So about next week's video on what publishers pay workers...it's gonna take a bit longer. :/ After editing this video, I realized I'm constantly underestimating how long these sort of deep dives are going to take me. But the next installment will be coming sometime in June, I promise!
I've been self publishing for a couple of years now... hands down, best decision I've ever made. KU makes up the majority of my income, easily. I think it's important to mention that if your book is enrolled in KU, it's simply the eBook version... you can still sell physical books in other stores (IngramSpark, etc). I didn't hear that mentioned in your video (sorry if I missed it!) so wanted to provide that detail. As an indie, I have control over my business (for the MOST part, and I'll get to that...) I control my cover design. I control my editing process. I control my writing. I control my schedule. I control my marketing. It's a LOT of work... but man, it can be so rewarding. The scariest part of it though, is that I am still on Amazon's leash... if KU were to be axed, or when they change their algorithm's, it potentially means I have to pivot my entire business. Putting all my eggs in one basket isn't the best idea... but I have plans to address that as well, in the next year or so... Audio books, inventory, moving some books to wide, etc. Love your videos and hearing about the traditional side of everything! Thank you for all the insight.
Thank you so much for all of this, Rachel! That is a GREAT point about physical books - I should have clarified that the exclusivity only applies to ebooks. It really does sound so rewarding, and the entrepreneurial side of it is extremely appealing to me. But that is a great point about kind of being at the mercy of Amazon, and your strategy sounds really smart. I suppose in a lot of ways, it's like building a UA-cam channel. Advice I hear often is that our channels are "castles built on rented land" - meaning any moment, youtube could change everything, the algorithm, monetization, etc. So it's best to think of this as an arm, not the whole body, of whatever we're trying to build.
I agree with everything you say here. I love being an indie publisher. These are the good points, and for me it was also great to know I could try other venues for my ebooks when numbers went down. :)
Self-published author here! I'm about to publish my second book, so I'm not exactly an expert by any means, but from my experience so far, self-publishing isn't a walk in the park either. I'm working more than a traditionally published author might (about 20 hours a week), for a slower-built career which I am paying for, and I have to be extra cautious of "programs" like KU, which exist purely to rip off newer self-published authors. However, this is the only way I'd be able to be an author, as my current series is dystopian, and literally everyone knows how dried up THAT book market is. So there's some gives and takes. Ultimately, if anyone wants to publish a book, my suggestion is to try to go the traditional publishing route unless: 1. You're extremely business savvy 2. You like to write dead genres (like me) 3. You plan to take self-publishing with the utmost seriousness 4. The traditional market deteriorates even more making it unworkable. The reason why I say this is because, if you're not going to take the self-published market seriously, or you're just jumping in it to avoid traditional publishing, chances are you won't find the success you're seeking because you're not prepared for it. And if you're not prepared for it, all you do is fan the flames of the fire that tells all self-published authors that their stories are garbage and unpolished, which is a myth that authors like myself have been working hard to dismiss. Make sure to do your research, to hire editors, to edit thoroughly, to pay cover artists, to get your book formatted properly, and to take care of yourself. We're always happy and welcome for new authors, but don't just join us because you're afraid of hard work from traditional publishing. It's even harder work on this side of the stream!
Thank you so much for all of this, Everest! You make some really great points. I can definitely see how it's easy to get caught up and frustration with trad pub and the gatekeepers and think it's easier to do it on your own - but that is very much not the case, as you said. Writing and publishing a book is hard, period.
This is so true and I'm not a full-time writer (I still have a day job). Still, I spend the majority of my free time writing. I've self-pub two of three books in a trilogy I'm working on through Amazon, and for all its 'stuff', I'm glad Amazon is around so us self-pub writers can get our work out to the public. Now, if only to be seen amongst thousands of other writers. lol Self-publishing is a ton of work. Even though I write paranormal romance/urban fantasy, KU is not an option for me. "Do it for the exposure" my ass. lol Marketing is where I'm clueless; I know that it's more work to do, but it's funny how many trad-published authors have to do a lot of their own marketing as well... why? Did publishing houses totally get rid of their marketing/publicity departments? Even with all of the extra work, at this stage in my writing, I prefer the self-pub route; querying would be a waste of time. In any case... HAPPY WRITING!
As a content creator I can only imagine how long it takes to research, script, film, and then edit these deep dives, but I’m so grateful you do it. I love you for this and appreciate it. I hate to say keep it coming, but keep it coming. Also, occasionally I regret quitting drinking while watching this series. But I’m staying on the trad pub path for the same reasons you list. 😬
Thanks so much, Barrett! And don't worry, the vids are absolutely gonna keep coming. :) I really love doing this. It's so fun to have a creative outlet that isn't writing for a change lol. (Also sorry for making miss drinking! 😂)
There are a lot of self-published authors who don't treat it like a business. That would account for a low median income. I say this as a writer who has self-published several books and hit the Amazon bestseller lists: there are people who are happy publishing as a hobby and people who don't know what they're doing as well as those who write and publish full-time. However, a 5-15k advance over three years for giving up control isn't a living wage either. The median pay of authors trying and failing to publish traditionally is zero. I think lit fic, memoir, and children's books stand better chances with trad pub. Almost every other genre can surpass 5k/book over 3 years. By a lot.
The economics of trad publishing is pretty dire. The only way you are going to make any type of decent money with that path is by selling hundreds of thousands of books. If your publisher is selling your book for $10, you are getting well under $1 per book and that’s before taxes.
Thank you for this video. I’ve been debating trying to do traditional vs self publishing (as kdp now offers paperback and hardcover though at lower royalties than digital) and as someone who wants physical books I knew I would never make a living off books alone. But I would LOVE to be able to find a way to get a book out every 10months to start with.
Great video. Super interesting. Now, these are my thoughts: Making a living as an author has been quite hard from the very beginning of books. First, the Editorials were abusive and wanted to control the artists, now is Amazon. Same dog, different collar. The issue is still the same: Art becoming Business. Now, the self-publishing as I understand it doesn't need to be related to Amazon. You can sell your e-books from your own website and take all the money. My idea was to publish my first book with Amazon: e-book and paperback. Then, If I get people who like my book I can build a fan-base (so to speak) and call them to my website. Then I will sell my e-book from there and the paperback from Amazon, linked through my website. I think It could work. There is an idea: Why a bunch of authors don't create a website for YA books (for example)? Build all together a fanbase interested on that genre (I know is not a genre but i don't know how to call it) Sell your books from there. Whoever sell the book keeps the money. Just need to keep a cut for website design and maintenance. I think is a way to go. That is what I call self-publishing. I do apologise if mistakes were committed XD. English is not my language. Adios, amigos.
Really interesting thoughts! I agree, self-published authors don't need to use Amazon - but it does seem to me that it's the way many if not most choose to go because so many readers find their books there (in a lot of cases, exclusively). As you said, you might use it to draw readers to your website. I'd be curious to hear how that goes. Same for a group of authors building a website. I think it really just comes down to marketing and being able to actually attract enough readers to the site to make it profitable. People enjoy the convenience of Amazon, one click and it's on your Kindle. They don't necessarily want a PDF or another format.
