“I want to write a book.” I have heard many ministers say this and each time I am tempted to say, “Be careful what you ask for.” I listen, nod, and smile. But I’m really thinking why is it that because people put together sermons week after week do they think that it’s the same thing as writing a book? Publishing a book is a scary affair, fraught with land mines and quagmires.
This blog post is a departure from my usual topics, but I want to share what I learned about indie (independent) author publishing. Improvements and accessibility of technology has opened more possibilities for indie filmmakers to find their niche, and similarly, technology has opened the literary world for indie authors. With the explosion of POD (print on demand), vanity press, and assisted self-publishing (ASP), the literary market has been blown open to writers in every genre resulting in some great, some mediocre, and some OMG-you-can’t-be-serious literature. Yes, anyone can write a book, but not necessarily a good one. All you need is a computer and money.
Seriously, here are some things you need to know that might save you from overdosing on Advil.
- Know your purpose.
Why do you think people will fork over cash to read what you have written? Does your book address a controversy, a neglected idea, something confusing that needs to be unraveled, a common need that you perceive? Is it a testimony of a remarkable story that is unique in some way? Is it something you are passionate about and want everyone to know about it? A good book answers questions and provokes new ones. It brings about new insights or inspires in a new way.
- Know your audience.
For whom are you writing? The audience will determine a few things—the style of expression and vocabulary choices; the depth of content; the degree of research you invest. Try to identify your audience and target your writing to them. After all, you want to hold their attention beyond the first chapter.
- Have something to say.
A good book has ideas that are strung together thoughtfully to build a central theme. Each new idea is scaffolded to reveal the central theme with supporting evidence or details. The text has internal unity, and pieces well connected to each other. Nothing is worse than presenting a single idea up front and then beating it to death chapter after chapter. (I’ve heard enough sermons like that too.) The opposite is true as well, where disconnected rambling is a literary garage sale.
A good book, as opposed to a poorly constructed one, is like the difference between fine pastry and a dump cake. Both are edible, but let’s be honest, if you paid the same for each, which one would you choose? What you have to say and how you say it is the sum of your book. Keep in mind that if a book is poorly written, readers may not even finish it. Worse yet, they are not likely to recommend it to someone else or buy the next one you write.
- Get some help.
Remember the English class where you convinced yourself you don’t need to know about noun-verb agreement, not to mention dangling modifiers, when to split that infinitive, the difference between an en-dash and an em-dash, proper use of possessives, and the Oxford comma controversy? Consider yourself warned. Grammar, spelling, syntax, and format really matter. Besides the mechanics of proofreading, you have editing issues—structure of paragraphs, author’s voice, use of dialogue, argument building, just to name a few. Formatting (things like margins, indents, fonts, symbols, footnote styles) can make your head spin like Rosemary’s baby. Clean it up as much as possible before submitting it for print. Finding mistakes after a proof copy is done can be expensive. Here’s a secret: all writers need and get help. At least smart ones do.
If mechanics of writing are not your forte, you need a good editor. Use editing checklists and rubrics—several different types are available free online. Have others read your work and give you honest and tough feedback. If you have a friend who has major skills and is willing to slog through a mountain of text, you have found a great treasure. If not, you may need to dip into your treasure and hire one.
Trust me, just when you think you have caught every typo error, another one jumps onto the page. Tiny ninja-typos wait and pounce on your text when you are bleary-eyed from reading the same chapter for the twentieth time. After a gazillion read-throughs, you will reach the point where a typo error here and there, as long as they are not glaring, will have to be at the mercy of readers’ capacity for forgiveness. It’s a fight to the finish.
- Spend the time to craft your best.
Don’t be afraid of the delete button to cut unnecessary prattle and be brutal about rewriting. Rework those muddy, incoherent, or ambiguous paragraphs. Demolish those tired adverbs and long winded phrases that makes you sound pretentious. Vary those sentence patterns to keep the reader awake. Remember that editing is not just about proofreading for typo and grammar errors. It’s about polishing phrases and making your points clear. And incidentally, that online thesaurus is a very good friend.
- Set time, space, material, and pacing work for you.
If you ask ten authors about their discipline and writing habits, you will get ten different answers. Some follow strict rituals of time, space, material, and pacing. Others write in bursts of inspiration. Some require a tidy space with no clutter, while others work in spaces that look like a paper factory explosion. Some authors work on a few projects at the same time, while others work on one at a time. Find productive routines that work best for you and stick to it. Set deadlines for your work load with only a little bit of wiggle room. Face it, you really want to get it done.
- Love the process even when it gets hard.
Give yourself permission to get frustrated, but don’t let it make you quit. Take breathers away from it when you need to, but not too long. You don’t want to lose momentum. When the writing process gets tough, don’t become a grouch and call it “creative privilege.” If possible, find a writing buddy or group where support is offered. The struggle is worth it.
- Do your homework and read the fine print.
You decide you book is ready for publication. Now what? You have many choices. You can send queries to standard publishing companies if you are looking for them to foot the bill for publishing. First books by unknown authors are rarely accepted, but stranger things have happened. Big time publishers most often work with literary agents, and by the way, if you go with traditional companies, they own the copyright, whereas with self-publication, the author owns the copyright. I’m taking a risk by say this, but I believe literary agents will become obsolete within the next fifteen years because technology has forced open the door of book publishing to the immediate world.
First time writers often opt for self-publication. Even experienced authors opt for this choice. Self-publication can be a minefield and difficult to navigate for a newbie. Persevere–you are too far into this deal to stop now.
Vanity publication is where you simply have your book printed, but get ready to stockpile your garage with a bazillion copies and then find outlets for selling them yourself. Assisted self-publishing (ASP) is where you contract with a company and they provide a variety of packages and services for which you pay fees for things like editing, formatting, interior design, ISBN number, LCCN number, cover design, and marketing tools.
ASP books are printed on demand (POD), which means you can purchase your books a reduced author’s price for your own marketing outlets in amounts you choose. That means you can still keep your car in the garage. ASP companies typically offer marketing tools and services for a fee as well. People can purchase the book at bookstores or online for which you will receive royalties. (Don’t get too excited here. Unless you are a J.K. Rowling in the making, breaking even on your investment is a huge accomplishment.) You can also have the book formatted and made available to download electronically. This is a huge trend and one I recommend.
You must do your homework. A huge amount of information is available online for writers, which will require you to find what matters to you. It is also a good idea to talk to people who have used the various publishing services. Ask them about their experiences. Check out feedback from authors online. Compare different companies for what they offer and what they charge for their services. By all means, always read the fine print so that a misunderstanding does not disappoint you.
- Believe.
Believe in yourself, your voice, your leadings, and your company of encouragers—that insider group of cheerleaders. This is huge. The greatest enemy that causes people to quit is the inner voice that says you don’t have the stuff—the creativity, the know-how, the skills, the whatever. A better voice prompted you to believe you can do this and your steadfast faith will carry you through to its fruition. “If you build it, they will come,” is the famous line from the film Field of Dreams. In the same way, you need to believe that if you write it, they will read.
- Finally, honor God in your work and it will bless people.
Steward your gifts, your calling, and the leading of the Holy Spirit with honor, integrity, and holiness. That includes the work of your hands and your mind. If you believe that God is prompting you to put those words into print, do it. God’s blessing upon you is also intended to bless others.
So, if you still want to write that book, go for it.
Copyright 2016 by Eva S. Benevento. All rights reserved.