The Three P's of Successful Self-Publishing
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Many writers dream of becoming full-time authors. But how exactly do successful self-published authors earn their livings? The answer to this question lies in an entrepreneurial spirit.
Turning a creative hobby into a career is a business endeavor, yet many writers hesitate to think of their books as products, their readers as customers, and book marketing as an essential part of what it means to be a full-time author — which is also why so many self-published writers fail to garner more than just a few occasional sales.
That said, there's nothing easy about building a small business from the ground up. Most successful self-published authors spend years cultivating their careers before quitting their day jobs.
How do they get to the point where they can write full-time?
Let’s break down the three P's of successful self-publishing, writer. 👇
1. Production
If you approach self-publishing with an entrepreneurial spirit, then every book you write is a product that your business sells. The better quality the product, the more success you're likely to find as you develop your career as an author.
Though much goes into writing an effective and engaging book, there are two key questions that every writer should ask if they plan to publish for profit:
Who am I writing for? In other words, who is my ideal reader?
What does my ideal reader consider to be a great story?
Successful authors deliver on readers’ expectations, even if that expectation is to expect the unexpected. This is what it means to write for market.
You don’t have to sell out, writing only what’s most popular at any given time. You need to understand who your ideal reader is and what they love to read, then deliver the best product possible to that particular slice of the market.
Writing for market also doesn’t mean sticking to the most formulaic version of your genre. Many readers love books that subvert classic tropes or that blend or expand upon genres. Others love knowing exactly what they’re getting into.
So write the stories you love, figure out who else would love them, and do everything in your power to ensure those readers will rave about your books for years to come.
Now that you know what to write, let’s break down the three key phases of story production:
1. Gathering Raw Materials
Many writers have likened the pre-writing and drafting processes to digging up the marble they’ll use to sculpt a masterpiece — and rightfully so.
Developing the first version of a story is very much like gathering the materials one would use to develop a physical product. The only difference? A writer’s raw materials are intangible.
With a lively imagination, a strong understanding of the craft, and a decent handle on your personal writing process, you can create the faulty prototype that will be the first draft of your story.
2. Product Design
A first draft is only the beginning of any successful writer’s product design process. With a prototype in hand, it’s time to analyze and iron out all the kinks in your manuscript.
Are your characters well-developed? Does your plot make sense? Is the story as engaging as it can be? These are the types of questions that successful authors ask as they revise and refine their manuscripts for publication.
3. Early Testing
Your ability to iron out your story’s issues is limited by your subjectivity. You’re simply too close to your work to understand how others will perceive it. That’s why “early testing” in the form of external feedback is so important.
Many self-published authors rely on beta readers to provide casual feedback on their stories. Most also invest in some form of professional editing, such as:
Developmental Editing (i.e. an in-depth story-level critique)
Manuscript Evaluation (i.e. an overarching story-level critique)
Line Editing (i.e. feedback on your writing style and prose)
Copy Editing (i.e. correcting errors and inconsistencies in the text)
An author who doesn’t have first-hand experience with the marginalization or trauma they’ve portrayed in their story may seek feedback from an experienced sensitivity reader.
Others may rely upon technical readers to ensure they’ve nailed the details of a specific topic (e.g. rock-climbing, EMS work, Victorian-era fashion) with which they aren’t intimately knowledgable or experienced.
2. Presentation
When you've produced a book you're proud to share with the world, it's time to consider how you'll position it on the market. Your goal is to ensure that your ideal readers will be the most likely to buy your book. They’re the readers who will leave positive ratings and reviews, eagerly await your next release, and rave about your books to friends and family.
To ensure the right readers find your book, consider the following facets of the publication process:
1. Title & Cover Design
Most modern readers scroll through online book marketplaces looking for their next great read — and they aren’t going to click on a listing (let alone purchase the book) if nothing about the preview piques their interest.
This is why an effective title and cover design are so important. These are the two main elements that readers will see as they shop for books.
To encourage readers to click on your book’s listing, your story’s title and cover should not only indicate its genre but the general tone, themes, and/or tropes in your story that will appeal to your ideal reader.
2. Blurb / Listing Description
With a great title and cover, there’s a good chance that your ideal readers will click on your listing to learn more about your book. To cinch the sale, you’ll need to grab their attention with an enticing book blurb.
Also known as back cover copy or simply your book’s listing description, an effective blurb introduces readers to your book’s characters, plot, and story world with just enough detail to entice them to click “buy” and dive in.
3. Your Book’s Inside Look
Many online marketplaces such as Amazon allow readers to preview a portion of a book before purchasing. This inside look can play an important role in encouraging readers to buy your book.
