Writing in the Era of Self-Publication

[Brayon]

With self-publication become more popular, it seems to me that anyone can become a writer, and put a book out. I know at my current skill level I am by no means at a place to even entertain such an idea. However, from some stories I've read some Authors have overestimated their skills. I've recently have read a few Amazon Kindle eBooks, that have been less than stellar. While fun and light-hearted some have been, they've been really low quality. (Which is why I think they were free.) For those that have Self-Published, how do you go about standing out in a vast crowd of eBooks? Have you thought about going small press, and use companies like Dreamspinner Press?

 

I hope to one day be good enough, for publication on a more professional level, but I'm happy being an amateur right now.

Edited June 10, 2017 by BHopper2
That dreaded Typo Demon...

[Cia]

Quality does matter when self-publishing. That being said, 50 Shades of Crap got published with a blatant error in the geography used and the author has flat out said the story was originally written as fan fiction and has dismissed questions of quality. Also, you'll find a ton of churned out crap available in KU. That isn't to say everything in KU is crap churned out just to earn money, but that was where it was heading rapidly before Amazon started paying by page read instead of just by book borrowed, ensuring that if an author writes something not worth a damn, the reader will stop reading and they won't make a bunch of money with poorly edited pap.

 

There are options out there to pay for editing, and of course people can exchange services or learn how to self-edit (which is very hard because it's easy to miss the words there for the ones you know are supposed to be there for the story that's in your head). You then have to go about creating great cover art--because online, that's just as important as it is in the book store, if not even more so because there are millions of options for eBooks and often a cover is all a person sees to click on.

 

Then you must learn marketing--WAY before you consider publishing something. First you devise a brand. Then you put it in place for an online 'home' be it a blog or website. you must connect with other authors in your genre, look into review sites and blog tour sites (though that is debatable whether or not it's truly effective as a marketing tool) as well as facebook groups, sale sites, social media, etc... Basically, search out where readers of stories like yours are and join in. Support others. This is just as true in the eBook world as it is on GA. You get out what you put in, and marketing begins before you even begin writing if you're smart.

 

As for going with a publishing house, that's important to know too. Dreamspinner uses Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster as their editing and spelling standards. Other publishing houses might use something else. It's worth asking with a quick/polite email, if you know you're going to submit to them. Currently, Dreamspinner is no longer accepting general submission stories, so you'd have to write a story that fits into one of the house lines they advertise for publication or one of their specific-themed anthology events. That's important to know too. Then you have to consider how reliable the publisher is.

 

How long have they been in business? How many books do they have published by how many authors? Do they have specific types of content or a mix (length, genre, etc...)? Do you see their content on various websites as well as their own site? Do they even have a store on their site? Check social media and google to see if anything pops up with their name or recent author/publications names/titles to see how much marketing they're doing for eBooks. Try emailing or reaching out via social media to some of their authors to see if they enjoy publishing with them. Most authors are more than happy to help other authors, especially for something that simple.

 

And if you do decide to publish, and you learn to edit, and begin to market yourself, write the story and submit it to a publisher then you get that happy email with a contract offer... STOP! Read it very, very carefully. What rights exactly are you giving away? Publication for an eBook? Audiobook? Foreign rights? Are the term lengths the same for all those? What is the publisher going to cover as for editing/cover art, etc... How many copies do you get or can use for marketing (contests, review requests, etc...)? And most important, how and when do you get paid and for what percentage and what happens if your publisher doesn't pay on time or even pay at all? NEVER EVER EVER sign a contact that does not have a clause that states that if the publisher defaults on payments then all publication rights revert to the author. Otherwise, the publisher can keep selling your eBook and pocketing the cash and you can't get the rights back to publish it yourself or with someone else until the original contract terms end, which could be up to 5-10 years! Any publisher who doesn't include this clause isn't worth dealing with. Fortunately, I'm not speaking from firsthand knowledge, but I do work with several authors who have been burned by this exact issue, to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars they worked hard for and lost.

