Indie Publishing
Navigating the Indie Route to Publication
By Julie Tollefson
Deciding whether to pursue a contract with one of the Big Five publishers or to explore small press or indie options can be tough, fraught with uncertainty and second-guessing. Kandy Williams, who publishes under the pseudonym Mercedes King, knows both the challenges and the joys of indie publishing. Here, she offers five tips for authors considering taking the indie route to publication.
1) Be honest with yourself — For Kandy, who had been writing and querying for decades before taking the leap to indie publishing, the decision came down to knowing herself and her goals.
“The short answer is that I discovered I'm a control freak,” she says. “Basically, when you work with a publisher, you're letting go of 'ownership' of the book. I wasn't always comfortable with that, because like any good book-baby parent, you worry they might not take phenomenal care of your creation, and your book is one of so many they have to look after. As self-publishing options became available, and legitimate, it made a lot of sense to me to do it my way.”
Kandy’s aim is to publish up to two new titles a year, a schedule that traditional publishing may not support. “By going indie, it's like Burger King: I can have it my way,” she says.
She recommends authors set realistic and attainable goals. Fame and fortune may be possible, but a concrete goal — write, polish, and publish one book in the next year, for example — is measurable and doable.
2) Hire experts and trust in their expertise — Going indie doesn’t mean going it alone. Hiring a support team can help you reach your goals. For Kandy, that team includes an editor, a formatter, and a designer who knows how to create attention-grabbing covers for ebooks and paperbacks.
“Editing is paramount and not worth skimping on, in my opinion. Editors are in-tune with everything you're shooting for — meaningful, seamless character development, story arc, interesting plot balanced with conflict and resolutions,” Kandy says. “And when you're writing a series, a solid editor makes sure you have cohesion. It's so helpful.”
Flexibility is essential, too. When new research meant the third book in her series took longer to write than expected, Kandy’s editor worked with her on a revised timeline for completing and editing the book. Understanding your process and work ethic is imperative when it comes to scheduling time with the other professionals you need to help you complete your book.
Equally important is finding a great cover designer who understands your branding and genre. In working with a designer, be prepared to compromise.
“What you think you want on a cover may be doable but might not look good,” Kandy says. “My cover artist does a great job delivering, but there are times when my ideas aren't going to work, because it detracts from the quality. An excellent designer will help you focus, and it's important to him or her that the cover looks good and represents their company well.”
Kandy’s books go through multiple phases, from ideas and notes to publication. She drafts and revises the manuscript multiple times before sending it to her editor. “It takes her two to three weeks,” Kandy says. “She sends detailed feedback from pacing to dialogue to consistency on the timeline.”
After incorporating her editor’s changes, Kandy sends the manuscript to her formatter for layout and design of the text. A few weeks later, the book is back in her hands and ready to publish.
Where do you find experts to help you on your path? Kandy advises looking at online sites such as Reedsy, Kindlepreneur.com, the Creative Penn, Fiverr, and more. She found her editor through the Editorial Freelancers Association, and the editor connected her with her cover designer and formatter.
As you search for the perfect team, do your homework. "Check profiles, portfolios, and reviews of anyone who catches your interest," Kandy says. "Most editors will also offer a free review of your opening scene or first chapter. This is a great way to find out if you two might be a fit and capable of working together."
3) Prepare to wear many hats — “In some ways, marketing/promotion is the bane of my writing life,” Kandy says. “Getting exposure for your books is extremely hard!”
Balancing the practical necessities of promotion — creating and feeding a social media presence, strategizing which conferences to attend, booking appearances — with writing is a challenge.
“I've done ads with Amazon and found those haven't been profitable,” she says. “However, rolling up my sleeves and learning the ins and outs of Facebook ads has been a different story. It's still new to me, but it has been an area that's producing results.”
Kandy recommends exploring different avenues of advertising to see what works and what doesn’t for you. “Keep track of when and where your promotions are running, though, so you can determine the return on your investment and see if it's worth continuing or doing again,” she says.
4) Find your people — With all the demands on your time, whether traditionally or indie published, other writers can be your greatest source of support and inspiration. Kandy belongs to Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, and she’s a founding member of her local SinC chapter, Buckeye Crime Writers.
“Larger organizations give you access to a wealth of resources. Local groups help you meet people and network on a hometown level,” Kandy says. “I count myself very fortunate in that I also have good friends I'm tight with, friendships that have developed and continue to grow because of writing. We really need others, not only to cheer us along and to share in our accomplishments, but also to remind us of what's possible.”
5) Embrace the freedom of doing it your way — Despite the challenges, Kandy finds a deep satisfaction in indie publishing.
“Every step of the journey has an important piece of me in it, and I get to represent myself exactly how I want,” she says. “I'm not pigeon-holed into a particular brand or style, and if one day, I choose to venture off and write children's books or a space opera, I can.”