 So here’s the other thing. I’ll admit it’s possible my Ideal Customer may be a whole lot less cranky than I am. But isn’t it also possible they may, like me, be very tired of being on someone’s mailing list? Tired of endless newsletters and personalized offers of things we never signed up for? In other words, aren’t they tired of constantly being sold to? If that's true, then how can I use - let's call them persuasive measures - on other people when I don't like them used on me? So I'm back to being troubled by all the advice for finding people to take my self-publishing course. (See Part One) Depending on who you ask – I need to first get someone on my email list. Then set up a series of emails so that I write to everyone on my list every other day. Or maybe just five times. Then follow up with a newsletter. And this is supposed to show that I care. But suppose again, my Ideal Customer is like me? Wouldn’t they also think being on a mass mailing – even when it’s got our very own name – doesn’t mean the writer cares about us one bit? It’s a lot like CVS asking me how was my last visit every time I walk out of the store. When I know if CVS cared about my opinion, they’d eliminate that awful woman’s voice who scolds me about not placing items in the checkout area even though I have. I’m afraid that during the pandemic, a few too many marketers discovered they had a captive audience. So a free webinar on how to live your best life, buy your first Bitcoin, make a million dollars with a side hustle sounded like a good idea for reaching millions of people at home, working or not, bored and desperate for something to do. And newsletters, even if they had no real news, were a way to make people feel connected. But do they? In this week's newsletters, I learned - at least three people don't want me to make the same mistake they made when they started out. The mistake? They didn't build their email list earlier. This means, I guess, they think I wanted to hear from them a year ago. At the end of every newsletter, I'm supposed to have what's known as A Call to Action. Meaning we should all sign up for - a master class worth $1200 available right now for $497; a membership circle for only $20 a month; and the one that makes me smile – an even better newsletter for only $97 a year. I could stick to the news but it turns out both papers I read, the NYTimes and The Washington Post, have figured out how to slip ads in between the paragraphs so I can get the only boots I’ll ever need and a sports bra that won’t make me feel trapped, whenever I want to find out what’s going on in the world. I digress. The point is – Where is the advice that will show me what I need to do to reach people so that I’m not repeating all the methods that I, personally, find annoying? I can’t seem to get past believing a lot of other people feel the same way. Or is it just that, as a customer, I’m less than ideal? Image by Microsoft Design
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 I’m putting together a course for authors on how to publish their own books. I’m not a natural salesperson. I’m not a budding entrepreneur. I need all the help I can get. And I’m getting an awful lot of advice on how to make people aware of the class. Evidently, there are a few things I must do to be successful –
I get it up to a point. It’s true, if I’m teaching a course on how to self-publish and I already know how, I’m not going to sign up. But beyond that? It doesn't really make sense. Here’s what I mean. Just yesterday, I was given this guidance for finding my Ideal Customer. Write down – their gender, age, location, job, education, homelife, entertainment, goals, role models, and shopping habits. What are their biggest fears? Their greatest desires? This feels a little creepy. A little like what we’re trying to get Big Tech not to do to us. The next bit of advice wasn’t any better. I was told to figure out their "pain points." Understand "what keeps them up at night." What kind of "transformation" can they expect from my class? To be honest. I have no idea. If they’re in pain and up all night, a class on self-publishing isn’t going to help. And offering transformation is asking a lot. True, you can’t please everyone all the time. But just because a forty-five-year-old woman drives a Subaru and watches “Succession,” there’s no real way to predict she’s going to want to learn how to publish a book. In fact for me, the only thing that matters is whether someone wants to learn self-publishing. Their gender, age, location, habits and hobbies don’t mean anything. And yet. This ideal customer advice has somehow become standard. Sometimes, when I feel like I’m the only one veering away from common wisdom, I check in with ChatGPT to see if it can do a better job of putting into words what I’m trying to say. And this is what it told me. Knowing your ideal customer is no longer adequate to understand today's consumer landscape. Instead of relying on a single profile, businesses should take a flexible and nuanced approach to understanding their target audience. Exactly what I was trying to say. Flexible and nuanced. Just like me. Photo by Microsoft designer
