The ABCs of Self-Publishing Jobs by SCARY-O-TYPED author, Susan Pless

Introduction

Today I have a special treat for you. My long-time SCBWI-Carolinas friend, Susan Pless, recently self-published her debut picture book. I challenged Susan to create the ABCs of self-publishing and she rose to the task. Here's the book that her illustrator--her daughter Hannah Smith created. It really brings this unique Halloween book to life!

But first, a word about the story:

Scary-O-Typed!  (HOWLO HOUSE, 2023) is a rhyming, spooky story of kindness and friendship for children ages 3 to 8.  This children's picture book follows a brave trick-or-treater on Halloween night through the creaky doors of a house rumored to be haunted by monsters.  After she encounters a ghost, a witch, a vampire, and a mummy, the stereotypes are broken.To her surprise, they are not scary at all but instead, need her help. In a fun twist, at the end of the night, she receives a whole lot more than a SCARE!

Order a copy here for your favorite trick-or-treater.

A to Z Jobs of Self-Publishing: Suggestions for Success

Creating a successful self-publishing venture requires much more than a manuscript and the desire to publish on your own. A traditional publishing company has a dedicated team to cover a wide range of roles. When self-publishing, you make up most if not all of the team. Although I am still new on this self-publishing journey, here is a list of jobs that I have added to my writing resume.

A is for Author

Write, revise, and edit your manuscript and maintain creative control over the work you have crafted.

B is for Business Owner

Start your own publishing company to publish your book. The steps involve choosing a business structure (usually an LLC), registering the business, obtaining an EIN, and setting up a business account. It can add credibility, protect assets, and provide a means to publish books for others as well.

 C is for Copyright Filer

Although authors own the copyright to their work when written, register the copyright to your book in the United States to provide added protection against infringements.

D is for Designer

Before printing, decide what you want for your book: size, look, cover (soft or hard), colors. In a crowded market, you want your book to stand out and flow smoothly from page to page. Each page and spread needs to connect seamlessly to the next and create a sense of coherence. 

E is for Editor

In order to ensure clarity and coherence, refine your manuscript before printing. Beta readers can provide valuable feedback and professional editors are a must.

F is for Formatter

Format your book properly before it goes to print and enlist help if needed. Whether making decisions with the page bleeds, covers, or spine, formatting can be one of the most complicated jobs. I was lucky to have an illustrator who worked closely with me.

G is for Graphic Designer 

Beyond the cover, you will want to design marketing materials such as banners, business cards, social media graphics, and your website.

H is for Head of Editorial 

After all of the edits are done, ensure the quality and integrity of the published book as a whole.

I is for ISBN Purchaser

Purchase an ISBN from the United States ISBN Agency to simplify the distribution of your book to bookstores, online retailers, and libraries.

J is for Juggler

Sharpen your juggling skills. In the realm of your self-publishing journey, you will face multiple tasks and responsibilities while managing time and resources.

K is for Keywords Researcher 

Carefully select keywords. Book discoverability can be improved through search engines and algorithms. Someone at Wix helped me to improve my discoverability.

L is for Layout Designer

In addition to the written story, format interior items such as page breaks, copyright page, author/illustrator page, and end sheets. Again, ask for assistance from your illustrator and/or printer if needed.

M is for Marketing Manager 

Implement marketing strategies to promote your book to your target audience. In addition to your website, this can be done on social media sites, at events, at bookstores, through local newspapers or television, by entering reputable contests, and by writing online or print articles.

N is for Narrator

If you are venturing into storytelling or audiobooks, turn your story into an engaging listening experience as a dynamic narrator.

O is for Outreach Coordinator 

In order to generate buzz and reviews for your book, reach out to book reviewers, bloggers, and influencers. Book reviews prior to publishing can be used on the back cover or dust jacket.

P is for Proofreader

Review and correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors in your manuscript before publication.

Q is for Quality Assurance Inspector

Before the final print, inspect everything. What costs in time saves in the future.

R is for Researcher

Research all printing options before publishing. There are reputable companies but plenty of scammers. Be cautious of publishers or printing companies who may charge large fees in addition to your printing costs. There are many companies who are ready to take advantage of your desire to publish your book.  The print-on-demand option (such as Lulu, IngramSpark, and BookBaby) can make it easier to get into larger bookstores but may have quality and customer service issues. The printer-only option may limit you in bookstores to consignment but provides higher quality and more freedom with design. In order to make the best decision, request a sample book (if available), decide what is important to you, keep a spreadsheet of all information for comparison, and always read the fine print.

S is for Sales Representative

Be ready to pitch your book to bookstore owners, librarians, and shop owners to secure distribution and sales agreements. 

