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Self-Publishing Success: What Worked, What Didn’t, & What I Would Do Differently, with Erick Mertz

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Self-publishing used to be somewhat frowned on and considered less legitimate than “really” getting published, but that is changing, as Erick showed us in his presentation.

Erick Mertz is an author, screenwriter, ghostwriter, editor, publishing consultant, and much, much more. You can find out about him on his website at: www.erickmertzwriting.com He’s been in business on his site for 10 years and ghostwriting for 22 years—a field he fell into “by accident.” Find his fiction on www.patreon.com/strangeairstories where he releases monthly short stories—effectively free reads.

(At this point in his presentation, just to continue the theme of free reads, Mary won a free book!)

What is your goal as a Writer?

Erick suggests our goal, as authors, is to write high quality fiction that satisfies reader expectations and keeps them coming back for more. Sales and accolades are great, of course, and must be a part of successful self-publishing, but those sales come as a result of good reader relationships. The goal is relationships, not cash.

Amazon advertising, marketing and social media are not the goal. They’re not even goal-posts since the rules are always changing. They can be elements of your success, but they are not evergreen (i.e. unchanging) fundamentals. Everything in Erick’s talk was aimed at one “evergreen” goal: creating a strong, long-lasting relationship with your ideal reader.

Who is your Ideal Reader?

You want to develop relationships with readers, but which readers? For example, if you’re writing military scifi, you’re not writing for the same people as your friend who writes cozy mysteries. Do you have friends who read the sort of thing you are writing? Do you have friends who read the same sort of books as you read? They will help you imagine who your ideal readers are. Then you’re ready to think about the other stuff.

Erick went on to define two important terms:

What Is Self-Publishing?

Self-publishing is the process by which authors independently produce and distribute their own written works, such as books, eBooks, and other forms of written content, without the involvement of a traditional publishing house. Self-publishing enables individuals to take full control of the entire publishing process, including writing, cover design, editing, formatting and distribution. It allows authors to retain creative control, ownership rights and a larger share of royalties generated by their books.

Self-publishing—having control—can be intimidating. You’ll talk to your cover designer and help choose colors and fonts—really? But you won’t have to wait for someone else to do it and create something you don’t even like. It can be scary, but in reality it’s empowering. Self-publishing makes it yours!

Simply writing a blog is a form of self-publishing. Once your writing’s “out there,” it’s published. Some authors release chapters on a blog to draw in readers to follow them, and keep them engaged. Erick publishes stories on patreon for the same purpose.

What Is Traditional Publishing?

Traditional publishing is the traditional method of publishing books through established publishing houses. In this model, authors submit their manuscripts to publishing houses, which evaluate their commercial viability, literary merit, and market appeal. If they accept your submission, they take on the responsibility of editing, designing, printing, and distributing the book to bookstores, libraries, and other retail outlets.

Traditional publishers typically employ teams of professionals, such as editors, designers, and marketing experts, who collaborate with the author to ensure a high quality final product. (If you’re self-publishing, you might hire individuals instead.) They also handle tasks like securing copyright, negotiating contracts, and promoting the book through various marketing channels (but self-published books have all the same opportunities. Self-published books can be made into movies too!).

In traditional publishing, the publisher assumes the financial risk and typically pays the author an advance against royalties and a percentage of the book’s sales. (It can take a long time to “earn back” the advance, and you won’t get any royalties until then.)

Hybrid Publishing

Hybrid publishing refers to a publishing model that combines elements of both traditional publishing and self-publishing. In hybrid publishing, authors collaborate with a publishing company that provides a range of services and resources to assist in the publication process.

Unlike traditional publishing, where the publishing house takes on the financial risk and covers the costs associated with editing, design, production, and distribution, hybrid publishing requires authors to contribute financially to the publishing process. Authors often pay a fee (sometimes a large fee) or invest in a publishing package that includes services such as editing, cover design, formatting, and marketing.

Hybrid publishers typically provide professional services similar to those offered by traditional publishers, but the degree of author involvement can vary. Authors retain greater control over their work and have more say in the decision-making process, such as cover design, editing changes, and marketing strategies.

Overall, hybrid publishing aims to bridge the gap between traditional publishing and self-publishing, offering authors a middle ground where they can access professional publishing services while retaining more creative control and a share of the rights and royalties. It used to be called “vanity” and it can be very expensive.

You might use more than one sort of publishing in your writing career. For example, you might self-publish books to a narrow, well-defined market, but still have lots of short stories, or novels in another genre, that would fit a publisher. That’s okay. You can be both self-published and traditionally published (and hybrid too).

Some Facts & Statistics About Self Publishing

Erick gave us some numbers to think about. Self-published books have been gaining a notable share of the book market over the years. According to data from Statista, self-published titles accounted for approximately 23% of all e-book purchases in the United States in 2020. (They probably represent far more than 23% of the books published.)

