So I’m on a self-publishing journey, y’all. It’s something to do during my off time post-graduation. I’m not hard pressed to become an overnight success, as I am blessed enough to have a stable and well-paying job lined up immediately after graduation. However, like every other person who enjoys writing, if I could make being an author a full-time gig, that would be Gucci. I’ve set my “quit my job” moment to be when I’m making 120% of what I will be making working. Wish me luck as I embark, y’all!
When Worlds Collide was officially published on February 3rd, 2018. With this came several things I wish I knew before I hit that publish button. Here are ten things I learned AFTER publishing.
10 Things I Learned AFTER Self-Publishing
1. Just because you clicked the publish button, doesn’t mean your book is coming out.
Kindle Direct Publishing, which is the medium that I used to self-publish with, is a funny little tool. So I was planning a Friday release date. That way I could use all of Saturday to promote (because I’m a student lol). Research has taught me that Sunday is a particularly good day for readers in my target genre. Naaaaah, Kindle Publishing will be like, “You gon’ wait these 72 hours.” Pressed publish on Thursday night, book wasn’t out until Saturday night. Totally trashed my promo plan!
2. Nobody is gonna buy your book unless they know about it, or about you.
Honestly, sometimes self-publishing in the urban fiction/african-american romance world (it may be like this in genres as well) feels like one big popularity contest. It’s not always about the book. Sometimes it’s about the name attached to the book–be it the author’s or the publisher’s. I don’t tend to dwell on this too hard. The most effective way to rectify this would be to work on getting my name out there. Marketing is exhausting (and expensive if you really want this tea)
3. I will refrain from paying promoters from now on
Not because they don’t do their jobs well. It’s just I hadn’t really anticipated what their jobs actually were. I realized only after shelling out 100+ dollars (I’m a student, remember?) that they’re not blasting your book to some dedicated mailing list. A lot of the ones I’ve encountered are posting your book and summary to Facebook groups. And if you can dedicate 30 minutes in the day, you can honestly do this yourself. I’m not rich enough to pay someone 50-60 dollars for something I can do on my own.
4. Facebook ads are worthless tbh
I shelled out 70 dollars on FB ads, got a ton of clicks, but not many conversions. If you’re going to pay for ads at all (which I don’t recommend unless you have 15+ books, money to throw, or you’re like me and you’re desperate for readers so you don’t care if you’re at a deficit lmao), Amazon ads make the most sense. You’re essentially targeting people who have every intention of buying books anyway. The perfect customer pool. Google about it. Or shoot me an email. You know I don’t have a life.
5. I was messaged by three indie publishers
I was messaged by three publishers. Two of them essentially started their messages with how I was doing everything all wrong and really trying to sell why I need a publisher. The third complimented my work and offered me a contract for x amount of books with x% and was really friendly about it. She approached me with a very “it would be cool if you signed on, but do you, boo” kind of energy, which I really appreciated, and I really am considering signing with her for a future project. The two other publishers who contacted me gave me the impression that they were doing ME a favor. Like, I don’t know how this publishing thing works. The really professional and friendly publishing company was Major Key Publishing, by the way.
6. Expecting overnight success is futile. Stop it.
Even when I said I didn’t expect to become the E.L. James of black romance fiction, a little part of me was definitely like, “lol it would be so cool if it happened, though.” It’s probably (most likely) not going to happen. Write more books. That’s it.
7. Checking that ranking is a compulsion
I am checking like every hour.
8. Typos take a maddeningly long time to fix
Make sure you have an editor because as soon as you find a typo in your book, Kindle Direct Publishing is gonna be like, “You gon’ wait these 72 hours, bihh.”
9. Don’t believe the hype about Facebook
Sometimes getting on Facebook as a new writer feels like being in a screaming match in a room full of people who are just as passionate about getting their voices heard as you are. If you’re confident in your work, get on Goodreads, and start sending copies of your books to avid readers with a lot of friends. You’ll thank me later.
Facebook once you’re established, though, I’ve heard is the GOAT.
10. You gotta keep going
Self-publishing, as I’ve said many times before, is a numbers game. So get your numbers up, boo!