 

So, that's just a little bit of the thought process that goes into publishing. There's a lot more to delve into, if you do decide to go that route, but the good news is most authors who publish are going to be happy to share advice or tips and, if you get in good with a quality publisher, they'll help you learn just about anything you need to know, if you're willing to put in the effort.

 

Oh, and the very, very, very first thing you need to develop to publish? A thick skin. The commercial reading world can be a very unkind place and you will get bad reviews. You learn to ignore it or deal with it offline or engage politely (though most publishers discourage engaging with readers who write reviews) but you can't ever lose your shit publicly or act pissy because that will give you a huge black mark in the community, and those stick around for a very long time.

[JayT]

6 minutes ago, Cia said:

which is very hard because it's easy to miss the words there for the ones you know are supposed to be there for the story that's in your head

lol....that's a very wordy sentence Cia....what I've started doing is having my computer read the chapter to me out loud. That way I can hear if I've missed a word or if something doesn't sound quite right.

[Hunter Thomson]

That was amazing information @Cia. I wish I could give you more than one like for that, but it should be absolutely required and essential reading for anyone ever considering publication of their works. 

[Brayon]

Thank you, @Cia. That is very valuable information and a lot more work than I realized.

[Cia]

9 hours ago, JayT said:

lol....that's a very wordy sentence Cia....what I've started doing is having my computer read the chapter to me out loud. That way I can hear if I've missed a word or if something doesn't sound quite right.

Yes, it is. LOL You could liken it to the saying that you can't see the forest for the trees--just in reverse.  You see the scenes in the story in your head, so it all makes sense. That makes it hard to see what the sentences show readers and possibly issues/typos with the words because you just don't 'see' it was easily. A good tip for self-editing to avoid this issue is to review on a different format. Some authors print their work and redline with an actual pen, or use a read back program to listen to the story (which also helps with flow, like what you mentioned) or a different device. I like to create a quick mobi format and put the manuscript on my kindle and then make edits on my computer as I read. Even something as simple as inverting the color scheme on your editing program (dark background with light text or vice versa) can make it easier to spot issues.

 

9 hours ago, Hunter Thomson said:

That was amazing information @Cia. I wish I could give you more than one like for that, but it should be absolutely required and essential reading for anyone ever considering publication of their works. 

I've published with a small 'new' press, Dreamspinner, and self-published books both for myself and assisted with publishing for other authors. I've had a lot of help along the way, so I like to share what I've learned if someone asks. You have to be a like a sponge and soak up every bit knowledge if you want to be successful.

 

5 hours ago, BHopper2 said:

Thank you, @Cia. That is very valuable information and a lot more work than I realized.

Publishing is much harder than someone who hasn't tried it might think. Sure, the eBook market has made it easier for the average author to get published, but if you want to do it well, you must put a lot of thought and effort into the process. If you have a concept for a story you'd like to publish, it'll be at least a year on average before you get it out. Start marketing yourself immediately during the writing time, then either edit and format yourself or submit to a publisher. As an fyi, publishers like DSP take 8 weeks to review a submission to see if they want to contract it and then it can be 6-10 months before it'll be released. And you'll start specific marketing like sending out ARCs to review sites or readers and organizing cover reveals, release day blasts, book tours, interviews, etc... about 2 months before the release date. You have to think long-term and plan accordingly to use your time wisely.

[Hudson Bartholomew]

11 hours ago, JayT said:

lol....that's a very wordy sentence Cia....what I've started doing is having my computer read the chapter to me out loud. That way I can hear if I've missed a word or if something doesn't sound quite right.

 

 

You can get the computer to read it to you?? That's amazing! What software do you use? 

