Audiobooks are the fastest growing segment of the publishing industry. For indie authors or traditionally published authors who have retained their audio rights, now may be the perfect time to consider creating your own audiobooks. Here’s your how-to guide to DIY audiobooks.

If you haven’t heard, audiobooks are the fastest growing segment of the publishing industry. People are listening to books on their phones in the car, while commuting on public transportation, exercising, gardening, cooking and the list goes on. According to the Audio Publishers Association (APA), audiobook sales in 2017 totaled more than $2.5 billion, up 22.7% percent over 2016, and unit sales were up 21.5% percent. The most popular genres continue to be mystery/thriller/suspense, sci-fi/fantasy and romance.

For indie authors or traditionally published authors who have retained their audio rights, now may be the perfect time to consider creating your own audiobooks. Before you dive in, here are some things to keep in mind.

Is Audio Right for You?

Do You Have the Rights?

Audiobook sales are growing, but that doesn’t mean they’re for everyone. If you are traditionally published, read over your contract or talk to your agent regarding the audio rights. If your publisher holds them, it’ll be up to them whether or not they want to exploit that opportunity (though you can certainly make your wishes known—best done through your agent, if you have one). If the rights remain yours, then the decision of whether or not you’d like to pursue the format is yours, too. And for self-published authors, of course, it’s all up to you.

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What is Your Genre?

Certain fiction genres perform better than others as audiobooks. Investigate yours: Look at how flooded the bestselling audio lists are in your category, whether or not the same handful of bestsellers dominate there, and how many titles are performing exceptionally well. For example, romance readers are huge consumers of digital content in the genre sometimes consuming two, three or four a month.

Do You Have an Audience?

As with other areas of publishing, a platform is an early key to success—and the stronger your platform in other formats, the better your chances of succeeding in a new one. If you have an ebook that has a strong following and is doing well on digital platforms, investing in creating an audiobook makes sense.

Create Your DIY Audiobook

It’s easier than ever to create and release an audiobook DIY style, and new platforms spring up regularly. For a full-length novel, you can expect to pay, on average, $1,500–$3,000 for your audiobook. Here’s a look at some of the current leaders on the field:

• ListenUp Audiobooks
  In 2016, ListenUp partnered with Canadian-based ebook platform Kobo to offer special discounts to Kobo Writing Life authors interested in turning their ebook content into audiobooks. ListenUp was developed as a way to extend to independent authors the same services they offer to major publishers at a reasonable cost. They can help you choose a narrator, produce the book and make it available on the various audiobook platforms. Authors retain the rights and receive eighty percent of the royalties for each sale.
• Findaway Voices
  Based in Ohio, Findaway Voices helps authors with each step along the way. After you create your account and provide the information about your book, the Findaway team provides you with 5-10 narrator choices. Once you make your choice, the book is produced (takes about 6-8 weeks). Then you can have Findaway distribute it to their 29 different channels or you can take care of it on your own. Authors retain the rights and receive eighty percent of the royalties for each sale.
• ACX
  This is Amazon’s platform that offers an indie audiobook service similar to that of self-publishing an ebook through KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing). You can narrate the project yourself or hire your own voice artist. Once created, these audio titles are distributed through Audible, Amazon and iTunes.

With ACX, all of the choices require a seven-year commitment. Exclusive contracts get a higher royalty payout (40% of retail sales), but the audiobooks can’t be published on any other platforms apart from Amazon/Audible. With the non-exclusive option the royalty is lower (25% of retail sales), but authors can publish through other venues. There’s also a royalty share option, popular among those with smaller budgets, for which the narrator/producer and the author split the 40% royalties 50/50, with no upfront costs.

How to Reach More Listeners

Once you have your audiobook available on the different platforms, here are a few ideas for ways to reach more listeners:

• Link to your audiobook on your website (include sample)
• Pitch your audiobook to sites specific to audiobooks (audiobooks.com and audavoxx.com)
• Pitch to podcasts
• BookBub ebook promotions can spike audiobook sales

Audiobook popularity continues to rise, so now may be the perfect time to provide your readers with the audiobook versions of your stories.

Learn new writing and publishing skills in these upcoming online courses:

• 12 Weeks to a First Draft with Mark Spencer
• Blogging 101 with Dan Blank
• Breaking Into Copywriting with Naveed Saleh
• Comedy Writing Workshop with Leigh Anne Jasheway
• Fundamentals of Fiction with Gloria Kempton
• Professional Copyediting: Tools of the Trade with Kim Catanzarite
• Read Like a Writer: Learn from the Masters with Mark Spencer
• Writing the Middle Grade Book with Holly Alder
• Writing the Personal Essay 101: Fundamentals with Gloria Kempton

Writersdigest.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated websites. 

The post A Starter Guide to DIY Audiobooks appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

Book categorization is key to finding readers and maximizing sales. Here’s what you should know.

If you’re an author—aspiring or published, traditional or indie—you have a lot to think about: the quality of your work, your relationships with the people helping you publish, your book’s typography and cover design, competitive pricing and your marketing presence. Another thing to consider is book categorization.

If your book is properly categorized in brick-and-mortar bookstores as well as online retailers, then it will stand the best chance of meeting the most potential readers. How and why do books get categorized? Who determines the categories and which books belong in them? How can you take best advantage of the system? Read on.

Book Categorization 101

The most basic book categorization was probably decided upon by some tunic-clad Athenian shopkeeper who organized his volumes by the authors’ names. Before long, however, alpha-by-author showed its limitations, and specialty categories were born: fact vs. fiction, secular vs. nonsecular, books about chariots vs. books of philosophy.

It stands to reason. For authors, however, the inclination is to resist categorization. We don’t want to be “pigeonholed” or “marginalized.”

But here’s the thing: Narrowing a category gives us the opportunity to deepen it.

During the 10 years I was a bookseller, we were reminded constantly that, despite potential author resentment, categorization works. For instance, when African-American studies became an academic discipline at many universities, many bookstores created black literature sections to highlight the depth of their inventories and make it easier for customers to browse literature by black authors.

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But some authors and customers felt that was segregation. So one of our store managers yielded and dismantled her black lit section, incorporating all those books into the main fiction shelves. Because the company (Borders) tracked sales by title, we could see that black lit sales plummeted; those authors simply got lost in the bigger pond.