Cross-genre can be challenging in terms of finding an audience for sure. But I think they have the greatest potential for breakout success if they manage to bring in readers of both genres!
My experiences with Kindle Unlimited is that it brings in the majority of my ebook money. Like a 60/40 split from page reads vs. purchases. I don't mind the exclusivity for ebooks on Amazon's platform, because none of the other vendors can really compete with KU in my genre. I've been a full time author since 2014.
Most of the authors I’ve seen post about their KU experience tell a similar tale: anywhere from a third to half of their royalties come from KU. I’ve been closer to the 50% mark myself. With Amazon controlling over 80% of the eBook market, walking away from those KU sales to go after the remaining eBook markets is usually a losing proposition.
@@JWGolan Exactly. To cut KU out of the picture, I'd immediately lose half or more of my ebook income. When I was trying to sell wide with apple, kobo, nook etc. I only made about 5% of what I would have if I had left those books in KU. I almost tanked my self pub career with the experiment of going wide. I went back into KU and haven't looked back since.
Hi Michelle, I usually never comment but I had to say thank you for all of the great content you create! Your videos are so entertaining and even when you cover the mounting issues in publishing I still get a laugh from your humor. Your storytelling skills really do shine through. I always get excited when I see one of your videos in my feed. As an aspiring author and college undergrad without experience in the industry I appreciate your insights!
Oh wow, thank you so much, Ariana!! I really appreciate that! If you ever have any other questions or topics you'd like me to cover, just let me know! :)
Great video, Michelle! Im really LOVING this series because its tough info to digest but Im glad Im aware so I know how to be proactive. I appreciate the Kindle Unlimited portion because Ive struggled in the past to grasp that concept (especially as an international author whose royalties would need to be converted from USD to TTD to view profit margins). Thanks for that, it helped. I actually considered self pub back in the day but after I took the time to understand CreateSpace, it became obsolete and IngramSpark was a lil more technical so I decided to focus on WRITING the book and I'd figure out my pub options once I'd edited it to my outmost capacity. I loved seeing your entire book repertoire and completely agree with what you said about the level of editing, designing, proofreading detail couldnt be achieved via self pub route (its one of the trad pub appeals for me). But I fear that if privilege is a necessary ingredient for success or at least breaking even, Ive failed before I even started. This whole monopsony thing saddens me the most as the readers will be the ones suffering the most (and they dont know it). And on one hand, creativity should always be financially rewarded but on the other, the rich will get richer and poor get poorer because monopsonies intervene cherry picking whats gonna be visible to the masses and its not always the best imho. Ive had this personal postulate that no matter how hard I work, I'll never be rewarded in equal amount to my efforts. This just confirmed it for me.
Thanks so much, Sio!! I agree, it's best to write the book first...but it never hurts to learn about this stuff early on, either. You're absolutely right about readers suffering the most and not realizing it - mostly because right now, cheap is good! It's helpful to a lot of people who are struggling financially. But eventually we'll get to a point where the number of quality books to choose from will diminish and there won't be much left that anyone wants to spend money on in the first place. Ugh, that postulate makes me sad. But I understand why you feel that way. It's all incredibly unfair, no two ways about it.
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor Thanks, I will def do research on editing options as I write because trad pub & self pub will continue to evolve & change & success (even the moderate kind) will apply to those who can easily adapt & navigate those changes. You are my fave Authortuber! Love your transparency :-)
Thanks for sharing. There were a few take aways that stood out in my mind. The first is that every author should be doing their own market research. As you suggested, there are a few markets which are the predominant niches for eBook authors: romance, science fiction, and fantasy. If you’re not writing in one of those niches, then you’re unlikely to reach your audience through self-publishing on Amazon. My first book, which was a non-fiction, historical text, needed an established publisher in that genre to reach my audience. I knew that going in, and I knew which publishers to reach out to. Self publishing was never really an option for that book.
I have been a self-published author for a year now. I have two books out and have learned a lot about the industry. I went self-published because as a dyslexic author I had zero confidence that I could break into the traditional path with all the gatekeepers. I have tried KU and it killed my sales dead. I far prefer wide. (Kobo, in particular, has been strong for me.) I had to make my first book free to ‘hook’ readers into my series and am only now starting to get traction. My third book is due out in the autumn and then I hope to make some profit with multiple books to offer. I have also spent many hours learning how to market. It takes a lot of commitment and that is time you could be writing. I have seen several authors that published at the same time as myself give up. They feel ignored, let down and disenchanted with the whole process. Everyone dreams of writing for a living, but I don’t think it will ever be possible for me until I have twenty or so books under my belt and that is a huge investment when you pay for everything from editors to cover artists. I love the freedom that self-publishing has given me to express my art, but I have also had to accept my art has little value. I work and have a family so I can’t give up the time to treat my art as a business. Another great vid, thanks for your hard work.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Anna! I'm sorry KU didn't work for you - but it's awesome that you've found the platform and process that does work. And congrats on the upcoming third book!! You're absolutely right about it being a huge investment, and it's easy to see why so many authors give up early on.
The thing is, yeah, Amazon will have some control over your book if you self publish through them, especially if you choose to enroll in Kindle Select. But that's still not even close to the amount of control a traditional publisher has over your book. So it seems kind of silly to me for anyone to tally "lack of control over your book" anywhere near the self publishing column.
Absolutely. It's not even close to the same. I'm not sure if Lacey was trying to compare it to trad pub necessarily, more just saying that she and other authors don't want to be "exclusive" with any retailer.
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor yeah, that makes sense. Personally I have chosen to be in KU, but I can see why people choose not to. And it is true, from what I've heard, that KU audiences are totally different than wide. It seems like it's difficult to change your mind later on whether to do KU or not, because if you switch, you're having to basically start over with building an audience.
It's so important for authors of either path to do their research so they can know what they are getting into and what their rights are. I am pursuing trad pub because of several of the reasons you touched on. I write across different categories including middle grade, literary, and fantasy. And the fantasy I do write isn't what does well on Amazon (epic and low to no romance). Also, I'm broke lol. Even if I don't get any marketing, the services that a publishing house provide is far more than I could accomplish on my own. I think it's important that people realize that self pub should not be propped up as a golden solution for writers. For the people it works for, it works reaaaally well. But most self pub authors are working even harder than trad published authors with none of institutional support that comes from having an entire team of people invested in your book.
100% yes to all of this. It IS a great alternative to trad pub - but too often, it's often talked about as if it's easy or simple when in reality it's neither.