The number of self-published books has been on the rise. In 2020, the total number of self-published titles in the United States reached over 1.6 million, as reported by Bowker, a leading provider of bibliographic information.

With self-publishing platforms, authors can earn up to 70% or more of their book’s royalties, depending on the distribution channels and pricing. Which sounds good, doesn’t it?

On average, a self-published book makes around $200, but you will make more if you “do” more. Erick’s books do better than this because he’s learned from his mistakes.

“Fifty Shades of Grey” by E.L. James was originally self-published as an e-book in 2011. This erotic romance novel gained immense popularity and eventually caught the attention of a traditional publisher. It went on to become a global best seller, selling millions of copies worldwide and spawning a successful book series and film franchise.

“The Martian” by Andy Weir was initially self-published as a serialized novel on Weir’s website, “The Martian” gained a dedicated following and received positive reviews. After its self-published success, it was picked up by a traditional publisher and released as a print book in 2014. The novel became a New York Times best seller and was later adapted into a critically acclaimed film.

“The Joy of Cooking” by Irma S. Rombauer was initially self-published in 1931, so self-publishing isn’t even new! “The Joy of Cooking” has since become an iconic and enduring cookbook. It gained popularity through grassroots marketing efforts and word-of-mouth recommendations. The book has been continuously revised and updated, remaining a best seller for decades and serving as a staple in countless kitchens.

So create a good book and get it to your audience. That’s self-publishing!

Why would Erick tell us about his mistakes?

Self-publishing is a process of trial and error. What works for one person, for one book, may well not work for another. You have to be willing to put the work in, and results will vary. Nothing is ever guaranteed, and no techniques are set in stone, but we can learn from our own and other people’s mistakes. Erick generously offered to tell us about his mistakes.

Mistake #1: You Don’t Know Your Story

Why This Is A Mistake?

Erick admits he didn’t know the “story” of what he’d spent so long writing until later, after trying to put it all together. Rushing to publish can be a big mistake. You have to take time to know the story first, so you know how to present it, where to position it, and how to make it the best it possibly can be.

For example, you’ve probably heard the words “plotter” (plots everything first, then writes) and “pantser” (writes by the seat of the pants), but very few of us are experienced enough to be successful pantsers. We need some kind of plot to “direct” our writing. The time we spend plotting may feel like lost time, but it saves lots of time later in rewriting. It gives us a goal—we know where the story is going.

What if you’ve written your novel and your friends are giving you feedback. Do you know what to do with that feedback? That “stuck” place is called the 1st draft blues, and causes you to lose momentum. If you’re trying to write a series, it can stall the whole process.

Readers can tell when a story starts to meander. You may feel like you’ve written your very best, but your best wouldn’t meander, it would hold the reader’s attention. So…

The Remedy?

  • Read widely within your genre and subgenre. This gives you a sense for pace, length, structure, how series arc work, how a story is well-told to this audience
  • Specifically, if you’re plotting a series, read multiple books in the same series so you get a sense of progression.
  • Work with a writer’s group/critique group or a developmental editor to lock in the plot of your book. Critique group members will share their experience with you as they read what you write, and you will likewise help them. (We have critique groups—contact groups @ portlandwritersmill . org to join one.)
  • Have an idea where your series is going.
  • Early on in the process (but after the 1st draft), employ beta readers who will give you honest feedback about your book. Beta readers are not the same as a critique group. The critique group members may not particularly like your genre, and they’re reading one chapter at once. They read as writers. Beta readers read the whole book (ARCs, or advanced reader copies) and read it as readers.

Mistake #2: Ignoring The Market

Why This Is A Mistake?

  • There is no book that is for “everyone”. If you think your book’s for everyone, chances are it’s unfocussed. There will always be a group, even in the same genre, who won’t want to read it.
  • Readers bring expectations to books – a lot. They get upset if you don’t meet them.
  • Readers break the general genres, such as science fiction or mystery, into more refined sub-genres. Think space opera (not the same as military scifi) or cozy mystery (not the same as psychological mystery). Erick writes paranormal mystery, which is not the same as supernatural mystery—he doesn’t have werewolves, and his covers shouldn’t feature shape-shifters. (You even need to know the right words!)
  • Knowing your market allows you to position all aspects of your book properly, everything from the cover to the blurb, and the story itself.
  • When readers expect one thing and get another, you end up with bad reviews. They assume the mistake is yours, not theirs.

The Remedy?

  • Research books in your category – and research books “like” yours to find out which categories they are in.
  • Listen to podcasts, watch YouTube channels, read blogs.
  • Drill down deep and make sure you focus on a blend of independently and traditionally published books within your subcategory. See how the authors position themselves. And note, lots of traditionally published books sell because of the author name (Tolkien for example), but you don’t have a “legacy market”. That’s why you have to look at self-published books too.
  • Read from best-selling and well-reviewed books and understand what the specific tropes in that sub-genre are.
  • Market your books to readers, other authors and professionals using the right sub-genres.

