My Take on Self-Publishing

[Natalie]

Hey -- apologies if I'm just repeating a question, (I was directed to this post - thread, it's brilliant, but also spent about three hours reading another thread...amazing forum, so pleased I found it!). ANYWAY... I was wondering whether you use any kindle software - for example, kindle spy!? If anyone has heard of it? It seems like it would simplify the process somewhat, but I hadn't seen that many reviews, (that weren't affiliates for it I'm guessing). Also...what's this about a mastermind group? Cheers!!

 

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[thunder_god]

Thank you for creating this amazing thread. I'm a complete newb to this whole self-publishing thing and this thread provided a lot of great info. I have a few questions for getting started.

1. For romance/erotic novels, how many words do you typically have for each book?
2. I only have about $200 saved up right now. Do you think that would be enough for me to create a series of 3 books? I was thinking about 10,000 words for each book. Would that be sufficient?
3. When you first started out, did you give each writer a test job like a short sample article or something before bringing them onto the full project? Reason I ask is because I don't want to spend all this money only to realize the person is a terrible writer.

 

[GiroudJD]

Thank you for creating this amazing thread. I'm a complete newb to this whole self-publishing thing and this thread provided a lot of great info. I have a few questions for getting started.

1. For romance/erotic novels, how many words do you typically have for each book?
2. I only have about $200 saved up right now. Do you think that would be enough for me to create a series of 3 books? I was thinking about 10,000 words for each book. Would that be sufficient?
3. When you first started out, did you give each writer a test job like a short sample article or something before bringing them onto the full project? Reason I ask is because I don't want to spend all this money only to realize the person is a terrible writer.

1. Anything 40k and above

2. Only if you don't care about the quality of the writing, or you are doing the writing yourself. $200 for a ghostwriter for 3 books will get you really low quality...

3. Yes, yes, and yes. Make sure you get writing samples and then have them write a sample chapter of your work. It's too easy to get sucked into a bad writer and end up having to pay them, so do the work up front and you'll thank yourself later.

 

[Cephei]

Learned a lot from this thread. Thanks for sharing. I got a few questions as well:

Since English isn’t my main language, how do I make sure there’s a copyright page, table of content, quality check (editing?) or any promotional stuff inside the book that requires good English sentences?

Also, how can I get a good description on Amazon for each book? Should I ask the ghost writer to do that as well?

If others have some advice for non English speaking/writing countries that would also be great!

May be another interesting question:

Do you create a fake image and/or fake story/biography about your pen names?

Thanks again!

 

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[germandude]

Learned a lot from this thread. Thanks for sharing. I got a few questions as well:

Since English isn’t my main language, how do I make sure there’s a copyright page, table of content, quality check (editing?) or any promotional stuff inside the book that requires good English sentences?

Also, how can I get a good description on Amazon for each book? Should I ask the ghost writer to do that as well?

If others have some advice for non English speaking/writing countries that would also be great!

May be another interesting question:

Do you create a fake image and/or fake story/biography about your pen names?

Thanks again!

If you think that with shady "ghostwriting" work you can create a fastlane, you are in for a big surprise. Unless you are willing to pour in time and money to create quality work, you are out. In this business, you need 1000 real fans, but getting them takes much, much, much effort. You see the end result in threads like these, but look back on the publishing subforum on this forum, go through the thousands of postings where get rich quick authors like you wanted to make a quick buck, but ended never doing the actual work.

 

[Cephei]

If you think that with shady "ghostwriting" work you can create a fastlane, you are in for a big surprise. Unless you are willing to pour in time and money to create quality work, you are out. In this business, you need 1000 real fans, but getting them takes much, much, much effort. You see the end result in threads like these, but look back on the publishing subforum on this forum, go through the thousands of postings where get rich quick authors like you wanted to make a quick buck, but ended never doing the actual work.

I'm not sure if I understand your post correctly, but it seems like you make a lot of assumptions. I am fully aware of the things you say, but its a bit wider than that. I'm from a non english country, so I need to outsource any english writings anyways, no matter what I will be doing. So the kindle "thing" is a great way for me to gain experience with outsourcing and with managing people. Any profit I would be making can be used to buy me some time for bigger things which I'm allready doing. I've spent years into process and still some years to come.

