What to Expect from Indie Publishing - Cynthia Griffith | Guest Post

Found this on TIPM site today

http://www.theindependentpublishingmagazine.com/

So you’ve finally finished that novel you’ve been talking about writing for years, or maybe you’ve just finally started talking about writing it. If you’ve investigated the indie publishing scene, you might have encountered some rather unpleasant rants about the downside of the process. Before you write off the idea, bear in mind the fact that 90% of those ranters have no experience in the indie publishing market and are merely speculating based on rants they read that scared them out of taking the indie plunge.

Independently publishing your novel isn’t nearly the sophisticated rocket science it’s been made out to be, nor is it the best way to get rich quick, but it is definitely a beneficial experience for the aspiring author in you. Here are a few things you can expect from independently publishing your creative work.

Number One: Speed

The hurry up and wait book industry picked up lightning speed when indie publishing was introduced. Landing an agent can take years and you’ll probably wait even longer to see your novel in print if you forge through using the traditional route. To give you some insight on this, I sent out 12 query letters in 2012 and sparked the interest of two high profile agents. Both agents reviewed my work for approximately six months and at the end of the six months they both declined me representation. I considered repeating the process, but I didn’t want to spend another six months in limbo and another year and a half trying to land a publishing deal. With Amazon Kindle’s ebook service, my novel was online in just under three days, fully complete with cover art and author bio. Presto.

Number Two: An Agent

Now that indie publishing has been cleared of the negative stigma that once made credible authors cringe, many agents are scouring the indie section in search of up and coming talent. This process gets the agents coming to you.

Number Three: A Sales Pitch

Amazon is arguably the best indie publishing platform around, but Amazon is also a business. Expect to witness sales pitches the instant your novel’s been uploaded. The kindle service is free but the upgrades, such as book trailer packages and distribution, can be incredibly pricey.

Number Four: Strange Fonts

Had I known this ahead of time, I might have been tempted to write the whole novel on the Kindle website rather than using the copy/paste method. Strange fonts make their appearance in the Kindle version if you copy and paste.

Number Five: A Pen Name

It’s just too tempting not to try a pen name on for size at least once in a lifetime. Choosing a name that is easy to spell but not extremely common can also boost sales. If you opt for a pen name, make sure to register it with the copyright office and to include your name on the book as the publisher.

Number Six: A Lesson in Marketing

Marketing your own novel will inadvertently change your perspective on the trade. You will pick up on little tidbits like colors that stimulate people to buy things and selling spiels that seem campy but totally work.

Number Seven: A Million Dollars

Just because I didn’t make a million dollars (yet!) doesn’t mean you won’t. Somebody will and the only way to rule yourself out of the equation is to not step up to the plate. If you don’t make a million dollars, you might make a few thousand in profit and your life as an author could transition into a rather unexpected blogging career. That was my personal experience, and I found it so rewarding that I’m indie publishing a sequel!

About the Author: Cynthia Griffith has been juggling music, fashion and literature for almost a decade. In 2012, Cynthia went on to publish her debut novel, The Sun Village Project, which broke into the Amazon Top 100 at number 92. Today, Cynthia is an avid blogger for the Live, Work, Play Wilmington community. She enjoys blogging about events, shops and restaurants in her community and proudly supports all local non-profit organizations. Cynthia Griffith is also the great, great, granddaughter of James Fennimore Cooper, author of The Last of the Mohicans and many other classic American tales.