What Everyone Needs to Know About Self-Publishing

Sandra here with a good friend, Ann Lee Miller from my local chapter of ACFW.  Our group is CWOW Christian Writers of the West and you may recognize us because we sponsor the Phoenix Rattler Contest.  

Ann Lee  became our president and innovated some great projects and formats for our meetings.  CWOW grew under her leadership and she has been a wonderful inspiration for all of us.

Ann Lee is joining us today in Seekerville and will be talking about her experience in self-publishing her four novels.  She is also offering a free e-book copy of her first novel Kicking Eternity to all of you who request a copy.  A generous offer Ann Lee.   We hope you enjoy your day with us. 

[Note: Anyone who who would like to receive a free e-copy of Kicking Eternity, you may request your book at AnnLeeMiller.com and click on Contact button.]

Grab a cup of coffee and some pastries we have laid out on the sideboard and let me introduce you to Ann Lee Miller.

Three months ago I would have been the last writer on the planet to self-publish e-books. Now, after hearing the voice of God and choking down a hairball of pride, I’m a lot like Paul who persecuted Christians, then became one.

I was the 2011 president of the Phoenix chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. My BA in creative writing swung discretely from my belt beside the inscription of my highly respected literary agent. I’d notched a long list of writers’ conferences into the leather. My backpack was stuffed with worn out copies of Donald Maass’ books, Jack M. Bickham’s Scene and Structure, and Renni Browne and Dave King’s Self-editing for Fiction Writers. Indie publishing was fine for people who were impatient or not quite ready for “real” publishing. If anyone could land a traditional publisher, I could.

The ten year anniversary of when God called me to write loomed in January. The popularity of e-books and e-readers had started the book industry down the same road the music world had plummeted when people started downloading songs from the internet. E-books sold cheaper. They could be published by authors without the aid of a publishing house.

Publishers’ revenues shrunk. They laid off workers, published fewer books, stuck with well-established authors, and took risks on fewer new novelists. Even literary agents struggled to stay in the business. My agent of two and a half years let go all her unpublished clients, including me, to pursue more lucrative business ventures.           

On February 17, at the lowest point of my despair, my son, who followed the decline of the music industry, suggested I indie e-publish my four completed novels. At that moment, God infused me with hope and directed me to do something I never would have considered without His prompting. Since then, I feel like He is jostling me forward, saying, “This is the way, walk in it.”

Seekerville’s Sandra Leesmith asked me to lay out my indie publishing journey for those of you who are considering taking this road.

Prayer

1. I pray for God’s enabling each day before I begin my day. Then, I pray through each obstacle I encounter as I write.
2. Robin Lee Hatcher inspired me to recruit friends who might be willing to pray for my writing and publishing long before I published.
3. I update my prayer team with specific requests and keep them in the loop of my progress.

Cover

The cover is the single most important advertising element you have. Hiring a graphic artist to do your cover can cost $50-$1,000. Ask your friends for recommendations. I would be less concerned about whether they have done book covers in the past and more concerned about whether I liked their portfolio.

I used Robin Roberts at RedRedDesign.com and was very happy with the result. I sent Robin a synopsis, head shot of my heroine I had clipped from a magazine, photographs of the town where the book is set, detailed descriptions of each character, and a file of book covers I liked.

He did three rough sketches for me to choose from, or he was willing to start over if nothing caught me. Next came a detailed pencil sketch. I made suggestions. He painted an oil painting (which I get to keep!), and e-mailed me a photo of the cover with text. I told him I wanted more girly looking text. He wasn’t satisfied with the color of the ocean and fiddled with the painting. The next day he sent me a new shot of the cover. I approved the new cover and noted that the ocean really did look better. He had to let the oils dry for several days before the painting could be scanned and a final cover jpg e-mailed to me.

Manuscript Prep

1. Edit: I felt like one of the most important things I could do to insure the success of my book was to hire a freelance editor. Editing prices range from $800 to $3,000. Every manuscript can benefit from line editing (grammar, punctuation, wording), and most need substantive (plotting, characterization, big picture issues) editing to some degree. Editors I have used are C.S. Lakin (LiveWriteThrive.com) and Christina Berry Tarabochia (ChristinaBerry.com). There are many other excellent freelance editors who can be found through AmericanChristianFictionWriters.com or by asking your writer friends for recommendations.
2. Fix: I tend to make every change my critique partners and editors suggest, so I tried to weigh each comment carefully to determine whether it would improve the quality of my story.
3. Proofread: After implementing the changes, I had my manuscript proofread. I didn’t want to risk typos in the final copy. Proofreading starts at $400.
4. Add Additional Content:

• Endorsements—I asked a couple of writer friends if they would endorse my book because I wanted to make my book as much like a traditionally published book as possible.
• Statement that this is a work of fiction. (The events and characters described herin are imaginary, etc.)
• Copyright—copyright is established by inserting “Copyright © 2012 Author’s Name”
• Copyright statement—“This book remains the copyrighted property of the owner and may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical, without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.”
• Note from the Author, if you have one. Example from Kicking Eternity: “For you turtle enthusiasts—I am aware that fires are outlawed on the beach during turtle nesting season. I hope you will cut me some slack for burning imaginary fires in the middle of nesting season. I assure you, no turtles were harmed in the course of writing this book.”
• Author info—To learn more about [Author’s Name]’s books and what is coming next from this talented author, visit [Author’s website], Twitter [name], or Facebook Author Page at [Author’s page address].
• Dedication Page.
• Title Page.
• Acknowledgements—Not all authors write acknowledgements, but I read other authors’ acknowledgements with rapt attention, so I was thrilled to write my own. I placed them at the end of the book out of personal preference, but they often appear at the beginning.
• The following are usually placed at the end of the book. Author photo, brief bio, and other titles from this author. Because my books will be coming out within the next year, I added the release dates and short description of each book.

