Kickstarter Tips: The Purple Door District

Character art designed by Gabriella Bujdoso

On March 1st, 2022, I launched my very first Kickstarter for The Purple Door District: Urban Fantasy Series. In 4 days, I was 50% funded and received the “Project We Love” badge from Kickstarter. By day 11, I was fully funded. The project is still going, and I’ve had people ask me for advice starting their own Kickstarter. I thought I’d share a few of my tips below.

Background: The Purple Door District: Urban Fantasy project is a 3-book series of parahumans (werebirds, werewolves, vampires), magic, diversity, LGBTQIA+ representation, and adventure in Chicago. It was created to help me publish the 3rd book, A Game of Fae, in my urban fantasy series. However, I set it up in a way that both new and old readers could benefit from the reward tiers. More about this below.

• Pre-launch page: A pre-launch page is super helpful. After you’ve set up your project and had it approved by Kickstarter, you can create a pre-launch page. Send people there and they can click to be notified when your project goes live. I had around 25 people following me and many of them backed me when I went live. I promoted about 1 1/2 months before I launched. Another creator promoted for about 3 months and she got 150 followers and was fully-funded in literally 15 minutes (I watched it happen live).
• Video: Your video and project image are important. They’re the first things people see. Your video should be clear and well edited. It’s best if your image doesn’t have a bunch of text on it (according to Kickstarter, wordy images can get suppressed by the algorithm). Instead of my book covers, I used character art I bought for the series.

Character art designed by Gabriella Bujdoso

• Push for Early Backing: Once you launch, encourage people to back you early. The more funding you get early on, the more likely you’ll hit your goal, if not early. Also, if you get a lot of funding right away, you may receive a “Project We Love” badge through Kickstarter, which gives you more exposure. By day 4 I had 50% of my project funded and I received the badge.

• Tiers: Have a variety of tiers you know you can fulfill. I heard a sweet spot is about 10 different tiers with several low tiers and a couple super high tiers. I never expected anyone to back my $500 tier, but it happened. Offer both Digital and printed so you can hit both audiences. I have tiers that are digital based, some that are printed based, and some that are both.
• Trilogy: If you’re launching a Kickstarter for a book in your series (book 3 in my case), set up your Kickstarter so it’s accessible for both new and old readers. I have “catch up” tiers that let people order the books individually, or as packages. I also have full-trilogy tiers. That way if someone already has the first book, they can get the second and third. Or if they’ve never heard of my series, they can order one book, or get all three. The more accessible, the better.
• Updates: Provide frequent updates so people know what’s happening with your Kickstarter. I find that creating images with percentages listed encourages people to back you, especially if they think they can get you that much closer to 100%.
• Advertise: Advertise, advertise, advertise. Post in newsletters, on social media, in crowdfunding groups. Ask others to share your campaign around. The more exposure you get, the better your chances!
• Stretch Goals and Additional Perks: It’s always good to have Stretch Goals in case you meet your goal early. It encourages people to keep backing you. If you’re close to being funded, and you want to give people an incentive to offer more, offer another small perk. For example, my co-creator and I offered to do a zoom session with all backers to talk about the book series if we hit 50% by the 4th of March, and we got it. Add-ons are valuable too because people may back a tier AND buy a few add-ons as well, which gets you closer to your goal.
• Shipping Costs: Make sure you calculate shipping costs into your goal. They’re more expensive now, and if you don’t add that into the campaign, you may end up using more money for shipping than to actually create your product.
• Story Set Up: When you create your story, pictures seem to be a must. People don’t want to just read a wall of text. They want to see what they’re getting and what you’re creating. Some of the best Kickstarters I’ve seen use graphic headers to separate out the different sections of their story (check mine for example). It’s eye catching and keeps people engaged.

• Be Honest and Transparent: Be honest about what the funds are going to, how they will help you, and what will happen if you’re not funded. People want to help genuine creators who are grateful for the help they receive. And they want to know if they can expect any risks or set backs. If you get delayed in creating/shipping things, be honest. Sure, some people might be frustrated, but they’ll feel better knowing what’s going on with their tier than if they’re left in the dark.
• Be Kind: Thank your backers. Show gratitude to those who share your post around. Thank any team members who help with the project. As I always say, endeavor to be kind.
• Teamwork: Find other creators like you who have launched their Kickstarter. See if you can swap newsletter information or share each other’s projects to social media. By supporting each other, you might find additional backers for your project. Other creators aren’t your competition. I’ve backed other authors and supported them through their campaigns, and they’ve done the same for me in return. It’s just being part of the literary community! Speaking of, shout out to Brenna Deutchman, Brian K. Morris, Jennifer Rose, Cindy Koepp, and Daphne Lage.

I hope some of these tips and tools help you. Feel free to ask questions or offer tidbits that worked or didn’t work for you in the comments! I’ve left my Kickstarter link as an example of what I did since some people were wondering where to start.  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/purpledoordistrict/the-purple-door-district-urban-fantasy-series

My Kickstarter goes until March 31st, and all tiers are still open. We’re currently working toward our first Stretch goal, a digital/printed image of Vesp the Fae. To learn even more about me and my series, visit erincasey.org. A Game of Fae comes out in June 2022.

Vesp created by Brooke Lydick.

PS: Here’s another awesome Kickstarter by the creator Daphne Lage who had her project funded in 15 minutes. Check her out!

My Top 10 Favorite Writing Facebook Groups/Pages

As writers, we constantly hear how we need to have an online presence. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Goodreads, Tumblr, etc., the more people we can connect with, the better our book sales. But exploring pages and finding a writing community can be difficult when you don’t know where to start, or you’re introverted like I am. So I’ve compiled a list of my top 10 favorite writing Facebook Groups/Pages that have helped me find a community, get published, create a marketing plan for myself, and much, much more.

1. Write.Publish.Sell: Created by Alexa Bigwarfe, Write.Publish.Sell is an excellent place to go if you’re trying to figure out how to publish your manuscript from the ground up. She describes it as, “a place for writers who need help and support with writing, publishing, and marketing your book.” Bigwarfe provides tons of tutorials, posts, and other resources on her website, where one of my own blog posts appears. Her group also posts daily encouragements or prompts Monday-Friday: Monday Blogs, Tell Us Tuesday, Wednesday Promo, Ambassador Tips Thursday, Friday Social. It’s a fantastic way to connect with other authors, learn about them, promote your books or blog, and get help with your writing. She has paid services through her website, too, if you need more than what her free help can offer.