Man oh man! You work hard, Michelle! What a lot of research you do. Consequently, your content is always of excellent quality. Thank you! That said, I believe Amazon has done more to level the playing field in the publishing industry than any other company in history. Absolutely anyone can now connect with their audience, however small, via Amazon. Never before in the history of communication has that been the case. Someone has always dictated to us what we will read and watch. And throughout time so much of it, regardless of all the professionals involved, has been tripe. These days, there's no excuse not to be published, if that's what you want. There are so many, many free resources available to help people learn about writing and publishing. Amazon itself offers super resources, including excellent interviews with self-published authors who are willing to lend a hand. Overall, the indie community very supportive. There is nothing privileged about today's indie book industry. This is not vanity publishing. No one need shell out thousands of dollars to get boxes of shoddily printed books to hawk door to door. With just a computer, (and they're available at public libraries), anyone can write and publish a book for free. Yes, it takes some work to hunt down free resources. But they're out there. Everything from learning the art and craft of writing to free cover designs and editing and marketing advice is available at the touch of a button. Literally! Regarding making a living as a writer, that's always been a tough proposition. Balzac, who came from a wealthy family, wanted to be a writer; his parents wanted him to be a lawyer, "because writers are poor." But he was determined. So, they told him to go and live a pauper's life writing in a garrett in Paris for two years. If he still wanted to be a writer he would have their blessing. The rest, of course, is history. I don't need to tell you that making a living from writing is hard, hard work. You've got to hustle all the time. You've got to reach out and make connections. You've got to reinvent yourself over and over again. Almost no one who has made a living writing did it by writing only what they wanted to write. When it comes to publishing, traditional or independent, you've got to be an a very big fish indeed before that's not the case. I just want to make it crystal clear that if you want to be a publlished writer, you can be, regardless of your history or circumstances. All it takes is a clear vision of what you want to accomplish, dedication to the craft, and a willingness to put your nose to the grindstone. It won't happen without hard work, and even then it probably won't happen the way you want it to. What in life ever does? The beauty is in the serendipitous nature of the beast. Somehow, when we work as hard as we dream beautiful things happen. Sorry, if I've outstayed my welcome. That was a long response to your video. But I find your commentary really stimulates me to write. :D And now that I'm all fired up, I am off to write the second novellette in the My Country Cousins series. I've been sending it to folks I've connected with via Instagram, (I've figured out how to really enjoy that platform), and I'm getting useful feedback. Quinn and I are aiming to publish Journey to Juniper Junction on Amazon in July. Haven't decided yet if we'll release it through Kindle Unlimited. My understanding is that the primary reason for debuting with Kindle Unlimited is to garner reviews. Once you have reviews, you then remove it from Kindle Unlimited after the requisite 90 days. So much yet to learn! I love it. Happy writing, Michelle. And thanks, again, for all that you give to the on-line writing community. You're among those who aspiring writers can really count on in cyberspace. :)
Thanks so much, Heather! It's funny, what you said about Amazon leveling the playing field made me realize how similar it is to UA-cam, in that this platform has allowed anyone to have a "show," and given all of us infinitely more content to choose from outside of network TV and Hollywood. (Of course youtube, like Amazon, also has its issues!!) "Nose to the grindstone" is pretty much required regardless of how one chooses to get published - couldn't agree more with you on that! That's really interesting about KU and reviews. This is what I think Andrew meant about successful self-pubbed authors being "Amazon experts" - they get how the system works and use it to their maximum advantage. It's really cool! July launch!!! So soon - that's so exciting! :D
This was a great discussion, thank you for bringing it up. It's very upsetting that things are heading this way and I hope that it gets put right at some point soon.
Hey just to clarify, self-publishing is not automatically synonymous with Amazon or KU. If you don’t already, check out Sarra Cannon’s Heart Breathings UA-cam channel and blog. She supports her family very nicely with wide-published work. Also lots of smart people in the Facebook group Wide for the Win. The one thing you can say for sure is that doing well with independent publishing means a lot of WORK on the authors’ part that goes way beyond writing. I’m pursuing traditional publishing (insert hysterical laughter followed by whimpering) because I want my career to be writing, not writing and marketing and analytics and advertising and publishing strategy. BUT an independently-published work is also better than no published work at all. So it could all come back to indie for me in the end. Argh. ps: really enjoy your content, thanks for being real about publishing
Thanks so much for the recs!! Yeah, I really wish I'd clarified that more in the video - self-pubbing isn't synonymous with Amazon, nor is trad pub synonymous with the Big 5. But both are so dominant that I really just wanted to focus on them. (And hey, thank you so much for watching!! :)
I love and hate Amazon. I love that authors can self publish so easily with them, but hate their business practices. I don't buy books from Amazom unless the author published exclusively with them. I do sell notebooks on there that I design and will be self publishing publishing Novella with them...I just wish they treated their employees better and stopped the price setting. Apparently Washington is suing Amazon for making it so creators can't put lower prices on their goods outside of Amazon.
yup, I get that. It's hard for me to praise them for creating new opportunities for self-publishing - even though they have - because they're such a massive reason traditional publishing is struggling and the midlist is dying. I try to buy from indies or B&N whenever possible, unless (as you said) it's only on Amazon. The devaluing is screwing all authors though, doesn't matter which path we're on!
Next week's conversation is going to be interesting. As an undergrad actively pursuing a career in publishing the massive hurdles to breaking into the publishing industry are infuriating. Not to mention how overworked and underpaid most staff is.
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor I would LOVE an editorial job but those positions are competitive as heck. I'd be content working most departments. Production sounds like fun.
Another impressive and informative video! I spent 3 months taking all my titles OFF KU so I could publish elsewhere beyond Amazon. I did so because over the last 2 or 3 years, my earnings from KU (and from sales) fizzled nearly out of existence. Because I kept my own spreadsheets of sales and earnings for my titles, I know that Amazon downsized page counts for books so fewer "pages read" could be earned. It felt like they decided to count pages based on the smallest possible Kindle font, instead of on the middle font or most used font chosen by readers. I figured if it was going to fizzle, why stay? I'm very grateful for the opportunity to get my books out to readers (because I want people to read and love my books!), but I am not going back to the "exclusive" model again. *shrug* My romance series did great for five years or so, but the slide downhill for compensation appeared to be unstoppable, so I decided to leave KU. Addressing just one of the main points of your video, but one I have strong feelings about.
Thank you so much, Regina! And wow - I really appreciate this insight. That is kind of wild about the page counts/fonts...wtf?? I can't blame you for not wanting to go the exclusive model. I hear a lot of authors say they don't want trad pub because you're signing the rights of the book over to the publisher - a very fair point - but this is...well, not the same thing, but it treads pretty close, imo. Just in terms of authorial control. At any rate, thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience on this! I found it interesting that Lacey, for all the downsides of KU she mentioned, ended up saying she wished she'd done it sooner. Every experience is different, I suppose!
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor I don't recall exactly if you said when Lacey joined KU, but in my experience the best years were 2015-2017. My series caught hold at the end of 2013 (after almost 3 years of publishing) and sales grew through 2016 (my best year) then still good in 2017. The decline began slowly after that and I withdrew from KU at the end of 2020. Things change there quite often so I felt lucky about my timing.