Mistake #3: Improperly Priced Books

Why This Is A Mistake:

Marketing and money aren’t you major goals, but price affects expectations and sales

  • Proper book pricing converts to better sales.
  • Pricing books too high creates a barrier for readers who are unfamiliar with you. Conversely, books priced too low can create the perception that the book is not valuable enough. (Free books, on the other hand, can encourage readers to give you a try.)
  • Royalty percentage is based on the book’s list price. Amazon specifically creates an incentive for authors to price their eBooks books within a certain range.
  • Don’t underestimate the value of using free or discounted books in your pricing strategy.

The Remedy?

  • Research how books in your category are priced. Price expectations differ widely between different genres. Fantasy books are normally long (80,000 words+) and readers expect to pay $3.99+ for them. In contrast, romance novels are short quick reads (the author may pump them out one every few weeks or so) and prices are kept lower to the readers will keep buying.
  • If you’re writing a series, consider graduated pricing of your books, with books early in the series priced lower than ones that come later.
  • Understand that on Amazon, the best royalty percentage for eBooks falls in the list price range of $2.99-9.99. (70% less cost, as opposed to 30% for books prices less than $2.99)
  • Make strategic use of the free days/discount days afforded to you on your chosen platforms. You’re not losing money; you’re gaining readers.

Mistake #4: The Wrong Cover

Why This Is A Mistake:

  • Your cover provides your book’s first impression to a reader. Covers sell books!
  • The cover of your book, print and eBook, needs to clearly convey both the broad genre and the specific subgenre. (e.g. in fantasy, the cover character faces the reader. In mystery they face away.)
  • Studies show that online book buyers will look at hundreds of covers in the process of shopping. Your book’s cover needs to stand out, grab attention, and draw the reader in. So… stand out AND fit in!
  • The reader’s first impression of the cover leads them to click on the book’s listing, making it the first point of conversion.

The Remedy?

  • Research the bestselling books in your subgenre. If you’re still unsure of your subgenre, pick out books with covers that look the way you want and see where they fit in. Look at their “categories” in the Amazon listings, and pick your category from there.
  • Give special attention to the independently published books in your subgenre and get familiar with what the cover expectations are.
  • Imagine standing out while fitting in. You want to give the reader what they want in a cover in ways they’ve never seen. For example, if covers all have bare-chested men, can you have a man with a different color of hair, or can you add a particularly intriguing detail in his hand?
  • Create a desktop file of covers you like to share with your designer. Communicate what you want in the design and use those covers as points of reference for how you want them depicted. Cover designers appreciate your helping them this way.
  • Show your cover to friends, fellow readers and writers to get feedback.

Mistake #5: Editing? Too Expensive

Why This Is A Mistake:

  • Readers don’t judge your book specifically as an “independent book”. However unfair it seems, they compare your book to every other book they read. You are not “just” self-published, and they won’t “just” forgive you.
  • Readers will not forgive typos, grammar errors and inconsistencies, however good the story is. These types of errors lead to lost readers and, ultimately, negative reviews. You will get bad reviews, inevitably, but don’t invite them.
  • Skipping editing is a mistake because editing is not expensive, especially when compared to negative backlash.

The Remedy?

  • Understand the type of editing you need for each stage in your manuscript development.
    • Developmental edits are expensive. Your editor works on your story, characters, plot, etc
    • Line editors look for continuity, repeated words, wrong words, etc, and
    • Proof readers dot the is and cross the ts. They are the least expensive (say $700).
    • If you are in a writing group, using a critique group and beta readers, you probably only need a line editor or proof reader once the story’s done.
  • Research and compare the cost of line editors and proofreaders. https://www.edsguild.org/editorial-rates gives rates in the Northwest, for example.
  • If you are worried about cost, consider using an AI program like Grammarly (https://www.grammarly.com/)  and/or ProWritingAid (https://prowritingaid.com/) to clean up your manuscript.
  • When it comes to layout/design, hire a professional designer, or, if you are technically inclined, a program like Vellum(https://vellum.pub/)  to make sure the book formatting is clean and easy to read. Atticus does not cost as much as Vellum. Atticus (https://www.atticus.io/) is for PC, Linux, Chromebook etc; Vellum is more for Apple platforms. Whatever you do, don’t just upload your Word doc, and don’t put up a pdf for an ebook! (When we release our anthologies, we try to keep everything “free”. With enough technical knowledge, we can use Word to create a good pdf for the print book, and free software such as Calibre (https://www.atticus.io/) to convert the Word doc to ebook format. There are some notes on our website (under HELP) to help you see how this is done.)