Bigwarfe’s knowledge and connection with authors has also helped her create the Women In Publishing Summit which runs from March 2-8, 2020 this year. The first online writing and publishing conference dedicated to women, the Women in Publishing Summit is a FREE 5-day online conference, featuring over 40 authors, publishers, editors, graphic artists, marketers, book sellers, mindset coaches, & more!  You can register through the event here. I’m one of the speakers this years, and you’ll get to learn all about how to find writing contests. Seriously, it’s a great resource.

2. Socially Aware Fiction Writers: Created by Yukimi Wintel, this group is “for people who love writing imaginative fiction and want to make sure they are being representative without being offensive.” While the page is geared more towards fantasy and sci-fi, writers of other/multiple genres are welcome to participate if they have questions. I’ve discussed many times how it’s important to have a sensitivity reader if you write about characters outside your lane. This is one place to turn to, and you don’t have to be afraid to ask questions. Just be willing to be open minded about the responses. I love this page because they actually helped me better develop my character Shen Yanlei in Wolf Pit. Now, keep in mind, this is just one form of research you can do when writing about diverse characters. Be kind, respectful, and understand that when you ask a question, you may be surprised by the answers. 

3. The Mixtus Media Meet-Up / Mixtus Media: This has been one of my go-to sites since I first started promoting my Purple Door District series. Created by Jenn Hanson-dePaula and Marcus dePaula, Mixtus Media focuses on helping “authors navigate book marketing with a simple personalized process that works.” They post blogs on Instagram and Facebook that I have found invaluable during my marketing process. I actually originally found them on Instagram. They cover tons of marketing topics such as, “How to Market Your Book if You’re an Introvert,” “One Month of Instagram Posts for Authors,” “How Authors Can Consistently Sell Books- Even after the Release,” “70 Conversation Starters to Boost Social Media Engagement,” and more. Their site is what inspired my blog entry “Engaging Your Readers.” All their material is free, but as with Bigwarfe, they do provide paid services as well. 

4. Fiction-Atlas Author Builders and Promotions: Do you want to build your newsletter audience and meet new readers? This is the place to go. Created by C.L. Cannon, this group “is specifically for promotions and builders offered by” Cannon “and Fiction-Atlas Press.” These builders include Newsletters, Bookbub, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook likes, etc. She’s constantly running these events to help authors grow their reader base. In the past year of working on just a few of these builders, I’ve gained 2,000 people on my newsletter! And the best part is that they’re reasonably priced, coming in anywhere between $10 and $20 depending on how much information you want to promote yourself. Cannon also runs Fiction-Atlas Press LLC and has published several incredible anthologies. I was in her “Unknown Realm” book last year. She has two more anthologies open this year which you can find under Submissions.  She’s currently accepting pieces. 

5. The Otherworld Home Community: Created by Tamara Rokicki, The Otherworld “is a growing platform in the literary community. Serving as the main hub and home center, it hosts portals that facilitate members into reading and writing worlds.” I’ve been part of this group since near the beginning, and I’ve met many fantastic authors. The Otherworld has released three anthologies and hosts a Book of the Month group where readers can talk about the book together and win prizes. Rokicki has also put on several amazing launch parties that have helped authors promote their books while also showcasing the upcoming anthology. I was recently selected as a resident author, and I can tell you we have some fun plans for the future. 

6. Indie Author Book Expo: Need a way to set up signing events? Then you should definitely check out IABE! Created by Jenn Thompson, IABE is a “nonprofit devoted to uniting readers, writers, and authors to build better books.” The daughter group IABE Must Have Books! allows you to promote your novels. Thompson works tirelessly to create signing events for local authors around the Midwest. She started in Des Moines and is booking events in Mason City, Peoria, Chicago, Omaha, and hopefully even more to come! She’s a friend to authors and brings writers together through her site. She’s also published anthologies and is trying to get a printing press to help make publication easier for writers. 

7. Rising Tide Publications: I’d be remiss not to mention this group created by Brian K Morris who has become a mentor to me. He encourages authors to lift one another so we all rise together, an ideology that I can get behind. His mission is to “provide positive entertainment in books and comics and to provide assistance to other creatives with low/no-cost solutions whenever possible, and encouragement always.” He runs two live shows every week where you can promote your books and get to meet other authors.  If you have a fundraiser or book event happening, he’s one of the first to promote it. He’s never afraid to offer advice and a kind ear. 

8. The Writers’ Rooms: Of course I need to mention the Writers’ Rooms. The Writers’ Rooms is a non-profit corporation that focuses on providing a free, safe environment to all writers. Essentially, we’re writers helping writers. In Iowa, we provide two-hour sessions that include a literary lesson and an hour of writing throughout the month.  You can find multiple groups through The Writers’ Rooms Facebook page based on different genres like Fantasy/Sci-fi, Poetry, Horror/Mystery, All-Genre, Romance, and also LGBT-based groups. We have a big author signing event happening later this year (applications are now open) and we produce anthologies for Iowa writers. As the Director of the organization, I try to provide helpful information to our group members and other authors through the main page. And what you can’t find there, you can usually find contests, events, and more in our individual groups. 

9. The Iowa Writers’ House:  Founded by Andrea Wilson, The Iowa Writers’ House is another incredible organization with the mission to “provide writers with the support and necessary tools to bring their literary dreams to fruition. From lectures and inspiration, to first putting pen to the page, to seminars on tips and how-to’s for the publishing world and everything in between, the Iowa Writers’ House exists as a writing launchpad for all who seek it.” IWH has consistently put on fascinating workshops hosted by published authors and professionals. Writers from all around the US have come to learn the tools of writing and build a literary community. You can check out workshops here. More recently, they have hosted a residency for Bicultural & Immigrant Writers in Iowa, publishing and distributing their voices through anthologies titled We the Interwoven. If you ever have questions, you can always ask me since I’ve been a volunteer practically since the beginning. 

