But writing a book, if it is to be … Read the rest →]]> To write a book is a solitary endeavor. It must be so. Sure, writers have sources that help fine-tune their work, but it is the writer—and her alone—who must write the words.

But writing a book, if it is to be published (and really, what purpose does a book serve if not shared with the world?), is just the first step in a daunting and seemingly never-ending process that must happen before your book is delivered into the hands of readers.

The first step in the process is deciding whether to try the traditional publishing route (in which approximately 2-3 out of every 10,000 manuscripts will be accepted and will deliver royalties in the neighborhood of 7.5% per paperback book sold and 20% for every ebook), or self-publish (which provides for royalties of up to 70%).

For a number of reasons, I chose the self-publishing route, and suddenly a long list of tasks and decisions lay before me. I sat down to list them all out and realized I had no idea where to begin. My head began to spin, and after hours of wracking my brain, I ended up with a To Do list that looked something like this:

Because I’d joined my local chapter of Romance Writers of America, I had a fabulous critique partner, but I knew I would need beta readers, an editor, and a cover artist. I would need reviewers, a manuscript converter, and a whole host of things I probably hadn’t thought of. Oh yeah, and a social platform.

I’m an introvert by nature, and you want me to go out into cyberspace to promote myself and pimp my work? Eeww, no way! That just feels…wrong. And scary. And so not like me.

To say that I felt alone and overwhelmed is an understatement. So much so that I actually shelved the idea of publishing my first book and wrote another one. And then another.

And then over dinner one night with my critique partner, Patricia Rickrode (writing as Jansen Schmidt), we began to talk about publishing. I lamented, “I know I want to self-publish, but it takes a bloody village to produce a book. And I have no idea where to start.”

“Then join the Tribe,” Patricia said. “That’s how I got started blogging and doing social media.”

I blinked. Twice. “The Tribe?”

“Yeah, the WANA Tribe,” Patricia said.

WANA stands for We Are Not Alone.  The WANA Tribe’s motto is:

Creativity cannot thrive on its own. Genius needs help, support, and love. Your family doesn’t get you? They no longer have to. WE TOTALLY GET YOU!

A motto that still brings tears to my eyes! Finally, someone who gets me. ME!

“But what is WANA Tribe, exactly?” you might be asking.

Founded by WANA Mama Kristen Lamb, who has devoted her career to helping writers, WANA is a group of creatives sharing their knowledge and experience to help other creatives like you (and me). A “tribe” is a group, designed to discuss a specific topic. Here are just a few examples of current (active) tribes:

Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Christian Writers
YA Writers
Self-Publishers
Scrivener Users Unite!
Writing While Parenting
Social Marketing
Time Travelers

Additionally, WANA offers a host of classes, many of which I’ve taken. With instructors like Kristen Lamb, Marcy Kennedy and Lisa Hall-Wilson (just to name a few) I’m the proud owner of a blog (obviously, you’re reading it), an author Twitter account (which I actually know how to use now—thank you Marcy!) and a Facebook Author Page.

Through my fellow WANA’s I’ve found an editor, a cover artist, and someone to convert my manuscript to print and ebook formats (I figured out how to upload the files onto Amazon all by myself—YAY me!). And I found a tech guy who understands that I am a true technophobe and takes care of all my website maintenance—Jay Donovan (find him at www.techsurgeons.com).

So thank you, Kristen Lamb, you’re more than just our WANA Mama. You’re a mentor, a friend, and a true blessing to writers everywhere.

And thank you, Patricia Rickrode, for telling me about the Tribe.

To join WANA Tribe (membership is FREE!), CLICK HERE. Use #mywana to share your writing-related tweets.

For more about Kristen Lamb, and to read her informational motivational blog, CLICK HERE.

What about you? If you’re a self-published author, who has helped you in your journey to publication? Do you have any resources for others you’d like to share?

If you don’t write but love to read, was it surprising to learn about all the things indie authors have to manage in order to deliver their book to you?

When I was a girl, I would curl up anywhere I could find a quiet spot (not easy … Read the rest →]]> Without words, without writing and without books, there would be no history, there could be no concept of humanity. Hermann Hesse

When I was a girl, I would curl up anywhere I could find a quiet spot (not easy to do with seven siblings) and flip through the pages of the latest Nancy Drew novel. Later, my mother introduced me to Danielle Steel and I tore through each new book with the anticipation of Christmas. And I’d feel the same letdown when I finished as I would on Christmas morning after all the gifts were opened and the anticipation was over.

When I finished, I would call my friends and tell them about the book. If they were a good enough friend, I might even lend it to them.

Things were simpler in those days. In many ways. Not the least of which was being an author.

Back then, if an author was lucky enough to secure a contract with a major publishing house, their careers were made. They would write the book, send it to their publisher, and collect a fat advance check, then sit back and wait for the royalties to pour in while the publishing house handled the author’s publicity tours (which usually included book signings in major booksellers across the country).

Today, whether an author is traditionally or independently published (ie an “indie author”), we are tasked with sole responsibility to market our books and ourselves.

For first time novelists like myself, this can be a daunting task. And for introverts (like me), it can be an even scarier prospect. But if we are to succeed, we must step bravely into cyber space and invite new friends, like you, to read our work. And ask you to share it with your friends.

“But wait,” you say, “nobody uses an actual telephone anymore, so how do I spread the word?”

I’m glad you asked.

It’s true, the medium by which we share information has certainly changed since I was a girl. This is the good news for authors and readers today. It allows us to connect with each other in ways we never could’ve imagined five years ago when I was a kid. Okay, twenty five years ago (or so).

Anyway, here are three ways that you can help:

Reviews Sell Books:
It’s true. They really do. When you read a book you love, write a review (on Amazon, Goodreads, or any other forum for book reviews). It doesn’t have to be a long one. “Dear Author, loved your book!” would suffice.

Tell Your Tweeps:
Shout it out on Social Media. Authors are happy to provide their Twitter handles (mine is @SuzanneWVince). Tell the universe about the great book you’ve just read. And Retweet (or Share on Facebook) when one of your friends shouts out.

Share the Love:
When you read a blog posting (like this one) that you enjoy, click the little share buttons at the bottom and spread the word to all your Facebook Friends or Twitter Peeps.

So go ahead, tell the world (and me) about the last great book you read! I’ll even start. The last amazing book I read was CHASING KATE, by Kelly Byrne.

Okay, your turn!

Photos via Google Images