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1. Have a quality product

 

While it seems like stating the obvious, you'd be surprised at how many indie authors think the solution to success is pumping out as many books as possible – quantity over quality.

 

However, if you look at the authors who stick in the charts, and generate a liveable income from their books, you'll notice that everything about the product they offer sings quality.

 

I'm talking about cover-to-cover outstanding quality, in each of the following elements:

 

• Cover design (front, spine, and back)
• Interior design and formatting
• Writing
• Editing
• Proofreading
• Front and back matter
• Blurb
• Imprint and logo

 

Each of these elements needs to be carried out with care and attention to detail. Your book is a complete packaged product and should look like such in every way possible.

 

 

 

2. Treat books as a business

 

Writing is an art form. You pour your energy and time along with many resources into your work. As much effort needs to go into your book production and marketing. Publishing is a business, and almost all authors who've arrived operate as such. Any good company has a business plan, so you'll need a publishing and production schedule, a marketing calendar, a budget, expense sheets, etc. Successful authors constantly stay aware of what books are sold and where. With today's technology, you can even receive some ideas about what demographic you are serving through CTR. 

 

Another thing to consider as a business is splintering, where you create multiple products from a single product (e.g. ebook, paperback, audiobook, t-shirts, exclusive materials). 

 

Overall, an author needs to be diligent in publishing on a big scale.

 

 

 

3. Know your audience and categories

 

Many traditional publishers and indie authors merely cast their books out into the book ring and expect them to sell. This is a significant mistake, though common. So don't feel alone. 

 

The key to reaching the readers who will buy your book is knowing your target market, choosing the correct categories and genre/subgenre, and keywords for your titles.

Something to consider is: What niche categories could it be classed by?

 

For example, look at the categories of our book Start being, Stop Doing is in…

 

Best Sellers Rank:

 #1,191 in Codependency (Books)

 #10,376 in Christian Self Help

 #12,547 in Christian Inspirational

 

 #100 in Codependency (Kindle Store)

 #349 in Codependency (Books)

 #2,919 in Personal Transformation

 

Knowing where to place your various editions is just as important. Ebooks can and often should be under a genre/subgenre of their own. This is particularly helpful as fewer ebooks than physical titles are listed on selling platforms, increasing your odds of being found and listed as a top seller. It would be best if you took advantage of lesser-used genres/subgenres when listing your ebooks. Your titles may make their way past the several dozen other titles listed, ranking as a top seller--increasing exposure, and getting boosted through algorithms.

 

 

 

4. Your brand comes before the book (oddly enough) 

 

Successful authors sometimes get known for one book they wrote but stay successful because of their name/brand. Your name is your brand in the publishing industry. Most authors mistake publishing under a traditional publisher as establishing clout and value for your potential readership. This is not always the case; in fact, it's often not. If you don't create a clear value for readers, an imprint won't help you, even if it lands you a covenant spot on the bookstore's shelves. Readers engage in a book because of authenticity, value, and authority, not necessarily because there's a recognizable, authoritative imprint. 

 

With that being said, your book must be able to stand separate from your publisher and onto the value you create... backed by you! To do so, make the value and authority you wish to extend to your readership. This is a significant process, so I will dedicate another post to this itself.

 

 

 

4. Price competitively

 

The real advantage of indie publishing is that the pricing of your book is entirely in your control. You can change it as often as you like; you can experiment with what works and even change it to run special deals.

 

The most successful indie authors are constantly assessing their pricing. Is it competitive enough? Is it fair? Does it enable you or alienate you from partaking in the proper genres and circles of those who would read your book? But, at the same rate, know that anything worth having is worth paying for. Don't price your title too lower than everyone else that you begin to lose your readership to skepticism of the value you created for them. (Note: If you are selling a Kindle ebook, there is a massive market at 2.99 USD--you lose a vast majority above this price).

 

 

 

5. Build a mailing list

 

There has been so much talk lately about over-saturating people's inboxes, and how email lists aren't as valuable as they once were…

 

The thing is if you treat your email list and your email marketing right, this is simply not true. An email list can be one of the most valuable assets an author has.

If you build a list that's relevant to your niche and treat your subscribers with consideration and respect, it can help you not only stay connected to readers but also sell more books in the long run.

 

 

 

5. Prioritize your ebooks

 

I know we all have this romantic notion about being published in print, and that's fine – more than fine, even. I'm not saying you shouldn't print books.

However, what I am saying is that as an indie author, your marketing and promotion priorities (where you spend your advertising and marketing budget) should be with your ebooks.