10. Fantasy Writers Support Group:  Founded by Beth F Brownell, the Fantasy Writers Support Group is exactly that, a group “designed to assist authors in writing.” It’s a great way to find support for fantasy writers. You can ask questions, they provide tips, promotions, display book covers, allow you to discuss the world you’re building, etc. They have specific rules about when to post things, so make sure you check out their about page. If you’re a fantasy writer, this is one you’ll want to follow. 

I hope that these groups and pages help you find more ways to show off your writing, learn literary tips, and meet fellow writers and readers. I’m considering creating a group myself to help other writers. What things do you look for in writing groups/pages? 

2020 Goals

How is it January 7th already? 2019 felt like it was never going to end, and then, bam, we’re seven days into the new year. Like many people, I like creating goals for myself at the beginning of each year. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I don’t, but at least it puts me on a path to, hopefully, complete a few things. Last year one of my main goals was to publish Wolf Pit, and I managed to do that, albeit at the last second.

This year, I want to talk about both writing and personal health goals for myself. I’m hoping by posting them here, it’ll help keep me accountable. Not only that, you’ll have a little preview of what to expect from me this year!

Writing Goals: 

• PDD Book 3: I plan to write and edit Purple Door District book 3. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m going to publish it in 2020 due to circumstances that happened in 2019. Let’s just say I didn’t give the book as much love and care as I would have liked, and I want to make sure I do book 3 justice. I don’t want to rush it.
• Dragon Steal: I put my YA LGBT dragon book on hold to finish up Wolf Pit. Well, after much consideration, I’m planning to heavily edit Dragon Steal, rewrite the pitches, and submit the book both to agents and to #pitmad on Twitter. I’m really excited to work on the book again because I love and miss the characters. It’ll be a nice break from the world of The Purple Door District as well. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the series. However, I struggled with a lot of depression while writing and editing it, so I think it’s good I’m taking a slight break.
• Anthologies: I intend to write more short stories and poetry to submit to local anthologies. I already have plans to create pieces (hopefully) for Fiction-Atlas Press LLC. Ideally, I want to submit to anthologies that provide royalties or pay to help with publication costs, but just having my story in print is awesome too!
• Writing Grants: I’m going to apply for some writing grants to help fund my writing career while I’m still getting on my feet. As I’ve talked about in a few posts, self-publishing is not cheap, and it takes until book 2 or 3 to start seeing a little income. I’m still not quite at that point, so if I get grants that can help me produce these books, I’ll be ecstatic.
• Fates and Furies: Alongside The Purple Door District, I’d like to get back into working on the Fates and Furies series with my co-author AE Kellar. Oh my gosh, we have so many stories to tell you!
• Blog: Yes, my dears, I plan to resume blogging once a week. If you have particular topics you want me to discuss, please let me know. Part of the reason I stopped near the end of last year was because I ran out of ideas! That and Wolf Pit was trying to eat my soul.
• Author Interviews: Author Interviews will start up again this Friday. I’ll post them on social media and host them on my site two times a month. I think that’ll give me a little more breathing room. If you’re a published author looking for a place to be interviewed, fill out the form here.
• Patreon/Wattpad: Yes, I do still intend to post to Patreon once a month, likely starting in February. I need a break to get more writing prepared. Likewise, I want to post to Wattpad as well. If you haven’t read The Purple Door District, you can find it on there under my account. The first chapter of Wolf Pit will be up shortly as well.

Health Goals: 

• Sleep: I’ve talked about struggling with sleep before and how it’s affected my health and creativity. I’m working with a sleep specialist who is helping me get more rest at night. Basically I was only getting about 2-4 hrs of solid sleep every night this time last year. I’m almost to 6 1/2 hrs now, which has made a world of difference. I want to get up to 7 1/2 hours.
• Gym: I plan to start working out again. I know it improves my mood, my sleep, and my health. Unfortunately, due to injuries and bad experiences at the gym, I’m struggling to walk back through those doors. I’m trying exposure therapy, meaning, I’m taking it one step at a time. Today I went into the gym for the first time in months. I almost had a panic attack, but I managed to make it there. Little by little, I’ll work out and add time to my routines. I have to do this for myself.
• Mental Health: I continue to use my therapy lights, see my therapists, and go to support groups both for my depression/anxiety, and weight. I broke mentally in February 2019, and I do not want that to happen again. So I’m working to be kinder to myself and more understanding. It may lead to me stepping back from things so I can take care of myself, but I’ll do what’s necessary. I’d like to be here for a long time.

So, I might be biting off more than I can chew, but when it comes down to it, I need to make my mental health my priority, even if it puts things on the back burner.

What about you? What goals do you have for 2020?

Dealing With Deadlines

You may have noticed that I took a break from writing posts in November. No, it wasn’t because of NaNoWriMo, unfortunately. It was due to me needing to focus entirely on editing and finishing up Wolf Pit. I’m happy to say, the files were approved by Ingramspark, and I clicked print today.

NaNo resulted in about 400 words, which is the first time in many years that I’ve lost. I was up against several tight deadlines, and while the book will indeed come out on the 14th, I won’t have the printed copies in hand. Not exactly the results I had hoped for, but at least the book will launch, and it’s given me some time to really understand the importance of setting up reasonable deadlines.

When I wrote The Purple Door District, I completed the first draft in November 2017, over a year before it would come out. I decided around March 2018 that I wanted to publish the book, so I worked to get an editor and started my marketing campaign.  I spent months editing, promoting, finding artists, creating swag, lining up readings and places for the launch. It was nonstop, however, I evened out my deadlines enough that I was able to edit the book in a reasonable amount of time, create a proof copy, and get the paperbacks with weeks to spare. In the end, the launch went great, the book ended up being around 73,000 words, and the pieces came together.

Wolf Pit was much different. I wrote 50,000 words of the book in November 2018, expecting it to come out around December 2019. But then roadblocks got in the way and my health plummeted. Writer’s block forced me to put the pen down, and I ended up in the hospital twice in early 2019 both for cellulitis and mental health issues. When I finally came out of it, it still took me longer than I had hoped to finish the book. I was still shaky with the deadline, but I thought December would still work, so I pushed to get it done. What I didn’t account for was the fact that the book was over 100,000 words, my team and I would run into life and health issues, and printing times would change. In the end, I will still have a book out on December 14th, but I wish I had had more time.

