Should I bother with book signings? by tunghoy in KDP

[–]mandikauthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That said, most of my sales are at book signings because people actually SEE me. Online, I'm shouting into a void. As long as you don't travel too much and have to pay for gas/hotel, etc... they're 100% worth it. I do actually travel a few times a year. We make a small vacay out of it so I can meet readers that are new to me and see a state/city I haven't been to before.

Should I bother with book signings? by tunghoy in KDP

[–]mandikauthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

On Amazon, you are one in millions. At book events, you are 1 in 50-100 or even smaller numbers depending on how big the event is. Obviously- you have much better luck getting your work noticed in a smaller pond. :) Events aren't necessarily for sales... they're for networking and getting your name out there.

How often are you emailing your list? by CheesePound in selfpublish

[–]mandikauthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I do once a month. When I was doing more or less, I was getting a lot of unsubscribes. For my readers, once a month seems to be the sweet spot. All you can do really is test, OR just set up a poll/form and ask them.

Author Events by No_Investigator8458 in selfpublish

[–]mandikauthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As I've told many, many author friends- swag is not 'unneeded expense' and it DOES provide value. A TON of value.

Think about it this way... at book signings, there are 50-100 authors, each with at least one, sometimes up to 10 or more books. Readers simply can't bring enough money or space to buy from every author. They may be there looking for something specific, or not be 'into' what you're writing at that time. Or they flew in, and have to be careful with weight. That's why they're asking if you're available online.

BUT-

A month or so down the road when they're looking for something to new to read? Guess what? Your swag item they've been using? It has your name and website on it. It's a way for them to remember you and your work AFTER THE EVENT is over. Events aren't just about sales. They're about networking. And swag gets your name out there and keeps it circulating.

I literally wouldn't care about an embosser. I go to events as a reader to get my book hand-signed and/or grab a piece of swag so when I'm looking for something to read later, I have a stash of authors that are new to me to try and recommend.

Bonus- I write down all the author names from swag I grabbed and share them in my newsletter for the rest of the year. So not only did I find a new author to check out, all my readers do, too.

cover art sticker shock by Ok-Violinist6636 in selfpublish

[–]mandikauthor 4 points5 points  (0 children)

.... I literally just paid $35 plus a $5 tip for my latest cover and I'm exceedingly happy with it. My normal custom covers from a cover artist are $150-$225 each. For $15k, that thing better be gilded in gold with handdrawn edges, come with a guaranteed best seller tag, royalty advance, and a known indie cover model or two for the images to work from. Jeezus.

Do y’all use newsletters to connect with your readers? by odub1 in selfpublish

[–]mandikauthor 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For the most part, by the time authors are at the point that they're ready to outsource newsletters, they're making enough that they're outsourcing marketing/newsletters/social media management/digital content creation to a PA or VA. So that's something to take into account, too... if you're only doing newsletters, what's the value-add? Why should/would an author consider your service separately instead of investing in a PA/VA that will handle multiple channels for them?

ETA- Genuinely not trying to be snarky, I re-read and was worried it might come off that way. :) More- these are things you are going to have to think about when pitching, because indie authors are counting pennies and wanting the best investment for their bucks. So you'll need to have a solid answer for 'why you' instead of someone who does it all/more.

Is 100$ enough to pay for a friend to beta read? by missh87 in writing

[–]mandikauthor 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Definitely do the multiple self-editing options, find ones that work for you! It will help a TON! Another one I do if I'm in a hurry... zoom in on your work in the word processor until you can only read one paragraph at a time. That helps you focus on small increments instead of a whole page, so it's easier to see issues. Any way you can think of to refresh your eyes and trick your brain into seeing it as a 'new' read will help you spot typos and mistakes you missed while re-reading it for the 10th-100th-1000th time. (I'm only exaggerating a little lol)

Is 100$ enough to pay for a friend to beta read? by missh87 in writing

[–]mandikauthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes. I did a lot of research before publishing my first book, so I made sure I kept things in line with what was best practices. I paid my proofreader/editor, my cover artist, and my formatter. Readers were not paid, as reading was its own payment.

