Release Strategies Read online

  Successful Indie Author Release Strategies

  When the whole is greater than the sum of its parts

  Craig Martelle

  Contents

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Foreword by Michael Anderle

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Bibliography

  Appendix A—Acronyms used in this book

  Postscript

  Also by Craig Martelle

  Author Notes

  Table of Contents

  Section 1 - Getting ready—write the book, prep the book, know the book, publish the book

  Section 2 - Starting from ground zero

  Section 3 - Determination of Intentionality

  Based on the Theory of Constraints

  Section 4 - Release Timing

  Section 5 - Serials & Short Books

  Section 6 - Advertising and Marketing hints

  Section 7 - Checklists

  Section 8 - Final Thoughts

  Bibliography

  List of Acronyms

  Copyright © 2019 Craig Martelle

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN - 9781070854694

  Editing services provided by Lynne Stiegler

  Cover by Sapphire Designs

  Formatting (both eBook and paperback) by Drew Avera

  Illustrations done in Canva.

  This is a book on writing books. If that wasn't your desire in buying this eBook, then please return it within seven days for a full refund from Amazon.

  Dedication

  I wrote this book to consolidate everything I’ve learned over the years regarding the best ways (financial, exposure, or both) to publish books. I don’t know it all. Hardly, but I’m surrounded by some incredible people. We have looked at the data around these launches. I also wanted a one-stop resource for the good people of 20Booksto50k®, a group of professional self-published authors who strive to climb the mountain of success, individually, together.

  This book is for them, with a hearty thank you to Michael Anderle for forming the group, giving it life, and bringing the purpose to the forefront of the community.

  Having spent the last few days at a professional writers conference (SFWA), we heard incredibly moving things. Foremost, the 20Booksto50k® brand and 20Books Vegas are two of the most powerful things in the entire industry. Authors who know nothing outside of traditional publishing were talking about us in a positive light. One gentleman told me last night that he had heard 20Books Vegas was the best conference, an amazing conference.

  We are setting a new and nearly unreachable standard in author support—all authors, not just indies. The publishing processes Michael Anderle has set up condense the publication timeline in such a way that books don't sit around on someone's desk for six months, waiting to earn money. This is the ebook market, and one might as well earn for six months, re-roll, and earn more. There is a great saying that we have in the Marine Corps: Amateurs talk tactics and professionals talk logistics.

  In the Facebook group and in this book, we talk about the uncool logistics. You want input on your tactics (the quality of your story), then talk to those who are vested—your readers. Six indies nominated for Nebula awards last night, and zero indie winners. What matters most is which stories resonate best with the readers and which ones will lead to new stories, bringing more readers on board.

  I am not talking down about any winners or any other authors. Being a full-time writer comes with great risk. It is not something to be encouraged lightly. You must work hard at the right things, with intentionality of purpose, and personal drive toward achievable goals. If you can't motivate yourself to write when you're supposed to be writing, then maybe a full-time author gig isn't for you. It's really freaking hard. Indies represented strong and proud last night. Professionals in every way.

  We had a great luncheon yesterday with fifty-some fellow authors from around LA. The conversations and the gathering were motivating as hell. Michael and I never even gave speeches (so unlike us) because we would have had to interrupt so many deep conversations about writing. Different genres, different styles, but with a singular purpose.

  We don't make any money off the 20Books conferences, and I think that is such an unnatural state that your average professional author cannot wrap their head around it. We make our money off our fiction. I personally must give back, the Marine in me because of doing things during active duty that no one should ever have to do. But that's me. That giving nature is Michael's too. We do just fine without having to make money off the conferences. Those are for us as much as you, because the movement that is indies supporting indies in a drama-free, focused zone is so compelling.

  So many in 20Booksto50k® have changed their financial situations vastly for the better because of applying a business side to their stories and the smorgasbord of marketing and advertising options they were able to implement. Many more have hope because it's not a dream. Making money as an author is hard work, but it is denied to no one. The barrier to entry is lower than ever before, while the rewards can be ever greater. That doesn't mean you can throw any garbage out there. A great story told in a compelling way will always be timeless.

  Your legacy starts early in life and continues until you die. What will you leave behind? Authors can smile because they know. There it is—my story for all to see for as long as people read (or listen).

  Thank you all for joining us here in 20Booksto50k®, for supporting your fellow authors by explaining what worked for you, for celebrating success, because to each person, that success is a major milestone, even if it's simply finishing that first book, which isn't simple at all. It'll be the hardest thing you do until your book has been written. It will also be incredibly gratifying. And your legacy.