So what does that mean for book 3? Well, first off, since I was completely devoted to Wolf Pit in November, book 3 did not get written. So after I take about a month off, I’ll start writing it. A printing date will not be decided until long after I’ve started the edits so I can produce the best book for my readers.

I know now that if I had the chance to go back and do things differently, I would have written all three books before I even published the first one so I didn’t run into these issues. That’s the ideology I followed for my medieval fantasy (even if that’s still sitting on the back burner), and it made the books stronger because elements that popped up in book 3, I had to add in book 1. That’s not to say I don’t have an outline for PDD 3, but I think this would have helped with the deadlines and the stress that came with the mishaps over the past year.

So what can you do to set up, and stick to, deadlines for your book or creative piece?

• Cushion Time: Set up an initial deadline with plenty of cushion. If you run into trouble, you’ll still have extra time to get the work completed.
• Be Considerate of Everyone’s Schedules: Don’t overexert yourself or the people helping you. Make sure you’re giving everyone a reasonable amount of time to get the work done so no one has to rush, especially when polishing the final piece.
• Change the Final Dates: Be willing to adjust final dates. As an indie author, it’s a lot easier to change the publication date than in traditional publishing. If you don’t think the book will be done on time, or it’s not as polished as it could be, push the deadline. Yes, it may frustrate some people that it’s not coming out when promised, but I think most people would be happy to wait for a cleaner story.
• Personal Time: Create down time for yourself. Seriously, pushing yourself to work on the project every single day is not good for your health. You need to allow yourself time to rest so you can come at it refreshed.
• Ask For Help: Whether it’s with marketing, revising, or formatting, don’t be afraid to reach out to your community and ask for aid. I never would have been able to get Bianca’s necklaces done for book 1 had Amanda Bouma not helped me. And my eyes were so tired after  reading Wolf Pit, I was happy to rely on AE Kellar to give the book formatting a final review.
• Calendar: Keep a planner or calendar handy to help you visually plot the days when you want things to get done. Mark any days that may give you trouble, or days you know you’ll have extra time to work to make up for any setbacks.
• Make Lists: Set up lists of things you need to get done to help you reach deadlines. Make sure to include even the little things, because it’s really satisfying to mark off tons of tasks.

You can find other tips here:

• How to Set Deadlines That You’ll Actually Stick To
• How to Stick to Deadlines

What do you do to help you stay in line with your deadlines?

Yes, Writing is a Real Job

“You’re a writer? When are you going to get a real job?”

Far too many writers have heard these scathing questions. Sometimes you can laugh it off and go back to working on your novel or script. Sometimes it comes during a moment of hardship when debt is surmounting, and you’re wondering to yourself if you can actually pull off publishing another book. And while, yes, for some folks writing is a hobby that they do in their free time for fun, it’s also a job for all those other people trying to get paid for their craft.

I don’t think most people understand the amount of work that goes into creating a book and marketing it to the public, but we’ll talk about that in a little bit. First, I’d like to bring up an article on Writer’s Digest called Is It a Hobby or a Job? by author Brian Klems. In it he discusses how writing is definitely work, but it’s not classified as a job until you make money off of it. He also goes on to say that the amount of work that goes into it writing can’t just be classified as a hobby either. I’m sure a lot of you are nodding about the latter point.

In this day and age, it’s hard to make a living as a writer because of the low pay, but that doesn’t make it any less of a job. It just means I have to work that much harder to keep my literary career alive, oh, and also work the other 40-hour job I do during the week at the same time to cover the rest of the cost. Most writers have to still work a 40-hour job, or part time, to make ends meet. Some take the plunge and quit their daytime work to write full time, and I applaud them for taking the initiative.

Unfortunately, that usually elicits the image of someone writing for a couple hours, binge watching Netflix the rest of the day, then complaining they have no money.

Let me kind of give you a view of what it’s like to live as a published indie author, and then tell me if you think that writing is still just a hobby. Keep in mind, I’ve only been doing this for a year, so imagine what an author juggling several books goes through everyday.

• I work from 8:30-5pm Monday-Friday (and some weekends for overtime).
• I volunteer in the evening for literary organizations.
• Starting around 8 or 9 pm until I go to bed, on weekends, or on my “day off,” I do at least one of these things:
  • Research information for my book.
  • World build or develop elements for my book
  • Write or edit my novel.
  • Discuss with my editors and proofreaders what needs to be changed and apply those edits.
  • Talk with my sensitivity readers about changes that need to be made.
  • Keep a presence on Amazon , Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, WordPress, Wattpad, Goodreads, Bookbub, Allauthor for marketing reasons.
  • Design banners, contests, graphics to post in all these locations about my book.
  • Reach out to bloggers to review my book or do a blog train.
  • Update my website with new author information and author interviews.
  • Build connections with fellow writers, editors, marketers, etc.
  • Set up signing events.
  • Attend signing events in different cities and states.
  • Post chapters on Patreon to help pay for my website.
  • Commission art of characters for stickers/swag.
  • Commission cover art.
  • Create other swag (bookmarks, necklaces, etc)
  • Run an Indiegogo campaign to help cover costs.
  • Participate in online “takeover” events.
  • Query my books.
  • Participate in online book contests to either 1. get an award for my book. 2. find an agent/publisher for my other books.
  • Format my book through Scrivener and Adobe Acrobat.
  • Set up and publish my book through Ingramspark then order copies.
  • Contact libraries and bookstores to carry my book.
  • Set up ISBNs, sales tax permit, BIN.
  • Check inventory and order more supplies on books and all marketing materials.
  • Review finances.
  • Prepare a book launch with local venues.
  • Attend writing conventions to make connections and learn the latest marketing techniques.
  • Participate in author summits both as a listener as an author.

…and the list goes on.

Being an author is a multi-faceted job, and most of the time you have to do everything yourself. Even if you’re a traditionally published author, publishing houses are doing less to market the book and encouraging authors to do more of the work. Many of my author friends spend days at conventions and marketing to sell their books and pay for the table, gas, hotel, meals, and other bills.

But you may ask, “Erin, you charge $15 for your paper book. How do you not make money off of it?”

Because by the time you factor in the editing, proofreading, printing, marketing, and sales tax permit, I don’t see much profit. Every dollar helps and puts me closer to making a better income off of writing. But I have to market to make that happen. I’ve heard it takes until book 2 or 3 to actually see a return in money, which is why initially it may look like authors are so broke, even if they receive advances from publishing companies.

