 Hello, hello, writers! I'm Kristin Kiefer, author of fantasy fiction and creative writing resources, and you are listening to the Well-Sturried podcast, where I share insights, encouragement, and actionable advice designed to help you craft sensational novels and build your best writing life. Always in 30 minutes or less, so you can get back to writing, of course. Ready for the show? Let's get talking. Grab a cup of coffee or tea or your beverage of choice and come on in, writers! Today is Tuesday, April 20th, 2021, and we are talking about the three P's of successful self-publishing. If you'd like to read along as you listen in, simply head on over to well-sturried.com slash three. Now let's dive in. Many writers dream of becoming full-time authors. But how exactly do successful self-published authors earn their livings? The answer to this question lies in an entrepreneurial spirit. Turning a creative hobby into a career is a business endeavor. Yet many writers hesitate to think of their books as products, their readers as customers, and book marketing as an essential part of what it means to be a full-time author, which is also why so many self-published writers fail to garner more than just a few occasional sales. That said, there's nothing easy about building a small business from the ground up. Most successful self-published authors spend years cultivating their careers before quitting their day jobs. How do they get to the point where they can write full-time? Let's break down the three P's of successful self-publishing writer. First up, production. If you approach self-publishing with an entrepreneurial spirit, then every book you write is a product that your business sells. The better quality the product, the more success you're likely to find as you develop your career as an author. Though much goes into writing an effective and engaging book, there are two key questions that every writer should ask if they plan to publish for profit. First up, who am I writing for? In other words, who is my ideal reader? And secondly, what does my ideal reader consider to be a great story? Successful authors deliver on reader's expectations, even if that expectation is to expect the unexpected. This is what it means to write for market. You don't have to sell out writing only what's most popular at any given time. You need to understand who your ideal reader is and what they love to read, then deliver the best possible product to that particular slice of the market. Writing for market also doesn't mean sticking to the most formulaic version of your genre. Many readers love books that subvert classic tropes or that blend or expand upon genres. Others love knowing exactly what they're getting into, so write the stories you love, figure out who else would love them, and do everything in your power to ensure that those readers will rave about your books for years to come. Now that you know what to write, let's break down the three key phases of story production. First up, gathering raw materials. Many writers have likened the pre-writing and drafting processes to digging up the marble they'll use to sculpt a masterpiece, and rightfully so. Developing the first version of a story is very much like gathering the raw materials one would use to develop a physical product. The only difference? A writer's raw materials are intangible. With a lively imagination, a strong understanding of the craft, and a decent handle on your personal writing process, you can create the faulty prototype that will be the first draft of your story. Phase number two, product design. A first draft is only the beginning of any successful writer's product design process. With a prototype in hand, it's time to analyze and iron out all the kinks in your manuscript. Are your characters well developed? Does your plot make sense? Is the story as engaging as it can be? These are the types of questions that successful authors ask as they revise and refine their manuscripts for publication. And phase number three, early testing. Your ability to iron out your story's issues is limited by your subjectivity. You're simply too close to your work to understand how others will perceive it. That's why early testing in the form of external feedback is so important. Many self-published writers rely on beta readers to provide casual feedback on their stories. Most also invest in some form of professional editing, such as developmental editing, which is an in-depth story-level critique. A manuscript evaluation, which is a more overarching story-level critique. Line editing, which is feedback on your writing style and prose. Or copy editing, which is correcting errors and inconsistencies in the text. An author who doesn't have first-hand experience with the marginalization or trauma they've portrayed in their story may seek feedback from an experienced sensitivity reader. Others may rely upon technical readers to ensure they've nailed the details of a specific topic. For example, rock climbing or EMS work or Victorian-era fashion, with which the author isn't intimately knowledgeable or experienced. Now let's talk about the second pee of successful self-publishing, presentation. When you've produced a book you're proud to share with the world, it's time to consider how you'll position it on the market. Your goal is to ensure that your ideal readers will be the most likely to buy your book. They're the readers who will leave positive ratings and reviews, eagerly await your next release, and rave about your books to friends and family. To ensure the right readers find your book, consider the following facets of the publication process. First, title and cover design. Most modern readers scroll through online book marketplaces looking for their next great read, and they aren't going to click on a listing, let alone purchase the book, if nothing about the preview peaks their interest. This is why an effective title and cover design are so important. These are the two main elements that readers will see as they shop for books. To encourage readers to click on your book's listing, your story's title and cover design should not only indicate its genre, but the general tone, themes, and or tropes in your story that will appeal to your ideal reader. Number two, the blurb or listing description. With a great title and cover design, there's a good chance that your ideal readers will click on your listing to learn more about your book. To cinch the sale, you'll need to grab their attention with an enticing book blurb. Also known as back cover copy or simply your book's listing description, an effective blurb introduces readers to your book's characters, plot, and story world with just enough detail to entice them to click by and dive in. The third element of your book's presentation is its inside look. Many online marketplaces, such as Amazon, allow readers to preview a portion of a book before purchasing. This inside look can play an important role in encouraging readers to buy your book. While a quick dedication won't be off-putting, stuffing the first few pages of your book with unnecessary front matter will eat into your ability to hook readers with your story's opening chapters. Move your acknowledgements and about the author page to the