@@j.s.elliot7121 That conclusion came from checking the number of pages they listed for my books when first published against the number of pages listed on descriptions a few years later. I can't be certain they used the font trick; it just seemed the easiest way to affect "page count."
Either way, it's still pretty insidious and only reinforces that saying "corporations are not your friend." Be they Amazon or, unfortunately, publishers deflating your sales numbers or failing to pay royalties.
I branched out into Ingram Spark in 2017, and have had 4 years of sinking off the cliff into the Mariana Trench of visibility. My former efforts online and on Amazon boosted me exactly nil. Hence my decision to query instead this year... have you investigated the non-Amazon alternative at all in your researches? I'd love to talk about those 'opportunities' with you 😂🤗
I haven't, and I really want to! I would love to hear about others' experience self-publishing outside of Amazon. They're just so dominant in the ebook space, I'm not sure how one would find success elsewhere - but I very much want to hear those success stories if they're out there!
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor I can't give you a success story, but at least a glimpse at what Ingram has tried to offer to counter the Zon, and the mysteries of the 'Extended Distribution' debacle...
I love all of your deep dive videos about the book industry and love how respectful you talked about self publishing. 2020 certainly put a spotlight on how underpaid most people are in a lot of different industries.
I'm self published and I dont make enough to live on, but its my only job and my income is made up of other things, so in that way I am privileged to be able to self pub, but all in all I agree with this video, I tried KU didn't work for me, and still trying to get out of the hole it created.
KU v. 3/4 is a scourge upon authors. I would be "okay" with it IF it didn't require exclusivity for all indies and smaller presses. That said, there is money outside of KU. Some authors are always wide. Some authors switch from KU to wide 3 months after a book release.
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor yes, the initial KU contract is a 90-day one that auto-renews, so after books fall out of the new release buzz, some authors cancel the KU renewal.
All that stuff your publishers have done for you and your books, that is the one set of things that keep me thinking "okay, but what if I gave traditional publishing a shot?". Because it is invaluable. That said, there are also a lot of things that make me hesitant. The most trivial: book covers. Because I know it will either be a cover that chases a trend (like I perusal of YA books gives you many copycat covers, like the trend that I think Hunger games set with the circle/symbol on the cover, which worked for it because the mockingjay pin was actually a key part in the story. But all the ones that followed seemed to be some random thing slapped onto the cover because "it looks cool". Or crowns on covers, or girls in ballgowns....I'm sure you get the idea....which I may or may not have said before) I don't want my book cover to be a chased cliche that will more likely make readers roll their eyes as they pass by than pick it up and read it. But I also don't want the characters to be misrepresented in looks and style. (I have a concrete image of what they all look like because I've drawn them for years) But most of all, and most important, is that in "making my book better" the editor/publisher might think my neurodivergent style of thinking and narration is too odd for their handful of neurotypical readers, and I don't want them to force me to rewrite my story to fit neurotypical minds when both me and my characters are neurodivergent, as may be what I hope to be my intended reader base. I dunno. I may have said all this before. Anyway, thank you for your research into Amazon publishing. I hadn't felt right when researching them about their whole "not allowed to be published or distributed via any other platform" when you sign with them. Which is why I've been looking into other self-publishing sites, like Smashwords. But just as research. (Because, who knows, by the time I'm actually ready to publish, Amazon may have bought them out because they seem to me to be a good contender.) Thank you for another video, and thank you for all the time you take to research these things for us. It's definitely info we need to stay well informed as we think about which publishing path to take. Good luck on your writing, and I hope your week goes well. 💜
It's true that authors don't often get a say in their covers. I did have one publisher that went back to the drawing board completely based on my feedback on the first cover, and I was thrilled with the next version. In other cases, I've pointed out some problems (the biggest being a book where I felt the cover was too light-hearted considering the darkness of the story) and my concerns were ignored. It's definitely part of the risk. But about your editorial concerns - I can't say that's never happened (I'm sure it has!) but it's not an editor's job to change your writing in that way. It's their job to help you make it as good as it can possibly be. So it's a matter of finding the right editor who gets you and your book! They're out there! Just this weekend, I read The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune, which features a neurodivergent protagonist. I loved it and the author (and editor) did not shy away from it or try to make the neurotypical reader feel more comfortable, in my opinion at least. Thanks for watching, K! I hope you have a great weekend too!
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor that makes me feel less worried, the editor part. But do publishing houses allow you to shop around for editors, or are you supposed to go with whoever's in house? Also, yay book recommendation! Just ordered it (from library) and the blurb sounds neat. The only other neurodivergent author/book I've read (that I know of) is Corinne Duyvis' "On the Edge of Gone".
@@kanashiiookami6537 Your agent would submit to a specific editor - although it's not unheard of for an editor to pass a manuscript over to another editor who might be a better fit. Ooh tell me what you think of The Extraordinaries! I hope you enjoy it!
I read self-publishing is attractive to women over 50. That’s me. Will I be alive when a traditional publishing house gets around to deciding to publish me?
Although my goal is trad publishing, I highly recommend listening to the Am Writing Fantasy Podcast hosted by Autumn Birt and Jesper Schmidt. They offer tons of tips and inside information about self publishing with a focus on the fantasy genre.
Re: Vocal artists for audiobooks What immediately comes to mind is the absolute travesty of Amazon not buying the rights to R.C. Bray's voice acting for The Martian. I love Wil Wheaton, but neither he nor anyone else, in my opinion, can measure up to the experience of R.C. Bray acting out The Martian. It's like watching a better version of the movie--in your head. Point being this: While indie authors probably can't afford an R.C. Bray-level voice actor, they *can* choose their own outside of ACX and keep the audiobook as-is forever.
So about next week's video on what publishers pay workers...it's gonna take a bit longer. :/ After editing this video, I realized I'm constantly underestimating how long these sort of deep dives are going to take me. But the next installment will be coming sometime in June, I promise!
I've been self publishing for a couple of years now... hands down, best decision I've ever made.
KU makes up the majority of my income, easily. I think it's important to mention that if your book is enrolled in KU, it's simply the eBook version... you can still sell physical books in other stores (IngramSpark, etc). I didn't hear that mentioned in your video (sorry if I missed it!) so wanted to provide that detail.
As an indie, I have control over my business (for the MOST part, and I'll get to that...) I control my cover design. I control my editing process. I control my writing. I control my schedule. I control my marketing. It's a LOT of work... but man, it can be so rewarding. The scariest part of it though, is that I am still on Amazon's leash... if KU were to be axed, or when they change their algorithm's, it potentially means I have to pivot my entire business. Putting all my eggs in one basket isn't the best idea... but I have plans to address that as well, in the next year or so... Audio books, inventory, moving some books to wide, etc.
Love your videos and hearing about the traditional side of everything! Thank you for all the insight.
Thank you so much for all of this, Rachel! That is a GREAT point about physical books - I should have clarified that the exclusivity only applies to ebooks.