T is for Trademark Expert

Before publishing your book, make sure that there are no trademark infringements. You can trademark logos or names to prevent future issues. 

U is for Underwriter

Assess the financial viability of publishing your book. You don’t want your dream to turn into a nightmare.

W is for Writer

Write. Write. Write.

 

My alphabet of jobs ends here for now but my work continues, not just with this book but the next. In the world of self-publishing, it takes dedication and hard work. Never hesitate to reach out for help with any job along the way. The true reward is seeing your story in the hands and hearts of the reader.

Susan Pless and Hannah Smith

Check out this article about this mother/daughter team!

GIVEAWAY!

I have an autographed copy of SCARY-O-TYPED for one of you. Leave me a comment (with your email address if you are new to my blog) by September 27. If you share this on social media or sign up for my blog, I'll put your name in twice. U.S. addresses only. 

Congratulations

Danielle Hammelef won a hardcover copy of The Impossible Girl and Emily Weitz won the E-book from last week's giveaway. 

The Ink Mages on Producing a Podcast and 2 Giveaways!

 A few weeks ago I attended a Monarch Publishing event and was fortunate to meet two fantasy authors, Stephanie Cotta and Angela Hughes. They recently started a podcast, The Ink Mages, and agreed to answer questions about the process. Take it away, Stephanie and Angela!

INTERVIEW

Carol: What does your name mean?  

Stephanie and Angela: We are The Ink Mages! We wanted to come up with a catchy name that had a magical fantasy ring to it (since we’re fantasy nerds) but also had a writing-esque vibe to it as well. So, after bouncing around some terms and names, we landed on the word ‘Mage’ and then we slapped ‘ink’ in front of it, and our name was born. As Ink Mages, we feel the name embodies how we create magic on the page when we write. 

Carol: Why did you decide to create a podcast?

 

Stephanie and Angela: We wanted to grow our audience and platform, and doing a podcast was something we both had been discussing for months. So, naturally doing one together seemed the perfect fit. Second, since we have so much fun discussing our own books, myths, legends, and fantasy books, we wanted to create a space where we could invite readers and writers into our imaginative world and “nerd out” with us.  

Carol: What are your goals for The Ink Mages podcasts?

Stephanie and Angela: Our goal is to interview other authors, grow our audience, share about our books, help encourage aspiring writers, and build a community of nerds who love to talk about fantasy books. Our current goal is to do four episodes a month, shooting for one a week. We’re hoping to do our first interviews next month in September 2023. So be on the lookout!

Carol: What were your fears or concerns in creating a podcast? Did you have any bumps in the road when you got started?

Stephanie and Angela: Our biggest concern was, how do we start? Where do we go to record? Do we need equipment? And how involved will this be? But, after we spoke with Dr. Jen Lowry of Monarch Press, she helped us navigate which platforms to use and where to start. From there, we just hopped on Streamyard a month ago and said, “We’re doing this, let’s record!” And that’s how our first episode happened. We had a blast just nerding out together and knew this was going to be a special endeavor.

Carol: I know your podcast is pretty new, so who do you hope your audience will become? What do you hope to offer that other podcasts don’t?

Stephanie and Angela: We really hope to grow a community of writers, readers, and lovers of fantasy. There are plenty of nerds out there who love talking “all things books,” and we want to stick to what we do best: writing fantasy and being passionate about our favorite sci-fi/fantasy stories. We want to focus on those two elements so our audience knows with every episode what our niche is. We love broadcasting that we are “Super Nerds” when it comes to fantasy and sci-fi—hopefully, that will set us apart as well.   

Carol: How do you plan to grow your audience?

Stephanie and Angela:  Through social media. We have created an account for The Ink Mages on all the major social platforms, and we try to make several posts a week to engage with our audience. We run polls ask questions and encourage people to leave comments on our videos so we can have a fun dialogue. Check out our LinkTree to connect with us!

Carol: What type of equipment do you need? Hardware or software? 

Stephanie and Angela: We started very basic with our equipment. We record on Streamyard using their free service. Angela uses a microphone, but Stephanie does not. There are plenty of free resources out there, including uploading on YouTube and Spotify, so starting a podcast is not an expensive venture. As we grow, we may expand and upgrade the services we use, but for now, the most important thing for us is just to get out there and start.

Carol: How did you decide on Spotify for your platform?

Stephanie and Angela: Spotify Podcasters seemed a natural choice, and it was recommended to us—plus it’s easy to use. You can add interactive questions and polls on this platform, so it gives us feedback on what episodes we should do next. And it has all the links to other podcast platforms, making it easy to upload to all of them with one click.