5. Format: Smashwords.com gives detailed instructions on how to format a manuscript for e-publishing. It took me (actually, it was my fantastic husband) approximately four hours of work. For $100-$200, an expert can be hired to do the job.
6. Upload: My husband uploaded my book to Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. Each site walked him through the process. There are many more sites where you may upload your book for sale.

Business

1. I formed an LLC. Each state has its own application process. In Arizona, the form is about a page long and LLC status is granted three months after applying. This protects me from being sued and enables me to keep my business and personal finances formally separated.
2. Since I went the LLC route, I needed to apply for an EIN number from http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=102767,00.html. This was a very simple task.
3. When attempting to open a business bank account, I discovered my bank requires waiting until the LLC status has been granted. Also, my bank requires a $1,500 minimum balance for business accounts. Failure to maintain this balance will result in my being charged $7 per month.
4. I am considering opening a business Pay Pal account, but I will only need this if I sell books directly from my Website.
5. Since I have earned $2.10 so far, I have not yet opened personal and business freshbooks accounts for free at https://ardg.freshbooks.com/refer/www. I will need to affix my business e-mail to the business account and my personal e-mail to the personal account. I will be able to send my business invoices for personal expenses to reimburse myself, versus paying myself for expenses out of profits (this avoids double taxation).
6. I also will need to open an Expensify account to keep track of my expenses. This will keep things clean and put the most money in my pocket. I will then need to link that to my personal Freshbooks account in order to invoice my business for my expenses.

Marketing

1. Blog Tour: I contacted as many bloggers as I could who might be interested in promoting Christian contemporary romances and offered to do an interview or guest post (like this one) and giveaway. I scheduled a different blog stop each day for the month of June. Most bloggers ask for a head shot, jpg of the cover, bio, and book blurb. I recommend creating a spreadsheet to keep all the details in order.
2. Facebook: I wrote to friends and asked if they would like to help me by reading my book, posting reviews and passing my book on to their friends.
3. Twitter: Tweet as often as you can with the goal of building relationships and occasionally advertising your book. I highly recommend Joel Comm’s Twitter Power.
4. Speaking: I arranged speaking engagements in the two colleges I attended, the town where the books are set, and my hometown.
5. News Releases: I am sending news releases about my book to the above locations.
6. Kindle Select: Amazon’s three month long marketing program I plan to participate in.

This is more of a beginner’s testimonial than the last word on indie publishing. My favorite book on the topic is Jeff Bennington’s Indie Author’s Guide to the Universe.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on e-publishing. 

If you’ve read this far you deserve a free book! Contact me through AnnLeeMiller.com, and I’ll send you a free e-copy of Kicking Eternity.  (click contact button)

Bio:

Ann Lee Miller earned a BA in creative writing from Ashland (OH) University and writes full-time in Phoenix, but left her heart in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, where she grew up. She loves speaking to young adults and guest lectures on writing at several Arizona colleges. When she isn’t writing or muddling through some crisis—real or imagined—you’ll find her hiking in the Superstition Mountains with her husband or meddling in her kids’ lives. Ann’s Kicking Eternity launches June 1; The Art of My Life, September 1; Avra’s God, December 1; Tattered Innocence March 1, 2013.

Short Blurb on Kicking Eternity:

Fresh from college, Raine scores a teaching job at New Smyrna Beach Surf and Sailing Camp. A crush on the camp rebel/art teacher threatens to derail her plans to teach orphans in Africa. The broody recreation director spots her brothers meth addiction and Raine's enabling. Raine believes she is helping her brother--until lives are threatened. 

Back cover copy, Kickin Eternity:

Stuck in sleepy New Smyrna Beach one last summer, Raine socks away her camp pay checks, worries about her druggy brother, and ignores trouble: Cal Koomer. She’s a plane ticket away from teaching orphans in Africa, and not even Cal’s surfer six-pack and the chinks she spies in his rebel armor will derail her.

The artist in Cal begs to paint Raine’s ivory skin, high cheek bones, and internal sparklers behind her eyes, but falling for her would caterwaul him into his parents’ live. No thanks. The girl was self-righteous waiting to happen. Mom served sanctimony like vegetables, three servings a day, and he had a gut full.

Rec Director Drew taunts her with “Rainey” and calls her an enabler. He is so infernally there like a horsefly—till he buzzes back to his ex.

Raine’s brother tweaks. Her dream of Africa dies small deaths. Will she figure out what to fight for and what to free before it’s too late?

Thanks Ann Lee.  What a great outline of the self-publishing world.  If you have any question, Ann Lee will be here today to respond.  Enjoy you day with us Ann Lee.