It really does sound so rewarding, and the entrepreneurial side of it is extremely appealing to me. But that is a great point about kind of being at the mercy of Amazon, and your strategy sounds really smart. I suppose in a lot of ways, it's like building a UA-cam channel. Advice I hear often is that our channels are "castles built on rented land" - meaning any moment, youtube could change everything, the algorithm, monetization, etc. So it's best to think of this as an arm, not the whole body, of whatever we're trying to build.
I agree with everything you say here. I love being an indie publisher. These are the good points, and for me it was also great to know I could try other venues for my ebooks when numbers went down. :)
I love the way you use familiar characters. Dwight, Niles and Frazier. I just wanted to toss that out there. Cool technique.
Self-published author here! I'm about to publish my second book, so I'm not exactly an expert by any means, but from my experience so far, self-publishing isn't a walk in the park either. I'm working more than a traditionally published author might (about 20 hours a week), for a slower-built career which I am paying for, and I have to be extra cautious of "programs" like KU, which exist purely to rip off newer self-published authors. However, this is the only way I'd be able to be an author, as my current series is dystopian, and literally everyone knows how dried up THAT book market is. So there's some gives and takes.
Ultimately, if anyone wants to publish a book, my suggestion is to try to go the traditional publishing route unless:
1. You're extremely business savvy
2. You like to write dead genres (like me)
3. You plan to take self-publishing with the utmost seriousness
4. The traditional market deteriorates even more making it unworkable.
The reason why I say this is because, if you're not going to take the self-published market seriously, or you're just jumping in it to avoid traditional publishing, chances are you won't find the success you're seeking because you're not prepared for it. And if you're not prepared for it, all you do is fan the flames of the fire that tells all self-published authors that their stories are garbage and unpolished, which is a myth that authors like myself have been working hard to dismiss. Make sure to do your research, to hire editors, to edit thoroughly, to pay cover artists, to get your book formatted properly, and to take care of yourself.
We're always happy and welcome for new authors, but don't just join us because you're afraid of hard work from traditional publishing. It's even harder work on this side of the stream!
Thank you so much for all of this, Everest! You make some really great points. I can definitely see how it's easy to get caught up and frustration with trad pub and the gatekeepers and think it's easier to do it on your own - but that is very much not the case, as you said. Writing and publishing a book is hard, period.
This is so true and I'm not a full-time writer (I still have a day job). Still, I spend the majority of my free time writing. I've self-pub two of three books in a trilogy I'm working on through Amazon, and for all its 'stuff', I'm glad Amazon is around so us self-pub writers can get our work out to the public. Now, if only to be seen amongst thousands of other writers. lol
Self-publishing is a ton of work. Even though I write paranormal romance/urban fantasy, KU is not an option for me. "Do it for the exposure" my ass. lol
Marketing is where I'm clueless; I know that it's more work to do, but it's funny how many trad-published authors have to do a lot of their own marketing as well... why? Did publishing houses totally get rid of their marketing/publicity departments?
Even with all of the extra work, at this stage in my writing, I prefer the self-pub route; querying would be a waste of time.
In any case... HAPPY WRITING!
As a content creator I can only imagine how long it takes to research, script, film, and then edit these deep dives, but I’m so grateful you do it.
I love you for this and appreciate it. I hate to say keep it coming, but keep it coming.
Also, occasionally I regret quitting drinking while watching this series. But I’m staying on the trad pub path for the same reasons you list. 😬
Thanks so much, Barrett! And don't worry, the vids are absolutely gonna keep coming. :) I really love doing this. It's so fun to have a creative outlet that isn't writing for a change lol. (Also sorry for making miss drinking! 😂)
There are a lot of self-published authors who don't treat it like a business. That would account for a low median income. I say this as a writer who has self-published several books and hit the Amazon bestseller lists: there are people who are happy publishing as a hobby and people who don't know what they're doing as well as those who write and publish full-time.
However, a 5-15k advance over three years for giving up control isn't a living wage either.
The median pay of authors trying and failing to publish traditionally is zero.
I think lit fic, memoir, and children's books stand better chances with trad pub. Almost every other genre can surpass 5k/book over 3 years. By a lot.
Absolutely agree with everything you said. It's really complicated and so much depends on the individual author and book.
The economics of trad publishing is pretty dire. The only way you are going to make any type of decent money with that path is by selling hundreds of thousands of books. If your publisher is selling your book for $10, you are getting well under $1 per book and that’s before taxes.
Thank you for this video. I’ve been debating trying to do traditional vs self publishing (as kdp now offers paperback and hardcover though at lower royalties than digital) and as someone who wants physical books I knew I would never make a living off books alone. But I would LOVE to be able to find a way to get a book out every 10months to start with.
Great video. Super interesting. Now, these are my thoughts:
Making a living as an author has been quite hard from the very beginning of books.
First, the Editorials were abusive and wanted to control the artists, now is Amazon.
Same dog, different collar.
The issue is still the same: Art becoming Business.
Now, the self-publishing as I understand it doesn't need to be related to Amazon.
You can sell your e-books from your own website and take all the money.
My idea was to publish my first book with Amazon: e-book and paperback. Then, If I get people who like my book I can build a fan-base (so to speak) and call them to my website. Then I will sell my e-book from there and the paperback from Amazon, linked through my website.
I think It could work.
There is an idea:
Why a bunch of authors don't create a website for YA books (for example)?
Build all together a fanbase interested on that genre (I know is not a genre but i don't know how to call it)
Sell your books from there.
Whoever sell the book keeps the money. Just need to keep a cut for website design and maintenance.
I think is a way to go.
That is what I call self-publishing.
I do apologise if mistakes were committed XD.
English is not my language.
Adios, amigos.
Really interesting thoughts! I agree, self-published authors don't need to use Amazon - but it does seem to me that it's the way many if not most choose to go because so many readers find their books there (in a lot of cases, exclusively). As you said, you might use it to draw readers to your website. I'd be curious to hear how that goes. Same for a group of authors building a website. I think it really just comes down to marketing and being able to actually attract enough readers to the site to make it profitable. People enjoy the convenience of Amazon, one click and it's on your Kindle. They don't necessarily want a PDF or another format.
Same dog, different collar. I love that!
@@heathermacdonald6404 Same here! Very well put.
And here I am writing a literary sci-fi...I'm always in between categories dammit.
...I'll keep querying.
Great video, thank you.
Cross-genre can be challenging in terms of finding an audience for sure. But I think they have the greatest potential for breakout success if they manage to bring in readers of both genres!
My experiences with Kindle Unlimited is that it brings in the majority of my ebook money. Like a 60/40 split from page reads vs. purchases. I don't mind the exclusivity for ebooks on Amazon's platform, because none of the other vendors can really compete with KU in my genre. I've been a full time author since 2014.
That makes sense! Thank you for sharing! I can definitely see the advantages to KU.
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor Not a problemo! Love your videos!
