When we talk about the publishing industry, most people think of the traditional publishing industry, but alongside it is a robust and viable independent publishing scene. Joanna Penn, on her Creative Penn podcast, says, ‘The stigma of self-publishing is almost gone.’
That may be true, but in Australia it still lingers with indie authors being excluded from prizes and professional development opportunities such as creative writing grants, even though indie authors are a million-dollar industry.
Michael Tamblyn, Rakuten Kobo’s CEO, said at 2022 Frankfurt Book Fair, ‘One in four books we sell in English is a self-published title, which means that effectively, for us, self-publishing is like having a whole other Penguin Random House sitting out in the market that no one sees. It’s like the dark matter of publishing.’
ArtsHub asked some Australian indie authors who have taken this route to share their experiences and successes.
Morgana Best is a USA Today Bestselling Author of more than 50 books. Her books have landed in the Top 10 on Amazon and are beloved by readers in over 70 countries. Best embarked on her journey as an independent author in 1993 when, ‘Transworld solicited my doctoral thesis as a popular book. It turned out to be a lengthy and convoluted process, which eventually fell through. As I already had the completed manuscript, I decided to publish it myself.’
Best has been selling print directly since 1993 and e-books (as well as print) directly from her websites since 2003.
With more than three million copies of her books sold, CJ Archer is another USA Today Bestselling Author of over 50 novels in the historical mystery and historical fantasy genres. Archer released her first book in 2011 after trying to get published for 15 years or so. She says, ‘I almost landed a couple of deals with publishing houses in the US in that time, but either the marketing department or senior management eventually turned them down. [My books] were too different, and they weren’t sure how to market them.
‘My agent dropped me in 2008 when the Global Financial Crisis saw the publishing houses tighten their belts and not take on many new authors. By late 2010, some US authors were blogging about their experiences publishing directly to Amazon in e-book format for the Kindle.’ Archer realised this would suit her too and ‘was also tired of waiting months to hear back from agents and editors, and had grown disillusioned with the publishing industry in general’.
Then there’s Phillipa Nefri Clark, a USA Today Bestselling Author of mystery, love and suspense with over 39 books in print in various formats. Some of her 25-plus titles have reached number one in Amazon, Kobo and Apple. She published her first novel in 2017 – ‘which was 15 years in the making, going from a novel to a screenplay then back to a novel over time as I practised my craft,’ she says.
‘I was referred to an agent by a traditionally published friend but, after a lot of research, decided being my own publisher was the best option. I have a background in marketing, enjoy the project manager aspect of indie publishing (which gives me the final say on editors, cover designers etc) and drive myself quite hard.’
So what is the typical day for a full-time bestselling author? For Best it involves ‘lots of coffee’.
‘I now also have a business as a publishing consultant for authors selling directly on Shopify, but my days as a writer include any or all of the following: writing, contacting my assistants, cover designers, editors, proofreaders, my audiobook narrator or my translation team (translator, editor and proofreader), as well as running ads and doing social media,’ she adds.
For Clark, ‘Mornings are normally focused on anything other than writing words – I may set up some ads, upload a book, consult with one of my cover designers, edit, apply for a grant, update social media and so on,’ she says.
‘By the middle of the day, I can settle down to write. My process is to reread the previous day’s words and tweak. It helps my brain prepare to create and then, once I begin, I’ll spend several hours working. I aim for 2000 words a day and often have two projects going at a time. I do this six days a week.’
And Archer ‘reads emails and messages over breakfast’.
‘With most of my fans, and all the stores, distributors and industry professionals living overseas, most of my important messages arrive overnight, and I can’t settle into a day of writing when I have unopened emails in my inbox,’ she says.
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After the school drop-off she writes in her home office. During her lunch break, she reads ‘industry articles or author Facebook groups’, then writes again until 3.30pm.
In the evenings, ‘I always ensure I edit what I wrote on that day, even if it doesn’t get done until the evening. It’s a vital part of my process.’
On the subject of barriers, Clark says she found it financially hard the first few years because ‘all the things a traditional publisher pays for come from my pocket and working with professional editors and cover designers is expensive’.
Archer, on the other hand, says that the only barrier she faced in her early career was being excluded from certain retailer platforms because she is Australian. This is echoed by Best, who says, ‘I have overcome these [barriers] with my own Shopify stores – one for my fiction, one for my non-fiction and one for my fiction pen name.’
Skills learned along the way
When talking about the skills and attributes that have helped them in their careers, all three note the business skills required. Best says, ‘I have worked in advertising, marketing and sales.’ While Clark says, ‘My experience marketing our family business was a transferrable skill I use daily.’ Archer, however, says, ‘I thought I’d struggle with the business side of things, but I found I love it. I love being in control of my own writing and publishing schedule. I love keeping track of sales numbers, income and expenses, and comparing the data to see what’s working and what’s not. The analytical part of me is as satisfied with indie publishing as my creative side.’
All three have been approached by traditional publishers due to their success. Archer ‘had an editor from a large publishing company approach me a couple of years ago, but when she found out what I earned, she said she couldn’t offer me that and discussions never went further’.
Clark says she is ‘adding other income streams and experiences to my main indie business’.
‘I recently signed a three-book deal with dynamic new traditional London publisher Storm. And Podium Audio acquired my first series for audiobooks,’ she explains. ‘That same series has just been acquired by a German publisher for e-book, audio and more in the German language. All of these add value, financially as well as creatively.’
Best refused traditional publishing contracts because they do not offer enough money and licenses her pen name’s fiction to New York publishing houses. ‘I am careful to do so only for mass market paperback rights or certain audiobook rights,’ she notes.
These authors are savvy about protecting their intellectual property and Archer cautions all authors ‘to make sure they fully understand the contract before signing’.
All three of these writers have spent decades building their backlists and business skills and are now reaping the rewards. Best says, ‘A comment an author made last year resonated with me. She had been to a European publishing conference, and she said that traditional authors are respected for their level of fame, whereas independent authors are respected for the amount of money they make. I prefer income to fame.’
Clark relishes ‘being a full-time author with an income much higher than any day job I’ve held. Nothing beats the feeling of supporting myself with my words,’ she says.
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While Archer has found ‘it changes as my career gets longer, but at the end of the day, true success for me is simply making enough money so I can write full-time. Being able to spend all day doing something I love, as opposed to working in a job I hated, is incredibly fulfilling. Everything else is a bonus.’
Best has advice for other authors contemplating this path. ‘Treat this as a business. Don’t be ashamed to be paid for your hard work.’ She goes on to outline strategies that help indie authors succeed, such as making great use of backlists, paying attention to the marketing power of a series, diversifying income streams and focusing on digital content, as this is the biggest market to sell internationally.
Clark says, ‘Trust yourself and don’t wait for the perfect time.’ When first publishing, the list of things to learn is huge so: ‘Take little bites. Don’t compare yourself to others. We’re not in competition. There are a lot of readers out there!’
While Archer advises, ‘Books need to be available and visible, first and foremost. That means having books in all formats (for example, audiobooks), as well as in as many stores and libraries as possible.’ She also has a word of caution. ‘Writing novels is not a get-rich-quick scheme. There are easier ways to make a living, so don’t write for fame and fortune. Write because you love it, because it’s in your bones and you can’t stop.’
To learn more about Morgana Best and her advice for selling direct.
To learn about Phillipa Nefri Clark.
To learn about CJ Archer and her books.
To visit Amra Pajalic’s independent press, Pishukin Press.