Categorization is imperfect and idiosyncratic. My local Barnes & Noble no longer shelves African-American, LGBT or horror fiction in separate sections. My local Books-A-Million has African-American lit as well as YA, but not Western or horror. Neither of my local independent bookstores break out books by race or sexual orientation, but they do display books by local (Florida) authors separately. One store groups some fiction into a classics section; another does not. Some bookstores have sections of short-story collections, but others shelve collections with longer works in whichever fiction category they reside.

If store inventory permits, some authors are cross-shelved. For example, Toni Morrison’s novels might be shelved in both general fiction and African-American literature. This is useful for well-stocked books, but can’t work reliably for those carried in only ones and twos. (Online retailers, of course, can cross-categorize to their hearts’ content. More on this later.)

The Deciders

Who decides how a book will be categorized? First, you do. You decide whether your book is a memoir or a how-to or a romance or a literary novel. You mention this in query letters when you submit to agents and/or editors: “It’s a locked-room mystery in the tradition of Agatha Christie, only with a postmodern twist: The characters are all deaf computer programmers.”

Then, if your book is picked up by a publisher, your editor and marketing team will have a say in how the book is represented to customers. The label your publisher eventually puts on the print version of your book is a blunt instrument: a general category such as mystery or biography. The book will be sold in so many different situations—in stores, online, by you at conventions, etc.—that a narrow category could make for confusion instead of clarity. Publishers generally want to avoid this.

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Buyers for brick-and-mortar booksellers use a blend of experience, sales history and common sense to refine the categorization of books. Usually all goes well, though sometimes mistakes occur. Richard Brautigan’s novella Trout Fishing in America still occasionally finds its way into the sports aisle. Moreover, in a physical store, categorization can go only so far before reaching a point of diminishing returns: Shelf labels must be physically moved as sections expand and contract, which requires extra labor. Errors result in lost sales and unhappy customers.

Amazon and other online booksellers have changed the way books are categorized by permitting publishers and authors to create ever-narrower categories and to experiment for optimal matching of books with readers. Because their shelves are virtual, cross-shelving is a matter of a click or two. Fans of cat sleuth novels can now find books of interest to them as easily as can enthusiasts of French cooking or seafaring adventure tales.

Online, categorization can be deep and broad. A book categorized as Fiction / Suspense / Psychological might also be categorized as Fiction / Thriller / Espionage, thus catching the attention of disparate yet sort-of-kindred readers.

Changes are easy online, too. A novel can be switched from hard-boiled to noir, for instance, and sales tracked.

Your Role

When categorizing your own book, here’s how to do the job:

1. Go from general to specific. Unsure whether your book is chick lit or romance? Genre definitions can vary depending on who you ask, but do some research anyway. Check virtual and physical shelves. Browse reading lists and discussion groups. Where does your book seem to fit in best? Keep it simple.
2. Resist the urge to come up with your own labels. Look at books like yours that are currently doing well in the marketplace. What categories are those publishers and authors using?
3. Consider your audience. How would your ideal reader relate to your book?
4. Select at least one major and one specialized category. If you’re going to be published, talk these over with your editor. If you’re self-publishing an e-book, make your best guesses and see what happens. You can always refine as you go.
5. Don’t stretch the truth. If your book is a Western, categorize it as such—but don’t also label it erotica unless it is.
6. Don’t stress about any of this. Get back to writing your next book.

The post Shelf Savvy: How Book Categorization Helps Maximize Sales appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

by Savannah C at Reedsy

A picture may be worth a thousand words — but a cover design can be worth 50,000. You want the cover of your book to be just as thoughtfully constructed as its contents, and for that you need an excellent book cover designer with whom you have a strong collaborative relationship.

To help you get the most value out of this partnership, we turned to some of the top professional cover designers for their across-the-aisle tips on how authors can build and maintain such successful working relationships. Here they are, straight from the source.

1. Know your project

By the time you approach a cover designer, you should already know some details relevant to your book’s cover, such as word count (for spine width) and target audience (for design). But there are many other technical aspects that your designer will need to know, such as font size, trim size, page thickness, binding, and whether your book will be hardcover or paperback (if you are printing it). It is vital that you determine and inform professional designers of these details and dimensions as early as possible.

“The more information up front the better. Do you plan to print-on-demand or publish an eBook? If printing-on-demand, prior to even hiring a designer, take the time to explore the cover template generator form of your printer.” – Teresa Bonaddio

“If you are planning to print your book, find out the technical specifications from your printing service provider. For example, the designer needs to know the spine width of your book’s cover, and that will depend on the number of pages and the type of paper you will print your book on. Also, when printing a hardcover book, the dimensions of the cover can be much larger than those of the interior pages.” – Tuire Siiriainen

2. Understand the cost

They say do what you love and money will follow, but the catch-22 is that you often need money to do what you love. No writer likes to imagine their prize project weighed down by budgetary constraints, but setting a budget for your publishing process is an absolute necessity — as is knowing how much of it will go toward your cover design.

Just as writers might want to fork up for a developmental editor or book writing software such as Scrivener to get the content of the book right, a cover design is a book’s all-important selling point. Remember that high-quality work takes time and effort to create, and understand that your designer will charge accordingly.

“Many writers I have met during my career have underestimated the costs for design and illustration, which has often led to a delay [in] production. I recommend always asking a creator whether they agree with a currently available budget and how much [work] they would be willing to do for it. […] Sometimes an exception can be made, but I would highly recommend having at least 300 to 500 Euro or USD put aside for a project.” – David Schmelling 

3. Clarify your vision

Establish a strong dialogue with your designer by sharing your inspiration and vision with them right from the get-go. Ideally you’ve chosen a cover designer whose work and aesthetic you love, but even so, you should clarify exactly what you want your cover to look like. If it’s hard for you to describe, use examples — point to one of their samples that really wowed you, or send them pictures of visually striking covers in the bookstore. Take the time to specify what you want before you sign a contract: it’s very important to get this right.

