Elle Pierre's Blog - Posts Tagged "q-and-a"
Author Q & A: About Self-Publishing
This week I received an email via my website from someone who was interested in self-publishing for the first time. She asked me some very good questions regarding self-publishing/marketing/reader engagement and I thought that they would be a good resource for aspiring indie writers. Hope this helps someone!
How do you know what your readers want from a picture book? Do you seek their opinions before creating a story? There's a saying that goes "Write for yourself first, your audience second." I believe that in order to produce the very best story you can, your heart needs to be in it. You should never write something just because that's what people supposedly want; you have to write what is needed. That said, I do conduct research on what themes are currently popular in children's literature, what issues kids (and people in general) are struggling with today, and what parents feel is lacking from modern children's literature. I get most of this information from surveys done by blogs, e.g. http://writeforkids.org/ as well as opinion pieces done by parents and/or other writers, and of course, the news.
Do you receive feedback from your readers? Depends on what you mean by feedback. After publishing Tip and Lulu, my initial feedback came from friends and relatives who all had generally good things to say about it, but also provided me with advice to make the story better (like improving the saturation of the illustrations). Several months later, after doing some marketing, I discovered that generally people besides my family liked what I wrote, and were willing to put a good word in for me. So I guess my short answer is this: If you want to get advanced feedback, stick to friends and family members, and small children if you have or know any, and then, take a risk! Not everyone will like your story, but if your story is good, there will always be someone who does, and that is so rewarding, believe me!
What about your books do you feel appeals to your audience? I try to create characters with charming personalities and amusing or endearing qualities, without making them seem too perfect. I tend to incorporate themes like compassion, empathy, acceptance, and kindness, in a way that is amusing yet all the while educational. You may have noticed this emphasis in Tip & Lulu, which taught children to be kind to those who may not have been kind to you.
Why did you choose to self-publish? Honestly, I liked the idea of being my own boss. When I published my first picture book, I was in my mid-teens, and at the time I didn't believe that finding an agent was the best idea at such a young age. I read news articles about other young people who were self-published authors, and said "I want this to be me!"
What is the cost when self-publishing picture books? Did you have a lot of books published at once or do you use print on demand? I use Createspace, which is a print-on-demand service. What I love about POD is that there really isn't that much coming out of your pocket, unless you place an order. When a book is sold, Createspace would take a share for printing costs, and then you get the rest. Since I am also an illustrator, I don't have to worry about costly things like cover design or interior illustrations, which can be very expensive. But as far as pricing goes, here's a breakdown of the costs, assuming you'll be your own formatter, editor, and designer:
Filing for Copyright = $35.00 ($80 if you file using a mail-in form),
Obtaining an ISBN = Free - $125 per format (That means one ISBN for ebook, hardcover, paperback, etc.),
and Marketing/Promotion = N/A (This depends on how much money you are willing to spend).
Did you hire an editor before publishing? No! And I've paid for it, sadly. If you can afford an editor, hire an editor, especially if you plan on writing something with a lot of opportunities for spelling mistakes, like a novel. Otherwise, ask a studious friend or family member to help you. Another option I've found is https://www.grammarly.com/, but in order for it to be useful, you have to pay for premium service monthly.
What did you learn about self-publishing from your first experience of releasing a book? Self-publishing isn't magic! It takes a lot of time, effort, and money, perhaps more than if you were with a traditional publishing house. I'll admit I was a little distraught when I had first released Ollie the Opossum. With Tip & Lulu, I tried a little more by becoming a Goodreads Author and writing book reviews, paying for advertisement spots on Amazon and Goodreads, and participating in a book review swap, which is when indie authors trade their books (usually as files) and review them for each other in order to help the other gain publicity. There's is still so much I have to do OFFLINE (like book signings, attending conventions, school visits, and library readings), but for now, the Internet has been my primary hub and fits into my current lifestyle.
Do you advertise to find more readers? Yes, though I've just gotten started. Most of my advertising is online, through goodreads and amazon.com. The best way to advertise yourself is to be present online. Start a book review blog. Interview other authors. Ask to guest post on indie blogs. Pay for reviews. Check your sales reports from time to time to see how you're doing. And of course, wait. Don't expect anything to happen overnight.
Are your books sold in stores or online or both? For the time being, my books are only available online. I plan to start donating copies to local libraries, as well as working out consignment deals with local bookstores in the future.
