In this guest post from PDR Lindsay, she reflects back on the stuff that she has learned after being an indie writer for 2 years.
Here is a run-down of things I have learned so far, and then I will expand on the most important one:
1. Patience, and the fact that I know nothing.
2. Prize winning books will not necessarily sell.
3. TReaders’ groups can destroy sales as well as help make them.
4. A lot of writing time is lost to PR work and sales’ efforts.
5. Even good PR does not always result in immediate sales.
6. Making sales outside certain genres is not easy.
7. Being an Indie does raise eyebrows and shut doors in certain literary areas.
8. Writers’ co-operatives do have group power and it does help sustain the members .
9. The freedom to shape, design and edit my book is worth more than a traditional contract.
10. There is a great future for Indie novelists.
The Most Important Thing
The most important thing I’ve learned is that I need to know much more about Indie publishing, promotion and social networks, and it takes time. Patience is needed. I plan my day and allow two hours to study websites which promote and sell e-books. I follow up useful information from sites like Indiesunlimited.com or thepassivevoice.com. I check out review sites like girlwhoreads.com or www.readersintheknow.com and I check out the PR sites like fussylibrarian.com, bookbzz.com and peoplereads.com. It does mean two hours less novel writing though.
Our Writer’s Choice books have, except one, been short listed to the final round or won various worthy competitions. This has not guaranteed them good sales. The lone non-competition winner sat on the Amazon 100 best-selling historical novels list up in the top half for quite a while. Why? Because it has a strong romance element which made it popular with that enormous romance market. I have learned that Indie writers who sell their books and earn reasonable amounts are usually romance or speculative fiction (SF, Fantasy, Horror, Alternative Histories, or the just plain weird/unusual interestingly different,) and we have a harder time selling our serious historicals. I have learned that we need to make our books cracking good reads with irresistible hooks on page one and at chapter endings as well as ‘Must find out what is happening.’ plot lines. I have learned to edit my work with an eye to popular appeal and am doing a second edition of my first novel because I can see how to make it more readable/saleable now. Readers want resolution and ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ (to be retitled ‘Jacob’s Justice’) does not tie up the ends enough for readers.
Readers’ groups are marvellous but if it is not the local library group beware. The online ones can harbour some real nasties. I treasure my online Kiwi readers’ groups who are kind and supportive but avoid discussions with other groups because of the reactions. It is disappointing to find your books given a one star rating because you made a comment some readers disagree with. Showing that these trolls have not bought or read your book is not enough to have those ratings removed. Take care.
PR means social media. One of my Writer’s Choice colleagues says it is all nonsense, and doesn’t boost sales. Another Writer’s Choice colleague is an avid user. There seems to be no definite proof either way. I do not have the time, or tech ability. I can’t find my way round Google Plus yet or get LinkedIn to do what I want. I’m barely au fait with Pinterest, but I have come up with a cunning plan. When I visit websites I find their media buttons and tweet and leave information at Google Plus and LinkedIn. This keeps me in the loop and I often get retweets or new contacts from sharing the information. I link my reviews and Goodreads, blog and website to my social media too so that they automatically carry a note about what I have written or read. Saves precious time and keeps me visible.
I’m working hard to improve the mana (prestige) of Indies in New Zealand and supporting all the Indie events. We have claimed March as our Indie month and I will be hosting a party to celebrate but we have a long way to go before we are visible in places like the Book Council and gain Arts Council grants. But, having seen what the editor at a traditional publisher did to a writer friend’s wonderful ending – “We must rewrite this for the American market.” – and what they gave her as a cover I am happy to stay an Indie. And I do believe the future lies with us for we will be the first writers to produce the novels of the future, those truly mulita-media works readers now seek.
P.D.R. Lindsay is a writer member of the writers’ co-operative, Writer’s Choice. You can learn more about her and her works on her website, www.RowanLindsay.co.nz.