“If you have strong opinions on how you’d like your cover to look, including tangible cover attributes such as style, tone, color, composition, typography, and photography, then clearly communicate as much as you can to the designer with descriptions and sample imagery.” – David Provolo 

“[It’s] very helpful to be able to discuss the cover needs before the offer is put in. In fact, the majority of authors seem fine with this, just some seem to completely ignore it as if it’s not important. But authors don’t always give you enough info in their briefs, so even a brief discussion can help to work out what’s expected and therefore how to pitch the offer.” – Patrick Knowles 

Free Webinar: What Every Author Should Know About Book Cover Design

4. Stay positive and flexible

All that being said, you don’t have to share a brain with your designer; indeed, some of their ideas will probably clash with your own. Don’t just reflexively reject these ideas — your designer is pitching them not to sabotage your creative vision, but because they have years of industry experience and know what works. Maybe the font you want is overused or your color scheme won’t be as eye-catching you think. Remain amenable to their suggestions and they will design you a cover that looks beautiful to everyone, not just you.

“Describe your ideas in a way that focuses on what you ​do ​wish to see, as opposed to listing things to avoid, and be open to the creative process. I’ve often found that my happiest authors are the ones that I’ve been able to present with an idea that came slightly out of left field by synthesizing their vision, a strong knowledge of competitive titles, and my own personal flair.” – Laura Boyle

5. Be honest about your experience

Again: you don’t have to share a brain with your designer. Luckily, that also means you don’t have to pretend to know as much as they do. If you’ve worked with a cover designer before and you’re already familiar with the process, that’s great! But if not, it’s best to tell them that, and request that they explain the more complicated aspects. Otherwise production will be endlessly confusing for you and frustrating for your designer.

“From my experience, it is essential that a writer is transparent about their knowledge of how the production works. I have had an easier time with clients who openly admitted to being inexperienced with the entire process [than those who didn’t]. This makes it easier to address the steps during the collaboration according to the writer’s knowledge. I communicate ideas differently to a client who doesn’t know how the process works, than to a client who has knowledge about the terminology and knows how the visual design process functions.” – David Schmelling

6. Communicate effectively

Clarifying your vision and being honest with your designer also fall under this umbrella, but this is more a tip for your entire collaboration rather than its early stages. Even as you and your designer settle into a working rhythm, you should still make a conscious effort to communicate with them.

This may sound like obvious advice, but according to designers, many authors clam up or fail to respond in a timely manner after the initial conversation. To avoid this, give feedback, ask questions, and simply be available to discuss the project at all stages — not just the early ones.

“The designer’s first round of concepts will serve as concrete points of discussion and revision. Collaboration with your designer should include open communication, patience, and mutual flexibility to arrive at a cover solution that encapsulates the aspirations you have for your book.” – David Provolo

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7. Trust your designer

The last (and by far most important) tip for a successful relationship with your cover designer is pretty simple: trust them. It can be difficult for some authors to do this, and understandably so — you’re letting a near-stranger have major jurisdiction over a cherished project. It’s like handing your child over to a babysitter, but instead of putting them to bed, the sitter gets to decide what the child’s face should look like. Forever.

Yes, it may be hard to trust your designer. But in the secret sauce of any good relationship, personal or professional, trust is the ingredient that brings all the others together. And as they turn their attention to the canvas (or tablet, as it were), your designer has to know that you trust in their knowledge and abilities. Only this can truly secure your relationship’s success, both for your current project and any future collaborations with your designer.

“My number one tip for a successful relationship with your cover designer is the same one you need to build successful relationships in life: trust. Cover designers are uniquely placed individuals. We can take an author’s thoughts and direction about a cover and approach it with the mindset of both designer and potential consumer. But the only way to get the best of both those worlds is to put your trust in your designer and their insights.” – Jake Clark

“The best books are made in great collaborations and with great trust. While we are all professional, we are also all human. Get to know the people who you are working with and trust that the objective is always to create the best book possible in any given amount of time.” – Teresa Bonaddio

No matter how you choose to publish, your book’s cover is your reader’s first glimpse into the world you’ve created, and your cover designer facilitates that glimpse. With that in mind, remember to always communicate, be positive, and above all, keep calm and trust your designer. If you foster a strong relationship with them, your cover designer will manifest your best ideas and contribute all their expertise to make your book cover a beautiful success.

This content was contributed by Reedsy and includes one or more affiliate links for their products and/or services. Writer’s Digest participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products and services purchased through our links to retailer and partner sites.

Take 30% off Writer’s Market books until 1/27 with code MB2019!

The post 7 Tips for a Successful Relationship with Your Book Cover Designer appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

Industry experts and legitimate writing coaches provide advice on how to spot writing coach scams and shield yourself accordingly.

The profession of “writing coach” has come under recent scrutiny. The outcry follows a July 2018 article in the Los Angeles Times outing Anna March (also known as Nancy Kruse, Delaney Anderson and Nancy Lott) as a grifter, with financial judgments of more than $380,000 against her. March allegedly preyed on the dreams of unpublished writers by touting her services as a writing/editing coach, offering expensive writing retreats while promising access to agents and editors. According to the Times, she did not always deliver on her editorial promises, and often cancelled retreats after receiving payment.

As a legitimate writing coach, instructor and former magazine editor-in-chief of five national consumer publications, I want to prevent alleged bad actors like March from sullying the name of writing coaches across the board. And I believe the first step toward doing so is teaching writers how to protect themselves. Shield yourself from a con with the following know-how.

1) KNOW THE DEFINITION OF “WRITING COACH.”

Imagine a writing coach as a guide through the often-rocky terrain of publishing. Writing coaches can help develop story structure, teach craft , polish prose, off er accountability and goal setting, and share editor and/or agent information. Many, like myself, also offer editing help. The best coaches come with bonafide credentials, have deep experience in the area of writing you are interested in, and shorten the learning curve.

2) DON’T PAY EXORBITANT FEES UP FRONT.

“If you hire a writing coach, it would be best to pay them per session with a chance to cancel their services if you’re unhappy,” says Mary Rasenberger, executive director of The Authors Guild. “When it comes to manuscript editing, it’s always best to avoid large, upfront payments, and obligations should be spelled out.”