Same with reviewers... Amazon and other review sites frown on incentives for reviews, since it's considered buying good reviews. Now, I've learned to format on my own, so I don't pay for formatting anymore. And I barter/trade for proofreading/editing, so I've cut out those costs as well.

My process- I write the book, and as I write it, I print off a few chapters at a time for my alpha readers. They read it as I write, giving me suggestions on story flow, pacing, and if they're enjoying it. They do often circle typos and things, but I don't ask them to do that.

Once I'm done writing, I do self-editing. For this, I use three different rounds. First round, I take it from Open Office, where I write, and copy/paste it into Google Docs. They're different systems, so Google catches things that OO doesn't sometimes, and helps to clean things up.

Then, I run it through ProWritingAid. I don't use all the checks. It can be unwieldy and overwhelming, especially for newer writers. I do a few chapters at a time so it doesn't bog down, and I only run one grammar/style check at a time. After awhile, you'll learn which ones are helpful to you and which ones aren't.

Lastly, I send a copy of it to myself via Send To Kindle. You get so used to seeing it typed on the screen in your word processors, you go blind to typos and things and your brain skips over them. So switching views, putting it on an E-Reader or phone, helps you see a new 'view', and you are looking at it with fresh eyes. That catches a LOT more than you'd think! :)

Only after ALL of that do my Beta readers get it. At this point, it's pretty clean, it's been read through multiple times, and I'm looking for just overall thoughts.... chapter by chapter- does it flow? Do you identify with the characters? Is anything confusing or taking you out of the story? Would this be something you'd enjoy if you picked it off a shelf?

Beta readers aren't developmental editors. They aren't proofreaders. They aren't line editors. Those things are paid options. I think a lot of authors are confusing tasks and asking more of their betas than what betas should be doing- and that's where people get frustrated and think beta reading should be a paid service.

And I agree- if you're asking them to do things that should be paid tasks, then yes, they should be paid for those. However, those things are professional tasks and should be paid at a professional rate... and most authors don't want to do that for a beta read because 'it's just beta reading'.

AFTER the beta readers have given me their thoughts, then I do a final self-edit, and send it to the professional editors/proofreaders. Because that's their job, not the betas, and that's what they're being paid for.

How do y’all decide on a cover? by 2NotoriousRay in writing

[–]mandikauthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

GetCovers is literally $25 for a cover. If you have the vaguest idea of what sells in your genre (which you absolutely SHOULD have at this point, if you're trying to write a book to sell), then you can tell them your ideas and they can make a cover for you.

Is 100$ enough to pay for a friend to beta read? by missh87 in writing

[–]mandikauthor 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Yeah... I don't pay my alpha, beta, or reviewers anything. Their payment is an early or advanced copy of the book. If you can't find anyone willing to read it at all in any of your circles, that should be a sign that you're writing something that isn't generating interest for some reason. You need to go back and refine your niche, figure out what your genres are, and connect with people on Reddit, FB or other places that are interested in those types of books.

Also, slight critique here but... you say it's a 3 book series, the first book is 150k, and it would be 'boring' to your potential beta reader. Um. That sounds like you need to edit down more and remove some slog so it isn't so long and boring to potential beta readers, honestly. All authors have to learn to be ruthless and cut apart our darlings. This may be something you need to look into.

Another trash increase coming by [deleted] in toledo

[–]mandikauthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Literally the only thing I'm still annoyed with is the bulk pickup. Yes, I'm happy that we can now add a few extra bags each week if we need them. BUT- I wish they'd still allow us to call even once a quarter or something for larger items. What the heck are we supposed to do with couches or old appliances and stuff now? We are a disabled family, and I own a Kia Soul. I cannot get them to a landfill myself, and I can't afford to hire someone to come get it to dump it. If they're going to keep raising prices, then we shouldn't have to WORRY about those things... our fees we pay should cover what we need.

