Indie Publishing: From Your Dream to Your Hands (Part One)

Hey there!

Kara Swanson, here. Welcome to my blog series on independently publishing. Here, I'll talk about my personal experiences like I actually know what I’m doing J

I first indie published at seventeen, and am taking the plunge again for an urban fantasy/sci-fi novella called The Girl Who Could See (learn about it on Goodreads here) that releases in June.

As I grow and gain a little more knowledge about the vast ocean that is indie publishing, I’ll be sharing with you! So stay tuned.

I’m calling this series Indie Publishing: From Your Dreams to Your Hands for a very specific reason. People who independently publish their work are just that—dreamers. Those who are serious enough to learn the tangled web of formatting, cover design and CreateSpace. Those who have a story to tell, and have decided this is the best way for them to do it. Those who are willing to reach for the stars, even if that may take hours of long, hard dedication to being author, editor and publisher.

I’ve thrown around the word “indie (independent) publishing” several times already, and I’d like to explain briefly what that really is. There are two basic types of publishing in this industry. Some other options cross over, but these are the two most well-known:

Traditional Publishing

Independent Publishing

Traditional publishing has been around for…well…ever. It’s the one most people think of when they hear the word ‘publishing’. A traditional house will contract an author (after a very difficult submission/screening process that I can’t get into here) and then find editors, a cover designer, formatter, the best way to market and distribute the book, etc. They will essentially make your life easier, and pay you for writing and gaining an audience through book signings and any media. That’s the very, very basic version.

With Indie publishing, you become the publishing house. It is up to you to find editors, a cover designer, to format your book, to distribute it, to publish through various venues (generally Amazon Kindle/CreateSpace) and then market it. You must find an audience of people who will want to buy your book when it finally is available. You will have to get it into bookstores, libraries etc.

Seems like a lot of work, right? So, why go indie if a traditional house will do much of that for you?

There are many reasons people choose indie, here are a few:

• Many want to retain all the control over the process they can, so that the book that ends up on bookshelves is the story they set out to tell.

• For others, it’s their best option, as their stories fit outside the realm of what traditional publishers generally publish. (That’s one of the reasons why I’m doing my novella by myself, as it's too short/strange for most publishers. )

• Some authors thrive by putting out their novel themselves, retaining far higher royalties, and already sitting on a large platform of readers.

So, there you have it! A basic explanation of what indie publishing is and why it might just be the perfect fit for you.

Okay, so you’ve chosen indie publishing…what next? Stay tuned for the second post in this series, as I walk you through the various aspects of indie publishing starting with the art of refining your craft as an author.

Are you considering indie publishing? Have you ever independently published your own novel? Was this post of any help to you? 

'Till next time, 

Kara

The Ultimate Love Story

Writing a book or a story is the beginning of a beautiful relationship between you and your imaginary characters. Don’t even try to resist the urges to laugh at your funny one-liners, cry when your favorite character dies, or obsessively hate your villain. And don’t be too embarrassed if you accidentally call your best friend the name of your main character. But keep these things to yourself, because your family will think you are nuts.

Writing wasn’t always this way for me. My name is Esther. I’ve been writing fiction since I was six or seven—not that that writing was anything I am proud of. At thirteen, I wrote my first REAL book. It was short—a children’s book about a young girl with a crazy grandma who drives a rocket ship. It’s the first piece of writing I’m not wholeheartedly ashamed of, because it’s technically pretty clean.

I started going to Mount Hermon’s writing conference that year, and I got some great editing. But I wasn’t in love with my writing. It was nothing more than a hobby—almost seemed like school to me at times. There were times my mom forced me to go to the computer. I had this unrealistic dream that I was going to get that book published. I went to Mt. Hermon twice. No interest from anyone.

Last year after Mt. Hermon, I had this new idea for a book. As soon as I started writing it, I felt something change. What was it? I fell in love with writing. It just sort of happened—I didn’t try. I found myself waking up before school at ridiculously early times to write a scene. I would goof off during school work dreaming up what would happen next. When I was supposed to be online finding scholarships for college, I would be—you guessed it—writing. And my focus turned from trying to get published for money sake, to just writing because I loved it and couldn’t stop.

I still want to be published, believe me. I’ll be going to Mt. Hermon again in two years to try. But even if I don’t, I won’t stop, because writing is a part of me, and I’m never letting go. I hope that this can be of some inspiration to you.

Esther

What Is A "Comp Title" and Do I Have One?

One of the first things to do when you finish a manuscript, is craft a query letter (if you want to publish, that is). But either way, even in your crafting stage... as you brainstorm your book, there's this little thing called a "Comp Title" you ought to keep in mind. It's slang for "Comparative." What is your book similar too?

If you consider your own reading habits, you'll probably see a trend. For example, readers of Kiera Cass's "The Selection Series," likely prefer books that involve contests, love triangles, dystopian societies and not too much gore.

Think about it like categories or tags... ways to label a book.

One of my favorite books is "The Rose Legacy" by Kristen Heitzmann. It takes place during the late gold rush, it's a Christian Romance, there's an arranged marriage, and a lot of historical detail. Of course, there are other categories, but I don't want to give any spoilers. But, to the point, many of the books I enjoy reading are similar.

Today I saw an advertisement on Penguin Teen for a Dystopian novel. "Readers of Kiera Cass's Selection will love The Glittering Court," it read.

That's a Comp Title.

At the same time, while readers enjoy reader books with similar content, they don't want to read the same story twice - that, and you can get accused of plagiarism.

So, ask yourself this question: If you are worried your manuscript is too similar to another published title - one of your comp titles - then think about what sets your book apart. What's your unique spin on the story?

A good example of this is retellings.

One of the most popular retellings is probably Gail Carson Levine's "Ella Enchanted." Which is in essence a spin on the story of Cinderella, but it's not Cinderella.

Well, how?

For all intents and purposes, Ella's mother died, her father is absent and she has a stepmother and stepsisters who treat her horribly. She also has a fairy-godmother.

BUT... Ella is under a curse. She and the prince meet before the ball and become friends. To a certain extent, she saves herself. And there's also a "Lord of the Rings" sort of element with the creation of cultures and languages such as Ogerese, Ayorthian, and Gnomic.

This is a marketing issue. More and more, authors are playing a bigger role in how their books are advertised. These days, authors are traveling - speaking and doing book signings - they have a face and a personality. A platform. Your potential publisher wants to know, "Where do I put this book on a bookshelf?" That's right... who's name is next to yours at Barnes and Noble?

So, who are you? What is your book like? What what will attract your reader?

What are your comp titles? Yes, you need them.