You don’t make money from publishing one book. You make money by publishing many books. I cannot recall where I learned this harsh reality of indie publishing, but I embrace it.
Don’t Run Out of Books.
Rule number one for publishing often is having a book or two in the rotation.
Novelist Katherine Cerulean puts it this way.
“It’s not a concern if you just have one book you want the world to know about, but if you’re planning a career, you don’t want to release three books in 2013 and then nothing till 2017.” (Stay Extraordinary Blog. How Often You Should Publish A Book, 2013)
Parroting the often uttered advice that indie authors should publish at least twice per year, Katherine’s point is that prolific authors drive more people to their books.
Since my books are comparatively short, first drafts take me three days to write. Once I finish a draft, I immediately start working on the next book idea. In theory, I can publish two books a year this way. In reality, some books do not make the cut.
Although I love writing stories, I love learning about indie publishing just as much. Every year I research something new: how to design my own covers, for example; or how to write in a new genre. Figuring out how to write what I love in popular genres is a challenge I enjoy pursuing.
Which brings me to publishing hack number two.
Try New Things and Delight in Learning.
Back when I had yet to finish one book, let alone eight, I felt rather defeated by the reality that aspiring novelists have to approach writing with the assumption that their first attempts will probably yield terrible novels. The thought of spending a year or more on one novel, only to face rejection from beta readers or literary agents, sounds like the opposite of fun. Even more sobering, authors often write multiple novel flops before nailing the basics of storytelling.
Once I figured out that I can produce a readable (albeit short) novel in three days (not months or years), experimenting became more palatable. I learned how to write cozy mysteries, a romantic comedy, and (this one never saw the light of day) historical fiction, among other genres. The three-day construct gave me the ability to throw caution to the wind and figure out my strengths.
Producing experimental novels led me to form bonds with other writers over social media, read their books, and get feedback on mine. Learning how to write readable books, ready them for public consumption, and cut costs has been fun. Reading craft books and researching changes in the indie publishing spheres keeps me sharp.
Learning how to write novels quickly, and how to publish them, gave me the experience I needed for weeding out books that do not sell and honing skills in marketable genres. Experience is everything.
“Readers buy books they want to read. It’s your job to put your book in front of them and make it attractive enough for them to buy…Don’t complain. Get feedback. Figure out what isn’t working. Test things out until you find a winning combination.” (Derek Murphy. Dear Writer: don’t give up. creativeindie.com)
Find Your Niche.
Along with the publish often advice comes another tricky tidbit. To drive more than a few readers to your books, you need to focus on a recognizable genre. Popular ones include young adult, fantasy, cozy mysteries, and thrillers.
In contrast to the find your niche advice is write the book you want to read. Maybe popular genres do not call to you, but you have a burning idea you cannot shake. Write that book. Then write another. You might find that your particular voice and story fit into a recognized genre, with a few tweaks here and there.
Amazon can be a helpful place for zeroing in on genre options. Pick any book you like on Amazon and inspect the details alongside the summary and reviews. You will notice rankings for that book in certain categories. Read books from those categories and learn how successful authors have filled that niche.
“In the US, the bestselling nonfiction books consist of biographies, stories of personal success, and self-help. The bestselling fiction categories include mysteries, crime thrillers, romance, and political fiction. As you look for a niche, think about your area of expertise and pick a niche accordingly.” (How Much Do Self Published Authors Make On Amazon, zonguru.com)
Choosing a genre is one way readers find your book. The other way readers find your book is to develop a following.
Be Noticed.
When blogger Hayden Vernon set out to publish an ebook, he had a ready-made stash of notes on how to make money online: a topic on which he had become an expert. Providing that knowledge in an ebook, he surmised, would be an easy and fast way to make some money off of his specialty.
He shares all the strategies he tried for marketing and positioning his book, including how competition worked against those strategies, in an article, “I Wrote An Ebook To See How Much Easy Money I Could Make Online” at vice.com.
“So, was (my ebook) a success? Not an unqualified one. I came into self-publishing having already been paid to write stuff in the past, with loads of material for the book and a cover designed by a VICE illustrator –- and I still only just sold enough copies to make it worthwhile. But I did manage to write and publish a book in just over a week, and some people even read it, which is more than a lot of authors can say.”
In the end, Vernon learned that publishing an ebook was easy to figure out, but being noticed is more difficult.
Getting your name in front of readers as often as possible helps. The more novels you publish, the better your chances of attracting readers. The more you connect with other readers and authors online, the better handle you will have on what works and what does not. Immerse yourself in the process, make friends with other writers, and when reviewers find your book on Amazon or Goodreads, celebrate. You got noticed!
My Publishing Journey
My novel writing journey began with my desire to understand my mother’s struggle with dementia. (The burning idea I could not shake.) After publishing Clara & Pig, friends and family bought and enjoyed the book. Contacts I made online found the book and wrote kind reviews about it.
After that, I did some experimenting. I published a rom com that made the shortlist of an international writing contest. Then I wrote a book about friendship that reflected my journey as an employee in the weight loss industry. (Another burning idea book.) Reviews piled up.
Not all burning idea books work out. Some duds I wrote: one about a writing retreat with ghosts; another about an actual ship that mysteriously lost its crew; and an underwhelming Christmas-themed romance .
When I focused my experimental writing on genre-specific book ideas, I fared better. When reviewers loved my first cozy mystery attempt, I wrote another. When they raved about my writing craft book, I planned out another one.
Now I am working on a third cozy mystery, an editing craft book, and a story that explores the time-loop concept modeled on the movie Groundhog Day.
After eight years exploring novel-writing and publishing, these are the lessons I learned: publish often; experiment; find your niche; and get noticed. Here is hoping some of these truth nuggets nudge you closer to your novel-writing goals!