I personally offer an initial two-hour time window when working with new students. They pay me up front for each session, at my hourly rate, and then we both can evaluate how the process is working. Some of my students have been with me for years as they’ve seen their publishing portfolio expand; others just want to work on one essay.

3) PROTECT YOUR FINANCIAL DATA.

It’s always best to pay through a check (so you have a record through your bank) or via a trusted source such as PayPal or Venmo, so that if you have a dispute you can lodge a complaint. Don’t give out your credit card information on the phone, and never pay cash. If you signed up for a pricey retreat, before you pay in full (always with a credit card), confirm with the hotel that there was an actual room booking made for the dates of the retreat.

4) REQUEST TESTIMONIALS.

Before signing up with a coach, ask to speak with current or former students. Beware if the writing coach tells you that information is confidential. You should also look at any testimonials pages on their website. For instance, my page provides testimonials using students’ and editors’ full names to provide credibility.

“There are a lot of imposters in this business,” says Sherry Paprocki, former president of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) and co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Branding Yourself.

To find a coach with integrity, Paprocki recommends reaching out to at least three past or current clients to hear about their experiences. “Don’t get thrown off the mark just because someone has had one big success in their career. Look for someone who has had consistency in publishing over a 10- to 20-year period with multiple bylines and/or books to their name.”

5) CONFIRM THAT THEY VET STUDENTS.

According to publishing guru Jane Friedman (author of The Business of Being a Writer), most quality coaches don’t work with every writer who approaches them. If you’re not being vetted in some way to ascertain whether you’re a good fit, Friedman says, that’s a warning. That’s been the case in my experience as well. Many writers come to me based on my track record publishing essays and articles in the parenting and midlife market, but I still vet writers, reviewing samples of their work and having them fi ll out a questionnaire about their goals and expectations.

Learn from this author in the online course Pitch an Article: Write for Today’s Marketplace.

6) ASSESS THEIR ASSOCIATIONS.

“Look for long-standing involvement in the writing and publishing community,” Friedman says, “such as people with strong connections to influencers or organizations who can vouch for the integrity of the coach.”

Beyond one-on-one coaching, I teach online personal essay writing, pitching and freelance writing for Writer’s Digest University, and often suggest potential students take a class first. I was an adjunct instructor for NYU; often speak at writer’s conferences like ASJA, WD and HippoCamp; and am a longtime member of both ASJA and the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). These associations are more than just bullets on my résumé—they demonstrate integrity.

7) INSIST ON A CONTRACT.

“Authors should make sure they have a contract of sorts, even a signed or emailed letter that spells out exactly what the coach will do, so that there is no misunderstanding and the writer can point to the [document] if the coach is not performing,” Rasenberger says. “Payment terms should be clear and require payment only aft er particular services are rendered. A written contract also makes it easier to go to small claims court and get your money back if the coach clearly failed to perform.”

Although I mainly work with students on articles, essays and platform building; (rather than on books), I always detail rates and expectations, as well as custom-tailored advice on how we will communicate and work together. I also confirm the collaborative coaching style we will use, and whether I will coach using phone, email, Skype or a mix, depending on the client’s needs.

8) DO A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION.

Before signing with a coach, post a notice asking for information on Facebook groups for writers, or Google the words “lawsuit,” “scam” and “complaint” along with the coach’s name. Consult Writer Beware, a publishing resource from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America that documents scams and offi cial complaints against publishing professionals. And if you’re a member of The Authors Guild, their legal department can help you vet contracts and alert you to red flags, as well as assist you if you’ve been scammed. Ultimately, it’s up to you to caveat emptor. But know that if you arm yourself with awareness, chances are you’ll be OK.

The post 7 Ways to Defend Yourself from Writing Coach Scams appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

In our Breaking In column in Writer’s Digest magazine, we talk with debut authors—such as Christy Stillwell (christystillwell.com), author of The Wolf Tone—about how they did it, what they learned and why you can do it, too. Here, Stillwell talks about her experience publishing with a small press and more.

Tell us about your book. 

In the The Wolf Tone (January 2019, Elixir Press), Margot Fickett, principal cellist for the Deaton, Montana, symphony orchestra, is waylaid by 20-year-old Eva Baker who claims that her son is Margot’s grandchild.

What were you writing before breaking out with this book? 

I have written and published poetry, short stories and essays. I wrote two novels previous to The Wolf Tone. With each novel, I had an agent who believed in the book and sent it to publishers with no success. Those were difficult years, to be sure, but they certainly solidified my determination to understand the long form. I feel at home in the novel now. I especially like the room it offers, the limitless possibilities. The novel is a great taskmaster. If one doesn’t make the hard decisions about time and point of view, the book will balloon into a formless mass and threaten to swallow your life.

Breaking In: Debut Author Anissa Gray on Finding Your Writing Workspace and More

What was the time frame for writing this book? 

In The Wolf Tone, I explored ideas I’d had with me for years. For instance, when my son was in swim lessons nearly a decade ago, I caught sight of another mom on the pool deck reading papers spread on her lap. Wringing my neck to see over her shoulder, I was shocked to discover that she was reading a musical score. I knew I wanted to write about a musician. Years later, I became captivated by the burgeoning medical marijuana industry in my state. Almost overnight a pot grower’s status changed from drug dealer to medical provider. It took a long time to see how these two ideas might intersect. A lot of simmering took place. The number of years I was actively writing the manuscript: six.

Do you have an agent?

I do not have an agent. I offered this novel to my previous agent but she passed. I began the querying process. In four months I queried two dozen people. I got two partial requests and one full, but no contract. I did some serious soul searching. I had already been through the agent/publisher process and ended up disappointed. I found that my perspective had changed. I understood something: more than I wanted an agent and big contract, I wanted a book.

I took the plunge into the indie press world. I discovered dozens of exciting small presses, and many of them offered contests with publication. The money wasn’t huge, but I was grounded by my clear aspirations: I did not want to be rich. I wanted a book. I entered ten contests concurrently with my queries to agents. In four months time, I learned that The Wolf Tone had won the Elixir Press Fiction Prize. I was stunned, grateful and overjoyed.

What were your biggest learning experiences throughout the publishing process?

With a small press, much of line editing and proofreading falls to the writer. It helps to have a good team in place. Getting as many eyes as possible on the manuscript helps it stay clean and crisp.

