3 Ways to Kickass in Self-Publishing

Posted on September 05, 2018 by Gwendolen Wilder, One of Thousands of Business Coaches on Noomii.

Most Authors write day after day, post on social media about their new fabulous writing journey they’re beginning, maybe even send a few emails telling people they plan to self-publish their book, and then wonder at the end of that email…how am I going to self-publish?

You don’t have to be like most authors.

Is your manuscript is almost finished? Do you know how or where to get started with self-publishing? Did you know you could’ve started the process faster, easier and saved some money if you used Self-Publishing?

Thinking back to my first few months of writing, I was freak-n clueless (which is so funny now after publishing my first book, co-authoring another published book and currently writing my second book..lol).

I was just having fun writing and living in the process of creating characters, settings, themes, etc. and I was loving it. When I finally got to the point where I felt as if I was ready to find a publisher…WOW…that’s when the anxiety set in and it started attacking my confidence.

I looked at a ton of different publishing options and met with a bunch of different companies from traditional to self-publishers. But, I’d always felt most comfortable with the idea of self-publishing. But to be honest, I had absolutely no idea what I should’ve expected from self-publishing except from what the internet told me…I was like a blind man walking thru the wilderness surrounded by hungry wolves. All I knew is that I wanted to maintain control and rights over my book and get paid to tell my story.

“Don’t be like most authors (they’re walking blind). Do you know how to navigate self-publishing?”

After chatting with a few people that told me to search online for self-publishing companies, I did. I found a big box publisher that just so happened was hosting a weekend webinar in my city; so I attended it. But, I didn’t have a clue what working with a big box self-publisher consisted of or how much it’d cost!! They seemed reputable-so I jumped in feet first (Hot Ass Mess Mistake). I ended up hiring the big box company for around $29,000 (yea… you read it correctly).

If anyone asked me how my book was going and what was the publisher doing for my book, my heart would literally feel as if it was about to burst out of my chest.

What was I supposed to say?

It’s going great, I think… When really, I was thinking to myself…what in the Heck did I just do…I’ve just given these people my Car Note + Rent Payment and my return on investment so far was a weekend webinar and publishing equipment that never worked….

I Had No One to Blame But Myself.

Let me put this into context. I literally took everything I had scrapped and saved since deciding to become an author and I joined a program with a group of people that felt more like salesman than trusted publishers- because I was attracted to the bright shiny object. And because, I really wanted my book to skyrocket. The relationship was doomed from the start. I could barely afford my monthly payments, I didn’t receive one-on-one assistance and I had to deal with rude consultants (don’t fall for bright shiny objects-bigger publisher doesn’t=best publisher!)

Eventually, I put my big girl panties on and told the big box publisher to “Kick Rocks” as I say- and after much more laser focused research I decided to move forward with my current Publisher [BookFuel] and I’ve never been happier!

Now, I realize that 90% of the information on the internet is super confusing as Heck for new authors. Especially, when it comes to trying to figure out how to find the right publisher (let’s be for real, publishing is all about making money from books-Am I Right?!) My theory however, is that everyone should be making money-not just the publisher.

If you’re ready to finally understand how self-publishing works [Click Here] to chat with my awesome BookFuel Publishing family, my personal Publishing Consultant and also- take a look at my tips below on how to prepare for self-publishing. The process starts with…

Determining what you want, Identifying your book mission and fFnding a wilder self-publisher:

1. Determine What You Want. Before you even remotely consider speaking to a publisher, you must know what you want and don’t want. I feel authors have two basic choices when it comes to writing; use the book as a cathartic tool for healing or to make money. Only you can make that determination based on your current state of being; if you need help-book a FREE Kickass Discovery Session and I’ll help you figure out your book path.

If you just want your book to be for you, your family or simply share awareness, prevention or intervention on a small scale; you can use a publisher-but why not save the money and do it yourself?

Now, if you want your book to make you money; hire a publisher. Before speaking to a publisher, get super clear on what you want your book to do for you. Do you want it to be on the shelves of huge books stores like Barnes & Noble (awesome feeling by the way-that’s the pic up above), or do you want it to lead to bigger opportunities like media appearances, guest speaking, joint ventures, clients, etc.

Think about asking yourself this as well, can you see yourself feeling super stoked over the course of let’s say 5 years working with a publisher to write, market and sell your book? And remember, there is no right or wrong answer…you just have to decide the purpose of why you’re writing and that will guide you to decide if you need a publisher and how to select the best publisher for you and your goals.