While a quick dedication won't be off-putting, stuffing the first few pages of your book with unnecessary front matter will eat into your ability to hook readers with your story’s opening chapters. Move your acknowledgments and about-the-author page to the end of your manuscript, and you’ll be good to go.
4. Distribution Channels
Where you choose to distribute your book online will directly impact the scope of its presentation, especially as concerns the all-important decision of going wide or staying exclusive.
Authors who “stay exclusive” distribute their work solely through Amazon to take advantage of increased royalty rates. Since most indie authors earn the majority of their income through Amazon, this can be a smart approach.
However, staying exclusive also limits the number of readers you can reach and locks you into an exclusive partnership with very few guarantees. Many authors prefer to go wide to reach readers who buy via Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and other popular platforms, as well as diversify their income streams.
5. Categories & Other Metadata
When creating a listing with Amazon KDP or other distribution channels, you’ll choose the categories and other metadata that will directly impact where your book appears in the marketplace — and, by extension, who it appears to.
To ensure your book gets in front of the right readers, check out this guest post from Amazon KDP expert Dave Chesson on how to choose effective metadata.
6. Formats & Editions
Some readers love paperbacks. Others prefer e-books, audiobooks, or large-print editions. Presenting your book in multiple formats can help you reach a greater number of readers. Some authors even offer foreign-language editions in an effort to maximize their sales and readership, though the cost of creating and commissioning each edition must be taken into account.
3. Promotion
The way you position your book in online marketplaces is key to reaching your ideal readers, but a strong book marketing strategy will ultimately help you find success as a self-published author.
Every successful indie author markets their work in their own way. The strategies that help a thriller writer sell more books may not help a romance writer, just as certain methods will work better for introverts rather than extroverts or those with larger budgets rather than a smaller one.
Regardless of where you stand, let’s take a look at some of the most common ways that successful indie authors grow their readerships, market their books, and rake in sustainable sales:
1. Author Website
An author’s website is their online hub, the place that interested readers can visit to learn everything they need to know about who you are, what you write, and where they can buy your books online.
Most authors also use their website to host a blog or an email list that allows readers to share in their journey and gain access to exclusive perks, such as sneak peeks of upcoming releases and discounts on published books.
2. Newsletter
No one signs up for more email unless they’re genuinely excited for what they’ll receive, which makes an email list an authors’ direct line to their biggest fans.
Many authors use automated email sequences to introduce new subscribers to their work. Most also send occasional newsletters (typically once or twice a month) to cultivate a strong relationship with their ideal readers.
An author’s newsletter may contain a sneak peek or update on their latest work-in-progress; information about upcoming interviews, author events, or book launches; and exclusive sales or content.
3. Social Media
Readers like to buy books from authors they know and love. With social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram proving such powerful tools for connection, it’s no wonder many authors benefit from using social media to engage with their readers.
Readers are also more likely to buy books they feel familiar with (there’s a reason hyped books sell after all). Repeated exposure on social media can encourage readers to give a book a chance.
If you aren't sure what to post as an author on social media, then check out some of these great ideas from book marketing pro Jenn dePaula.
4. Book Ads
Many authors successfully grow their reach (and their sales) by running paid ads on sites like Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, and Bookbub. You can find my step-by-step guide to setting up your first Amazon Ad by clicking here.
5. Events
Many self-published authors enjoy engaging with readers by participating in both in-person and online author events such as podcast interviews, Instagram Live chats, launch party webinars, and book signings at local venues.
6. Permafree Stories
Authors can use permafree (i.e. permanently free) stories as book marketing tools in several ways. Many authors incentivize readers to sign up for their email lists by offering a free, exclusive short story or novella.
Another neat strategy? Some authors make the first installment in their book series permanently free as a way to hook readers into the series as a whole, theoretically increasing their sales and revenue.
7. A Strong Backlist
One of an author’s most underrated marketing tools is their backlist (i.e. their range of published books available for sale). A backlist of numerous well-rated books lends an author credibility among potential readers.
In fact, a strong backlist is so valuable that many self-published authors revise, retitle, and/or commission new covers for their early books to ensure their catalogue is as credible as can be.
Between production, presentation, and promotion, there’s a lot to consider when striving to find success as a self-published author. Admittedly, it can be a bit overwhelming. That’s why I like to think of perseverance as an essential fourth addition to this list.
If you’re willing to treat publishing like a business, putting in the hard work to produce, present, and promote your stories to the best of your ability, then there’s very little standing between you and the possibility of earning a living as an author. So tell me, writer: What are you waiting for?