 Never the Moon is a moving and emotionally charged contemporary romance about overcoming abuse and finding a second chance at love.  Why did you decide to self-publish? Did you have any doubts? I think it was just about impatience at the beginning, the waiting for a response, knowing it was unlikely to be favorable anyway. My mother calls me a go-getter, and I never thought that was a good thing, but I didn’t want to leave my fate in the hands of the gods of publishing, so off I went and did it myself. There were and are plenty of doubts, constantly gnawing away at me sometimes taking away every creative instinct I have. The what if I ruin this, sully my name? But in the end, I always come back to that saying – the biggest regrets are not for the things you did, but for the things you didn’t. What did you like best? The freedom to do everything at my own pace, the not waiting for someone else to decide when to release my book. My first book was published with a hybrid publisher, and it was mostly on their terms. Another has been accepted by a small publisher, and it’s taking so long, I can barely remember what the book was about as I have written and published two others in that time. What was the hardest part? Definitely the marketing part. Three years later and I still haven’t gotten the hang of it, and I’m still learning. Sometimes formatting plays with my head but it’s almost a challenge and I like a challenge. Would you do it again? Oh yes! I find it hard to think about a bunch of manuscripts filed away in my bookshelf, so as hard as it was to put myself out there, almost invite criticism, I wouldn’t change a thing – then again, perhaps I should have taken marketing a little more seriously from the outset. What advice do you have for authors just starting? Sometimes I want to throw it all in, I just get overwhelmed, and the demons of doubt tell me I’m never going to be good enough to mix it with the Stephen Kings and the Colleen Hoovers, but when it comes down to it, I do this because I’m in love with it, everything about it. If you love your craft, just keep doing what you’re doing. Rita H Rowe's journey into writing began as a lifelong dream that she was finally able to pursue at the age of forty-seven, resulting in her first novel, Never the Moon. Rita pours her heart and soul into her writing, incorporating her personal experiences with love, romance, hurt, and abuse. To Rita, writing is both a form of therapy and a way to connect with like-minded readers on a deeper level. When she isn’t writing, Rita enjoys playing pool, painting, going on motorbike rides, and spending time with her children and mother.
 “Six books. Three perspectives. One woman at the center of it all.”  Why did you decide to self-publish? Did you have any doubts? I decided to self-publish, mainly due to the thought of losing any creative control. My book series is such a huge part of me that the thought of anyone telling me I had to do anything with it was just not feasible. I wrote my series as a form of therapy I never knew I needed, and the characters are a part of me. I had an amazing editor and beta readers who made incredible suggestions, but nothing that tore my book babies apart. I don’t know if that would have happened if I had gone the traditional publishing route, but I wasn’t willing to take the chance. What did you like best? I loved having control over everything. My covers, advertising, and content. It was all born out of my own vision of what I had imagined for my series. What was the hardest part? The hardest part was learning marketing. There is so much to learn, with so many different resources. It can get a bit overwhelming. Would you do it again? That’s a tricky question. But honestly, I think I would. While I have learned so much about traditional and independent publishing since then, I still think I was (and may still be) far too sensitive about my series to have anyone tell me if they think things need to be changed in it. What advice do you have for authors just starting? Where do I begin! I guess with the most important thing (in my opinion), Write for yourself. Don’t write for others, or what you think others will love. Write because you have a calling to tell a story that you just can’t get out of your head. Second, learn marketing before your book is done. There are so many things to do before you release your book, so start early! And if you think, well I’ll just traditionally publish to avoid having to do the marketing…understand that you will need to understand and doing marketing on that side of the business too. Lastly, listen to feed back, but stay true to your voice. Feedback can hurt, and sometimes it’s necessary to improve the story. But other times, it’s just a preference. You will never make everyone happy. Bonus advice: If you get a bad review or someone says something about your books you don’t like, look up your favorite authors’ reviews. You will see they have one- and two-star reviews as well. Again, you will never please everyone. Jennifer R. Jensen is a fiction author who dove back into the world of writing in 2019. She had spent a decade away from her passion becoming a wife, mom, and advancing her career. With six independently published books and two novellas under her belt, she is beginning to expand her love and knowledge for writing into the world of screenwriting, along with finding an agent for her newest thriller novel. You can find her books here.