[mastershakeme]

On 6/10/2017 at 4:37 PM, BHopper2 said:

With self-publication become more popular, it seems to me that anyone can become a writer, and put a book out. I know at my current skill level I am by no means at a place to even entertain such an idea. However, from some stories I've read some Authors have overestimated their skills. I've recently have read a few Amazon Kindle eBooks, that have been less than stellar. While fun and light-hearted some have been, they've been really low quality. (Which is why I think they were free.) For those that have Self-Published, how do you go about standing out in a vast crowd of eBooks? Have you thought about going small press, and use companies like Dreamspinner Press?

 

I hope to one day be good enough, for publication on a more professional level, but I'm happy being an amateur right now.

 

I recently talked to a published author on another site. She was with Torquere and told me about how awesome it was to be with a self publisher. Torquere is closed now, I guess, but she's still not going to self publish. She said there are costs that come with self publishing a QUALITY story and I'm sure you don't want to put out low quality stuff like the ones you mentioned on Amazon. 

 

I guess, as a last resort, self publishing isn't a terrible option. You should probably get an editor. And cover art... you have to pay for that too, right? This published author mentioned she didn't want writing to be an 'expensive hobby' and I agree...

 

I may try to approch a publishing company in the near future....

 

Can you guys tell me... If you published a story on this site, something in the rules here forbids you from ever publisihing elsewhere for profit? I'm probably remembering wrong but I'm late for a doctor's appointment now. I have to run!!!

[Wicked Witch]

 

On 2017-6-12 at 3:52 AM, Hudson Bartholomew said:

You can get the computer to read it to you?? That's amazing! What software do you use? 

My Mac and my Windows 8 both have it built into their operating systems. It should be in settings. If not, give it a google for a good guide to using it.

 

1 hour ago, mastershakeme said:

Can you guys tell me... If you published a story on this site, something in the rules here forbids you from ever publisihing elsewhere for profit? I'm probably remembering wrong but I'm late for a doctor's appointment now. I have to run!!!

 

I believe GayAuthors asks for a short term exclusive license on submissions to the anthology. That is all. @Cia? 

[mastershakeme]

1 hour ago, Wicked Witch said:

I believe GayAuthors asks for a short term exclusive license on submissions to the anthology. That is all. @Cia? 

 

Ooooh, seriously? Well, we're good then  

[robertlee]

My Mom and I both have self published through Amazon and a lot of thought and work goes into it. She has now published like 12 books through Amazon/CreateSpace and has enjoyed moderate success with her writing. She has a pretty dedicated fan base and has even been part of many book signings and speaking engagements through the years. She's been featured in blogs, her books were part of a segment on one of the local news networks out of Pittsburgh and so many other awesome things. (I'm one of her biggest fans. I pimp out her books to everyone I know if you couldn't tell).

 

The most important thing about self publishing (besides having quality writing and design for your book) is marketing. You have to have a website or Facebook page where you can plug yourself. Talk about new releases, share your writing journey, talk to your fans; things like that. She always makes sure whatever she is publishing is top notch and fully polished before she sends it out into the world. Some of her books and covers look better than things I've seen published professionally which is amazing.After publishing something, she reads all the reviews that get posted on Amazon. She talks to her fans. She engages with fans and other writers about her books, their books, their lives, etc. She always makes sure that people can see there is someone behind that writing.  

 

Basically this whole rant is saying that even though anyone can self publish now what makes you stand out from the crowd is having something you stand by 100% and have put everything you have into it. You put your blood, sweat and tears into and make sure it is the absolute best your story can be and your passion and hardwork will show in those pages and people will see you are more than just another faceless person in the crowd.

[Cia]

On ‎6‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 7:35 AM, mastershakeme said:

 

I recently talked to a published author on another site. She was with Torquere and told me about how awesome it was to be with a self publisher. Torquere is closed now, I guess, but she's still not going to self publish. She said there are costs that come with self publishing a QUALITY story and I'm sure you don't want to put out low quality stuff like the ones you mentioned on Amazon. 

 

I guess, as a last resort, self publishing isn't a terrible option. You should probably get an editor. And cover art... you have to pay for that too, right? This published author mentioned she didn't want writing to be an 'expensive hobby' and I agree...