  I'm publishing the fourth book in a series tomorrow, a series that was found on a popular western author's computer after he passed away. He never published his post-apocalyptic series. Four years after his dad passed away, we have a new revenue stream for the Roderus Estate. One element they asked to insert into the contract was that Frank's name always get top billing. That was easy to agree to, and a legacy lives on because an indie was able to license the IP and tweak up the story a touch, give it some love, and give it new life.

  Purpose is important. We know that more than ever this week after our friend Tommy D passed away. We don't have time for anything that distracts us from bringing quality books to market and getting the most from them once they are there. If you can write a book, you can do the other things that will improve your chances of making that book successful. It's not hard, but it takes diligence and focus on your goal. Figure out exactly what you want from self-publishing, then go after it.

  I write because I love to write. I love to craft prose that flows and dialogue that entertains. It is my calling, and I have no intention of half-assing it. I know that I have not. Sometimes I get distracted by the needs of the many, but I look at my family and know that those few deserve the right amount of my time, the words I can write for them, maybe not today, but ten years down the road when I'm not here. The words that someday my grandchildren will read. No. I can't half-ass that. The words must stand on their own. I won't be there to explain.

  Make every word count. Make every action matter. For the long game. The indie sled is heading down the track, and no one is going to stop it.

  Peace, fellow humans

  Foreword by Michael Anderle

  When you read books to learn, you want to make sure the person writing the information ha
s “been there, done that.”

  Craig Martelle has.

  Whether he is publishing for his own company, publishing with LMBPN (my company), publishing collaborations, anthologies, helping others by answering questions, or just reading the stories of others, he is always learning.

  After taking part in hundreds (possibly thousands) of conversations, Craig has coalesced many of the strategies into this book.

  Why?

  It helps other authors.

  I created the Facebook group 20Booksto50k® so that authors could help other authors. Since then, we have had many admins, but none who accepted the mantle of helping others better than Craig.

  It is a need that drives him. So much so, that I have asked him when we have had dinner in Pittsburgh, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Bali why he has done something. The answer is always the same.

  He has a need to help fellow humans.

  At some level, I think that is part of the reason he and I connect so well. Craig has become the friend and business partner who enjoys how 20Booksto50k® gives back. And perhaps a little how we confuse so many in the industry because they are ALWAYS looking for where we are making money from it.

  We don’t.

  We give, we do not take. We support, we encourage, we teach how to fish. We don’t promise easy solutions, we lead from the front, and we are busy publishing and learning what works and doesn’t work.

  Day in, day out.

  LMBPN Publishing has over 500 titles published. Many of those titles are published (in some fashion) with Craig, and further, he and I talk publishing all the time. He has over 100 titles himself.

  He has been a part of hundreds more.

  Craig likes data, and with his connection to LMBPN, he has reviewed data for more than a couple of million books sold, and that data is in his mind as he talks to professionals all over the publishing sphere for their unique success stories and failures.

  What works for them might not for me or him…but it might.

  We have seen enough authors succeed to gain a solid understanding of strategies that often work and some that are genre-specific. We have seen strategies work one month and fail the next due to an Amazon update two months later. Facebook strategies that work well one quarter, but because of the excellent training of folks like Mark Dawson and M.D. Cooper, become harder due to new competition not all that long after.

  It is the way of publishing now.

  I started out with no knowledge of the industry, a personally made cover, and a story. Do yourself a favor and read Craig’s books on publishing so you don’t make my mistakes.

  This is one time you don’t want to “be like Mike.”

  Trust me, my mistakes are expensive.

  If you learn something from this book, say something to him in a review. Craig might not tell you, but a kind word in a review means the world to him.

  Have a blessed life, and see you on the Amazon bestseller charts.

  Million-selling Author and CEO of LMPBN Publishing,

  Michael Anderle

  Introduction

  Who am I to give advice on release strategies for successful independently-published authors (indies)? I have more than four million words in publication. As I write this, I have sixteen series and a few standalone novels, and I have plans for a few more series.

  I’ve released a lot of books. I’ve done soft (no fanfare) launches and hard (a trombone-wielding band marching down Main Street, fans holding up paperbacks, the author smiling and autographing a copy) launches.

  I’ve had some that have gone spectacularly well, and some that have bombed. I don’t want you to bomb. I want even your softest launch to go well, and always better than the last.