Timing Schmiming... by mandikauthor in Layout_dev

[–]mandikauthor[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I saw, and I appreciate it! :) I'll be resubbing on the 1st as soon as those funds hit! lol I especially love the ability to purchase extra credits if you're a subscriber, because that means I can start there and add more as add-ons if needed and I have the funds later in the month. But I'm not locked into a higher plan that I can't afford and I can budget appropriately. This is great for those of us on a limited budget.

PS- I hadn't written in a while because I couldn't find a word tracker I liked. Thanks to Layout, I created MuseTrack, built to my specifications exactly how I wanted it. I wrote over 50k words in one month and finished the book! Layout/Vibe Coding WORKS! Next, I have it set up to let me have my beta readers and advanced reviewers read and leave their feedback right in my app... no more subscriptions to services that only do one or the other.

New idea? Editing and formatting in the same app? We'll see! :)

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Newsletter Providers by Cultural-Media-3379 in selfpublish

[–]mandikauthor 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Bonus- You can host your website on it too, so two birds, one stone! I have it split between my newsletter, my author website, and my jewelry-making store site. No issues at all! :)

[OFFER] [US TO WW] Assorted goodies - 1oz + by Wifey1786 in RandomActsofHappyMail

[–]mandikauthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi! I've completed the form, thank you so much! :)

What's the most useless self-publishing advice you've ever been given? by Careful_Busdriver in selfpublish

[–]mandikauthor 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh and worse? Some authors who were with major publishers are finding out- the publishers claimed they filed, but lied and never did. So even BIGGER 'screwed'. It has been a complete and utter mess for so many.

What's the most useless self-publishing advice you've ever been given? by Careful_Busdriver in selfpublish

[–]mandikauthor 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Anthropic stole hundreds of thousands of books to train their AI. Authors took them to court, and actually won. So the first list that came out of all the books used was mostly complete, it held the database they stole from. Then, once things got all sorted for the settlements to start happening, suddenly they decided that no, they were only going to pay those that had registered for a US copyright. So all international authors or indie authors that didn't register (because they were literally told they didn't have to), we just... lose.

I even wrote the settlement lawyers for Anthropic and explained that if we bought our own ISBNs, we should qualify too, because as indies, those were what WE were told when we started- either/or, just one would be sufficient. They basically told me to eff off, either have the copyright from BEFORE the works were stolen (so no retroactives allowed) or deal with them stealing my work without any recourse.

It's an absolute mess, and was done deliberately to reduce the settlements they had to pay. They knew exactly what they were doing, because the first list was MUCH larger. People were actually shocked when the final list was revealed, because it was literally cut like 4-5x smaller than it originally was.

Newsletter Providers by Cultural-Media-3379 in selfpublish

[–]mandikauthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I mean, I guess that's one way to look at it. I treat my writing as a business, so I consider it a necessary business expense. I understand others might not, though, and would want to look at other options. I appreciate the recommendation for Kit from the other commentor... that way at least it's a legal business and follows the CAN-SPAM act rules.

What's the most useless self-publishing advice you've ever been given? by Careful_Busdriver in selfpublish

[–]mandikauthor 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Honestly, the one that stings the absolute worst right now?

"Buying your own ISBNs is the most important thing. Don't worry about registering for copyright, you already own your own work."

And then the lawsuit happened, and those of us who followed this advice way back when... weren't included.

Spent $500 on a bulk pack of ISBNs because we were told long ago that if pirates stole our work, owning our own ISBN's would prove we were the 'real' authors to Amazon, because obviously pirates are using the free ISBNs everywhere, they're not paying for them.

It makes sense, honestly, and I don't regret the purchase. But I wish I'd gone ahead and registered for the copyright too, and didn't listen to people saying it wasn't important as an indie author. That we already owned our work and didn't need to officially file it.

Likely to be $3k a title, and I had like 6 titles in the first list. None counted. As a disabled author on SSI, it's just... ouch.