Also, it all takes a really long time. Much longer than you think it should. 

Looking back, what did you do right that helped you break in?

I was honest with myself about my goals. I took the time to understand exactly what I was pursuing and why. In today’s complex publishing industry, having a goal to simply “make it as a writer” could mean a million different things. Getting clear on what I actually wanted, and then working to prioritize and strategize about how to get there, helped me achieve success.

On that note, what would you have done differently if you could do it again?

In my earlier attempts to publish a novel, I think I’d change a lot. Slow down. Make the book the best it can be. Be clear on my goals. But with The Wolf Tone, I must say I like the chain of events. I like my honesty with myself and of course I love that my path crossed with Elixir Press. I wouldn’t change anything.

Did you have a platform in place?  On this topic, what are you doing the build a platform and gain readership?

I had a blog and a website at the time of publication. I started my blog, Say Something You Mean, to make a home for the many essayistic ideas I wanted to explore. I know if I posted more, I’d reach a wider audience, yet in keeping with the theme of the blog itself, I want to post when I truly have something to say. I’m trying to do readings and events, both endeavors that are out of my comfort zone, to gain readership. I’m also trying to be more present on social media, becoming more vocal about books and presses that I admire, and why.

What’s next for you?

I’m working on my next novel. I hope to cut my writing time in half, but I know that with this form, completion time will take what it takes. That’s true of all stories. As writers we must cultivate this wisdom: Let it happen. Guide and shape it but do not rush.

The post Breaking In: Debut Author Christy Stillwell on Perseverance and Publishing with Small Presses appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

Interested in crowdfunding a novel? Susan K. Hamilton, who has crowdfunded two novels, shares the joys and frustrations authors can expect when publishing via this new and exciting route.

In the “good old days” getting published was a labor of love (or insanity). If you didn’t have an agent, you prepared a synopsis, gathered the correct number of sample chapters and wrote what you hoped was an amazing query letter. You packed it all in an envelope along with a SASE (for you young’uns, that’s a self-addressed stamped envelope), sent it off, and waited. And waited. And waited some more.

Then with the advent of print-on-demand publishing, indie authors suddenly found they had a reasonably priced alternative to traditional publishing. And they took advantage of it: according to a recent Bowker Report, “self-publishing grew at a rate of more than 28 percent in 2017, up from an 8 percent increase during the prior year” and the total number of self-published titles exceeded one million for the first time.

Enter today!

However, for some authors, self-publishing isn’t the avenue they want to pursue. If you’re one of them, then crowdfunding your book might be the answer.

I have crowdfunded two novels—Shadow King (Inkshares, 2018) and The Devil Inside (forthcoming from Inkshares)—as part of participating in the Launchpad Manuscript Competition. The experience was exhilarating and rewarding… and it was frustrating and exhausting.

If you’re thinking about crowdfunding your book, here are a few things I’ve learned about the process:

Crowdfunding a novel is HARD work.

Crowdfunding is a great avenue for up-and-coming writers to get published, but a campaign is not simply, “tell them and they will order.” You need to be ready to invest a large chunk of time, effort and attention in your campaign if you want it to be successful.

Be serious about the process. Be serious about your book and building an audience. If you’re not willing to put in the time, you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage. Plan on investing at least two to three months of highly focused attention on your crowdfunding efforts. I work a full-time job to pay the bills, and when I was crowdfunding, I felt like I was working a full-time second job. Do not make the mistake of assuming crowdfunding is easy.

How to Crowdfund Your Writing With Patreon

Be prepared.

You must be just as prepared—heck, even more prepared—for a crowdfunding campaign than you do for submitting a query to an agent or publishing house. Make sure you have a great synopsis and a great pitch. Have an online presence on different social media platforms. Know who your target audience is and be able to tell them—clearly and succinctly—why your book is worth investing in.

There are a lot of authors out there competing for your potential audience’s attention. Make sure your voice is clear and compelling.

Have a plan.

Like a real marketing plan. Know who you’re going to target with requests and when. Know what channels you’re using. Understand how you’re going to keep track of who has ordered and who hasn’t, and how you’re going to follow up.

When I was crowdfunding Shadow King on Inkshares as part of the Launchpad Manuscript Competition, I had ZERO idea what I was doing. I just started emailing friends and family willy-nilly, telling them about the competition and asking (okay, begging) them to order a copy. I didn’t really have a good elevator pitch for Shadow King memorized, so in some cases, I struggled to explain what the book was about – I very quickly came up with a much better pitch than I started with.

Be able to explain what crowdfunding is.

During my first campaign, I also had a hard time explaining how crowdfunding worked (I had a hard time with a lot of things in my first campaign). Many people thought the book would be delivered to them as soon as the competition ended. In reality, it was nearly two years from the end of the competition to my launch date. The people who support you need to understand that the funding part of the process is only the beginning, not the end.

Delight goes hand-in-hand with disappointment.

Now that sounds like a real downer, I know. But what I mean is that you’re going to have some people—friends and family—who say, “Of course I’ll pre-order a copy.” Then they don’t, even after you remind them several times. It is a frustrating and disappointing feeling to have someone not come through after they promised they would. This happened to me both times I ran crowdfunding campaigns. So be ready for it.

But on the other side of the coin, you’ll also be delighted—during my first campaign, I contacted a high school classmate. We hadn’t been particularly close during school, and I hadn’t seen her in over 20 years. I didn’t expect her to order, but I asked anyway, and to my surprise and delight, she said “yes” and ordered the very same day.

Despite the frustration and nights with not nearly enough sleep, I would not trade my crowdfunding experience for anything. It made me learn and stretch in new areas. It made me think about my audience and start to build relationships with them. It made me face the reality of what it takes to successfully pitch and market a book. Those are all lessons I may not have learned had I not gone the crowdfunding route.

Crowdfunding may be the path for you, it may not. Only you can decide that.