That doesn’t mean writing isn’t a job.

Honestly, for me, it would be my dream job to write full time and survive off of my books. While that might be a long time in coming, I’ll do what I can to keep working towards it. In the meantime, I hope this gives people a better understanding of how much work goes into being an author and that it’s more of a job than most realize.

Marketing Tip: Street Team

This week’s marketing topic was inspired by Byrd Nash’s instagram post about street teams. Be sure to check out her many writing tips, as well as her new book:

Find it on Amazon.

To start off, what is a Street Team? This is essentially a group of people who are your go-to folks for marketing your book. They’re the ones who share your posts on social media, leave book reviews, provide writing feedback, etc. They’re the backbone of your whole marketing plan who can help get the word out about your novel. I’ll go more in-depth in a moment, but one thing to keep in mind is that these people are usually volunteers who take time out of their day to help you promote. Treat them with kindness and respect and understand that sometimes they can’t always be “on” to help you. Some of my street team folks, like Brian K Morris, are there to provide me with moral support when I feel kicked down, and I can’t appreciate it enough. So be kind.

Why Have a Street Team? 

Whether you’re trade or indie, you’re going to have to do some marketing for your book. As an indie author, I wear the hats of the writer, editor, proofreader, designer, marketer, website creator, book signing scheduler, etc. It’s a lot of work. But, as I’ve expressed in many blogs, you don’t have to go it alone. The street team helps take some of the burden off of your shoulders. When you need to reach a wider audience, they’re there to spread the word. You can’t beat having a lovely group of people to help you.

Who Are They? / Where Can You Find Them? 

Honestly, your street team can be anyone. Family. Friends. Editors. Fans. They should be people you trust who have shown interest in your book and your journey.  They may even be fellow writers that you’ve met on twitter or instagram, or during writing conventions. Be sure to ask them before you add them to your street team, though. People don’t like being bombarded with information that they never asked to receive. One way you can keep track of who’s on your team is by creating a facebook group specifically for them. I have a group called The Purple Door District: Street Team! where I share my information. Generally, my street team is the first to see new content before it goes out to the rest of the public. Interested in becoming part of my street team? Let me know!

Arc/Beta Readers

One way the street team can help is by volunteering to either become a beta reader or an arc (advanced reader copy) reader. They’ll read your book and provide feedback about possible things you need to change to help make your story stronger. Specifically ask them to review topics/plots/characters you’re most concerned about because your beta/arc readers will be your last line of defense before you go public.

Reviews

Having people willing to leave reviews is so important for an author. Like it or not, the algorithms on Amazon will determine how your book gets promoted. The more reviews you have, the more likely Amazon will be to share it around. I believe the key number is 50 reviews, but frankly, any amount helps. Reviews don’t have to be complex, either. Your street team can leave a rating and something as simple as a one word review. Granted, getting a full review is wonderful, and I wouldn’t snuff that if they’re willing to do it. I’ve had some excellent reviews from Ellen Rozek, Byrd Nash, and Shakyra Dunn for example. The best ones are when the readers are willing to provide constructive feedback along with their kind words.

Social Media Sharing

Another way your street team can help you is by sharing important news about your book across their social media platforms. The more people you reach, the better chance you have of selling your book, or acquiring followers. They can share things like cover releases, book releases, giveaways, or, hey, even your quest for a reader’s choice award. Be sure to give them ample notice and all the information that they need to share your news around. While you may have some of the same friends, chances are all of your street team members will have an audience that you don’t know. The more platforms you can get across, (twitter, facebook, instagram, goodreads, allauthor, bookbub, etc) the better.

Book Buyers

Now, let me be clear, just because someone is on your street team, that doesn’t mean they’re obligated to buy your book. But, it is a nice perk if it happens. Likely your street team members are readers themselves and are interested in your book or want to go the extra mile and support you by buying your novel. Can’t say no to that, right? Be sure to interact with them and the rest of your book-buying audience. Let them know how much you appreciate them for helping you.

These are just a few ways that a street team can help you, especially near a book launch or book release day. Do you have a street team? How have they helped you? Feel free to share your story below!

On another note, I really am working to get nominated for the Epic Fantasy Fanatics Reader’s Choice Award. If you have a second, please consider voting for The Purple Door District. Thank you so much!

 

How to Find an Agent: 101

Ah, literary agents. Those elusive, mystical creatures that you can only find at the end of a double rainbow. Or at least, that’s what it can feel like to a new author. After the excitement of completing your book has worn off, it’s time to take the next step to find an agent (if you’re planning to go the traditional route). Yes, you can still query certain small presses and publishing houses directly without an agent, but you have a better chance of getting your foot in the door if you have someone praising your book.

So, where do you start?

Books:

• Favorite Books: Look at your favorite books that match the genre of the manuscript you’re trying to publish and take note of the publisher. From there, you can do a search online to see what agents work with that publishing company. If the agents accept similar books, they may be interested in taking a look at yours.
  • Some publishing houses don’t require you to have an agent. DAW, for example, accepts unsolicited fantasy and science fiction novels. So if you don’t want to take the time to find a literary agent, that’s another way to go about trying to get your book published.
• Guide to Literary Agents 2019: This book, along with those in years past, can help you select an agent. It guides you in preparing a query letter and introduces you some of the current agents who are seeking submissions.
• Writer’s Digest: Whether it’s in magazine form or online, Writer’s Digest always has a plethora of information about the writing world. They even have their own section on locating literary agents and will sometimes promote particular agents in their printed magazines (which I highly recommend). Not only that, they provide great advice on how to prep yourself to query agents/publishers/editors.

Query Tracker and #MSWishList

• Query Tracker: This free site is a great way to scope out publishers and agents. Not only can you see who is or isn’t accepting queries, you can categorize what fields you’re most interested in (fantasy, YA, romance, etc). You have to sign up to do a specific search for an agent, but again, it’s free. The people on this list are considered legitimate agents as well, so if you hear about an agent who might be a good match for you, run their name through Query Tracker first.
• #MSWishList: This site shows the manuscript wish lists of agents and editors and also provides advice on writing query letters. An editor is a good route to go as well because they may be able to connect you with an agent. Scroll through and see who’s interested in your genre and click on their names to learn more about them and what literary agency they represent. Also, make sure to put their names through Query Tracker for additional information.

