Panellists: Beverly Bambury, Caro Soles, Catherine Fitzsimmons, Samantha M. Beiko, Stephen Kotowych, Mark Leslie
ML: When you self-publish, do you use your own name?
CS: It’s not professional.
BB: If it’s a small publisher that no one has ever heard of, why not use your own name?
SMB: It doesn’t really matter. The book will speak for itself.
SK: Using your professional name adds credibility.
ML: I run Kobo Writing Life for small publishers and independent authors. The top 15 to 20 best selling Kobo books are independently published.
BB: Does Kobo offer supports?
ML: We’re looking into how to best connect authors and services. There are a lot of predators out there. We should be bringing out something later this year.
BB: Supports vary. Authors have to do more regardless.
SMB: An author will finish writing and editing a book and say, “Well, that was a nightmare.” Fasten your seatbelts, people: it gets worse.
ML: What’s your best advice to the author considering self-publication?
CS: Join writers’ organizations. You find out what’s going on in publishing. Hire a copyeditor.
SMB: Come out to events like this one. Everyone really wants to help everyone else.
SK: Don’t spam people. Offer something of value.
CF: Don’t skimp on the cover, but be smart. Shop around.
CS: I do my own covers. You just have to learn how.
BB: Someone with a graphic design background could be better than an artist. Invest in an editor.
CS: A beautifully written story, if poorly copy edited, will lose competitions for awards and other opportunities.
ML: A good cover catches attention. A good back cover copy reels readers in. Write your next book. Nothing sells you last book like your next book.
CS: An ebook cover has to look good in thumbnail form.
CF: Check out Kindle cover disasters on Tumblr.
Q: You mentioned two different kinds of editors. Could you elaborate?
SMB: There are substantive editors. They look at the big picture, structural stuff. They can cost a lot. A copyeditor or line editor looks at sentence structure, grammar, and syntax. Is this the best way to convey your intent? A proof reader looks at spelling and punctuation.
ML: Who’s looking at the revised copy? If you have beta readers, ask them, “Where did you fall out of the story?”
CF: With beta readers, the more the better.
ML: Beware the hype of the Kindle gold rush. Don’t look at self-publishing as your ticket. It’s a long term game, not a quick buck.
BB: As a publicist, I have people coming to me with unrealistic expectations.
Q: What are your thoughts on giving away your work for free?
CF: You shouldn’t start that way. If you have a complete series, then offer the first for free. If readers like it, they’ll buy the rest of the series.
ML: Kobo uses free in different ways. It works best when the call to action is to buy the author’s next book (series or otherwise).
SMB: If you have a novella, don’t give it away for free. It’s considered an exclusive item. Give it a limited run.
ML: Let’s run the numbers. Say you offer a book for free and 10,000 people download it. Of those 10,000, maybe 2,000 will open the book. Of those, only 350 will finish it. Of those, only 175 will buy the next book.
Q: How do you balance everything?
CS: That’s up to you.
SK: Schools can be a goldmine.
And that’s all we had time for.
Next week: Ad Astra gets punked ;)
And sorry folks, you’ll have to wait until next weekend for my report on Madeleine Callway’s workshop and Wordstock. I’m bushed.
Filed under: Authorial name dropping Tagged: Ad Astra 2015, Authorial name dropping, Beverly Bambury, Caro Soles, Catherine Fitsimmons, convention, Mark Leslie, S.M. Beiko, Self-publishing, Stephen Kotowych
