about my books, I’m more than happy to do it for them in return. If I like a book, I post about it. I write a good review. Get involved in the writing community. Networking is the key to just about everything. Publishing, especially indie publishing, is no exception.
6. Set aside at least $1,000 to $3,000 for promotion. You just have to do it. Network with indie authors who have experience with promotion. Consider Book Bub and other indie promotional sites.
7. Pray. Be patient. Trust the Lord’s timing is perfect for you.

I hope these help to help. Remember, no book on Amazon or Barnes & Noble is better than a bad book. :)

*** 

New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Rachel Hauck lives in sunny central Florida.

A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, she worked in the corporate software world before planting her backside in uncomfortable chair to write full time eight years ago.

Rachel serves on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a mentor and book therapist at My Book Therapy, a conference speaker and worship leader.

Rachel writes from her two-story tower in an exceedingly more comfy chair. She is a huge Buckeyes football fan.

Here latest novel, The Wedding Chapel landed on Booklist's Top Ten Inspirationals for 2015.

Visit her web site: www.rachelhauck.com.

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Going Indie on a Shoestring

Until July 29, 2015, I was a traditionally published author only, but things have changed. On that July day, my first independently published novel went on sale, making me a hybrid author.

About six months ago, I received my rights back from the publisher for Thyme for Love (TFL} and its sequel, Love Will Find a Way. The only choice I had to keep the book in the marketplace was to poke my toe into the waters of independent publishing, bettern known as "going indie."

By going indie and publishing your book yourself, you become not only the author, but also the publisher, editor, cover designer, and publicist. Here is a rough breakdown of the steps I took, all the while striving to keep my expenses down:

1.  A professional edit is normally required, but since TFL was already edited by a professional editor when it was first published, I did not hire an editor. I tweaked the writing in some places and updated the technology, but the content remained the same.

2.  I don't have the ability to produce a professional looking cover (at least not yet).  The average cost of a good cover design runs around $400, but I was fortunate to win a cover design through an online auction and paid substantially less than the norm.

3. The systems for Kindle, print, and other ebook sellers do not accept a Word document. I considered formatting my manuscript myself with the help of written instruction, but in the end, decided to pay a professional formatter. I've never regretted it. When I uploaded the formatted manuscripts, they both passed on the first try. Well worth the nominal expense.

One of my memes.

4. A few days after submitting my manuscript to Amazon's Create Space for print copies, I was able to order author copies at a very reasonable price. Within a week, they arrived at my door, every bit the quality printing I have received from traditional publishing houses. 

5. There are a few different packages you can use to upload to Kindle. I chose Kindle Direct for the first 90 days Thyme for Love is on the market. This program gives Amazon an exclusive, and the agreement can be renewed every 90 days. Several benefits come with this program, including promo packages and advertising. 

You can check out the Amazon page by clicking here!

6. Marketing is the last, and probably the most important, step. Unless you can afford to hire a publicist, you are the publicist. Word of mouth is always the best way to get results, but to get the buzz going you need to get your book title out there. There are services that maintain huge mailing lists that you can use to send Twitter notices about your book. I bought 10 links from Ask David at www.askdavid.com. For $15 you receive a Supporter Pack which includes 10-12 Twitter announcements that you write up yourself.  

I've become quite adept at designing memes and posting them in various places like Twitter and reading groups on FaceBook.I use both Photoshop Elements and Swift Publisher, a publishing program for Mac. There's a fine line between posting enough to make your book known, but not so much people stop following you. But once you hit a good balance you should see steady growth in sales. 

One of the best benefits of indie publishing is there's no waiting for a royalty statement from my publisher. The Amazon site not only tells me how many books have sold, but also the total amount of royalties I have coming. For a while I became obsessive in checking my sales, and anxious! More about that in my next post.

Does this mean I'm not planning to have my stories published by traditional publishers in the future. Absolutely not. I'm working on pitches right now for my editor appointments at the ACFW conference next month. The  landscape of publishing has changed and is continuing to change at a rapid rate.  At first, the thought scared me quite a bit, but now that I've gone indie on TFL and will soon do the same for its sequel, I'm embracing the changes and finding the process quite enjoyable.

Have you published indie yet? Are you planning to? Please share your own experiences and tips in how to market your indie books in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!

A native of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, author Pamela S. Meyers lives in suburban Chicago with her two rescue cats. Her novels include Thyme for Love, and Love Will Find a Way, contemporary romantic mysteries, and her 1933 historical romance, Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. When she isn’t at her laptop writing her latest novel, she can often be found nosing around Wisconsin and other midwestern spots for new story ideas.

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Indie Publishing with Patty Smith Hall

When Ane asked me to write a column on indie publishing for Novel Rocket, my first thought was why me? At that time, I only had one self-published novella under my belt and even with that, I had tremendous amounts of help for some very savvy ladies who had more insights into this subject that I ever could. But then it hit me—while indie publishing isn’t anything new, more writers, both published and pre-pubbed, are moving into this exciting new arena.

Including myself. So who better to share what I learn as I jump into the fray of the indie industry?

But why chose to go indie rather than traditional? There are several reasons. For me, it was the opportunity to get my work in front of readers at a pace I felt more comfortable with. By the time my next book hits the shelves in January, it will be almost two years since my last book, twenty-four months in which my readers have had time to forget about me. That is, if I let them. So I decided to publish a couple of novellas and one full length novel on Amazon or Barnes and Noble in the meantime. One, because even if it doesn’t reach all my readers, it can reach a large majority of them and two, it helps me pick up new readers that might go back and buy my already published series.

