A few keystrokes...
Okay, that sounds easier than it was. But it's how my dream
started, how every dream starts, by putting one foot in front of the other. Or
in my case, tapping one key after another and not stopping until I had 120k
words. That's the first part of any goal: starting.
But then what? Starting and finishing a novel didn't accomplish my
goal of being an author. If my 120k words stayed in my computer instead of venturing
into the world, then it would really have been a journal. In order to be an
author, I needed readers.
So the question for me was...
How do I get my words in front of readers?
And no surprise, every time I do an interview, I hear that and many
of the same questions from readers and aspiring authors. I can't claim to be an
authority in the subject, but I do love what I do and I'm always excited to
answer questions, so here is my suggestion on that question and some of the
other questions I get. If I don't hit yours, please ask in the comment section.
Should I self-publish, publish with an ePublisher, or wait until
an agent picks me up?
Well, I don't know if there is a right or wrong answer, but here's
what I suggest, which is a four-part answer.
·
I think every author should query.
Why? It can't hurt. If you're lucky, professionals--and that is what successful
agents are--can offer you valuable feedback. Most won't. Most will just say
it's not right for me. But when you get that agent who's not afraid to go out
on a limb and make a suggestion, listen to her. You don't have to accept
everything, but you should be willing to listen.
·
Depends on how many stories you have
in you. If you have only one great idea, you may have to wait on an agent. I
don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, and I'm not saying there's not a chance
to be successful as an Indie author with one book, but it is hard. If you have only one 'great' idea, you may need the
advertising budget that only a large publisher can provide.
·
How quickly do you want to get your
books out there? With most agents and big publishers, you should expect to wait
a year to eighteen months until your book hits the shelves, whereas most
ePublishers will usually have your book edited, formatted, a cover designed,
and published within six months.
·
And lastly…self-publishing, more than
ever, is a viable option. However, DO NOT forget that you have to act as though
you are a publisher. You CANNOT skip steps. You MUST make sure your book is
properly edited, formatted, and has a professional-looking cover BEFORE you
publish.
Should I hire an editor?
Yes, yes, yes! This shouldn't even be a question. The question should
be: whom should I hire? Ask around. Word of mouth is a great way to find an
editor. Ask questions. What books have they edited? Get a return date, and do
not pay all up front.
Is social media important?
I think so, but not because it'll sell books. It's important
because of the connections you make with readers, reviewers, book bloggers, and
authors. Yes, authors. Never forget that authors are readers... Connect with
authors who write and read the genres you like to read and write. It only makes
sense that if authors like you, so will their readers. That's how you expand
your reach when you don't have a budget.
Should I offer my books free or at a discount?
Yes and No! Yes, giving away your first book free for a temporary
time is a great way to meet new readers, gain reviews, and expand your
platform. A discounted book, on the other hand, does little to reach a large
amount of readers unless you already have a platform.
Should I write a series?
Yes, but please make sure that each book is complete. Don't split one
book into two or three books and leave a cliffhanger. Ugh!!! Readers--I'm a
reader, so I speak with authority--hate that. Yes, you can offer a new 'dun,
dun, dun' moment at the end, but the first issue must be resolved. Then yes,
series are a great way to meet and keep readers. And when you have a series,
offering the first book free or at a discount makes sense because you have
other books to back it up.
Can I write in different genres?
Yes, but be careful. I wouldn’t write young adult and erotic
novels under the same name, but if you warn your readers at the top of your
description that this book contains paranormal elements (for example), then if
they don’t like paranormal, but love you, they may be willing to take a chance,
but not burn you if it’s not their style.
So here I am…just a baby, really, since my first book was
published only two years ago. Of course, I had four books waiting in the wings
when my publisher picked me up, so I was able to publish nine books in these
last two years (two of them were short stories too).
So, I’m wondering…what’s next?
What’s my goal now that I’m a published author? Surprisingly,
selling more books to make more money IS
NOT my goal. If it were, I wouldn’t
give away my best seller, She Belongs to
Me. Having my book in the hands of millions of readers, though, is my goal.
As a writer, I think we can all agree that nothing feels better than readers
reading your work. So that is my goal...don’t laugh…I know it’s a lofty goal…
My goal this year is to be on the New York Times Bestseller List
or, at minimum, be on Amazon’s top ten ‘paid’ bestseller list.
Is it possible? I don’t know. I know it’s not impossible. And I
see only one way to get there. In simpler terms, my goal is to publish Book Two
and Book Three in my Creatus Series and publish Book Six in the Southern
Suspense Series. That’s three books in twelve months. Yes, I can do that. My
goal leads me to the last question I hear all the time…
How do I sell more books?
I know some authors hate this answer, but from what I’ve seen,
when you don’t have a big publisher backing you, the only way to sell more
books is a two-part answer…
Write Better Books and Write More Books!
So...to reach my goal, I will do my best to make sure my books continue to get better.
Whatever your goals, I wish you a healthy, prosperous, and above
all, happy new year.
Happy New Year and Happy Reading!
Carmen DeSousa
Thank you
for stopping by my place and reading my musings. Remember these are just my
opinions and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. If you have questions, please
feel free to leave them in the comments, and I promise you I will answer. If you’re curious about what I write, please
visit my author page, where you can read all about my novels and short
stories. And hey, I’ll even give you a
free book just for stopping by. As always, happy reading, friends.
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