@@BoydCravenIII aw thank you!! :)
Most of the authors I’ve seen post about their KU experience tell a similar tale: anywhere from a third to half of their royalties come from KU. I’ve been closer to the 50% mark myself.
With Amazon controlling over 80% of the eBook market, walking away from those KU sales to go after the remaining eBook markets is usually a losing proposition.
@@JWGolan Exactly. To cut KU out of the picture, I'd immediately lose half or more of my ebook income. When I was trying to sell wide with apple, kobo, nook etc. I only made about 5% of what I would have if I had left those books in KU. I almost tanked my self pub career with the experiment of going wide. I went back into KU and haven't looked back since.
Hi Michelle, I usually never comment but I had to say thank you for all of the great content you create! Your videos are so entertaining and even when you cover the mounting issues in publishing I still get a laugh from your humor. Your storytelling skills really do shine through. I always get excited when I see one of your videos in my feed. As an aspiring author and college undergrad without experience in the industry I appreciate your insights!
Oh wow, thank you so much, Ariana!! I really appreciate that! If you ever have any other questions or topics you'd like me to cover, just let me know! :)
I would love to see some kind of collective or non-profit that publishes on the level that Amazon does, run by authors for authors.
Great video, Michelle! Im really LOVING this series because its tough info to digest but Im glad Im aware so I know how to be proactive.
I appreciate the Kindle Unlimited portion because Ive struggled in the past to grasp that concept (especially as an international author whose royalties would need to be converted from USD to TTD to view profit margins). Thanks for that, it helped.
I actually considered self pub back in the day but after I took the time to understand CreateSpace, it became obsolete and IngramSpark was a lil more technical so I decided to focus on WRITING the book and I'd figure out my pub options once I'd edited it to my outmost capacity.
I loved seeing your entire book repertoire and completely agree with what you said about the level of editing, designing, proofreading detail couldnt be achieved via self pub route (its one of the trad pub appeals for me).
But I fear that if privilege is a necessary ingredient for success or at least breaking even, Ive failed before I even started.
This whole monopsony thing saddens me the most as the readers will be the ones suffering the most (and they dont know it). And on one hand, creativity should always be financially rewarded but on the other, the rich will get richer and poor get poorer because monopsonies intervene cherry picking whats gonna be visible to the masses and its not always the best imho.
Ive had this personal postulate that no matter how hard I work, I'll never be rewarded in equal amount to my efforts. This just confirmed it for me.
Thanks so much, Sio!! I agree, it's best to write the book first...but it never hurts to learn about this stuff early on, either.
You're absolutely right about readers suffering the most and not realizing it - mostly because right now, cheap is good! It's helpful to a lot of people who are struggling financially. But eventually we'll get to a point where the number of quality books to choose from will diminish and there won't be much left that anyone wants to spend money on in the first place.
Ugh, that postulate makes me sad. But I understand why you feel that way. It's all incredibly unfair, no two ways about it.
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor Thanks, I will def do research on editing options as I write because trad pub & self pub will continue to evolve & change & success (even the moderate kind) will apply to those who can easily adapt & navigate those changes.
You are my fave Authortuber! Love your transparency :-)
@@Avionne_Parris 100% true. And aw, Sio!! Thank you SO much!! That means a lot to me! :)
Thanks for sharing. There were a few take aways that stood out in my mind.
The first is that every author should be doing their own market research. As you suggested, there are a few markets which are the predominant niches for eBook authors: romance, science fiction, and fantasy. If you’re not writing in one of those niches, then you’re unlikely to reach your audience through self-publishing on Amazon.
My first book, which was a non-fiction, historical text, needed an established publisher in that genre to reach my audience. I knew that going in, and I knew which publishers to reach out to. Self publishing was never really an option for that book.
Thanks so much, JW! Yup, I agree about the research. It's going to be different for every author and book.
I have been a self-published author for a year now. I have two books out and have learned a lot about the industry. I went self-published because as a dyslexic author I had zero confidence that I could break into the traditional path with all the gatekeepers. I have tried KU and it killed my sales dead. I far prefer wide. (Kobo, in particular, has been strong for me.) I had to make my first book free to ‘hook’ readers into my series and am only now starting to get traction. My third book is due out in the autumn and then I hope to make some profit with multiple books to offer. I have also spent many hours learning how to market. It takes a lot of commitment and that is time you could be writing. I have seen several authors that published at the same time as myself give up. They feel ignored, let down and disenchanted with the whole process. Everyone dreams of writing for a living, but I don’t think it will ever be possible for me until I have twenty or so books under my belt and that is a huge investment when you pay for everything from editors to cover artists. I love the freedom that self-publishing has given me to express my art, but I have also had to accept my art has little value. I work and have a family so I can’t give up the time to treat my art as a business. Another great vid, thanks for your hard work.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Anna! I'm sorry KU didn't work for you - but it's awesome that you've found the platform and process that does work. And congrats on the upcoming third book!!
You're absolutely right about it being a huge investment, and it's easy to see why so many authors give up early on.
The thing is, yeah, Amazon will have some control over your book if you self publish through them, especially if you choose to enroll in Kindle Select. But that's still not even close to the amount of control a traditional publisher has over your book. So it seems kind of silly to me for anyone to tally "lack of control over your book" anywhere near the self publishing column.
Absolutely. It's not even close to the same. I'm not sure if Lacey was trying to compare it to trad pub necessarily, more just saying that she and other authors don't want to be "exclusive" with any retailer.
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor yeah, that makes sense. Personally I have chosen to be in KU, but I can see why people choose not to. And it is true, from what I've heard, that KU audiences are totally different than wide. It seems like it's difficult to change your mind later on whether to do KU or not, because if you switch, you're having to basically start over with building an audience.
It's so important for authors of either path to do their research so they can know what they are getting into and what their rights are. I am pursuing trad pub because of several of the reasons you touched on. I write across different categories including middle grade, literary, and fantasy. And the fantasy I do write isn't what does well on Amazon (epic and low to no romance). Also, I'm broke lol. Even if I don't get any marketing, the services that a publishing house provide is far more than I could accomplish on my own.
I think it's important that people realize that self pub should not be propped up as a golden solution for writers. For the people it works for, it works reaaaally well. But most self pub authors are working even harder than trad published authors with none of institutional support that comes from having an entire team of people invested in your book.
100% yes to all of this. It IS a great alternative to trad pub - but too often, it's often talked about as if it's easy or simple when in reality it's neither.
Man oh man! You work hard, Michelle! What a lot of research you do. Consequently, your content is always of excellent quality. Thank you!
That said, I believe Amazon has done more to level the playing field in the publishing industry than any other company in history. Absolutely anyone can now connect with their audience, however small, via Amazon. Never before in the history of communication has that been the case. Someone has always dictated to us what we will read and watch. And throughout time so much of it, regardless of all the professionals involved, has been tripe.
These days, there's no excuse not to be published, if that's what you want. There are so many, many free resources available to help people learn about writing and publishing. Amazon itself offers super resources, including excellent interviews with self-published authors who are willing to lend a hand. Overall, the indie community very supportive.