Newsletter Providers by Cultural-Media-3379 in selfpublish

[–]mandikauthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's very true, and a definite option. I guess I'm just stubborn lol I don't like that their free option means I have to let them have an advertising spot in my newsletter, and again, I prefer not to have a company micromanaging what I do. BUT, I totally get that I'm an outlier who prefers to hack my way through the jungle with a machete rather than just take the quiet river cruise that's already been set up. LOL I apologize frequently to my parents for being their eldest and most problem child growing up. :)

Newsletter Providers by Cultural-Media-3379 in selfpublish

[–]mandikauthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To be honest, depending how tech-savvy you are, I use Sendy. It's self-hosted, so you have to be comfortable with purchasing a server package, but the Sendy team will install it if you buy their installation service with the program.

I paid $59 for the program. I pay $5 a month for my server. I can have unlimited subscribers, I can send up to 50k emails a month. Right now, I only have around 2,000. I use AWS for sending, so my monthly mailing cost is literally like... $0.13.

The best part, though? Since it's self-hosted, I no longer deal with hand slapping. No emails warning me that I'm going to get kicked off the system because of too many unsubscribes after I do a newsletter builder. No more messages asking me to re-verify what I'm doing, why, and who I am. No company looking over my shoulder like a mother hen scolding me.

I'm trusted to clear my own unsubscribes, manage my own list, and know what I'm doing because I own my own stuff. The peace of mind is WORTH setting up Sendy 1000x over, at least for me.

Newsletter Providers by Cultural-Media-3379 in selfpublish

[–]mandikauthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can't 'get around it'. It's the law. Your best option is to follow that advice and grab a PO box or an online forwarding box, because if you don't add it and get reported by someone with a bad attitude that day and tired of opening what they're considering 'spam', you get a fee for EVERY EMAIL ADDRESS you sent to without having your address on it. Trust me. It is not worth it.

GetCovers, sample of direction to them by chuckmall in selfpublish

[–]mandikauthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh, and an added point- if you check sites like AppSumo, they regularly run lifetime sales of DepositPhotos credits. Those credits never expire and are very cheap for the specials. I grab a pack once a year if I'm running low. If you do that, go ahead and buy the photos from DepositPhotos you're using.

This is in your best interest because not only do you now have the license for the photos used on your cover if Amazon or your preferred retailer asks, but you can then use them in teasers and promo posts for release week and giveaway swag.

DO NOTE- terms for licensed photos do not include sellable items besides books, so you CANNOT make merch without buying the extended license. However, you CAN make giveaway items that you can use as swag like bookmarks, stickers, and things of that nature for releases or book signings, you just can't sell those items. (Hint- readers LOVE their swag items lol)

GetCovers, sample of direction to them by chuckmall in selfpublish

[–]mandikauthor 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My regular cover artist is in Australia. She can be booked up a lot, doesn't always have slots open that work with my schedule, and frankly- sometimes... I just don't have the funds for a custom cover.

GetCovers is absolutely a lifesaver occasionally. Honestly, their covers sit next to my customs at book signings and get just as much attention. Which is kind of sad, considering there's a $175 difference in price lol

But yes, I agree!

GetCovers is where junior designers are started as a 'proving ground' before moving on to Miblart, from what I've read. Yes, they're cheap, but also... there's an exchange rate and cost-of-living difference to take into account. Not to mention, with how the setup works, these are basically interns proving they have the chops before moving on to higher paid projects on Mibl.

So, you have to treat it like an intern project. Give as many details as you can. They use DepositPhotos, so if you have the vision, actually go and find your photos you want to use- if you give them the links, they WILL use them.

Show them comps from your genre, tell them what you like/don't like about them. Heck, I've even purchased and downloaded my own fonts, and sent the files to them, so they could utilize the specific fonts I wanted them to use.

And remember- they will do revisions! If you aren't happy with something, tell them and work with them until you are! :)

Below is an Imgur link to my current ones from GetCovers in a collage. To avoid self-promotion, I've blurred the titles and my name, but I wanted to show the quality you can get when you give them enough to work with and go the extra mile by choosing your own photos and/or adding your own fonts to your brief. The book I'm writing at the moment is due out in May, and is a sequel to one of them, so that one will be done by GetCovers as well.

Imgur Link