Carol: What advice would you give to others who want to start a podcast?

Stephanie and Angela: Just start. Figure out what you want to focus on, find your niche, and just start recording. Don’t overthink it. If you’re introverted like us, find a partner to host it with you—that’s what sealed it for us. On our own, it seemed daunting, but having a friend on the show made the conversation more fun and engaging.

Carol: How much time does it take to create a podcast? 

Stephanie and Angela: Getting started took a little legwork of creating our Ink Mages account on all the social platforms. But before we even did that, we had to design a logo—that was the fun part. Having our name figured out really helped the design take form. We chose a feather quill pen to highlight the writing aspect of our podcast, followed by an image of a stack of books, to show our love of reading!

Once we had that, it put a fire in us to really dive into our podcast and make it happen. Next, we created a shared email, so we have access to all the accounts. We used Canva for designing all our YouTube video thumbnails, and initially that took thirty minutes to design. From there, we can reuse the template, just changing out the information for our new episodes. It’s very easy and not time-consuming at all.

When recording, our episodes run a little under an hour, and then we splice them for easier consumption. We do minimal editing, so after a recording, we spend an hour or two getting it ready for uploading. 

GIVEAWAY

Stephanie and Angela are each giving away an Ebook. Stephanie's book is The Conjurer's Curse and Angela's is Elanor and the Song of the Bard. 

Leave me a comment with your preference and I'll enter your name. PLEASE make sure you include your email address if you are new to my blog.  Giveaway ends on September 7 so enter now! If you prefer, feel free to email me instead. 

FIRST PODCAST!

I Finished My Book, Now What? Some ABC's of Being Between Books

Congratulations to Theresa Milstein who won Tomorrow's Bread from last week's blog.

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One of the television shows my husband and I enjoy is Chopped. Besides watching the incredible creations the cooks come up with out of their mystery baskets, I like the final second when the cooks' time is up. They throw up their hands and step away from the plates. There is nothing more they can do.

That's how I felt last week when I typed "The End" on HALF-TRUTHS, tweaked it a few more times, and pressed SEND.

After over eleven years, my young adult historical novel was on its way to an agent. 

NOW WHAT?

I step back, but I'm not about to throw my hands up in the air.

Instead, here's a peak at what will keep me busy--and keep me from checking my email every minute of the day as I wait for an answer. 

A is for agents. I'll continue to work on my list of agents who I'll query next. I have a folder in my email box in which I've been saving agents I've read about who are interested in YA historical novels; most of them from Kathy Temean's excellent blog, Writing and Illustrating. (If you are serious about writing or illustrating for children or teens, you need to follow this blog.) I'll study each agent's wish list and if I think they're a good fit, I'll move their name and agency information to my list on Query Tracker. For $25.00/a year you get the premium membership with many benefits. 

B is for brochure. Mine is out of date and it'll probably take hours for me to come up with a new design template. Not my favorite thing to do. 

Old brochure.

C is for clean up my computer. I keep running out of room on my hard drive! Time to move photos and files. 

A little old-school, I know. But I still like them!

D is for dentist. Overdue.  

E is for EQUAL.  

Joyce Hostetter sent me the manuscript for her last book in the Baker Mountain Series several months ago. She has given me a tremendous amount of feedback and input into HALF-TRUTHS. Time to return the favor. 

F is for the Federlin files.

One of Henry Federlin's genealogy lists.

I inherited many things from my father, Henry Federlin, including his desire to document his life. I have two folders full of papers that he saved which I promised to copy for my brother and sister.  

I is for Instagram. 

Apparently Instagram (not Facebook!) is the way to connect with teen readers. I have an account, but have only a smidgen of knowledge how to use it. 

L is for lunch with friends.

via GIPHY

 (my friends are less furry but I couldn't resist this!)

M is for Marguerite Higgins.

While researching HALF-TRUTHS, I came across Marguerite Higgins, a journalist who covered WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. She becomes Kate's heroine and perhaps, my subject for a non-fiction picture book biography. 

M is also for Dr. Marie Maynard Daly.

I also discovered Dr. Marie Daly, who becomes Lillian's heroine. I think she would make an excellent subject for a non-fiction picture book biography. 

S is for Scrivener 3.  

See comment on Instagram above about learning something new. Except that I've begun my next book in both Scrivener 2 and 3. First off: figure out how to import one to the other.

T is for Talking Story.  Our fall issue is on Native Americans and First Nations. 

T is also for THREADS. The working title for my sequel to HALF-TRUTHS.  