SUSAN K. HAMILTON: Susan K. Hamilton is the author of three novels in the fantasy genre: Shadow King, Darkstar Rising, and The Devil Inside (forthcoming in 2019). Shadow King landed on the Top Ten finalist list of the 2016 Launchpad Manuscript Competition out of over 1,000 entrants from 24 countries and was published by Inkshares in October 2018. The Devil You Don’t reached the Top 25 finalists list the following year and will be published under the name The Devil Inside. Susan lives near Boston, Massachusetts with her husband and cat. An avid equestrian, you can often find her at the barn when she’s not writing. She rediscovered her love for writing at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst when her writing teacher freshman year told the class that their last assignment was “to write something creative.”

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What is Self-Publishing 3.0? Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) founder Orna Ross explains the shift from the earliest iterations of self-publishing to today’s landscape with Self-Publishing 3.0.

We are in the midst of a revolutionary shift in publishing—an era in which independent authors can work with greater agency than ever before. It is also an era in which writers must position themselves as brands and equip themselves with the business savvy to succeed beyond the parameters of traditional publishing.

This new landscape—opportunities, challenges and all—was borne of a three-part wave of industry changes starting more than two decades ago. It was this new landscape that led to the formation of organizations such as the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), which I founded to encourage ethics and excellence in author-publishing after a 20-year career in publishing and media as a journalist, author and even literary agent.

This new column, indieLAB, and the ones to follow will address self-publishing opportunities for authors and dispel some of the many myths about this pathway to publication.

Looking Back: 1.0 to 3.0

The first crack in the closed publishing system, which required expensive presses and bookstore distribution, came in the 1990s with the digital tech that allowed print-on-demand (POD). This was Self-Publishing 1.0, and a few pioneering authors jumped aboard.

In 2008 Amazon released a technological trio: a digital ereader and app, the Kindle; a digital publishing platform, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP); and a new payment process to authors that offered commission on sales instead of the traditional royalties and advances. As Amazon also owned the largest online bookstore in the world, these three together were revolutionary, and heralded Self-Publishing 2.0. Audiobook and print publishing became possible, and other services soon followed: Apple iBooks, Nook, Kobo, IngramSpark, Wattpad and many more.

None of these platforms invested in the publishing process, but neither did they license publishing rights. The author, not the platform, became the publisher.

Enter today!

It became clear to authors that publishing need not require somebody decide your book warrants investment. Publishing simply consists of seven processes that must be done right in order to publish well: editorial, design, production, distribution, marketing, promotion and rights licensing. “I can do that!” hundreds of thousands of authors cried as they leapt into creating own digital files; hiring editors, designers and marketers; and selling directly to their readers, through their own websites and other partners.

Now self-publishing is thriving. According to Bowker, the company that registers ISBN numbers in the U.S., the number of ISBNs assigned to self-published titles has grown 156 percent since 2012, and in 2018 it passed 1 million for the first time. Even these incredible figures don’t fully represent the size of the market, as some authors publish without registering for ISBNs.

What all this adds up to is not just more self-published books, but more authors earning a living from writing. For example, at ALLi, 7 percent of our membership is in the “Authorpreneur” category, which means they sold more than 50,000 books in two years, or business equivalent. And it’s not just about outliers. It is possible for a book to earn over $100,000 annually without ever appearing on a bestseller list.

This has led to a great increase in author confidence so that today, we are experiencing Self-Publishing 3.0. Authors are moving from being content providers for large corporations—either trade publishers like Penguin Random House or self-publishing services like Amazon—to being creative entrepreneurs, running successful and sustainable digital businesses.

The Indie Mindset

None of this is to suggest that self-publishing is an easy option. Being “discoverable” in an ocean of books, some of which are sub-standard; finding your readers, building a brand; growing a business—all of these are challenging. But they are creative challenges, very different to the dispiriting rounds of rejection that were the only pathway for most authors in the past.

What distinguishes the indie author is a state of mind: being the creative director of our books, but also of our author businesses. With the vast number of distribution, marketing and publicity options open to us, we can reach a truly global readership as never before.

This entrepreneurial attitude is remaking author-publishing again, as new technologies emerge. Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, voice search, blockchain: All of these seem set to shake up the book business even further. I look forward to bringing you more in-depth insights about these, and other aspects of self-publishing, over the ensuing months.

Whatever changes come along, one thing will remain constant: Only those authors who have developed the indie mindset—an empowered, creative attitude that says, “I can do that!”—are well placed to take advantage of the opportunities.

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One of the most compelling reasons to publish your book in audiobook form is to expand the potential reach. As WD author Jessica Kaye shares in the opening paragraphs of her book The Guide to Publishing Audiobooks, audiobooks are reaching more people than ever. Here are her thoughts about why you might consider self-publishing your own audiobook.

Why Produce Audiobooks?

At the time of this book’s original publication in 2019, every year for the past six years, audiobook sales have been on an upward trajectory. They continue to be a bright spot in publishing, even as other areas slow down. The 2017 sales survey results released by the Audio Publishers Association, or APA, of which you will hear more later in the book, showed a 22.7 percent increase in audiobook revenue over the previous year, with an increase of 21.5 percent in units sold.

Audiobooks have made such an impact in their visibility that The British Library in London had an exhibit titled “Listen: 140 Years of Recorded Sound” that ran from October 6, 2017, through May 13, 2018. It was not about the spoken word alone, but that was a part of it.

So here you are, at the cusp of rising sales and increased publicity for the very thing you were thinking would be a smart addition to your business. Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity, according to some interpretations of the words of the ancient Roman Seneca. Echoing those thoughts centuries later, Branch Rickey has been oft quoted as saying, “Luck is the residue of hard work and design.” Being in the right place at the right time is a more prosaic way of saying something similar. Those words apply to you, today.

SELF-PUBLISHING AUDIOBOOKS FOR NONTRADITIONAL PUBLISHERS AND INDIVIDUALS

The burgeoning of digital recording and distribution, and the consequent diminution in cost of production have allowed authors to transition to self-publishers without the stigma that self-publishing carried in past years. The companies that catered to self-published authors used to be called vanity presses—a pejorative term, at least in the eyes of those in the publishing business. These companies offered authors the ability to see their books in print, but with the catch that it was the author who paid for that metamorphosis from manuscript to bound book, unlike with traditional publishers. Often vanity presses were for works that were not well written, not well edited, and would not have been produced without the services of the vanity press. At other times, they were used for books the authors intended for a specific and limited audience, such as family members. In the past, as today, there were good books that never found a home with a legitimate publisher, just as there are countless talented musicians who never find a record label willing to produce and sell their music. Vanity presses allowed these authors to at least have copies of their books printed.[1] By and large, however, to be self-published was formerly a means of last resort.