There is nothing privileged about today's indie book industry. This is not vanity publishing. No one need shell out thousands of dollars to get boxes of shoddily printed books to hawk door to door. With just a computer, (and they're available at public libraries), anyone can write and publish a book for free. Yes, it takes some work to hunt down free resources. But they're out there. Everything from learning the art and craft of writing to free cover designs and editing and marketing advice is available at the touch of a button. Literally!
Regarding making a living as a writer, that's always been a tough proposition. Balzac, who came from a wealthy family, wanted to be a writer; his parents wanted him to be a lawyer, "because writers are poor." But he was determined. So, they told him to go and live a pauper's life writing in a garrett in Paris for two years. If he still wanted to be a writer he would have their blessing. The rest, of course, is history.
I don't need to tell you that making a living from writing is hard, hard work. You've got to hustle all the time. You've got to reach out and make connections. You've got to reinvent yourself over and over again. Almost no one who has made a living writing did it by writing only what they wanted to write. When it comes to publishing, traditional or independent, you've got to be an a very big fish indeed before that's not the case.
I just want to make it crystal clear that if you want to be a publlished writer, you can be, regardless of your history or circumstances. All it takes is a clear vision of what you want to accomplish, dedication to the craft, and a willingness to put your nose to the grindstone. It won't happen without hard work, and even then it probably won't happen the way you want it to. What in life ever does? The beauty is in the serendipitous nature of the beast. Somehow, when we work as hard as we dream beautiful things happen.
Sorry, if I've outstayed my welcome. That was a long response to your video. But I find your commentary really stimulates me to write. :D And now that I'm all fired up, I am off to write the second novellette in the My Country Cousins series. I've been sending it to folks I've connected with via Instagram, (I've figured out how to really enjoy that platform), and I'm getting useful feedback. Quinn and I are aiming to publish Journey to Juniper Junction on Amazon in July. Haven't decided yet if we'll release it through Kindle Unlimited. My understanding is that the primary reason for debuting with Kindle Unlimited is to garner reviews. Once you have reviews, you then remove it from Kindle Unlimited after the requisite 90 days. So much yet to learn! I love it.
Happy writing, Michelle. And thanks, again, for all that you give to the on-line writing community. You're among those who aspiring writers can really count on in cyberspace. :)
Thanks so much, Heather! It's funny, what you said about Amazon leveling the playing field made me realize how similar it is to UA-cam, in that this platform has allowed anyone to have a "show," and given all of us infinitely more content to choose from outside of network TV and Hollywood. (Of course youtube, like Amazon, also has its issues!!)
"Nose to the grindstone" is pretty much required regardless of how one chooses to get published - couldn't agree more with you on that! That's really interesting about KU and reviews. This is what I think Andrew meant about successful self-pubbed authors being "Amazon experts" - they get how the system works and use it to their maximum advantage. It's really cool!
July launch!!! So soon - that's so exciting! :D
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor Found another great podcast, Michelle: Sell More Books Show. Check it out!
This was a great discussion, thank you for bringing it up. It's very upsetting that things are heading this way and I hope that it gets put right at some point soon.
I appreciate the using Andrew and Dwight as the cardboard cut-outs...because you can't hate THEM!! lol
That's why I chose them! hehe (although I think some would argue that Dwight is quite hateable!)
Then KU is like a marketing tool, I think its great for new authors.
Hey just to clarify, self-publishing is not automatically synonymous with Amazon or KU. If you don’t already, check out Sarra Cannon’s Heart Breathings UA-cam channel and blog. She supports her family very nicely with wide-published work. Also lots of smart people in the Facebook group Wide for the Win. The one thing you can say for sure is that doing well with independent publishing means a lot of WORK on the authors’ part that goes way beyond writing. I’m pursuing traditional publishing (insert hysterical laughter followed by whimpering) because I want my career to be writing, not writing and marketing and analytics and advertising and publishing strategy. BUT an independently-published work is also better than no published work at all. So it could all come back to indie for me in the end. Argh. ps: really enjoy your content, thanks for being real about publishing
Thanks so much for the recs!! Yeah, I really wish I'd clarified that more in the video - self-pubbing isn't synonymous with Amazon, nor is trad pub synonymous with the Big 5. But both are so dominant that I really just wanted to focus on them. (And hey, thank you so much for watching!! :)
Thank you for mentioning the difficulty for disabled authors regarding fast publishing.
Of course! :) Thanks for watching, Dal!!
I love and hate Amazon. I love that authors can self publish so easily with them, but hate their business practices. I don't buy books from Amazom unless the author published exclusively with them. I do sell notebooks on there that I design and will be self publishing publishing Novella with them...I just wish they treated their employees better and stopped the price setting. Apparently Washington is suing Amazon for making it so creators can't put lower prices on their goods outside of Amazon.
yup, I get that. It's hard for me to praise them for creating new opportunities for self-publishing - even though they have - because they're such a massive reason traditional publishing is struggling and the midlist is dying. I try to buy from indies or B&N whenever possible, unless (as you said) it's only on Amazon. The devaluing is screwing all authors though, doesn't matter which path we're on!
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor Exaclty. They could do a lot of good if they really wanted to.
Next week's conversation is going to be interesting. As an undergrad actively pursuing a career in publishing the massive hurdles to breaking into the publishing industry are infuriating. Not to mention how overworked and underpaid most staff is.
YES. Exactly.
Are you interested in the editorial side, or the marketing/sales side??
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor I would LOVE an editorial job but those positions are competitive as heck. I'd be content working most departments. Production sounds like fun.
Another impressive and informative video!
I spent 3 months taking all my titles OFF KU so I could publish elsewhere beyond Amazon. I did so because over the last 2 or 3 years, my earnings from KU (and from sales) fizzled nearly out of existence. Because I kept my own spreadsheets of sales and earnings for my titles, I know that Amazon downsized page counts for books so fewer "pages read" could be earned. It felt like they decided to count pages based on the smallest possible Kindle font, instead of on the middle font or most used font chosen by readers. I figured if it was going to fizzle, why stay? I'm very grateful for the opportunity to get my books out to readers (because I want people to read and love my books!), but I am not going back to the "exclusive" model again. *shrug*
My romance series did great for five years or so, but the slide downhill for compensation appeared to be unstoppable, so I decided to leave KU. Addressing just one of the main points of your video, but one I have strong feelings about.
Thank you so much, Regina! And wow - I really appreciate this insight. That is kind of wild about the page counts/fonts...wtf?? I can't blame you for not wanting to go the exclusive model. I hear a lot of authors say they don't want trad pub because you're signing the rights of the book over to the publisher - a very fair point - but this is...well, not the same thing, but it treads pretty close, imo. Just in terms of authorial control.
At any rate, thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience on this! I found it interesting that Lacey, for all the downsides of KU she mentioned, ended up saying she wished she'd done it sooner. Every experience is different, I suppose!