But anyways, no need to "defend" myself. I'm just asking a few honest questions. I hope somebody can reply on those. Thanks!

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Do you create a fake image and/or fake story/biography about your pen names?

You can't be serious.

 

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[Cephei]

I'm sorry, what am I missing?

 

[mws87]

I'm sorry, what am I missing?

having the same pictures of yourself floating around with different names would be a little odd and confusing, no?

Look up Richard Bachman.

 

[Cephei]

having the same pictures of yourself floating around with different names would be a little odd and confusing, no?

Look up Richard Bachman.

Exactly, that's why I was asking it. May be I should have asked how he deals with that. It's also again related to the fact my English isn't professional enough. So I would need to outsource that as well.

Thanks for the tip!

 

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[Greens]

This thread was epic!!! I just signed up here and this was the first thread I really dug into.
Extremely inspiring. I read it twice.
Here are some of the valuable notes I took away from this.
If anyone can add to this list by all means do.
Thank you GiroudJD!

Digital Publishing
Kindle Direct Publishing
Smashwords
Draft2Digital
Google Play Books
NookPress
KOBO
iTunes
_________________________
Physical Publishing
CreateSpace
_________________________
Author Profiles
Author Central = Amazon Author Page
(3 Pen names allowed per account)
(-Richard Bachman=Stephen King, Richard Bachman had a fake pic and fake bio)
_________________________
Outsourcing
Upwork - Formerly known as oDesk
elance
fiverr
_________________________
Book Covers
GoonWrite
_________________________
Audiobook Creation
ACX
(Use 50/50 royalty option and the audiobook is free.)
_________________________
Publishing Forums
Kboards
_________________________
Terminology
Perma-free
Writing Blurbs
Formatting
Non-Disclosure Agreement
Doing Business As
Pseudonyms

 

[GiroudJD]

This thread was epic!!! I just signed up here and this was the first thread I really dug into.
Extremely inspiring. I read it twice.
Here are some of the valuable notes I took away from this.
If anyone can add to this list by all means do.
Thank you GiroudJD!

Digital Publishing
Kindle Direct Publishing
Smashwords
Draft2Digital
Google Play Books
NookPress
KOBO
iTunes
_________________________
Physical Publishing
CreateSpace
_________________________
Author Profiles
Author Central = Amazon Author Page
(3 Pen names allowed per account)
(-Richard Bachman=Stephen King, Richard Bachman had a fake pic and fake bio)
_________________________
Outsourcing
Upwork - Formerly known as oDesk
elance
fiverr
_________________________
Book Covers
GoonWrite
_________________________
Audiobook Creation
ACX
(Use 50/50 royalty option and the audiobook is free.)
_________________________
Publishing Forums
Kboards
_________________________
Terminology
Perma-free
Writing Blurbs
Formatting
Non-Disclosure Agreement
Doing Business As
Pseudonyms

That looks about right. Dabble in all of those things and you'll be well on your way

 

[Bruh]

Audiobook Creation
ACX
(Use 50/50 royalty option and the audiobook is free.)

I would say do NOT use the 50/50 royalty option. I used that for my first audiobook and yeah it was nice not having to spend any money, but I regret it now. I would have made a lot more money had I gone the other route. Is it not crazy to consider giving up 50% off ALL your profits on that book forever?

Really, the downside to paying upfront for the audiobook is limited (you lose x dollars) -- the upside, however, is unlimited. Maybe if your audiobook is really expensive to make, then you might be able to justify the split. But I still say paying upfront is the best option. If the ebook/paperback is selling well, then you can expect the audiobook will sell well too.

 

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[RHL]

Really, the downside to paying upfront for the audiobook is limited (you lose x dollars) -- the upside, however, is unlimited. Maybe if your audiobook is really expensive to make, then you might be able to justify the split. But I still say paying upfront is the best option. If the ebook/paperback is selling well, then you can expect the audiobook will sell well too.

My mantra for basically all business decisions, from equity to insurance, is that I always pay out a lump sum vs. opting for a percentage when it comes to paying upfront, and I collect a percentage rather than a lump sum when it comes to taking payments for myself. A percentage is letting someone else capitalize on your (mis)fortune. Nobody gets unexpected windfalls from my behavior except me.