That is no longer the case.

A number of authors are turning to self-publishing for various reasons including having the revenue from book sales come directly to them, being able to choose the cover, the timing of publication, and the formats—e-book, hardcover, paperback, audiobook, enhanced e-book. There are also many writers who choose to self-publish because they tried their luck with agents or traditional publishers without the desired results. Some of you who have picked up this guide have already been published by a third-party publisher and now are thinking of doing it yourself. Some of you have already published books on your own and want to branch into audiobook publishing. Some of you have already published or produced audiobooks and want to get better at it and do more of it. No matter the reason you are considering publishing an audiobook, your goal should be to make it a good audiobook. If you don’t want that, why do it at all?

And that’s why this book exists: to serve as your guide to publishing a good audiobook. After all, your reputation and your sales depend on the quality of your work.

Jessica makes a compelling rationale for offering your title in audio form, but if you’re asking what’s next? Get excited. In the 10 chapters of her book, Jessica walks you through each step of producing your audiobook. From double-checking that you have the rights to create your audiobook, to contracts, to finding a narrator and recording, to distributing, Jessica covers all the critical topics that you need to consider before diving into the world of audio publishing.

Read about Jessica’s experience directing Carrie Fisher for her Grammy Award-winning audiobook, The Princess Diarist.

About the Author

Jessica Kaye is an entertainment and publishing attorney at Kaye & Mills (www.kayemills.com) and a Grammy Award-winning audiobook producer. She serves on the boards of the Audio Publishers Association and the Southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America (MWA.). Jessica owns Big Happy Family, LLC, an audiobook distributor (www.bighappyfamilyaudio.com.) She created and co-edited the anthology MEETING ACROSS THE RIVER (BloomsburyUSA, 2005) and contributed a story to OCCUPIED EARTH (Polis Books, 2015) as well as to the new anthology CULPRITS (Polis Books, 2018.) She is the author of book The Guide to Publishing Audiobooks (F+W Media/Writers Digest Books, 2019.)

^[1] Legitimate publishers do not ask the author to pay to be published. If you have an offer for your manuscript which includes a demand for monies from you, that is not a contract you should sign. It is perfectly legitimate for you to pay to have your book printed, but be aware that makes you the publisher. This is the modern version of a vanity press. This differs from audiobook publishing, however, where you may very well need to pay to have your book transformed into an audiobook.

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Contributed by Reedsy.

A book’s cover is a key marketing tool, reflecting the contents of the book. As you might guess, the typeface of your book title and other cover text (the style and appearance on the page) are just as important.

First impressions count. Even if you’re not likely to pay a lot of attention to fonts on book covers, they make the difference between a book that will be picked up and a book that looks unprofessional, cheap, or simply misleading.

This post will dive into this crucial component of a book cover. Read on to find out how to handle book cover typography — and how to make yours stand out and sell your book.

1. Match the genre

All things considered, you want the appearance of your text to convey the message you are trying to get across. Whether that’s signaling that the book is a romance, a thriller, or an informative non-fiction book, the typography is going to be a crucial element of tying it all together.

For example, for Tara Westover’s non-fiction memoir Educated, a simple serif font is used for the title, and the subtitle (‘a memoir’) and author name are sans-serif (have noembellishments at the end of letters). Many say that serif fonts look more ‘trustworthy,’ and feel modern. This is because they are simple and matter-of-fact: all moods that a non-fiction book will want to elicit.

Readers of certain genres will, consciously or unconsciously, be expecting certain things from your book cover. Fantasy book covers are often home to sweeping calligraphy-style fonts, for example. Ilana C. Myer’s Fire Dance does this subtly — the embellishments on the ‘R’ and ‘N’ signal the genre, but it is still reasonably simple and easy to read.

2. No Papyrus, no Comic Sans

A general rule of thumb: don’t use a font that comes pre-installed on MS Word. Typefaces like Comic Sans and Papyrus are instantly recognizable and will make the cover look ‘handmade.’

If there’s one that’s very close to what you’re looking for, you can build up and edit fonts with programs like InDesign to alter spacings and the length of existing letterings, or even just remove the very edge of letters.

You can find ideas and free fonts to use on sites like myfont.com and dafont.com. There are also plenty of other websites to search for where you will be able to access a variety of fonts without plagiarising (and also without spending dozens of dollars).

Free Webinar: What Every Author Should Know About Book Cover Design

3. Less is more

An effective approach can be to make typography the focus of your cover, or the only visual element. Playing with minimalism, space, and letter spacing is often an interesting way to make the absence of image or text just as effective as filling the cover. Dolly Alderton’s cover design is literally just the title, but it playfully hints at the narrative voice you’ll find within.

Particularly, conjunctions like ‘and,’ ‘the,’ or, ‘of the,’ can interact inventively with your background image or illustration, like in this novel by Tsh Oxenreider. The ‘less important’ words are made significantly smaller, which foregrounds the confusing pairing of ‘home’ and ‘world’ — central to the book’s idea of finding a home and belonging while travelling all over the globe.

Remember that you don’t have to use the same font for everything. However, don’t use more than, say, two or three, depending on if you have a subtitle, or reviews, etc — it will look messy and confusing.

And if you think you might have a potential series on your hands, aim for a simpler design. They are more transferable, and easier to be manipulated further down the line.

Having said all that, your title does need to be big! There are debates as to whether it should be legible in thumbnail form, but it certainly needs to be the focus of the cover.

4. Words are pictures, too

When your creativity is completely set free, your typography may end up looking like an image in and of itself.

Thinking of your imagery and typography as overlapping working parts can give you space for visual puns (like the small bombs on Karan Mahajan’s cover), hint at the characters or plot of the book, or even just allow you to exercise some creative license.

If your lettering is large and simple, it also adds character and room for some fun ideas. David Nicholls’ Us, similar to the design of some of his earlier novels, plays with this idea by having figures hang from and walk along the lettering of the title itself.