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor I don't recall exactly if you said when Lacey joined KU, but in my experience the best years were 2015-2017. My series caught hold at the end of 2013 (after almost 3 years of publishing) and sales grew through 2016 (my best year) then still good in 2017. The decline began slowly after that and I withdrew from KU at the end of 2020. Things change there quite often so I felt lucky about my timing.
They reduced it by font margins? That's ridiculous ... but I appreciate knowing, too.
@@j.s.elliot7121 That conclusion came from checking the number of pages they listed for my books when first published against the number of pages listed on descriptions a few years later. I can't be certain they used the font trick; it just seemed the easiest way to affect "page count."
Either way, it's still pretty insidious and only reinforces that saying "corporations are not your friend." Be they Amazon or, unfortunately, publishers deflating your sales numbers or failing to pay royalties.
CC Humphreys just discussed this with Christie Stratos in part of their discussion last week--a great topic!
Oh cool!
I branched out into Ingram Spark in 2017, and have had 4 years of sinking off the cliff into the Mariana Trench of visibility. My former efforts online and on Amazon boosted me exactly nil. Hence my decision to query instead this year... have you investigated the non-Amazon alternative at all in your researches? I'd love to talk about those 'opportunities' with you 😂🤗
I haven't, and I really want to! I would love to hear about others' experience self-publishing outside of Amazon. They're just so dominant in the ebook space, I'm not sure how one would find success elsewhere - but I very much want to hear those success stories if they're out there!
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor I can't give you a success story, but at least a glimpse at what Ingram has tried to offer to counter the Zon, and the mysteries of the 'Extended Distribution' debacle...
@@MargaretPinard I'm all ears!
I love all of your deep dive videos about the book industry and love how respectful you talked about self publishing.
2020 certainly put a spotlight on how underpaid most people are in a lot of different industries.
Thank you so much, Esther! And yes, you're certainly right about that.
Thank you. Especially at around the 24 minute mark.
Thank you for watching, Laura! :)
I'm self published and I dont make enough to live on, but its my only job and my income is made up of other things, so in that way I am privileged to be able to self pub, but all in all I agree with this video, I tried KU didn't work for me, and still trying to get out of the hole it created.
Ugh, Joey - so sorry to hear that about KU! That's such a bummer. I hope things are back on the upswing now?
This is so important.
It would be an interesting discussion between you and Mark Dawson or Joanna Penn who are doyens of self publishing.
That would be fun! I'd love to chat with experienced self-published authors - it's a fascinating process.
KU v. 3/4 is a scourge upon authors. I would be "okay" with it IF it didn't require exclusivity for all indies and smaller presses.
That said, there is money outside of KU. Some authors are always wide. Some authors switch from KU to wide 3 months after a book release.
Oh interesting that some switch to KU months after! I hadn't heard about that strategy.
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor yes, the initial KU contract is a 90-day one that auto-renews, so after books fall out of the new release buzz, some authors cancel the KU renewal.
All that stuff your publishers have done for you and your books, that is the one set of things that keep me thinking "okay, but what if I gave traditional publishing a shot?". Because it is invaluable.
That said, there are also a lot of things that make me hesitant. The most trivial: book covers. Because I know it will either be a cover that chases a trend (like I perusal of YA books gives you many copycat covers, like the trend that I think Hunger games set with the circle/symbol on the cover, which worked for it because the mockingjay pin was actually a key part in the story. But all the ones that followed seemed to be some random thing slapped onto the cover because "it looks cool". Or crowns on covers, or girls in ballgowns....I'm sure you get the idea....which I may or may not have said before)
I don't want my book cover to be a chased cliche that will more likely make readers roll their eyes as they pass by than pick it up and read it. But I also don't want the characters to be misrepresented in looks and style. (I have a concrete image of what they all look like because I've drawn them for years)
But most of all, and most important, is that in "making my book better" the editor/publisher might think my neurodivergent style of thinking and narration is too odd for their handful of neurotypical readers, and I don't want them to force me to rewrite my story to fit neurotypical minds when both me and my characters are neurodivergent, as may be what I hope to be my intended reader base.
I dunno. I may have said all this before.
Anyway, thank you for your research into Amazon publishing. I hadn't felt right when researching them about their whole "not allowed to be published or distributed via any other platform" when you sign with them. Which is why I've been looking into other self-publishing sites, like Smashwords. But just as research. (Because, who knows, by the time I'm actually ready to publish, Amazon may have bought them out because they seem to me to be a good contender.)
Thank you for another video, and thank you for all the time you take to research these things for us. It's definitely info we need to stay well informed as we think about which publishing path to take.
Good luck on your writing, and I hope your week goes well. 💜
It's true that authors don't often get a say in their covers. I did have one publisher that went back to the drawing board completely based on my feedback on the first cover, and I was thrilled with the next version. In other cases, I've pointed out some problems (the biggest being a book where I felt the cover was too light-hearted considering the darkness of the story) and my concerns were ignored. It's definitely part of the risk.
But about your editorial concerns - I can't say that's never happened (I'm sure it has!) but it's not an editor's job to change your writing in that way. It's their job to help you make it as good as it can possibly be. So it's a matter of finding the right editor who gets you and your book! They're out there! Just this weekend, I read The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune, which features a neurodivergent protagonist. I loved it and the author (and editor) did not shy away from it or try to make the neurotypical reader feel more comfortable, in my opinion at least.
Thanks for watching, K! I hope you have a great weekend too!
@@MichelleSchustermanAuthor that makes me feel less worried, the editor part. But do publishing houses allow you to shop around for editors, or are you supposed to go with whoever's in house?
Also, yay book recommendation! Just ordered it (from library) and the blurb sounds neat. The only other neurodivergent author/book I've read (that I know of) is Corinne Duyvis' "On the Edge of Gone".
@@kanashiiookami6537 Your agent would submit to a specific editor - although it's not unheard of for an editor to pass a manuscript over to another editor who might be a better fit.
Ooh tell me what you think of The Extraordinaries! I hope you enjoy it!
I read self-publishing is attractive to women over 50. That’s me. Will I be alive when a traditional publishing house gets around to deciding to publish me?
Although my goal is trad publishing, I highly recommend listening to the Am Writing Fantasy Podcast hosted by Autumn Birt and Jesper Schmidt. They offer tons of tips and inside information about self publishing with a focus on the fantasy genre.
Oooh thank you so much!! I'll check it out!
Re: Vocal artists for audiobooks What immediately comes to mind is the absolute travesty of Amazon not buying the rights to R.C. Bray's voice acting for The Martian. I love Wil Wheaton, but neither he nor anyone else, in my opinion, can measure up to the experience of R.C. Bray acting out The Martian. It's like watching a better version of the movie--in your head.
Point being this: While indie authors probably can't afford an R.C. Bray-level voice actor, they *can* choose their own outside of ACX and keep the audiobook as-is forever.
Great video. Thanks.
Thanks so much for watching, Irene!!
'for the exposure' needs to RIP!!!
AMEN