  And that is what this book is about—a variety of launch strategies learned mostly the hard way (trial and error). But, there is some business sense behind the madness. I list the pros and cons for each method, and I have to caveat all this as my personal data. I did get input from some other authors based on variations to what I tried, but I will not name them here in order to protect their privacy.

  I have published over one hundred titles. I study the numbers at a macro level to understand the main movers for sales.

  Great cover, catchy blurb, good story with compelling characters, put the book in front of them when they are ready to buy. And do it all over again. That last piece of the pie, putting your book in front of a willing buyer, is what has befuddled marketers for centuries. It is the key to the puzzle, but the first three improve your chances for number four.

  Publishing a book is much easier than writing the thing in the first place. With a small bit of intentionality, you can greatly improve your chances to increase your earnings. Having a strategy for your release is something you do while wearing your business hat. Don’t let artist-you keep business-you from taking charge when it is called for.

  Let’s see what we need to do. It starts with writing the book.

  Roll up your sleeves, because it’s time to get to work.

  1

  Getting ready—write the book, prep the book, know the book, publish the book

  The bottom line up front

  Know that you’ve written a good story

  Terms I’ll use in this book

  Establishing your pace

  Preparing for publication

  The bottom line up front

  Manage your readers’ expectations. Tell them what you’re going to do, and then do it. That’s how you build trust.

  When it comes to the frequency of your publications and their size, you can do whatever works best for you as long as you manage those expectations. Period.

  Whatever you tell them, that’s what they will believe. Treat them like fragile golden eggs and deliver unto them the chocolatey goodness of your great story. It seems simple, but there are a great number of moving parts within this paradigm. How do you connect with your readers in the first place? How do you know what you are capable of? How frequently should you release, and what is the right length for your books? That’s what Release Strategies is all about.

  Know you’ve written a good story

  My definition of a good story is one that is commercially viable because I’m all about being able to sell your work. If you have written an incredible story that no one wants to read, it’s still incredible, but your bank account won’t be pleased. If you don’t care about making money off your work, then you should probably return this book since my focus is how best to manage the releases of your publications to take advantage of the market to get the most exposure to readers who are likely to buy your book(s).

  There are a number of schools of thought regarding what is known in the IT world as minimum viable product (MVP). That means you’ve already gotten feedback throughout the story from people who aren’t friends and family and you know that it will keep a reader reading. If your story does something that makes readers put the book down after the first page, they probably won’t pick it up again.

  The graphic below shows what writing to market is all about. If you do some research before you pen your novel, you’ll be able to shoot for an optimal confluence of what you like to write and what sells. It is so much easier to get that right up front rather than writing the story first and trying to shoehorn it where it doesn’t belong.

  I’ve done that. It is a tough road that results in a lot of wasted time and money. Write what you like, hitting an opportunity genre’s tropes. There are small genres that are wildly popular—Regency romance, for example. If you get that right, it can be lucrative. This is where research comes into play. I have some notes on that in here.

  If your story keeps readers turning the page, then congratulations! You have hit the MVP with that story. Start with the first three thousand words, then ten thousand, and work your way through to the finish.

  And if your story doesn’t keep the readers engaged, it casts no aspersions on you as the author. It provides an opportunity for you to adjust, either through better r
eadership targeting or within your story.

  As the author, never think the readers are stupid. These are the people who you want to buy your book. Treat them as points of data in a complicated business game, and then treat those who take the time to tell you what they liked about your stories as individuals. They can be extremely helpful for any successful release strategy.

  They don’t understand my art!

  Then find different readers. No one will find them for you. Who are your readers? What is your genre?

  You need to have an idea of the answers to these questions before you cast your book upon the vast publishing waters. There are millions upon millions of books out there. Yours is bound to be like someone else’s, or a mashup of multiple authors. Indiana Jones meets Firefly (those are movies, but fans could very well be readers and make for easy targeting in ad campaigns).

  One of my series had the tagline of Firefly meets Tombstone. It was a good tagline, and we used that for an eighteen-day release cycle for twelve books (each about 30k words). We hit our mark with every book. That was important because we promoted the hell out of “New episode every eighteen days!”

  That was managing reader expectations, and it worked out fairly well. I’ll show that data later.

  We had five stories finished before we started that effort, and had run the first through my insider team (as I call them, and it took me a year to establish this team)—only five people, but a good cross-section of tastes. We knew the story would work, and they read each new volume as soon as it was ready. We stockpiled stories that we knew were good.