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Viewpoint of an Independent Author-Publisher
by Clayton Clifford Bye
This cover was inspired by Dan Kennedy
What you need to know about self-publishing: 2. I'm sure you've heard this before, but self-editing is almost impossible. I can write a book in as little as four weeks, but it takes the better part of a year to edit that work into something I feel comfortable publishing. Even then, flaws have a way of hiding themselves until a book is printed. Customers really don't care about an occasional error, but reviewers do. Either pay the price for an editor or accept the criticism when it comes your way (and it will). That said, I'm a contrarian. I edit my own work. 3. Distribution is a bitch. Traditional publishers have done a tremendous job of shutting out independents. In fact, when Indigo/Chapters came to Canada, killing the independent bookstore industry in the blink of the eye, I almost quit. I've since spent years establishing alternate distribution channels - the internet, seminars, schools, libraries, email columns, etc. I don't like POD publishers, but I must admit that their distribution agreements with companies like Chapters almost made me change my tune. 4. Marketing will make or break you. Most of the books sold on the internet (or anywhere else) are written by authors who already own a spot in the customer's mind. What spot do you own in my mind? I test the marketability of all my books-before I go beyond my own backyard. I go out and make a place for my books in the minds of potential local customers. Then I analyze the results. For example, my first book, How To Get What You Want From Life, was delivered to a number of unique markets, and the individuals in these groups completed a questionnaire about the book. I then analyzed the results. The testing showed that while my book was generally well-received, small business owners/entrepreneurs were the preferred target market. Realizing that I was looking at a niche market and that building volume was going to demand national and international distribution, I continued to write while researching the industry and testing various marketing techniques. What I learned wasn't encouraging. Booksellers are inundated with book offerings from their chosen distributors and (in general) aren't willing to add to their workload by setting up independent publisher/author accounts. Then there's the risk factor. Most booksellers and distributors don't want to deal with self-publishers because of profitability and risk issues. You can have a great book-one that's well written, is a quality production and that people enjoy reading-and still be shut out of the market. Even libraries will pay more for a book than they need to, just to stick to the routine of ordering through their current service. I'm a stubborn guy. I decided to proceed anyway, choosing to sell my books through non-traditional channels like seminars, adult education classes, school programs and other author events. Sure, a distributor would be welcomed (if I could find one who would work on a commission basis). And, yes, I contact booksellers as time permits, but my business isn't dependent on them. Digital printing has allowed me to throw out small runs of 100-250 books to use as part of my market testing. I only do large, offset press runs when I'm sure I'm on the right track with my current work. Another way of putting this is to say that marketing is about consistency. Decide what your message is, then put it out there, consistently. Do something every day to promote yourself, your company and your products. Never stop trying to capture a position in the minds of the people you want to do business with. That said, any technique with the potential to multiply your efforts should be placed at the top of your to-do-list. Marketing is necessary if you're going establish yourself in the mind of your prospective customer, but there's no reason why such a program can't also pay for itself. Introductory phone calls to associations and schools created the opportunity for me to sell product by the case, generated paid speaking engagements and resulted in having my books added to a number of curriculums. Boudoir advertising attracted business people who bought books as gifts for their clients. Author tables at high traffic summer festivals produced consistently high sales while generating "buzz." Email campaigns and a web presence allowed me to complete more sales in less time and at a lower cost, yet their function was, and is, one of market exposure. Even my small testmarket book runs paid for themselves. 5. You have to have a website. It's a fundamental part of marketing in today's business climate. I register thousands of page views per month. I'm building spots in the minds of potential customers. And, in the end, some of these people do become customers. In fact, while my website is set up as an Estore, and I had 48,286 unique hits last year, I didn't sell a single book through that store. My customers use my website to check me out. Then they buy directly from me, usually via email orders, or they go to a bookstore or contact their distributor (who then buys from me). It works this way: my website allows potential customers to preview my work and contact me at their discretion. Business associates, booksellers, reviewers-all access the site when deciding whether or not to do business with me. The website is a marketing tool that gets you inside the customer's head. 6. The pros of Self-Publishing.
7. The cons of Self-Publishing.
8. What should a new author do: Self-Publish or go looking for an agent? Don't self-publish because you think it's easier than finding an agent and a publisher. I can guarantee you that self-publishing as a paying career is the most difficult choice you could ever make. I've been at this since 1994, yet I couldn't tell you when I'll make the transition to full-time writer. Not only do you have to build a company from the ground up, but you have to fight the publishing establishment every step of the way. If you want to write, choose the traditional route. If you want to be an entrepreneur who also writes, then welcome to the club! 9. My opinion of POD companies. If at all possible, avoid them. The most profitable way to produce a book is to do everything yourself, then hire a printer, preferably one with both digital and offset capabilities. The only good thing about POD companies are their distribution systems. Pay for that, if you must. But don't be fooled; in my opinion, everything else they offer costs you more than if you were to do it yourself. 10. Have the courage to write, publish and act as you believe. After all, your critics aren't the ones with their money, time, reputation, career and enjoyment on the line. I simply do the best work I can while also having fun. My paying customers are the only ones entitled to decide if that's enough. 11. Gift books sell better than any other kind of Self-Published book. My photographer/writer friends and the cookbook writers I know consistently outsell me. For example, I sold 102 books at the bookstore down the street over the last 2 years. I even sold 1,000 copies of my first book just to the individuals in my town of about 16,000 people. But my great-aunt, who writes cookbooks and lives in the same area, has been a Canadian bestseller more than once. Think about that for a minute. You could make a living just selling to gas stations and grocery stores. 12. And once more... Writing is about writing. Self-publishing is a business. Remember this distinction. P.S. I've recently become disabled and can only write for 10 or 15 minutes at a time-on good days. What would have happened if I was like a friend of mine who's 4 books into a 6 book contract that has agreed upon deadlines? I'd be in trouble, wouldn't I? As it stands, I have a paid-for inventory worth about $90,000 and an email account and access to the internet. Guess what? I'm still selling books! Hope my story helps. Visit Clayton Bye.
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