end of your manuscript and you'll be good to go. Up next we have distribution channels. Where you choose to distribute your book online will directly impact the scope of its presentation, especially as concerns the all-important decision of going wide or staying exclusive. Authors who stay exclusive distribute their work solely through Amazon to take advantage of increased royalty rates. Since most indie authors earn the majority of their income through Amazon, this can be a smart approach. However, staying exclusive also limits the number of readers you can reach and locks you into an exclusive partnership with very few guarantees. Many authors prefer to go wide to reach readers who buy via Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and other popular platforms as well as diversify and secure their income streams. The fifth element of a strong presentation is categories and other metadata. When creating a listing with Amazon KDP or other distribution channels, you'll choose the categories and other metadata that will directly impact where your book appears in the marketplace. And by extension, who it appears to. To ensure your book gets in front of the right readers, check out the guest post I've linked for you in today's episode transcript from Amazon KDP expert Dave Cheson on how to choose effective metadata. And finally, the sixth element of presentation is formats and editions. Some readers love paperbacks. Others prefer ebooks, audiobooks, or large print editions. Presenting your book in multiple formats can help you reach a greater number of readers. Some authors even offer foreign language editions in an effort to maximize their sales and readership, though the cost of creating and commissioning each edition must be taken into account. Finally, let's talk about the third P of successful self-publishing, promotion. The way you position your book in online marketplaces is key to reaching your ideal readers, but a strong book marketing strategy will ultimately help you find success as a self-published author. Every successful indie author markets their work in their own way. The strategies that help a thriller writer sell more books may not help a romance writer. Just as certain methods will work better for introverts rather than extroverts or those with larger budgets rather than a smaller one. Regardless of where you stand, let's take a look at some of the most common ways that successful indie authors grow their readerships, market their books, and rake in sustainable sales. First up, the author website. An author's website is their online hub, the place that interested readers can visit to learn everything they need to know about who you are, what you write, and where they can buy your books online. Most authors also use their websites to host a blog or an email list that allows readers to share in their journey and gain access to exclusive perks, such as sneak peaks of upcoming releases and discounts on published books. The second way that authors promote their books, newsletters. No one signs up for more email unless they're genuinely excited for what they'll receive, which makes an email list and author's direct line to their biggest fans. Many authors use automated email sequences to introduce new subscribers to their work. Most also send occasional newsletters, typically once or twice a month, to cultivate a strong relationship with their ideal readers. An author's newsletter may contain a sneak peak or update on their latest work in progress, information about upcoming interviews, author events or book launches, and exclusive sales or content. Up next we have social media. Readers like to buy books from authors they know and love. With social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram proving such powerful tools for connection, it's no wonder many authors benefit from using social media to engage with their readers. Readers are also more likely to buy books they feel familiar with. There's a reason hyped books sell, after all. Repeated exposure on social media can encourage readers to give a book a chance. If you aren't sure what to post as an author on social media, then check out some of the great ideas from Book Marketing Pro, Jen DePaula, that I've linked for you in today's episode transcript. The fourth way that an author can promote their book is through ads. Many authors successfully grow their reach and their sales by running paid ads on sites like Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, and Bookbub. You can find my step-by-step guide to setting up your first Amazon ad over on author Christina K's Write Your Best Book blog, which I've also linked for you in today's episode transcript. Up next, number five, we have events. Many self-published authors enjoy engaging with readers by participating in both in-person and online author events, such as podcast interviews, Instagram live chats, launch party webinars, and book signings at local venues. Number six, we have permafree stories. Authors can use permafree, that is permanently free stories, as book marketing tools in several ways. Many authors incentivize readers to sign up for their email lists by offering a free exclusive short story or novella. Another neat strategy? Some authors make the first installment in their book series permanently free as a way to hook readers into the series as a whole, theoretically increasing their sales and revenue. And finally, number seven, we have a strong backlist. One of an author's most underrated marketing tools is their backlist, that is, their range of published books available for sale. A backlist of numerous well-rated books lends an author credibility among potential readers. In fact, a strong backlist is so valuable that many self-published authors revise, retitle, and or commission new covers for their early books to ensure their catalog is as credible as can be. Between production, presentation, and promotion, there's a lot to consider when striving to find success as a self-published author. Admittedly, it can be a bit overwhelming. That's why I like to think of perseverance as an essential fourth addition to this list. If you're willing to treat publishing like a business, putting in the hard work to produce, present, and promote your stories to the best of your ability, then there's very little standing between you and the possibility of earning a living as an author. So tell me, writer, what are you waiting for? Thank you for listening to today's episode of The Podcast Writer. I hope you found it helpful to your writing journey. If so, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a new episode, and to give the podcast a quick rating or review. Doing so goes a long way toward helping the podcast reach new writers and lets me know that you're enjoying what I'm creating. You can also give me a shout out directly on Instagram at christen underscore keeper. For additional guidance as you work to craft sensational novels and build your best writing life, be sure to head on over to www.well-storied.com where I share blog posts, workbooks, e-courses, and other helpful resources for writers. Again, that's www.well-storied.com. Thank you again for tuning into today's episode, my friend. Until next time, happy writing!