2. Identify Your Book Mission. Before you can decide on who you will work with as a publisher; you need to know what’s the mission (purpose) of your book. Determining the goal of what you want your book to do will dictate who you will partner with as a publisher. You’ll be able from that point to decide if they can adequately handle your book dream.

Here’s my insider tip…lol. I work in increments of 5 when it comes to setting my book goals to challenge my creativity and business strategies. Let’s use my first book, “It’s OK to Tell My Story, Surviving Common Law Domestic Violence” as an example. I asked myself, within five years of release could I see my book impacting the lives of hundreds of abuse survivors (achieved within the first year…lol) and I also asked myself could I see my book being the foundation for a community grassroots movement to get businesses thinking/acting differently about abuse in the workpalce (achieved within year one and expanded reach to larger corporations in year two…lol). Now-ask yourself these questions.

Listen Superstar, I was once you-I know how much of an investment of your personal time, family time, energy and money writing can be. And, I also know you want to make sure that every dime spent will yield some type of positive return on your investment…I GET IT!!

This is exactly why I’m sharing all of these strategies with you; I didn’t have anyone helping me in the beginning (would’ve said literally thousands). My recommendation is to seriously ask yourself, "Why Am I writing this book? A lot of authors are initially focused on what the book can do for their readers; which is cool- you have to do that.

But, I want you to go deeper. Dive deeper with that question to gain clarity and identify what the book can provide for you, your family and your community-How can the book help you to live your best life (freedom, travel, joy, happiness, etc.) And then, go deeper still-ask yourself do you want your book to be a profit maximizer; generating multiple income, make you a community influencer; recognized authority, increase your Target Market Audience; leading to your ideal clients/readers, or provide additional value; giving inspiration and support to existing tribe of followers.

3. Find a Wilder Publisher. I get asked all the time; “How are you able to distribute hundreds of books internationally”and “How did you decide to go with BookFuel as your publisher”? The answers are simple and easy; I found a self-publisher that thought wilder than most. My publisher does everything for me; the way I request (less stressful) and they treat me like a family member and not a dollar sign. Click Here and watch this video as I explain in detail why I choose my particular publisher-listen carefully, because you can use this insight to help you find yours.

If you don’t listen to anything else I share with you; listen to this part. Self-publishing is super fast, easy and scales your business. My publisher helped me to create a paperback, hardcover, E-book and ensured my book was everywhere to include: Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Apple IBooks, Google Play, Kobo, Create Space, Lighting Source, Ingram Spark and more. And, we worked together to create that Kickass booktrailer for my first book…I Absolutely love it-but, more importantly, my readers and clients love it!!

When looking for a publisher, my recommendation is to make sure they can provide at a minimum these services (at a fair cost): Professional Copyedit, Book Cover Design, Interior Print Layout, E-Book conversion, Printed Books, Global distribution, Marketing Services, and Additional Training Resources. The goal is to find a Team you feel comfortable with that’s not salesy, pushy, super expensive, etc., are aligned with your visions and goals and are true professionals that are equipped to help you publish your dream.

Having a self-publisher will increase your brand credibility, visibility, reader/client growth, etc. (being an author means you’re a brand now). Another tantalizing aspect of self-publishing that I love and you might as well is that you have total control of your book process, message, marketing, etc. Now, keep in mind it will require work. Depending on what type of self-publishing company you decide to work with; your creativity may be limited in some areas (not BookFuel…lol).

Going back to the topic of ensuring you get a return on your investment; some publishers pay big and some take a lot out of your royalty checks. Now can you see how important your book mission is when it comes to selecting a publisher? Depending on your mission and if you choose later to revise your book; you could end up giving more to your publisher (I’m all about saving as much as possible…lol).

The last reason I enjoy self-publishing and this is something you might want to consider as well- is the release of additional books. When selecting publishers, consider how long it might take the interested publisher to help with creation, distribution, etc. between books and will it work with your time-frames.

Which Strategy Do You Feel Will Be Most Helpful on Your Author Journey?

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If you’re looking an answer to a particular question…simply post it inside of my private Facebook Group [Wilder, Successful & Non-Negotiable Entrepreneurs] and I’ll get my butt in gear to either write a Blog to answer it or post a Livestream inside the group!

I’ll see you on the other side of Success,

Gwendolen