 I’ve often thought all kinds of people should be asked to take the same oath doctors do – First, do no harm. Parents, spouses, friends, teachers. Book coaches and editors. We all need to be reminded.
One of the challenges of being a book coach or an editor is overcorrecting. Writers tend to be a sensitive bunch. So I try to check – even when I’m sure I’m right. It’s so easy to get it wrong. Usually, I see phrases people have heard but haven’t seen written. Like – All of the sudden. Escape goat. To all intensive purposes. Hunger pains. I get it. Sometimes these expressions have become so common they’re accepted. So whenever I highlight one of these phrases, I always add – Please check. But there’s one expression I’ve been sure about, maybe a little smug about – until today. "I could feel the pit growing in my stomach." This has come up often enough that I have a standard comment. Using a light touch, I’ve explained that pits don’t grow in stomachs. The expression is figurative. Like – from the bottom of my heart. Off the top of my head. In the pit of my stomach. But today, in the New York Times, of all places, I saw – “I felt a pit in my belly.” Wait. What? Had stomach/belly pits sneaked into common usage, and I was unaware? Did I need to write to every author I’d worked with and apologize for leading them astray? Before I made another mistake - I looked it up. And there from Professor Paul Brians’ book Common Errors in English Usage, he explains: pit in my stomach “Just as you can love someone from the bottom of your heart, you can also experience a sensation of dread in the pit (bottom) of your stomach. I don’t know whether people who mangle this common expression into ‘pit in my stomach’ envision an ulcer, an irritating peach pit they’ve swallowed or are thinking of the pyloric sphincter; but they’ve got it wrong.” A little heavier on biology than I usually go. But reassuring. So. In case you saw it in today's paper, too - by in large, this should give you great piece of mind.  In Her Eyes - Avalon is forced to confront her most guarded secret when the man who saved her life fifteen years ago reappears as a detective investigating a series of missing women. But there’s a catch. Jake Knox doesn't recognize her. And she’s his prime suspect. Why did you decide to self-publish? Did you have any doubts? I had no doubts. I never wanted to go the traditional route. The whole idea of getting an agent and trying to sell my story, and then if I sold it, having to wait on a publisher to decide when the book would be published, where and for how much is not something that appeals to me. I prefer to have full control over my work. What did you like best? I love the blank page. I love the start of a story. I love the excitement of starting something new when the characters are telling me their stories and I’m getting to know them. What was the hardest part? As most authors will tell you the job is never done. When you finish a draft, then there are rewrites and edits and finding beta readers, formatting, creating ARCs, posts for social media, covers, ads, marketing, graphics, newsletters and more. I never realized that as a writer I would have homework for the rest of my life, LOL. Would you do it again? Yes, I would, and I did. Five times over. Will do it again. Hopefully sometime this spring/summer. What advice do you have for authors just starting? Oh, I just answered this question somewhere else. Erica’s top 10 tips for new writers: 1. Read widely: One of the best ways to become a better writer is to read as much as you can. Read books in your chosen genre, but also read widely outside of it to expand your horizons and develop your writing skills. 2. Write regularly: Writing is a skill that requires practice, so make it a habit to write as often as you can, even if it's just for a few minutes each day. Set goals for yourself, such as a certain number of words or pages per day and hold yourself accountable. 3. Find your voice: Every writer has a unique voice, so take the time to find yours. Experiment with different styles and techniques until you find the one that feels most natural to you. 4. Get feedback: Critiques from other writers or readers can be invaluable in helping you improve your writing. And remember not to take the criticism to heart. Analyze the feedback you get with a clear mind. Save the emotions for the story. 5. Writing is a process, and the first draft is never perfect. A story is built in layers, and it may take a few rewrite sessions or a dozen. 