 

I may try to approch a publishing company in the near future....

 

Can you guys tell me... If you published a story on this site, something in the rules here forbids you from ever publisihing elsewhere for profit? I'm probably remembering wrong but I'm late for a doctor's appointment now. I have to run!!!

A lot of the publishers who've closed recently totally screwed authors, so I won't touch 99% of them. I like DSP because they're making changes and are totally transparent with authors that the market has shrunk. They're looking to the long-term and protecting the company and the ability to make them and us money. If you self-publish, unless you can edit well and make cover art, or know someone who can, then yes, you do have to pay for them. I'm lucky in that I can do both and have fellow authors who are willing to help proof. That being said, I've had only moderate success, but one author I know (who isn't even one of the 'big' names in the MM romance genre) made over 50k last year--that's a pretty damn lucrative hobby.

 

Also, the site does not forbid you from publishing elsewhere for profit. There are short exclusivity clauses for stories posted to site contests or anthologies before you post them elsewhere, and we do have policies in place to prevent authors from using GA to edit their work then removing the stories so they can publish. That would result in not being promoted to Promising or Signature in the future, or even removal of author status if it's particularly overt that the author is using GA just to improve their work without being a true part of the community. Some authors have done things like asking to have their story placed in the Premium content area to keep it on the site but no longer visible to the majority of the members/visitors to avoid a conflict, but that's decided on a case-by-case basis and depends on story quality.

[mastershakeme]

1 hour ago, Cia said:

A lot of the publishers who've closed recently totally screwed authors, so I won't touch 99% of them. I like DSP because they're making changes and are totally transparent with authors that the market has shrunk. They're looking to the long-term and protecting the company and the ability to make them and us money. If you self-publish, unless you can edit well and make cover art, or know someone who can, then yes, you do have to pay for them. I'm lucky in that I can do both and have fellow authors who are willing to help proof. That being said, I've had only moderate success, but one author I know (who isn't even one of the 'big' names in the MM romance genre) made over 50k last year--that's a pretty damn lucrative hobby.

 

Also, the site does not forbid you from publishing elsewhere for profit. There are short exclusivity clauses for stories posted to site contests or anthologies before you post them elsewhere, and we do have policies in place to prevent authors from using GA to edit their work then removing the stories so they can publish. That would result in not being promoted to Promising or Signature in the future, or even removal of author status if it's particularly overt that the author is using GA just to improve their work without being a true part of the community. Some authors have done things like asking to have their story placed in the Premium content area to keep it on the site but no longer visible to the majority of the members/visitors to avoid a conflict, but that's decided on a case-by-case basis and depends on story quality.

 

Yay! I didn't even have to ask, but I'm like a sponge right now, I'm trying to learn everything I can! I appreciate SO MUCH all that info you just dumped into my brain! Thanks Cia! 

 

I love real life experience It's fantastic to hear what has worked for you. Maybe if I keep raking in these little tidbits of knowledge, I'll be able to tell my own publishing story one day 

 

And don't mention 50k... That's not even fair 

 

Just one more question, because I think you straightened out the bulk of my confusion (for today anyway!) but what is DSP? Is that just another word for self publishing? 

 

 

 

 

[mastershakeme]

6 hours ago, robertlee said:

My Mom and I both have self published through Amazon and a lot of thought and work goes into it. She has now published like 12 books through Amazon/CreateSpace and has enjoyed moderate success with her writing. She has a pretty dedicated fan base and has even been part of many book signings and speaking engagements through the years. She's been featured in blogs, her books were part of a segment on one of the local news networks out of Pittsburgh and so many other awesome things. (I'm one of her biggest fans. I pimp out her books to everyone I know if you couldn't tell).

