3 Ways Indie Authors Can Improve Self-Publishing

With self-publishing being so easy nowadays, anyone can publish a book. However, the fact that there is no quality control over self-published books creates a problem for readers, with so many authors who think it’s okay to write the last word, slap together any old cover and then publish. While this may be perfectly legal and there is no one to stop anyone from doing this, no self-respecting reader will purchase a second book from these authors, and, with the free preview option most distributors now offer, may not even purchase the first book if the writing is too bad. This defeats the entire purpose of publishing, doesn’t it?

Here are three ways that indie authors can improve self-publishing, with the aim of keeping readers happy and thus creating sales.

1. Write an interesting book

It doesn’t matter if it’s fiction or non-fiction, your book should be interesting to those who enjoy the topic/genre. Don’t waffle with too much back story in one go, or with details that aren’t important to your plot or characters. Don’t write your life story if it’s going to be all about the sports you did in school and every girl/boy you ever dated – it’s boring and no one will find this interesting, except perhaps your friends and family. A ‘life story’ is only interesting to readers in general if you were on board a sinking ship, were kidnapped by terrorists, battled a killer disease and won, grew up in a cult environment or experienced something else that most people don’t. Also don’t copy from existing books or movies – it’s a cop out that most readers will spot immediately, and, in my opinion, is borderline plagiarism. For example, I’ve lost count of how many books there are out there with a sword in a stone. Even though these books might be totally different to the original Sword in the Stone, they still copy a key element – rather, invent your own ‘sword in the stone’ to keep readers interested.

2. Write and publish better books

Let’s assume you have an interesting book. Once you’ve written the last word, you need to read it countless times until you’re certain you’ve picked up every little inconsistency – was your character holding something important that he/she didn’t put down, yet, a few paragraphs later, he/she picks it up again? Make sure, too, that you edit for grammar and spelling mistakes, and typos. If you aren’t sure about something, never assume it’s right – do some research to find out what the language rule is for whatever you’re unsure of. Make sure that all your facts are right, even if you’re writing fiction – for example, you can’t have a character juggling old, unstable dynamite without it exploding; it’s unrealistic and will put off any intelligent readers (and most of them are quite intelligent, I assure you). Once you’re 100% certain that you can’t better the book anymore, hire a professional editor. No writer can edit his or her work completely efficiently, and an editor is vital for picking up those mistakes that you didn’t during your self-edit, and thereby preventing your readers from thinking you’re an illiterate fool (in many cases).

3. Make your books cheaper

Research has shown that readers have a tendency to purchase cheaper books, especially if the book is by an author they haven’t read before. Sure, the free sample might be enough to hook them and convince them to spend money on the book, but the reader still risks the fact that your overall story might be boring or have a terrible ending. Also keep in mind that most people only have a certain budget for books, and an extra dollar could, therefore, mean the difference between a reader purchasing your book or that of another author.

2 Self-Publishing Resources Every Indie Author Should Use

When I first decided to self-publish, I looked at many distributors. Out of the myriad options available to indie authors, I chose Smashwords and CreateSpace to distribute my books. I’ve also published some of my books on Amazon, but more about that in another post.

For those who haven’t decided yet or who are looking for more distributors, here is a little about each of my choices and why I like them.

Smashwords

Smashwords offers authors:

* 85% royalties (after the transaction fee).

* Your books automatically converted (for free) to all the most popular ebook formats.

* Free resources, such as the Smashwords Book Marketing Guide and The Secrets to Ebook Publishing Success.  

* Free ISBN.

How it works:

* Once your book is ready, log into your account and click ‘menu’ on the top left, then ‘publish an ebook’.

* Insert all the relevant information, then upload your book and cover and click ‘publish’.

* Go to your author dashboard and request an ISBN.

It’s that easy. The hard part is marketing, but that applies no matter where you publish or who you choose as a distribution partner.

Smashwords also allows authors to upload book trailers and audio books, and provides a ‘self-service’ author interview facility.

Create Space

CreateSpace offers authors:

* 80% royalties (of the list price).

* Free resources, such as articles on creating content and marketing your work.

* Free ISBN.

How it works:

* Once your book is ready, log into your account and go to your author dashboard.

* Click ‘add new title’.

* Insert all the relevant information, then order a proof copy.

* Once your proof copy arrives in the post, make sure that it looks exactly the way you want it to, and make any necessary tweaks.

* Approve your book for distribution.

Both these distributors give authors the option of selling via a much wider distribution network, including places like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple iBookstore, Sony, Kobo and more. Note that you won’t get the same percentage of royalties from the other distributors, but it’s still a good idea to opt in, because it makes it easier for readers to happen across your books.

If anyone publishes via a different distributor, I’d love to hear about it.

5 Things I’ve Learnt About Self-Publishing

1. Use Smashwords to publish and distribute your books. It’s the best distributor I’ve found, and it’s easy to publish with Smashwords, even if you don’t know the first thing about publishing, formatting and/or marketing.

2. If you’re writing a series, make the first book permanently free. There are so many new authors out there now and, as great as self-publishing is for authors, it can be a nightmare for readers with all the badly written, unedited books out there and no quality control. Making your first book free allows readers to see if they enjoy your writing without spending a cent and, if they enjoy the first book, they will likely purchase the rest of the series.

3. Self-publishing is better than traditional publishing, in my opinion. You have more control over your work, and, if you’re prepared to put in the necessary time, you don’t have to wait a year or more after completion to see your book published. Indie authors (independent/self-published authors) also earn more royalties per sale, which means you can lower your prices to make it more affordable to readers and still make more money per book than if you’d gone the traditional route.

4. You need to edit your books properly and then have them professionally edited too. There’s nothing worse than spending money on a book only to discover that it’s badly written and full of typos and other mistakes. It’s bad form, and shows readers that you have no pride in your work.

5.  Don’t be fazed by bad reviews – or, better still, don’t read them. Remember that a review is just one person’s opinion and not everyone will enjoy everything you write. Don’t take it personally and don’t let it affect your writing or make you stop writing.