The Iron Maiden by J.T. Maicke Book Tour & Guest Post! {Ends 2/20/24}

Guest Post:

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Becoming a Published Author

I’m not sure if all of my fellow published indie authors will agree with these observations but some readers and aspiring authors might be interested in my perspective on these issues.

1. Getting an agent is extremely difficult. Most writers dream of finding an agent who will get them a fat contract with a major publishing house.

In reality, and contrary to what some of their websites claim, most agents are uninterested in new authors. This is not surprising: agents only earn about 10 to 20 percent of your royalties so they have to believe your work will sell many thousands of copies in order for them to realize any sort of profit.

After wasting over a year trying to solicit interest from dozens of agents for my first historical novel, I pitched my story directly to an independent publisher and received my first contract.

2. Find your own voice.

We all have authors whose work we admire, but that shouldn’t lead us to try to imitate their style. Often, I see reviews or cover blurbs suggesting that an up-and-coming writer is the new (name a famous author) or that someone writes in the style of (name another famous author).

I write historical fiction and one of my favorite authors is Ken Follett, a master of that genre. But that doesn’t mean I should emulate his style. Why would a music fan listen to a tribute band when they can hear the original rock group?

3. Try to be original.

This does not mean “don’t plagiarize,” which you obviously shouldn’t do Try to find a new and original story or a unique twist or perspective on a subject that has perhaps already been addressed.

If you are an historical fiction writer, consider a location, a culture, or a period of history that has been largely or entirely ignored. We all know of genres and themes that have been beaten to death. Does the reading public really want yet another fantasy novel about warriors riding dragons?

4. Characters are key.

Plot is important, but no story will garner any interest without compelling, believable characters, including heroes the reader can care about and villains they can fear or despise. Actually, I often find the most interesting characters in stories to be the supporting cast.

Why should a reader care about the fate of the heroes and villains if they interact only with wooden, two-dimensional secondary characters?

5. Nowadays it is easy to get published, and this is both a good and a bad thing.

With the advent of electronic self-publishing services over the past couple decades, it is now easier than ever to get your work produced (at least in ebook form) without worrying about agents or publishing houses. This is a good thing, in as much as it has allowed more writers the opportunity to present their books to the reading public. On the downside, self-publishing has glutted the book market. Moreover, a lot of this “work” is poorly written and poorly edited, if it is edited at all.

I don’t mean to indict all self-published books; many of them are extremely good. However, there is also a lot of garbage out there and it may be leading some readers to avoid trying new writers and instead stick with the more famous, established authors.

6. Edit your work at least a few million times before submitting to an agent or publisher.

Nothing turns off a prospective publisher more than poorly-edited work. Your cover letter and synopsis need to be perfect. A couple minor mistakes in your manuscript are acceptable but not too many. Don’t just read your work to yourself; the mind tends to see what it expects to see and you will miss mistakes. I read all of my work out loud to my wife in order to find misspellings, grammar mistakes, and possible plot holes.

7. Your title and cover art can make or break your book sales.

A bland or non-descript title and book jacket can kill your sales. You can write a great story with an exciting and compelling back cover blurb, but if the title and cover art don’t persuade a prospective buyer to take your book off the shelf and examine it, all of your effort will have been for naught.

8. Advertise, advertise, advertise!

Use social media to the extent possible. Create an author’s website, a Facebook page, and Instagram and Pinterest accounts and advertise. There are hundreds of Facebook groups for advertising books as well as groups dedicated to writing in general and specific genres. Interact regularly with other authors and your prospective buyers.

Also consider contracting virtual book tours in an effort to broaden your reach. Ask your local library and brick-and-mortar bookstores if they will allow you to conduct a book signing event at their establishments.

9. Request reviews.

Don’t be shy. Reach out to family, friends, and
other folks who express interest in your work and politely ask them if they would write a review. A review doesn’t have to be long. Two or three sentences will suffice. The more reviews, the more publicity. The more publicity, the more sales!

10. Persevere!

Be prepared to deal with rejection and try not to get discouraged. Realize that being a successful author is much like being a successful actor or professional athlete: many want it, some actually try to realize it, but only a few become rich and famous doing it.

Learn from mistakes, work at your craft, and just enjoy the creative process. As an historical fiction writer, I have enjoyed researching, writing, and editing my stories just as much as I have in seeing my work in print.