Mistake #6: Ignoring The Mailing List

Why This Is A Mistake:

  • Having a mailing list gives you something that nothing else can: access to an audience that you own and control. Facebook followers may vanish when Facebook next changes its rules, but your email list is yours to keep. (Having a successful blog might achieve the same aim, but you need followers
  • Building a relationship with readers is the backbone of content marketing. Readers buy books from authors they feel a connection to. “You” are more important than your cover or your blurb.
  • Cultivating that strong, responsive mailing list takes time, so it’s better that you start now than later. (You might build a list of 7,000 people in 4 years!)
  • You can incentivize readers – give them a serial story, say 3,000 words per episode, for example. But it must fit your genre, or you’ll drive readers away instead
  • When you build a strong connection with your readers, they become the most effective tool in your marketing plan.

The Remedy?

  • Start yesterday… or, OK, more realistically, today. Don’t wait till you have a cover!
  • Sign up for an email marketing tool like MailChimp (https://mailchimp.com/) or Mailerlite (https://www.mailerlite.com/). You can start cheaply with the free versions
  • Build slowly by bringing on your family and friends, Facebook friends, etc
  • Identify aspects of your life or writing journey that make you interesting or relate to the topic you’re writing on. You can offer a free book as an incentive if you have one and if it’s relevant. Otherwise, just invite them into your journey. Make yourself someone they want to know.
  • Don’t feel pressure to be a world class email marketer today. Instead, develop a low-stress strategy for reaching out to those readers by starting simple. There is no reason to put pressure on yourself early. If you have 10 followers, treat them like 10,000. If you have 10,000 followers, value each like one of 10.

Mistake #7: Network With Other Authors? Nah

Why This Is A Mistake:

  • Your fellow authors become the most invaluable resource on your uncertain journey to building a brand and career.
  • They’re not your competition! We’re in this together. We all want to succeed and there’s room for all of us.
  • People love to help other people.
  • Every author needs favors and support that only their fellow author can provide, everything from blurbs, reviews and ARC (advanced reader copy) reviews, connections, author swaps, mailing list connections, referrals, etc… (Readers really value reviews from other authors)
  • Trying to find this support elsewhere is expensive.
  • This is a mistake mostly because the time for making good relationships is never better than right now.

The Remedy?

  • Don’t look at your fellow authors as your competition.
  • Think of them as colleagues in an uncertain field. Writing & publishing is difficult and everyone else is trying to figure it out, too.
  • Don’t think of networking with the “connect with people above you” mentality. Lose the idea of above or below relationship. Everyone you meet today is a valuable connection tomorrow. (Imagine meeting the founder of Not-A-Pipe before it became Portland’s great publishing house… and ignoring them. You’d really wish you’d made that contact earlier.)
  • Offer to do favors for your fellow authors. Everything from beta reads, ARC support, writers groups. Help build up your community.

(In the spirit of helping others, Jim answered a trivia question to win a one-hour consultation with Erick. Jim’s story https://www.ohs.org/blog/rock-n-rolling-and-running-in-1959-portland.cfm

 was very appropriate to the question, and he narrowly defeated Jean and Zita who didn’t unmute their microphones fast enough!)

Resources You Can Trust

·       General Self-Publishing Resources:

Cover Designers & Editorial Support

  • Miblart www.miblart.com – maybe $2-300 for really good covers, easy to work with
  • Book Baby www.bookbaby.com – good blog, offers services, book design etc.
  • IngramSpark www.ingramspark.com – if you don’t want to publish exclusively to Amazon, IS is “publishing wide” and can get you into libraries, bookstores, etc
  • Kindle Direct Publishing www.kdp.amazon.com – is the easy way to get your book “out there.”
  • Mailerlite www.mailerlite.com – makes mailing lists super-easy, free up to 1,000 subscribers

Links to free books from Erick

At the end of our meeting, Erick answered various questions with advice and encouragement. He agreed that marketing short stories is a challenge. He agreed that you should fall in love with your writing—else why write. But you must also be able to step back and see how to make others fall in love with it. Don’t fall out of love. Just expand the audience. Falling in love with your book cover can be a problem though, since your great idea may not work to draw people to your story.

In answer to a question about a traditionally published book, now unpublished, Erick felt sure it should be possible to self-publish the same book on Amazon. Sheila commented that she has done just that. There was some suggestion of maybe tweaking the title – adding a subtitle perhaps. But as long as the publisher is no longer selling the book on Amazon (they shouldn’t be) it shouldn’t matter that there are “2nd hand” copies still on Amazon, and you may even be able to connect the reviews to your new edition.

At the end of the meeting, we were all enthusiastically thanking Erick for a really information and interesting session. He says he’s looking forward to seeing us again. We are certainly hoping he’ll be back. Thank you Erick Mertz! www.erickmertzwriting.com

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