There are other reasons too. Creative freedom, the entrepreneurial feeling of being in control of every aspect of your work from cradle to grave, setting your own deadlines and working within the scope of your ‘other’ life. There are probably a dozen other reasons, but like I said early, I’m relatively new at this so I’m still learning.

So what little piece of wisdom can I offer today in regards to indie publishing? What do I wished someone had told me before my first novella had come out? Here it is, folks:

Don’t push the send button too soon.

Just because you’ve typed 'the end' doesn’t mean you’re actually finished. Every manuscript that is on the shelves of your local bookstore has gone through the editing process, and so it should be the same with your self published works. This rush to publication was one of the reasons why indie publishing gets a bad rap, because some writers think they’ve created a masterpiece with their first draft when what they really need to do is step back, put some time and space between them and the project then look at it with fresh eyes. Or better yet, give it to a critique partner or beta reader who doesn’t back away from telling you the truth.

I recently went through this process with the first manuscript I ever wrote. It was a story I wrote during a time of great heartache and gave me so much joy at a time when joy was the last thing I was feeling. At the time, I thought it was fantastic; the writing had just flowed out of me at times so it had to be good, didn’t it? It made the rounds at a few publishing houses, even garnered a revision letter from one but no one offered me a contract. So I saved it to my hard drive and moved on. Earlier this year, I decided to dust off that old manuscript and self publish it, but when I did my first read though, I discovered something.

It was crap.

Not all of it, but it needed some re-writes before I could even think about publishing it. Now, think about that—what if I had self published that book all those years ago the second I finished it? How many one-starred reviews do you think it would have gotten? How many readers would have never picked up another one of my books after reading that hot mess? That is why, before you  even think about hitting the send button, you put it aside for a week or two, then look at it from a fresh perspective. If you can afford it, pay for a professional edit. Tape these words to the top of your computer screen so that you can see them any time you're close to finishing a book.

Do. Not. Push. The. Send. Button. YET!

Until next time!

  
Patty Smith-Hall is a multi-published, award-winning author with Love Inspired Historical and Heartsong.  She currently serves as president of the ACFW-Atlanta chapter. She currently lives in North Georgia with her husband of 30+ years, Danny; two gorgeous daughters and a future son-in-love. Her next release, New Hope Sweethearts will be available in July on Amazon.

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All The Brains Have Fallen Out

by Anita Higman

Best-selling and award-winning author, Anita Higman, has forty books published. She’s been a Barnes & Noble “Author of the Month” for Houston and has a BA in the combined fields of speech communication, psychology, and art. Anita loves good movies, traveling to exotic places, and brunch with her friends.

Well, the book biz has turned itself on its head, and it appears that all the brains have fallen out. What’s an author to do with thirty years in the business when suddenly faced with a digital revolution, closings, cutbacks, mergers, the new age of indie publishing, and book sales as stable as uranium? Well, I’ve decided to venture out into the meadow, hoping not to get shot like Bambi’s Mom.

You can find Anita on her website or her Facebook Reader Page.

Bottom line. I couldn’t keep running my business the same way anymore. I can no longer play it safe. I am choosing to do something fresh and creative—something that I hope will remind me why it is that I fell in love with writing all those years ago.

So, I came up with a five-point plan for my career to help deal with this madly fluctuating state of the book industry.

1. I have decided to stop writing in my genre—inspirational romance—at least for now. I will be coauthoring novels for young adults with my daughter, Hillary. This YA genre has been calling my name for many years, but I never had the courage to switch over. Until now. We’re hoping these stories of the heart will resonate with a wide audience of readers.
2. I have gone hybrid—meaning that I will have books coming out through traditional publishers as well as books released through other means. I decided to get the rights back to some of my out-of-print books and give them over to an entrepreneur extraordinaire named Cynthia Hickey. She has republished some of my older books as well as released a few newer works through Forget Me Not Romances, which is the inspirational line through her new company, Winged Publications. Here’s the link: www.forgetmenotromances.com. With Cynthia’s help, I have come to know the joys of being on multiple Amazon best-seller lists.
3. Prayer. There are many more questions than answers in the publishing industry right now, which can either send you out screaming in the night or bring you to your knees in prayer. I choose the latter. It’s the only sane choice.
4. I am staying connected to writers and editors through conferences and writer’s loops. I think this is more important than ever—for networking, updates, and support.
5. Do I still need an agent? Yes. I decided to continue working with an agent for many reasons—career advice, accountability, and of course, because I still needed someone to pitch my work to editors. By the way, I’m happy to say that my agent, Chip MacGregor, is hard-working, business savvy, and he’s supportive of my need to go hybrid.

Through my decades of writing, I have known plenty of failure and changes and dire predictions, but I keep on writing no matter what, because that is what God called me to do. So while the book industry gets its brains back together, you’ll find me faithful at the computer—with perhaps a newer vision—but still very much in love with the art of storytelling.

Summer’s List

A dying wish alters the course of a young woman's life.

Life hadn't been easy for Summer Snow. In acts of selflessness-caring for her ailing parents and running her grandmother's bookstore-she had forfeited her youth and dreams for the needs of others. And the only tries she had at love... didn't turn out. She had the bookstore, she had her beloved granny, but she was missing something-or someone.  

Opportunity strikes when Granny sends Summer on an unexpected adventure with one Martin Langtree, a kind but gangly young man from Summer's past. A childhood friendship is rekindled, a romance is sparked, and mysteries are solved in one magical Texas summer. Will Summer strike out on love again, or will things finally go her way?

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