Charlotte textile industry roots
Image courtesy Bank of America.
https://about.bankofamerica.com/en-us/our-story/charlottes-textile-industry-roots.html#fbid=oK529mgLEX0

The textile mills are as much a part of Charlotte, NC's history as the Jim Crow laws. The story will take place in 1954, involve the textile mills, and revolve around Frank, Kate Dinsmore's younger brother, and Isaac, Lillian Harris's older brother who has just returned from his service in Korea. 

W is for Write2Ignite. Our annual conference is less than two weeks away and I need to finish getting ready. I'm giving three talks for teens and am excited to encourage these burgeoning authors. There's still time to register!

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How about you? What do you put off doing until you've completed a project? 

Which item on my "to do" list will I tackle first? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! 

Behind the Scenes of Bound: Author Interview Part II

On last week's blog, Vijaya Bodach shared her inspiration for her debut YA novel, BOUND. This week she provides insights into her publishing journey and she and I talk shop.

PATH TO PUBLICATION

CAROL: Did you try to publish BOUND through “normal” publishers? If so, was there a pattern to your rejections?  

VIJAYA I tried the trade route for a couple of years, but got tired of even the good rejections. Many loved the writing and the characters but wanted a different outcome! That was non-negotiable. Early on, one agent sowed the seed for self-publishing. He said the industry was shifting and less open to publishing a book that was counter-cultural. When I was down to small presses, I remembered his words and decided to take all the risk to publish BOUND. It’s been so empowering, I feel a certain lightness. I would definitely recommend this as a path to publication.

CAROL: Can you share some of the ups and downs of self-publishing?

VIJAYA: I prayed about this decision for a year, but once I took the plunge (after another good rejection, lol) it was a whirlwind six weeks trying to learn everything necessary to publish BOUND myself. I still have much to learn, but what joy! I was able to use my contacts in the industry to hire a designer. I loved having the freedom to be true to my characters and have control over the entire process. And the best part is knowing that Rebecca and Joy are taking up residence in others’ hearts and minds as well.

But the most difficult part has been growing my readership. All my other books magically found their way into schools and libraries, but BOUND hasn’t been reviewed by any of the journals that librarians read, so they don’t even know of its existence.

I’m learning that to be successful in this business, one has to be good in three areas: writing, publishing, and marketing. I am good at writing, competent in publishing, but dismal at marketing. So this year, I plan to learn how to advertise more effectively. But at this stage, as a novice novelist, I believe my efforts are best concentrated on writing the stories that will make a difference and trusting that impassioned readers (like you!) recommend it to their circles, and so on and so forth to grow organically. I am grateful for each and every one of my readers. By the way, it will help if your readers request BOUND at their local library! 

SHOP TALK  

Vijaya was willing to discuss the choices she made while writing BOUND. Here are two observations I made about the novel and her responses. 

CAROL: I thought that Rebecca’s “conversion” from being against abortion to being pro-life was too abrupt. One minute she was taking Joy to the abortion clinic, the next minute she’s totally changed her mind. I actually found their father’s transformation was more gradual and believable.

VIJAYA: I’m glad you brought this up. Rebecca’s transition mirrors mine and it was like scales falling off my eyes. And speaking of mirrors, Jim Bell, talks about the “mirror moment” at the midpoint of a story. This is where a character is at a transition. She can see who she is and who she’s becoming. She must make a choice. It’s a moment of clarity. And in that scene (which ironically has Rebecca looking in a mirror) once Rebecca understands what’s at stake—the life of a child—she’s able to recall the wisdom of her mother’s words. And she does what she has to do without counting the cost. So yes, it feels sudden, yet natural. 

CAROL: The only parts that I found “didactic” were Rebecca's college interviews. I thought that Rebecca was long-winded and those could have been either shortened.

VIJAYA: I wrote BOUND for the ICL Book Course and my wonderful instructor, Nancy Butts, warned me about this exact danger. But by the third revision I knew that Rebecca had to articulate her position even if it cost her a seat in medical school.  

ONE LAST WORD FROM VIJAYA: Thank you for writing such an in-depth review and your thoughtful questions. I hope your readers feel encouraged to never, ever give up on a story they believe in. God bless all the works of your hands!

Bio: Vijaya Bodach is a scientist-turned-children’s writer, an atheist-turned-Catholic, and most recently, a writer-turned-publisher (Bodach Books). She is the author of over 60 books for children, including TEN EASTER EGGS, and just as many magazine articles, stories, and poems. BOUND is her first novel. To learn more, please visit: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/

GIVEAWAY

Leave me a comment if you want to enter to win an autographed copy of BOUND. It's fine if you already entered; I'll put your name in twice. If you are new to my blog, please leave your email address. The winner's name will be drawn on Thursday, February 14. A great book about love--just in time for Valentine's Day.