#Pitchwars and #Pitmad

• #Pitchwars: This is a Twitter mentoring program that happens once a year.  Published/agented authors, editors, or industry interns choose one writer each to mentor. The mentors then help the writer perfect their manuscript to prepare it for an agent showcase. Participating agents review the lists of books and will make requests. This year’s Pitch Wars mentee application window opens on September 25th and will stay open until September 27th, so get those manuscripts ready!
• #Pitmad: This is a “pitch party” on Twitter where writers pitch their completed, polished, and unpublished manuscripts in tweets they share throughout the day. Agents and editors make requests by liking or favoriting the pitch, which means you can query directly to them. Keep in mind that you have to be unagented to participate. #Pitmad happens quarterly, and the next one is actually this Thursday, June 6th! To learn more, check out the site, or you can read my past entry, Brace Yourselves: #Pitmad is Coming.

Make Literary Friends

• Whether in person, through twitter, facebook, or instagram, try to make literary friends. Sometimes the best way to find agents is by learning about them from other writers. You can also follow agents on twitter and see when they’re looking for manuscripts to represent. And believe me, most of them are nice and won’t bite ;-). Just be yourself, and don’t harass the agents about reviewing your manuscript. Be patient. Just like you needed time to write it, they’ll need time to read it.

Important: Before you even begin reaching out to agents, keep these things in mind:

• Look for an agent who represents your genre.
• Take note of the agent’s submission requirements, because everyone has something different.
• Make sure you have your manuscript polished and ready for review. If they make a full request, you don’t want to have to tell them that you’re not done.
• Book summary: complete
• Pitches: complete
• Query letter (without the personal info directed to the agent): complete.

I hope this helps you take the next step to getting your book traditionally published. Remember, you’re not alone, and I believe in you.

Why Did I Indie Publish?

Since self-publishing The Purple Door District, I’ve received a lot of questions about why I decided to go that route. Well, I want it to be clear that I actually hope to become a hybrid author. My goal is to self-publish some books and traditional publish others.  I want to experience both worlds and see which one works the best for me. For all I know, indie publishing will win out.

The first answer to this question is easy. The Purple Door District is a component of a larger series called Fates and Furies that I write with my co-author, AE Kellar. We decided early on that when we published the books, we wanted to go the indie path. We’d have more freedom that way and we could keep all the important elements in the book without the fear of having a publisher take them out. We wanted control of the cover and the publishing schedule. We both have tight schedules and sometimes we just can’t write together. We didn’t want the pressure of a publishing house coming down on us, insisting we had to have work done at a certain time when it just wasn’t feasible.

Now, that being said, we still want to put work out consistently, but indie publishing is more flexible and more forgiving when it comes to time frames. If we have to push publication dates back to make the book better and stronger, then so be it. So, The Purple Door District was guaranteed to be self-published.

But what about my other books like Dragon Steal or Traitors of the Crown? Why not self-publish those?

Well, again, I want the experience, and I feel like those books might do better with publishing houses that focus on the same type of topic.

Indie publishing is an adventure, to be blunt. You have control of everything. Writing. Editing. Choosing editors/proofreaders. Finding the cover. Marketing. Formatting. Publishing. Distribution. You wear all of the hats, and while that can be daunting, it can also be extremely enjoyable and rewarding. I went from having this book I was just posting on patreon with a rough cover to a published copy in my hand and in bookstores. I spent six months doing my marketing and printing campaign, and I honestly couldn’t be happier.

I was relieved that I could choose my own cover. Often in traditional publishing, you don’t get a say in it. In my case, I found an artist, and she and I worked together to perfect the cover. She willingly listened to my suggestions and adjusted the art so it turned into the lovely piece it is today. Likewise, I found artists who could make character images for me, and I was the only one who could say if it matched my vision. I had the final approval. You don’t always get that in the traditional world.

I also was able to choose my own editors and proofreaders. I went with people I trusted, who had worked with me either for a long time or had demonstrated a passion for the craft and my book. Our relationships became harmonious, and we were able to message each other without having to worry about a publisher watching over us.

Indie publishing is no longer as taboo as it used to be. Authors are spending money to acquire editing services, and more freelance editors are appearing everyday. One of the biggest things I love about indie publishing is working with the community. I’m not the only one benefiting from publishing the book. Editors, proofreaders, artists, PA specialists all have a hand in the book and receive payment for their work. I’m proud to have met so many incredibly talented people and it brings me great joy to promote them on my website.

Indie publishing is a lot of work and a ton of money (depending on how you want to do it). You can indie publish and not spend a dime except for purchasing books. Or, you can put more of your cash into it to create a bigger marketing strategy. Again, the choice is yours. You have control over your own process. And you don’t have to worry about a publishing company folding and dropping the series you’ve been working on (it’s happened before).

I’m not waiting for anyone to promote my materials or set up book signings for me. I do it all myself and go where I think I’ll have the most success. Walking this path has turned me into a stronger and more knowledgeable writer that I’m not sure I would have received from traditional publishing alone. Yes, in traditional publishing you still have to help market, but not to the same extent as indie.

I give a lot of credit to those who have self-published before me, and those who will after me. I feel like may of us have become a close-nit community because we all know the struggle of creating and promoting our books. The writing community is incredible, and no matter if you choose to self publish or traditional publish, I hope you’re proud to be part of the community.

2018 Wrap Up and 2019 Goals

I can’t believe that 2018 is finally over. It felt like the year that just would not die! I made resolutions last year, but most of them I don’t even  remember, except for wanting to start querying Dragon Steal, which I did manage to accomplish. For this post, I’d like to go over some of the awesome (and not-so-awesome) things that happened this year and cover my goals for 2019.

