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Who needs Big Pub? How Indie Authors are Changing the Way We Buy Books
Having a good book to read is a great way to pass the downtime on a trip. A lazy day on the beach or a long flight can be the perfect opportunity to get lost in a story. But why limit yourself to the books the Big Publishers want you to buy?
The traditional path to publishing the Great American Novel basically hasn’t changed since Hemingway was knocking back dry martinis in Paris. An unknown novelist with a finished manuscript can pile up years of rejection letters in search of an agent and a publishing deal.
Andrew Anzur Clement is an independent author who thinks there’s a better way. Independent publishing means cheaper (or FREE) books for you and more money going directly to writers.
What is an indie author?
“It means a writer has chosen to self-publish,” Andrew explains. “The traditional publishers want you to think this is the same as vanity publishing, where people used to pay to publish books that were only available to family and friends. But that was before the e-book revolution that happened roughly 13 years ago with Amazon and Draft2Digital.
“Indie authors bypass the traditional publishing machinery and put their book directly on the internet, right alongside traditionally published titles on Amazon, iBooks, Barnes and Noble and other platforms. It allows them to skip the query letters and rejections. They can market directly to the readers.”
But don’t you need a publisher to market your book?
“It’s a nice fantasy to think that the publisher will push your book and do the marketing. But to get this kind of promotion a writer has to be on the level of Stephen King or J. K. Rowling. The reality for most writers is they have to handle their own promotion. If the book doesn’t sell, the writer is dropped and has to start the process over again.”
You became a professional writer five years ago. In that time, you’ve published 29 books, while others are just collecting rejection letters.
“A traditional publisher might take one to three years to put a book in stores. Indie authors can put them out much faster. But the gatekeeping function served by agents and publishers is gone. Anybody could put crap out there, alongside my books. To stand out, I have to spend money up front to hire a cover designer and an editor because I don’t have a publisher to do that.”
How do Indie Authors make money?
“As an indie author I get to keep up to 70% of the sales price, starting with the very first book that I sell. Usually with a traditional publisher, royalties only kick in once the book has made back the advance and all the other costs of publishing.
“I also get to keep the copyright on my work. A traditional publisher might pay an advance up front in exchange for the intellectual property. If the publisher decides to pulp the book or not do a second printing, there’s very little the writer can do.”
What does it mean to “pulp” a book?
“If a book isn’t selling, the unsold copies from brick and mortar bookstores go to a paper recycling plant or a landfill. That happens to millions of books from traditional publishers every year.”
So, independent publishing is better for the environment?
“Yes. Amazon uses technology to print ‘on demand.’ They only print a physical book when someone orders it. E-books that are downloaded on platforms like Kindle and iBooks can be sold for a lower price, with a higher percentage going directly to the writer.”
But with millions of books on Amazon, how can readers find yours?
“Traditional publishers do pay bookstores to put their biggest titles up front. The lesser known writers like me might end up on the back shelf of the bookstore where only spiders will find them.
“As an indie author doing my own marketing, I have the opportunity to rank higher on Amazon and other ebook retailers than some traditionally published authors, and even the classics. But I have to keep up the marketing by launching three or four new books a year. The business model for indie authors rewards people who write fast, like me.”
If someone is looking for a good book to read on vacation, why should they give you a chance?
“Because indie authors are on the cutting edge and we’re entrepreneurs. There’s no risk because you can read a sample of the book and the reviews. Some of my titles have dozens of reviews with four or more stars.”
And some of your books are free to download?
“That’s usually because it’s the first book in a series. An indie author tries to hook you into buying the rest of the series.”
How important are book reviews?
“Getting reviews is one of the hardest things for an indie author. Less than three percent of your readers will take the time to review a book. You have to have a certain number of reviews to promote your book on sites where voracious readers are looking for something new. So when Amazon asks you to review a book, please do!”
If people want to try your books, where should they start?
“The series I’m most proud of is Tito’s Lost Children, where my fictional characters get involved in the breakup of Yugoslavia and the Balkan Wars. My thriller series, The Russia Chronicles, is my stalwart best seller. No spoilers, but Vladimir Putin gets what he deserves over the course of four books.”
Thanks, Andrew!
Full disclosure: Andrew is my son. I’m not only a proud mom, I’m also the indie author of a non-fiction book, Inventing TV News, Live and Local in Los Angeles. Andrew helped me out with the formatting and showed me how easy it is to publish independently after I spent years searching for a traditional publisher. Please download or order a print book and kindly REVIEW.
I’ve already received my first royalty payments from Kindle Direct publishing. And in a few months I’ve already earned more than I ever did with the traditional publisher of my other book, a college textbook called Power Performance. My smart son is on to something here.
This month’s money-saving travel tip
Why pay for a passport photo when you could do it yourself for free! The Points Guy explains how to do it.
See you again next month. I’m traveling to Nantucket, to see how the annual comedy festival is faring in the age of Cancel Culture. Thanks again for subscribing to my newsletter. It will always be FREE.