Ebooks have a lower production and logistic cost to you. There'sThere's no printing or shipping involved whatsoever, which means that your ROI is much higher.

For example, if an author sells a paperback copy of their book for $25, keep in mind the costs that come out of that $25:

 

$7 per copy to print

$10 per copy to ship

 

If you're selling via bookstores, they take 40% commission from the RRP

Some bookstores require that you go through a distributor, which will also take a cut

These figures will vary from book to book and country to country. However, the point remains the same: print books have a high production cost.

 

You also need to factor in the time and energy it takes if you're doing your postage and handling, invoicing, warehousing, e-store management and customer service.

Ebooks provide no such complications or extensive management.

Generally, an ebook file is uploaded to an e-retailer like Amazon, and they distribute the book for you as people purchase it.

 

While the RRP of the product is usually lower than a paperback, and the retailer still takes a cut, ebooks have proven to be far more profitable than their print counterparts.

For this reason, it makes business sense to prioritize this format when paying for advertising and marketing services. You'reYou're far more likely to get a higher ROI than you would if you poured the same money into advertising your print books.

 

 

 

6. Experiment with publishing exclusively AND widely

 

Exclusive: Publishing and distributing through one single platform. For instance, Amazon for paperbacks and ebooks, but Barnes & Noble for hardbacks. For example, Start Being, Stop Being's trade paperback is exclusively available on Amazon (not Walmart or Barns & Noble). There are several advantages to this, like the ability to command a higher price on specific platforms. 

 

Wide: Publishing and distributing across various platforms, such as Amazon, iBooks, Nook, etc. Many articles online are dedicated to explaining the benefits of distribution options.

 

Publishing widely means that your income stream is diversified and not relying on one distribution option to reach readers. Diversification means reaching readers who may not use a Kindle or Nook.

Be free enough to experiment. You may decide to distribute exclusively through Amazon for the first six months, then after the initial release period, go wide, or even withdraw from Amazon to restrict distribution options.

 

The point is that the authors who are doing well are looking for where their sales are coming from and seeking to maximize their platforms.

 

 

 

7. Stay immersed in the industry

 

Like anyone who's good at their job, an author should always be aware of the ongoing changes and developments in their industry. This goes for the indie and traditional publishing industries alike.

 

You should always stay on top of the latest news, bestseller charts, and new tools and services. This will mean that you're never caught off-guard when there are changes to the platforms and services you use.

 

Most importantly, you'll know how these will affect your sales, and how you can either take advantage of developments or adapt your current tactics to avoid a dip.

Staying immersed in the industry also means that you can connect with like-minded people and potentially learn from them.

Image via Kaboompics

 

 

 

8. Be smart about purchasing services

 

If you're doing self-publishing right, you'll have a budget dedicated entirely to book promotion. It doesn't matter how big or small your marketing budget is; what matters is that you're smart with how you use it.

 

In the beginning, it's easy to get overwhelmed by all the tools and services available online for indies. It can be tempting to throw money at something and cross your fingers that it works.

It usually doesn't.

 

One of the most common habits of successful authors is that they do their research when it comes to paid marketing services.

They ask questions like:

 

What does this service entail?

Does it have good testimonials from other authors?

Does it suit my genre and niche?

What sort of ROI can I expect?

 

 

 

9. Can I afford it?

 

Does my book need to be at a certain price point in order to partake in this service?

If I change my price point, will it affect my existing royalties and income? How? Will it be worth it?

 

And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

 

If you're going to be investing in a paid promotion or marketing tools, you need to make sure you're not left in the red.

 

 

 

10. Avoid burnout

 

The problem with being a successful author is that it's a lot of hard work. Seriously.

 

Most authors I know in this space put in over 12+ hours of work every day. We rarely take holidays, we feel guilty when we're not working, and we're in a constant state of anxiety over our sales and income.

All of these things can lead to burnout – a writer's worst nightmare, particularly as deadlines loom.

 

While indie authors need to work hard to make a living from their writing, it's so important to remember to take care of yourself.

 

As an indie author, it's easy to feel like you can always be doing more – but you need to realize you're not doing yourself any favors by pushing yourself too far.

Personal and creative burnout can be hard to recover from. If you work yourself to the point of burning out, you'll only end up setting yourself back in the long run.

 

So what can you do to avoid getting to this stage? Take a breath. Take a step back. Take a break (yes, an actual break!). Practise self-care. Prioritize both your physical and mental health. Talk to friends, family, and other writers.

 

Whenever you feel yourself coming close to breaking point, do whatever you need to do to get back on track again and restore a healthy balance to your life. It's the only way to maintain a sustainable, long-term career.