2018 in Review

• Finished editing Dragon Steal and submitted it for publication.
  • I’ve received several rejection letters but recently got a full manuscript request. While the rejections have hurt, at least the book is out there!
• I created my own website and started developing a branded persona on twitter, facebook, instagram, etc. I have over 1,000 followers both on twitter and on instagram.
  • Even better, I’ve met a ton of amazing authors and creators through these sites who I can’t wait to work with next year!
• Wrote, edited, and published The Purple Door District.  I can’t believe I developed my own marketing and indiegogo campaigns, formatted the book, published it, and held a launch party all in the space of six months. The question is, can I do it for PDD2?
• Had “Latte with a Shot of Poltergeist” and “Frozen Heart” published in anthologies.
• Submitted more short stories and poetry than I ever have before. While I received a lot of rejections, I at least received a few publications.
• Officially launched The Writers’ Rooms with my co-Director, Alexandra Penn. We also finished our Articles of Incorporation and got certified as a non-profit corporation.
• Helped develop the concierge anthology through The Writers’ Rooms.
• Returned to my college and taught a few classes about publishing and NaNoWriMo.
• Wrote 50k words for The Purple Door District: Wolf Pit.
• Lost about 45 lbs through exercise and healthy eating.
• Attended my first book signing event with other authors and signed up for even more in 2019.
• Hosted giveaways for my book and swag that was developed by local creators.
• Started my patreon account to help raise money for my writing career.
• Received honorable mention in Writers of the Future.
• Truly started my profession as an author.

It’s been a really big year for me writing wise. I still can’t believe that six months ago I decided to publish The Purple Door District. It seems like ages since I made that decision. I’ve managed to publish a few pieces of work this year, including on wattpad and patreon.

Next year, I hope to do even more, but also find a way to take care of myself at the same time.

2019 Goals

• Focus on my mental health and take better care of myself mentally and physically.
• Find an agent and publisher for Dragon Steal.
• Finish writing and publish The Purple Door District: Wolf Pit.
• Work on Fates and Furies with my co-author, AE Kellar, and hopefully publish the first book, if not in 2019, then in early 2020.
• Submit more short stories and poetry for publication.
• Start working on The Purple Door District #3 and Dragon Steal #2
• Return to working on Traitors of the Crown.
• Lose more weight for health reasons and get healthier.
• Attend multiple writing conventions to both sell my books and to meet other authors.
• Start my path to becoming a full-time author.

These are pretty ambitious goals, but I think most of them are possible. I really do need to focus on my mental and physical health, though, because I managed to break myself a few times while working on PDD. If I can’t hold myself together, I won’t be able to accomplish any/all of this.

I’m really proud of what I did this year. It’s my biggest year as an author, and I can’t wait to see what 2019 holds. I’m also a little scared. What if next year doesn’t unfold as well? I guess that’s all part of growing up and making plans as a writer, though. Some years you’re going to make it big, and some years are going to be a lot slower. I hope 2019 is still a fantastic one.

What are your goals for 2019? Feel free to share them below! Also, let me know what topics you’d like me to cover this year!

Happy Writing!

Erin

Creating a Book Launch: Reflection

It’s been a week since I launched The Purple Door District. It’s hard to believe that it’s over already after so many months of work. I’ve had people ask what went well, what didn’t, what would I like to change, and so on and so forth. After some reflection, I thought I’d share a few tidbits for anyone else who’s preparing to launch their book. As I say in many of my posts, these are just ideas and not the true method. What works for me may not work for you, but it may give you a place to start.

To make this a little easier, I’m going to divide this into three sections: what I did, what worked and didn’t work, and what I’d do next time.

Warning: This is going to be a long one!

What I did: 

• Indie Publishing: I gave myself 6 months to launch my book so I could build up an audience and get my social media platforms off the ground. Keep in mind, I was mostly starting from scratch. I had Facebook and Wattpad, and I had just started on patreon, but that was about it. I decided to go the indie publishing route, which meant I had to do all my marketing by myself, hence the six months of preparation.
• Cover reveal: I revealed the cover of the book about a month in so that it, and the title, could get out and attract attention.
• Social Media: I started building up my social media. Twitter and Facebook brought the most people to my website (according to the analytics). I also created an Instagram account. I bounced back and forth between these three, and featured special topics on Instagram like my Book Love Tour, author interviews, and blog entries. I created a schedule for myself to write a blog post every week, which I’ve managed for a few months now. When I got closer to the book release, I created a Goodreads and Bookbub account, per the suggestions of other authors. Through all the social media sites, I worked to build my audience and find fellow writers who might be interested in the book, and who I could help.
• Website: I developed my own author website to host information about my books, author interviews, my literary projects, details about the community, my volunteer work, etc. Basically my website is a one-stop shop for anyone who wants to know about me and my work. You can find all my social media through it.
• Patreon: In December 2017, before I even decided to publish PDD, I started posting a chapter or two every month. This meant I had early readers and got a few people interested in the book. I intend to do the same thing with PDD 2.
• Interviews: Through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, I found people willing to do interviews with me to help promote my book. I worked to space them out over the months so there was always something fresh for people to read. In the same vein, I interviewed other authors to show them support. It’s been a lot of fun getting to meet so many different people.
• Libraries/bookstores: I started contacting libraries and bookstores who might be interested in carrying my book. In the end, I had three bookstores in the local area who wanted them, and another in the works. Libraries are a little more reluctant to take in indie-published books, but I did manage to get a couple to agree to carry the novel.
• Press: I wrote press releases for my book launch in hopes that it would help bring more people to the event and also share the news about the novel to more people.
• Swag: I developed some of my own swag and also brought on people to create art, necklaces, and sand bottles for my book. My intent was to give them support while also helping to promote PDD. It was a lot of money, but the results spoke volumes.
• Indiegogo Campaign: Indie publishing is not easy, as many of you probably already know. I started up an Indiegogo Campaign to try to offset some of the costs. I spread it out over a month, aiming to gain $4,000.
• Book Launch Location: I picked a special location for my book launch. The Makers’ Loft seemed like a fitting place because it is all about representing indie artists. It has a great space, and it is still new and starting out, so I wanted to bring publicity there as well. Plus, their marketing team is really good. I’m really glad I chose it.
• Giveaways:  I did several giveaways over the course of the 6 months. In the beginning, I was just offering swag as gifts (necklaces, posters, etc) because the book wasn’t done. Then I started giving away the e-book, and finally I offered up the published book in bigger contests that ended up helping me build my newsletter.
• Newsletter: I developed a newsletter to keep people updated on what I’m working on. It helped me keep people interested and connected me with my readers more.
• ARC: I gave out advanced reader copies to people I knew would finish the book and provide reviews on Goodreads, and later Amazon. I hoped that the numbers would get me closer to the 50 count which triggers Amazon to start promoting your book.
• Paid Ads: I spent a little money on ads for the newspaper, Facebook, Bookbub, and I think a couple of other places to garner attention.
• Connections: I worked with my author connections to gain more information about how to launch my book. I also got PDD out word-of-mouth and developed a street team to help me share information about the book around social media platforms.
• Signings: I set up two signings on the day of the book launch, as well as several others in the future so people would know right away where to find me if they couldn’t make it to the actual launch.