6. Don’t give up. Writing can be a tough and often solitary pursuit. Keep pushing forward, even when it feels like you're not making progress. You’re ahead of where you were yesterday. 7. Don’t compare your work in progress with someone else finished book. Don’t compare ever. Just keep writing. 8. Keep learning the craft. Take workshops, read books about writing, grow your skills. 9. No gatekeepers. Be aware of scammers. They’ll come after you. Vanity Press disguising itself as publishers will offer to publish your book if you pay them. Don’t. Legitimate publishing houses pay you. You never pay them. If you want to try the traditional route, then get an agent and never sign a contract you didn’t have a lawyer look over first. But remember that you don’t need publishers. You can do it yourself. More than half of all the bestsellers on Amazon’s Top 100 are indie or small press authors. 10. And last, but not least, don’t forget to have fun! Write the stories that excite you, and don't be afraid to take risks and try new things. Erica Alexander dreamed of being a writer her entire life. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, two teenage sons, three cats, and a dog. When she’s not writing, Erica likes to read, bake, watch Netflix and Prime marathons. She’s currently trying to make friends with the skunk who lives in her backyard. You can find Erica Alexander at authorericaalexander.com   Dreams of Song Times - An explosive fantasy of love, loss, and redemption. A mermaid full of secrets, on the run, and ready to risk everything for a future she never saw coming. Amazon; Barnes & Noble; Kobo  Why did you decide to self-publish? Did you have any doubts? I chose to self-publish Dreams of Song Times because the novel defies easy classification by genre, which makes it more difficult to place with an agent or an independent publisher. It’s a coming-of-age story with elements of magical realism mixed in with politics, social justice, and violence. Hmmm, what shelf does that book belong on? By self-publishing, I could define the story and its place in the literary marketplace on my own terms. I did have concerns and doubts about doing this. Chief among them: Would I market the book adequately to generate sales? Would the book garner positive reviews, especially since I didn’t vet it through traditional channels? What did you like best? Once I’d published the book, I came to appreciate having full control over the marketing strategies I pursued and being able to offer discounts for promo purposes. What I appreciated most, however, were all the positive reviews the book received that directedly reflected all my hard work. There was no intermediary editor or beta reader. I really just put it out there (after many rewrites and much consideration). So the positive feedback was validating. What was the hardest part? I believe self-publishing has some real drawbacks—or at least, let’s call them trade-offs. There’s no validating organization behind you to promote the book or tell the world that someone besides you believes in it. Many respectable reviewing outlets still will not review self-published books. Bookstores are not keen to promote in-store sales or readings of self-published books. And marketing has been, as I suspected, challenging, even though I’m active on all major social media platforms. There is still a whiff of stigma, or suspicion, around self-published fiction—that it’s not as good as other books, or that self-publishing is a vanity endeavor. Would you do it again? I don’t plan to self-publish again—or at least, not in the foreseeable future. My goal is to secure an agent or another traditional publishing contract for future work. What advice do you have for authors just starting? First-time authors who plan to self-publish should begin with an open-minded exploration of the full publishing landscape. It’s easy to fall back on the assumption that having complete control over your book is the best option—but that is not always the case. A traditional publisher, even a small one with a good reputation, can help a writer with professional formatting and cover design, obtaining an ISBN, doing some publicity, brand-building, and supporting future work. New authors should embark on self-publishing with their eyes wide open. It’s important to get educated on all the time and money that goes into self-publishing in a reasonably professional way, ranging from cover design to scheduling cover reveals and giveaways, developing marketing campaigns, and finding readers and reviewers. READY TO TRY |
