Four things a first-time indie author really needs to know

I recently released my first novel, Heirs of Power, it was the realisation of a life-long dream and one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done, and I knew from the start that I wanted to self-publish. But I was unaware of the sheer scale of what I had taken on board or exactly what the process involved- you write a book, whack a cover on and Amazon does the rest, right?

Wrong! So today I’m going to share the biggest lessons I learnt during my first indie adventure.

1 - Read and research.

Hopefully you’re already a big reader, I can’t imagine anyone wanting to be an author if they aren’t…

But I’m talking about forum threads, articles and blog posts, and you aren’t looking for answers to your questions- you’re discovering the questions you didn’t even realise needed asking. Without the backing of a publisher, you’re going to have to become familiar with every aspect of the process of getting the story from your head into people’s hands, and be confident with making decisions that will affect how your book sells. What cover design works for your genre? Should you stay exclusive to one platform? What promotions are the best for you?

And don’t worry! There’s a chance you’ll miss something and be frantic about it at zero-hour. Covers and manuscripts can be updated, there’s always another promotion opportunity and if you are genuinely at your wits end, someone has been there before and will be able to advise you- I’ve found groups on Goodreads to be an amazing source of wisdom and encouragement. You’ll remember the lesson well and take it forward for the next book.

2 - Get a team.

After writing up a ‘to do’ list longer than a wedding planner’s, you’ll note that not everything on it falls under your expertise (how do you even begin building a website?). Self-published doesn’t mean you have to go it alone! Unless you are massively confident in your skills you should at least hire an editor and a cover designer, these are the two things that can break even the most incredible story.

Less obvious to me was how much I needed my support team, writing a book takes a long time and huge amounts of dedication and discipline. Indies need to conjure that up themselves- there are no deadlines or demands other than your own, so it helps to get them imposed by other people and ask them to make you accountable. The best decision I made was to send my sister each chapter as I wrote it, she knew it wasn’t an edited or finalised piece but she got invested in the story and constantly pressed me for more. And she isn’t someone who pulls punches, so she told me when things needed fixing too.

3 - Plan effectively.

This is your first book so odds are you have another job, and a family, and friends, and other commitments… So, where’s the time to write?

The only way is to make time. If you sit down whenever you suddenly find yourself with a free afternoon and you don’t have anything better to do, it will probably never happen. Set goals, dream big! Think about when you would like to have your first draft completed by, estimate a word count (search online for the average length for your genre) and then break it down into weekly chunks. At first you may not have a clue what a realistic target is for you, but the more you write the better you will understand what is achievable and you can adjust your goals.

4 - Love what you do!

It will spill out onto the page, I promise.

If you don’t adore your characters and think about your story constantly and just can’t get it out of your head, then maybe you’re writing the wrong book. There will, of course, be moments that you stare at a blank page for hours or can’t get that bit worded right- it won’t all be easy. But the ideas will creep back in and when they do it will be even more amazing because you persevered with something you cherish.

This is a big thing you’re taking on new author, an incredible thing, but all the research, planning and assistance won’t get you over the finish post- passion will.

Bio- Kay MacLeod is author of The Constellation Saga, an epic fantasy filled with magic, sarcasm and unpredictability.

Confession time, I’m a fantasy addict! For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved the concept of magical worlds. I was the kid with dragons doodled around the edge of her school work, the one with her head constantly buried in a book. As a teen, I shunned partying to play Magic the Gathering and DM Dungeons and Dragons games.

I live with my husband and cat in Nottinghamshire in England. When I’m not writing (or planning something I’m writing) I’m usually working, reading, playing bass for my church’s worship team, playing computer games (World of Warcraft, Dragon Age, Pokemon, Minecraft) or drinking tea.

Website www.kaymacleodbooks.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KayMacLeodFantasy/

Twitter https://twitter.com/KayMacLeodBooks

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15975307.Kay_MacLeod

Amazon author page https://www.amazon.com/Kay-MacLeod/e/B01MDSNQ0A/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Preparing Your Goodreads Marketing Timeline

Whether you’re traditionally published or self-published, as an author today you’re expected to participate in your book marketing campaigns. You are the linchpin! Nobody knows your books as well as you do, which makes you the best person to identify, reach, and connect with your audience. Don’t worry: Finding readers is the fun part! 

When planning a marketing campaign, take the time to devise a strategy. For example, you wouldn’t be able to offer a giveaway before you have printed galleys in hand, and you wouldn’t want to run advertisements before your book is available for pre-order. Planning your activities ahead of time will pay dividends in the long run. 

Here is a suggested marketing timeline to help you schedule your promotions on Goodreads. This plan should supplement your other activities, such as building a website, printing galleys, doing media outreach, scheduling readings, and all the other exciting parts of a book launch. 
Posted by Cynthia on July 05, 2016

Click to read more!

New Release! Let's Go To Mars!

Join Carole P. Roman when she blasts off to colonize the planet Mars, in the newest book of her informative series. Learn about how life would be living on the Red Planet. Travel to Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system. Look into the sky and watch Phobos and Deimos, Mars' two moons. Discover what you would wear, and how the seasons change. See Mars through the eyes of an adventurous youngster like you and understand what life is like in a trip of a lifetime. Don't forget to look at the other books in the series so that you can be an armchair traveler.

Buy it HERE

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Mirth Defects Review

Mirth Defects by Clint Forgy is one of those books that reminds me of Forrest Gump's famous box of chocolates: "You never know what you're gonna get."

Hysterically rich and with a vivid voice, Forgy writes a story of JD Ferguson, a young boy growing up in middle America in the early 70's, born in a small town in Iowa.Forgy begins his novel with JD's birth. He arrives with the clarity and sarcastic wit of an old soul, entering this world as if he's ready for action, and indeed he is. This is the story of JD's life and how his world evolves; the highs and lows, the rites of passage that bring him to manhood.

This is no boring accounting. It's fun, lush and complex, laced with humor, and filled with soft memories of riding bikes up and down a street in the hazy twilight. JD has it all. The agony of a boy's kindergarten crush, first kisses and the tender passion of young love. The story is rich, as real life as it can get, astoundingly insightful and side-splittingly funny.

Forgy is a brilliant author with the rare skill of growing JD's voice from boy to man. His delightful sense of humor and flair for dangerous pranks left me breathlessly reading, wondering how JD and his cohorts would escape unscathed. The cast of characters includes JD's younger brother Bob, his best friend Gasser, and the lovely Lana.

Roadapple Ridge is a town of possessed of fodder, ripe for Forgy's pen. JD and his cohorts leap from scrape to scrape, with JD's sharp mind constantly outsmarting the locals. At times, it reads like those old Keystone Cops silent movies. The only sounds were my chuckles. It's a special book that makes you laugh, even better when it makes your eyes sting, and Mirth Defects has the distinct honor of doing both.

Forgy is a wonderful writer, stepping forward to give a voice to the twilight of the twentieth century. Dinner was eaten with your parents, you rode your bike until the stars were out, and you went steady instead of hooking up. Despite his rough and tumble ways, JD has a sweetness. While he may court trouble, he knows when to do the right thing. Better than that, he knows when to say it. He tells his girlfriend, "If you think you're ten foot tall then you are," letting us know he has become a man. When his grandfather dies unexpectedly, JD says, "I'm trying to hear him breathe one more time." That line undid me, voicing true grief in a way that says it all.

Near the end, JD laments,"You can't always get what you want but sometimes you get what you need." Mirth Defects manages to do both, giving the reader everything they want as well as what they need.

Happy Reading!
Carole P. Roman

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