What Worked/ What Didn’t 

• Indie Publishing: I’m actually really glad I went this route. I’ve learned a lot about indie publishing over the past six months, and I now have a better idea of what I’d do in the future. It costs a lot, I’m not going to lie, but you have a lot of freedom that you may not have with publishers.
• Cover reveal: This was a great way to gain attention. I found an amazing artist who really hit the nail on the head. People loved the cover, and that kept bringing an audience back to me. Or at least made people pause when they scrolled through it. Cover reveals are great media pieces, especially if you have an incredible artist. Start it early, and get your name out there.
• Social Media: I probably made my social media life a lot harder than it needed to be. Facebook and Twitter both brought people over to my website. Whether that will lead to sales remains to be seen at this point. It’s something you definitely need to do to keep up your audience, but the amount of social media presence is really up to you. I think Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram get me my best audience. Wattpad and patreon fall a bit more to the wayside. At the very least, this is a great way to gain connections and find out about other signings, and bond with writers and readers. Recently, my blog posts have started to gain more attention.
• Website: A must have. I spent more on this than I had anticipated, but it’s worth the cost. I have a store where I can sell my books. And it’s a one-stop-shop for everyone. If I only have one piece of social media to offer up, this is definitely the one I give. I update it every week, too, and that seems to keep the numbers up.
• Patreon: To be honest, Patreon is not one of my successes. It’s gone well for other writers, but I’ve really struggled with gaining an audience. I’m hoping that now PDD 1 is out, that’ll bring more people in for PDD 2. Part of me wants to give it up completely, but I still think there’s worth in it. If anything, it keeps me on task because I have to post something every 15th of the month.
• Interviews: This was a big help. Interviews introduced me to new readers and audiences. They made people see that I’m very much a human, and they got to know me and my view of working as a community. I would say get as many interviews as possible, and research if there’s a good response turn out for that interviewer’s blog.
• Libraries/bookstores: I didn’t have as much success as I would have liked, but I don’t think I tried as hard as I could have. I’m still reaching out to bookstores and libraries, but I’m finding that they prefer to agree to carry your book once it’s printed. That being said, I did just receive my first paycheck from one of the bookstores!
• Press: This was a dud, but that was my fault. I did reach out to newspapers, but I neglected to reach out to tv and radio stations. I think I just ran out of time, which was an issue. I sent press releases to four local papers and only had one respond.
• Swag: While this turned out to be a lot of money, the swag really caught people’s attention. When I couldn’t give out the book because it was still in progress, I could at least offer bookmarks, jewelry, and other items. They were all very eye catching, and they’ve served to help bolster the world of PDD alongside the book.
• Indiegogo Campaign: The campaign enabled me to pay for my first shipment of books, but it definitely didn’t land where I expected. There are a lot of ways in which I would improve on it (more below).
• Book Launch Location: The location was really great. The only downside is the website has slightly confusing directions, so some people got lost, but they still managed to show up. I had at least 30 people stop by in a 2-hour time frame.
• Giveaways:  On one hand, not many people participated in the giveaways. It almost felt like, what was the point? On the other hand, the people who won were ecstatic and let me know about it, and that felt wonderful.
• Newsletter: I suck at newsletters, hah! This is still a work in progress! Now that I have about 250 people, I’m hoping that will lead to some sales.
• ARC: Definitely glad I did this. My ARC folks came through for me and helped me get several reviews both on amazon and goodreads. I’m talking with even more people about doing reviews, so I hope my #questto50 makes it on amazon.
• Paid Ads: Honestly, I don’t think these were worth the money. Unless you’re willing to spend $100s of dollars, I don’t think they give you much turn out.
• Connections/Signings: Personal connections with people and in-person signings definitely were great successes. I’ve met so many incredible people over the last six months, and many also ended up buying my book to show their support. I did the same for their books as well. The biggest success came from working with the community. They always say you should build an audience, but I’d much rather build up true connections with people and have us help each other. Rising Tide, as Brian K Morris says.

What I’d Do Differently

• Press: I would reach out to more press outlets about my book. One suggestion an author made to me was to send formal invitations to newspapers, tv, and radio stations. If you can get a big star to come, that’s something you can talk about and attract more people. I’d also write more press releases to introduce my book.
• Indiegogo Campaign: If I did this again, I’d give myself two months instead of one to raise the money. One month wasn’t enough. I would also promote it more, and likely do that through press news. My tiers would be more reasonable as well. I wish I could have given out more stuff to people, but I was still in the early stages.
• Relevant Signings: I’m working on this now, but I would have set up a signing in Chicago right off the bat. The book is set in Chicago, after all. I should have reached out to Chicago bookstores and media as well.
• ARC: I would find more ARC readers for the book. I’ve received many incredible reviews (thank you, everyone!) But getting more reviews right away would be helpful.
• Time/Self-Care: Give myself more time to breathe. During the six months, I thought I was going to lose my mind. There were plenty of tears and nights where I felt like I couldn’t do this, and that I’d turn into a failure. It was because I wasn’t taking care of myself. I wasn’t sleeping. I wasn’t eating well. There were other factors that made self-care difficult, but the book launch was one of those major stresses in my life that I’m both happy and sad is over. I’d definitely give myself a day (at least) every week where I didn’t work on anything.

I told you, this was going to be a long one. Overall, I think the book launch was a big success. In 7 days, I sold about 70 books, and I have interviews and signings coming up over the next few months. I’m working to attend bigger conventions that might bring more attention to my book, and to me as an author. Maybe I’ll even find an agent to represent me for the other stacks of books I have waiting in the wings.

As a final note, I want to again thank everyone who has supported me through this journey. You all are incredible and I can’t thank you enough.

As always, if you have a topic you’d like me to discuss, post it below!

Happy writing!