If you have any other advice you'd like to add, please voice your opinions in the comments! If you have questions you'd like to ask regarding self-publishing, please fill out the contact form on my portfolio website (http://laurenpierrearts.wixsite.com/s...) or ask me right here on Goodreads.
How do you know what your readers want from a picture book? Do you seek their opinions before creating a story? There's a saying that goes "Write for yourself first, your audience second." I believe that in order to produce the very best story you can, your heart needs to be in it. You should never write something just because that's what people supposedly want; you have to write what is needed. That said, I do conduct research on what themes are currently popular in children's literature, what issues kids (and people in general) are struggling with today, and what parents feel is lacking from modern children's literature. I get most of this information from surveys done by blogs, e.g. http://writeforkids.org/ as well as opinion pieces done by parents and/or other writers, and of course, the news.
Do you receive feedback from your readers? Depends on what you mean by feedback. After publishing Tip and Lulu, my initial feedback came from friends and relatives who all had generally good things to say about it, but also provided me with advice to make the story better (like improving the saturation of the illustrations). Several months later, after doing some marketing, I discovered that generally people besides my family liked what I wrote, and were willing to put a good word in for me. So I guess my short answer is this: If you want to get advanced feedback, stick to friends and family members, and small children if you have or know any, and then, take a risk! Not everyone will like your story, but if your story is good, there will always be someone who does, and that is so rewarding, believe me!
What about your books do you feel appeals to your audience? I try to create characters with charming personalities and amusing or endearing qualities, without making them seem too perfect. I tend to incorporate themes like compassion, empathy, acceptance, and kindness, in a way that is amusing yet all the while educational. You may have noticed this emphasis in Tip & Lulu, which taught children to be kind to those who may not have been kind to you.
Why did you choose to self-publish? Honestly, I liked the idea of being my own boss. When I published my first picture book, I was in my mid-teens, and at the time I didn't believe that finding an agent was the best idea at such a young age. I read news articles about other young people who were self-published authors, and said "I want this to be me!"
What is the cost when self-publishing picture books? Did you have a lot of books published at once or do you use print on demand? I use Createspace, which is a print-on-demand service. What I love about POD is that there really isn't that much coming out of your pocket, unless you place an order. When a book is sold, Createspace would take a share for printing costs, and then you get the rest. Since I am also an illustrator, I don't have to worry about costly things like cover design or interior illustrations, which can be very expensive. But as far as pricing goes, here's a breakdown of the costs, assuming you'll be your own formatter, editor, and designer:
Filing for Copyright = $35.00 ($80 if you file using a mail-in form),
Obtaining an ISBN = Free - $125 per format (That means one ISBN for ebook, hardcover, paperback, etc.),
and Marketing/Promotion = N/A (This depends on how much money you are willing to spend).
Did you hire an editor before publishing? No! And I've paid for it, sadly. If you can afford an editor, hire an editor, especially if you plan on writing something with a lot of opportunities for spelling mistakes, like a novel. Otherwise, ask a studious friend or family member to help you. Another option I've found is https://www.grammarly.com/, but in order for it to be useful, you have to pay for premium service monthly.
What did you learn about self-publishing from your first experience of releasing a book? Self-publishing isn't magic! It takes a lot of time, effort, and money, perhaps more than if you were with a traditional publishing house. I'll admit I was a little distraught when I had first released Ollie the Opossum. With Tip & Lulu, I tried a little more by becoming a Goodreads Author and writing book reviews, paying for advertisement spots on Amazon and Goodreads, and participating in a book review swap, which is when indie authors trade their books (usually as files) and review them for each other in order to help the other gain publicity. There's is still so much I have to do OFFLINE (like book signings, attending conventions, school visits, and library readings), but for now, the Internet has been my primary hub and fits into my current lifestyle.
Do you advertise to find more readers? Yes, though I've just gotten started. Most of my advertising is online, through goodreads and amazon.com. The best way to advertise yourself is to be present online. Start a book review blog. Interview other authors. Ask to guest post on indie blogs. Pay for reviews. Check your sales reports from time to time to see how you're doing. And of course, wait. Don't expect anything to happen overnight.
Are your books sold in stores or online or both? For the time being, my books are only available online. I plan to start donating copies to local libraries, as well as working out consignment deals with local bookstores in the future.
If you have any other advice you'd like to add, please voice your opinions in the comments! If you have questions you'd like to ask regarding self-publishing, please fill out the contact form on my portfolio website (http://laurenpierrearts.wixsite.com/s...) or ask me right here on Goodreads.