 

The most important thing about self publishing (besides having quality writing and design for your book) is marketing. You have to have a website or Facebook page where you can plug yourself. Talk about new releases, share your writing journey, talk to your fans; things like that. She always makes sure whatever she is publishing is top notch and fully polished before she sends it out into the world. Some of her books and covers look better than things I've seen published professionally which is amazing.After publishing something, she reads all the reviews that get posted on Amazon. She talks to her fans. She engages with fans and other writers about her books, their books, their lives, etc. She always makes sure that people can see there is someone behind that writing.  

 

Basically this whole rant is saying that even though anyone can self publish now what makes you stand out from the crowd is having something you stand by 100% and have put everything you have into it. You put your blood, sweat and tears into and make sure it is the absolute best your story can be and your passion and hardwork will show in those pages and people will see you are more than just another faceless person in the crowd.

 

Hey! This is also super helpful! Wow! I'm just blown away by anyone, both you and your mother in this instance, that have taken the big leap and risk of putting your work out into the world. 

 

I'm really taking my time. It took me years of secretive writing through high school to finally start sharing my stuff in college. I've been posting on AFF since Maybe 2013 but I just deleted all my old stuff so, idk maybe that wasn't the best move. 

 

I'm occasionally on this forum but I've been on AFF, hiding with my betas too long! Lol. Idk how to market, but I'm glad at least to kinda get an idea from what you said has worked for your mother... 

 

Thanks for sharing! 

[Wicked Witch]

10 hours ago, mastershakeme said:

 

Just one more question, because I think you straightened out the bulk of my confusion (for today anyway!) but what is DSP? Is that just another word for self publishing? 

 

DSP is Dreamspinner Press. They're one of the larger publishers of gay fiction.

[Brayon]

56 minutes ago, Wicked Witch said:

 

DSP is Dreamspinner Press. They're one of the larger publishers of gay fiction.

I love the story behind how Dreamspinner Press was formed too. I've been a customer of that site for a long time now,

[mastershakeme]

15 hours ago, Wicked Witch said:

 

DSP is Dreamspinner Press. They're one of the larger publishers of gay fiction.

 

Ok, yea... I've heard of Dreamspinner. I'm looking at it now actually... It seems like the guidelines are extremly lax, but I swear i heard someone say they were hard to get into. They probably don't like it when you've already had a story posted for free  

 

 

[Wicked Witch]

11 hours ago, mastershakeme said:

 

Ok, yea... I've heard of Dreamspinner. I'm looking at it now actually... It seems like the guidelines are extremly lax, but I swear i heard someone say they were hard to get into. They probably don't like it when you've already had a story posted for free  

 

 

 

I believe they don't accept general submissions at the moment. Only specific calls on specific topics.

[mastershakeme]

5 hours ago, Wicked Witch said:

 

I believe they don't accept general submissions at the moment. Only specific calls on specific topics.

I'm not going to worry about it until I have something I'm ready to submit... It's great to gather some information and store it for later thou! 

 

I appreciate it 

[Cia]

On ‎6‎/‎22‎/‎2017 at 11:21 PM, mastershakeme said:

 

Just one more question, because I think you straightened out the bulk of my confusion (for today anyway!) but what is DSP? Is that just another word for self publishing? 

 

Sorry, busy week and I didn't see this. DSP is Dreamspinner Press. I have 3 scifi novels published with them, a contemporary novella in their States of Love series, 2 short stories in their donation anthologies for the victims of the Pulse attack, and a new contemporary novella coming out with them in September. I've learned an insane amount from working with their staff, and they're absolutely awesome and totally transparent with authors. I have published with a small press previously, but I didn't have a great experience with that because after the first book was released, I had more knowledge than the owner about producing eBooks, to the point of making my own eBook files for the 2nd novella I released with them, which meant I was basically doing their job. After that I decided to stick with self-publishing and Dreamspinner.

 

And, yes, they are currently closed to general submission requests from authors. You have to submit for one of their open calls for anthologies, special series, or specific house lines open to all authors if you are not already published with them.