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Dual Publishing Routes for Authors: Pros, Cons, and Practical Tips

Explore the benefits and drawbacks of both self-publishing and traditional publishing for authors. Learn practical tips for building your brand, targeting agents, and promoting your books on social media platforms. Keep writing, reading, and striving for success!

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Dual Publishing Routes for Authors: Pros, Cons, and Practical Tips

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  1. The Diversified Author: Why Every Author Should Consider Both Self and Traditional Publishing

  2. The Pros of Each Self-Publishing Traditional • Control over text, layout, and cover design • Control over release dates • Control over offerings • More royalties • A full team of experts • Exposure • Credibility • Support

  3. The Cons of Each Self-Publishing Traditional • Self-Funding • Self-Promotion • Less Credibility • Self-Guidance • Little to no control over cover design • Little to no control over release dates (slow) • Less control over offerings • Dependent upon securing an agent (long query process)

  4. Before Launching Your Career • Read books about the craft of writing • Attend writing classes and conferences • Write more than one book (practice, practice, practice and no one-book wonder) • Outline ideas for many books • Join a critique group • Find beta readers • Decide on your brand

  5. How To Create a Brand • Choose a genre • Choose an icon, color, theme, or concept that people will identify with you and your books • Exploit all concepts related to your brand • Use your brand consistently

  6. Color and Icons These colors and icons consistently appear on my business cards, bookmarks, banner, website, and other promotional materials.

  7. Banner and Bookmarks

  8. Your Hand in Two Pies • Decide which series you want to self-publish and which you want to publish traditionally • While you query agents (long process), you can begin to get your brand out there, develop a fan base, solicit reviews, and create a strong online presence, which will further attract an agent’s attention

  9. Targeting Agents • Be sure to target agents who are looking for clients and are interested in your genre • Publishersmarketplace, Agentquery, and Querytracker provide helpful databases • You can also find and follow agents on Twitter and read their blogs • Query 10-12 agents at a time and tweak the query (if you receive no requests) before sending again

  10. Don’t Publish Exclusively • You don’t need to use a company that requires money upfront • Use Amazon/Createspace for paperback edition (but you might want to pay the extra $10 so your ISBN belongs to you) • Use Amazon and Smashwords for ebook • Use ACX for audiobook

  11. Make a Professional Book • Invest in an editor or proofreader to make sure your text looks professional ($200-$1000) • Invest in a graphic artist for the cover ($200-$300)

  12. Give Your Books a Consistent Look

  13. Use Social Network Sites • Facebook (Groups and Events) • Twitter (Followers, Hashtags, and Links) • Goodreads (Author Profile, Discussion Groups, Events, Reviews, Giveaways, Self-Serve Advertising) • Website and/or Blog

  14. Facebook • https://www.facebook.com/events/435574099859637/437344103015970/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity • Create Facebook events for cover reveal and release-day parties. • Create groups, like book clubs or discussion groups related to your genre.

  15. Twitter • Find followers by going to well-known authors in your genre and following their followers • Use hashtags to allow others with similar interests to find you #YAlit • Use links to direct people to your website and blog • Use Hootsuite, Manageflitter, or other Twitter helpers to upload photos, schedule tweets, and clean up your following

  16. Goodreads: An Author’s Best Friend • Create an author profile and add your books to the database (must have ISBN) • Join discussion groups to interact and sign up for ARR’s • Create giveaways a month before release day • Use self-serve advertising

  17. Create and Maintain a Website • Attract a following with a blog that provides a useful service to your fan base • Use the website to make announcements • Use the website to interact with fans • Use the website to help readers find your books • Use the website to collect email addresses • Link all social media venues to your website

  18. Plan “Year-Round Color”

  19. Exhibit at Conferences • Find conferences related to your genre • Choose ones close to home to save money • Make your exhibit count/promote brand • Use your exhibit to collect email addresses • Make a lasting impression by being friendly

  20. Volunteer to Speak • Offer to speak at seminars, workshops, conferences, classrooms, libraries, etc. in exchange for the opportunity to promote your books.

  21. Bad Reviews? • Do NOT reply to book reviewers • You can’t please all readers • Even bestselling authors have bad reviews • See if there’s room to improve • Upload improved versions of your books

  22. Keep Writing and Reading • Try to write almost every day • Try to read almost every day • Keep notes and outlines for future projects • Continue to seek an agent • Stay optimistic

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