5. Consider the visual hierarchy

An awareness of the visual hierarchy of your text will make your book cover look professional and easy to navigate. Readers will assume what is important by the weight and size of the lettering, and you can direct their gazes accordingly.

The title, the author name, and (if applicable) your subtitle should be easily identifiable. Lisa Manterfield’s book cover strikes a balance between title and author name. It also follows the golden rule: if in doubt, keep it simple.

Natural contrast (light text on a dark background, for example) is a seamless way to highlight and make clear the information that you want your reader to receive.

What you’re seeking is balance: a delicate chemistry between image, text, and other information. Simply put, if your image is super busy, keep the type simple. But if you’ve got a large chunk of text that needs to go on the front cover, keep the imagery pared back.

The crux of typography on book covers is the potential to maximize the impact of your book title, and your book cover as a whole. When done well, it is an effective tool to utilize in order to give your book the best chance on the shelves, and hopefully you now have the tools to do just that.

This content was contributed by Reedsy and includes one or more affiliate links for their products and/or services. Writer’s Digest participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products and services purchased through our links to retailer and partner sites.

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Nervous about connecting with other writers and publishing professionals at your next writer’s conference? John Peragine has 10 tips on how to network effectively and get the most out of your experience. 

I encourage both novice writers and veteran ones to attend writer’s conferences. I have learned so much, connected to some great people, and connected to literary agents and publishers by attending. For many writers, the experience can be both exciting and overwhelming. They find themselves surrounded by so many people who love reading, and most importantly, writing. It can make you feel small and insignificant, but read on and I will reveal a secret.

Writers are not always good with large crowds or stepping out to introduce themselves. Our work is a solitary one, with just you and the page. And of course, the occasional furry friend as a companion. It is my belief the we need to connect with other writers to provide a network of support, friendship, context to our work, and mutual understanding. Who knows better what a writer goes through daily than another writer?

In May of this year, I presented a session on the 20 rules of effective networking. It was during the lunch break, so I figured that a few people would grab a quick bite to listen. To my surprise and delight, the room was full of people wanting to know how to network better. Below are my top 10 tips of effective networking at writing conferences.

Find your group.

There are all types of writer’s conferences that you can attend year-round. Some are general, while others focus on a genre such as romance or sci-fi. Find your group and take a chance. They are just like you!

Step out of your comfort zone and be the best version of yourself.

It is tough being a social butterfly if that is not your nature. Sometimes you must step out beyond self-imposed boundaries. Here is the little secret I alluded to earlier: Everyone else in the room feels the same as you do. If you step out a little, so will everyone else, because you are making it a safe to do so. You have a story to tell; you are a writer. Just let that story come out in a natural way, and people will be drawn to you and want to know more. Take a risk. It’s worth it.

Invest in relationships and get paid for your business.

This is such an important to understand. It has been the secret sauce in my success as a writer. When I meet someone, I listen to them. I think about ways I can help them. But I never sell to them. I never try to get them to buy a service, or publish my book, or hire me as a writer. I ask instead how I might help them. Often it is matchmaking- connecting authors to other people in the industry that may help them. I invest time in relationships. I get paid for writing. I don’t do referral fees or charge people for mentoring them- I just provide what I can. It always comes back to me as work one way or another, and in the process, I have made another friend for life.

Smile, shake, eye contact.

Engaging with someone for the first time seems like a lost art. Smile, not in a creepy homicidal maniac kind of way, but in a natural way. People’s natural response is to smile back, and it opens up the opportunity to introduce yourself. Maintain good eye contact; just try not to panic people by staring into their soul. Shake their hand firmly but not crushingly. You can use two hands if you wish, but be sure to let go. There is nothing more awkward than a person who is talking to you but won’t let go of your hand.

Have a business card.

This seems obvious in a networking situation, but I have found that many writers don’t see themselves as the entrepreneurs that they are. Your book is your business, even if it is a work-in-progress. You are the marketing department of your own business and therefore you need a card for people to be able to find you after an event. They don’t have to be fancy or expensive, but I do recommend you have one. Try not to use your business card for your day job. You are a writer and an entrepreneur; embrace it.

Listen up and shut up.

Sometimes we are so excited about what we are working on that we tend to babble, or convince someone that a) it will be the next bestseller and b) it will become a movie. Both could be true, but in a networking situation, it is about getting know the other person. You cannot possibly do that if you are dominating the conversation. Be a great listener. People will think you are wise beyond your years. Give others a chance to open up, and eventually they will come around and ask about you. Then you will have their full attention.

Turn off the devices.

I worked as a child protective services social worker for many years before becoming a writer. I was constantly on call. When my pager or phone rang, it meant a child needed my help. Those were true emergencies that could not wait. As a writer, there are fewer true emergencies. If your manuscript is on fire, then call the fire department, but when you are talking to someone DO NOT look at your phone or tablet. There is nothing more disengaging then someone looking at their phone every 10 seconds. The message is that the phone is way more important than talking to them. I often just move on when this happens to me. Spend the time to really engage one on one with someone. That is how relationships are built.

Don’t act desperate.

When approaching people in the industry such as publishers, editors, and agents, don’t act desperate. Don’t follow them around and pester them. Don’t make your move to introduce yourself in the bathroom if you happen to see them there. Just be patient, and when you see they are not busy, approach them politely, say something nice, and then move on. If you are nice and engaging, they will remember you for that.

Follow up.

You will more than likely return home from an event with a stack of cards and numbers. Wait a day or two and send each person a personalized message. If you really connected, follow it up with a phone call. Write down their special dates and send them something in the mail. People love real mail! Be active with them on social media. Promote them and congratulate them publicly for their accomplishments.

Pre-emptive strike: Let everyone know you are coming on social media.

I like to begin sending out messages on social media that I am coming and try to include hashtags and organizations in those messages. I usually wear a hat to conferences and I encourage people to say hello to me when they see me. It gives them permission and a reason to introduce themselves.

One bonus tip is that much of the best networking is done after hours. Find out what is going on and where people are going. Have fun and mingle. These are where many of the deals are done, so take a chance and step out in order to stand out.

Write better. Get published. Build your network.
Writer’s Digest Annual Conference | New York City

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