Writing a book is a fun, challenging experience that allows you to put your thoughts and creativity on a blank page. It’s invigorating to create characters, places, and intricate plots that will entertain anyone who reads it.
Then there’s the job of getting your finished product into the hands of the “right people” so that it does its job and makes you some money at the same time.
When I wrote “When Carabella Went Missing,” I looked to all types of resources on how to query for an agent. I still can’t below that there are so many new books out there that agents are buried in their work.
Each agent I queried took a different approach. Some requested entire manuscripts while others asked for a single page. Despite their differences, they all had the same response…
“Sorry, this isn’t what we are looking for at this time.”
How I Ended Up Going With Austin Macauley—A Hybrid Publisher
I found some information in Writer’s Digest about submitting manuscripts directly to publishers instead of an agent. I didn’t even realize at the time that Austin Macauley was a hybrid publisher. What I did know was they were accepting and kind when no one else had been.
At the time, I researched Austin Macauley online and didn’t find any reviews. Founded in 2006, the company and the idea of hybrid publishing was still relatively new. It seemed like a good way to publish my book without the endless stream of query letters that took months to get answered. The company explained that they would publish my book, but that I would pay part of the costs, and the publishers would keep a portion of the royalties. I believe the total amount I paid was over $3,000. The company would take care of formatting, editing, and the book cover.
When they sent me a contract, I had a lawyer look it over. I didn’t want to end up losing the rights to my book and not getting paid for it. The lawyer saw no problem with it, so I signed it and set up a payment plan to cover my share of the costs.
Preparing My Book for Publishing
The company asked if I had any ideas for a cover, which I did. Their artist worked with me to get the image I had in mind. When the manuscript went through editing, the only thing I was contacted about was my use of italics. I’ve always used italics to show thought, but the editor couldn’t understand what I was doing. It was all removed.
Once my book was ready to go, AM sent me a release date. It was made available on Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble. I waited—and then nothing happened.
It turns out that while the company has a lot of resources to promote your book, you have to pay for each and every one of them. I would get notices for book shows around the world, and the cost of having someone represent my book in each. I think the largest check I ever got from them was just over three dollars.
When I refused to send any more money to promote my book, AM informed me that they were returning my book with all rights and would no longer promote it. At that point, I was relieved to have another chance at promoting my book.
The Issue of Editing—or the Lack Thereof!
From what I’ve read, most writers already have an idea of how to go about publishing long before they get to the end of their manuscript. The rest of us wait until it’s ready to present before we begin asking questions. From my experience, writing is a lot easier than promoting.
I did learn a lot from my experience with Carabella that made me want to go a different route with my second book. It turns out that self-publishing is a lot like going with AM hybrid publishing—you get it in print and then it’s up to you to promote, advertise, and sell it. It’s going to cost you some money, but at least you don’t have to pay a publisher thousands of dollars before you ever get started.
Publishing Mysterious Ways
It’s a no-brainer to want your book to be sold as an ebook. Kindle Direct lets you publish your book, set your price, and even choose which markets you want to sell to. Formatting for the platform was too tricky for me, so I hired someone on Fiverr to do it for me.
I also offered my book as a paperback through Amazon print-on-demand. That way, there aren’t any printing costs until your book sells. Next, I listed my book on Barnes and Noble Press. This is another company that offers print on demand.
Austin Macauley did both of these things with my first book. I was more than a little surprised to learn that I could do these things simply for myself without paying any money up front.
Another thing I didn’t know when I published Carabella was that books listed on Amazon Kindle are automatically listed on GoodReads.
So, once my book was posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and then on GoodReads, I was hit with a plethora of book promo companies. It seems every new author is looking for the key to getting their books in front of readers. The problem is many of these are scams. I suggest taking the time to research each and every company that seems to offer what Tina’s Book Promos but this is still new. We’ll see how it turns out. The reviews were mixed, but Tina offers multiple options at a much more affordable price than most other companies.
Don’t Overlook the Distinction of Various Niches
Some writers have had success promoting their books using certain avenues while others have not. The niche that you write in plays a big role. If you follow anyone’s online advice, make sure they are writing in a similar niche. For example, Mysterious Ways is a thriller. I doubt that I would have any success using a platform that traditionally promotes self-help or romance.
Still Doing the Research
If I had realized what I was up against, I probably would have tried to learn more before I finished my book. Now, the process is going a lot slower than I had hoped. Still, I’m a few thousand dollars to the good, and I’ve sold about as many copies of Mysterious Ways now as I did with Carabella the entire time Austin Macauley handled it.
This is all I have for now, but I will keep you updated in the future once I learn more about what works and what doesn’t. Hopefully, my experience can help other writers who want their horror, thriller, and suspense books get into the hands of the right readers.