Indie 411: Finding Ways to Make More

This class was pretty amazing. It flew by though as I tried to scribble notes on what I needed to do in order to become a successful Indie author. The problem now is finding the time to actually do these things.

The main take-away for the class was to get my name and books out there anywhere and everywhere I could. There are many ways to do this ranging from free to however much you care to pay. Since my hubby isn't too keen on me spending family money on my marketing, I'm going to focus on the cheaper range of things today.

Post your books on more than just Amazon.

Yeah, I know this should be a no brainer, but let's face it, Amazon is so easy. A couple months ago I tried to put FADE INTO ME on Smashwords. After several frustrating tries I called it quits. Nothing should be that difficult! And don't get me started about trying to be listed on Barnes & Noble's online store. Their paperwork didn't make any sense to me and it sounded like I needed to create my own imprint to do it. (I could totally be wrong, but who has the time to figure this out? I need to be writing!) One place I never considered listing my books was iTunes.

The instructor suggested we check out Jutoh.com for quick and easy ebook formats. This is a one time purchase that promises to never be out of date as it evolves along with devices and formats.

Have your book translated into other languages.

Check out Babble Cube for this. The great thing about this site is there is no out of pocket expense for the author. Sign up, get a translator, sell your book and share royalties. Babble Cube keeps 15% and the author translator royalties change over the life of the sales. Royalties favor the translator up to $2000 and then they start moving toward the author. You can see the break down on this page.

Put your book out there for audio listeners.

I always wondered how you made this happen. It's way easier than I imagined. I went to ACX.com (which is part of Amazon) and used my existing author account to claim my self-published book. 30 minutes later I had submitted my book for auditions. None of this cost me anything since I chose to share royalties. ACX keeps 60% (no surprise) and then I'll split the last 40% with whoever records my book for me. The best part is I will get to listen to the auditions and choose my narrator.

There are options here as well. If I had a good microphone, and could guarantee my dogs wouldn't bark while recording, I could record my own book. Then I'd keep the entire 40% of royalties. Here's the thing, recording a 60K book will take forever with all the editing and splicing together to make it an enjoyable read. I'd rather share royalties!

Here's why you should give audio books a try.

• Extend your brand 
• Give extra life to the story you’ve written 
• Provide more good stuff for your fans 
• Add new fans who might never read a book

What things are you doing to spread your reach?

Writing Tips Week!

This year I entered the world of Indie Authors. It's been a great ride so far, but I've had many conversations the past month that got me thinking.

Why do self-published authors still get a bad rap? 

Let's face it, although there are many out there who work hard and put in the time and effort to make their novels shine, many self-published authors are looking for a "quick fix."

They are too impatient to continue trying the agent or traditional publishing route. Maybe they just haven't learned how to accept constructive criticism to improve their story. Perhaps they don't have the money to hire an editor. Whatever the reason, you can pick up free and cheap books on Amazon all the time that scream SELF PUBLISHED! I've read some wonderful stories and some not so much.

This week we are going to talk about those tell-tail signs and how we can avoid them.

Because you know what?

Being an Indie author is something we should be proud of! It's a lot of work and when done right can produce amazing stories that readers wouldn't get other wise.

Here's what we will cover this week:

• Bad grammar
• Typos
• Plot holes
• Predictability
• Author intrusion
• Poor cover art or interior design

The first 5 are good for every author to work on no matter which publishing route you are working towards. So, come tomorrow ready to jump into a discussion on one of these topics and to share the websites that have helped you in the past.