independent author/publishers

Eight Years An Indie Author-Publisher

It is difficult to believe I published my first four books eight years ago. November 8, 2014.

It’s been a wild ride. I’ve watched excellent writers get discouraged and quit. I’ve watched mediocre writers become millionaires. I’ve watched good writers continue to endure, hoping for a break.

For myself, I have come to the realization this gig is basically a hobby. I’m not going to get rich and probably won’t be able to buy that Rolls Royce I’ve always wanted.

I can’t write fast enough to put out a book a month. And that’s pretty much a necessity, if you want to hit the big time and stay there in the indie world.

I don’t have the money to launch massive ad campaigns, nor the know-how to fudge the system to get those coveted bestseller rankings.

I don’t care to write in the genres that are hot, where the books simply fly off the shelves. They aren’t my cup of tea. I don’t like to read them, and therefore probably wouldn’t do a good job writing them even if I chose to do so. Then again, quality has nothing to do with marketing.

Given the above, I have been asked, “So why continue? Don’t you have anything better to do?”

The answer to the last question is NO. I do have other things that I can do — but nothing, for me, is better than telling stories.

The first question, why continue, is actually one I have been asking myself of late. Writing and publishing a book it is a lot of work, and it does cost money. Sometimes more than I make from the book.

So why do it?

I do it because I love storytelling.

I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I loved reading as a kid and I wanted to create stories and hopefully give others something of the enjoyment I had received from books.

When I was young, I didn’t write stories like many writers say they did. I told myself stories and sometimes acted them out in my play. Maybe that is why I have always been drawn to acting and drama. It’s probably why I focus on dialogue in my writing and tend to skimp on the description.

Whether vocal or written, storytelling is still storytelling. We tell stories to make us laugh, to make us cry, to encourage us, to give us hope, to allay our fears, and to realize our dreams.

Storytelling does all that for not only the storyteller but also his audience.

So while I am not making much money at this gig, I am getting paid in something other than money.

Whenever I read a good review or tweet about one of my books I know that I have touched someone’s heart. I have given someone a bit of joy to help them make it through their day. And that makes me just a little bit richer.

But the indie publishing scene is changing. Many authors have decided to take even more control of their work. They are moving away from Amazon.

There is an increase in the number of writers moving away from being exclusive with Amazon, in order to offer their books to readers through a multitude of vendors.

A growing number of writers are focusing on selling from their websites and to the members of their Patreon channels.

Others are using Kickstarter to bring in needed funds and to reach new readers.

I myself I am moving more and more away from Amazon. I no longer directly search for books on Amazon. Because when I do — half of my search results are sponsored ads. And most have nothing to do with what I am searching for.

Now I search for books using Google. Although ads are on the increase with Google. If the ad situation on Google gets to be too much, I will have to start using my Brave browser instead.

As more and more authors realize the odds of readers finding their book among the 7+ million books on Amazon, they are going to start to search for other options, other avenues to get their books in front of potential readers.

And I am right there with them. Amazon hasn’t treated me badly. Quite the contrary. However, when I search for my own books and can’t find them in the first three pages of search results — then I know no one will find them doing a general search.

People don’t like to click and they don’t like to scroll. They want what they’re looking for right there in front of their face without having to bother scrolling or clicking. And if my book isn’t on page 1 of the search results — for all intents and purposes it doesn’t exist.

I am not sure what the new year will bring. I am not going to give up writing. But traditional publishing and the standard indie route (which isn’t all that different from traditional publishing) is simply too crowded. It takes money and savvy marketing to get a break and I have neither the cash nor the skills.

So I will be looking for new avenues to try to get my books before the eyes of potential readers. What they are, I don’t know. At least not yet. NFTs? Maybe. Kickstarter? Maybe. Push hard to collect fans on my mailing list? Maybe. YouTube? Maybe.

If you like my books, please spread the word. Because word-of-mouth is the best advertising. Thanks!

For now, you can find all of my books on Amazon.

Comments are always welcome! And until next time, happy reading!

CW Hawes is a playwright, award-winning poet, and a fictioneer, with a bestselling novel. He’s also an armchair philosopher, political theorist, social commentator, and traveler. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider buying me a cup of tea. Thanks! PayPal.me/CWHawes

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The Underground Authors

“Many hands make light the work.”
—Unknown

We all know that it is easier for a group tackle a project than it is for us to tackle it by ourselves. With rare exceptions, of course.

The Publishing Business

That’s why publishers have an army of people putting out a book: purchase editors, copy editors, proofreaders, book designers, cover artists, marketing committees, formatters, printers, distributors, sales people, and, of course, the company executives.

Is it any wonder the big corporate publishers charge $10 or $15, or even more, for an ebook that probably cost them less than $5 to actually produce?

Independent Author-Publishers have learned, over the years, it’s best not to try and do everything. Mostly because if they did, they wouldn’t have much time left to write.

One reason Brandon Sanderson and James Patterson are so prolific is because they have an army of people doing all of the non-writing stuff. Which leaves them all the time in the world to write. (Yes, I know, they do participate in marketing efforts.)

The Underground Authors

One afternoon back in June of 2020 I got an email from Caleb Pirtle III inviting me to join an author co-op he was organizing. The purpose of the group would be to promote each other’s books. And thus The Underground Authors were born.

In those early days, we supported each other by buying and reviewing books; and talking each other up on social media, our blogs, and to our mailing lists.

Beyond the Sea

Last year, we decided to put out a short story anthology to highlight our work in one place. And thus Beyond the Sea was born.

Twelve stories by twelve writers, all inspired by the picture that became the book’s cover.

It’s a phenomenal collection, if I do say so myself. Twelve imaginative, touching, thoughtful, and exciting stories — all created from looking at one picture.

Author and reviewer Lisette Brodey wrote:

I chose this book because I’m someone who always looks for stories in photographs and paintings. So, seeing this anthology, where each author was inspired by the same photograph, immediately grabbed my attention.

All of the stories, greatly ranging in genres, were well written. Of course, I have some favorites, but to mention them here, for me, would be to discount the other stories, which I don’t want to do.

What really stood out for me was the collective talent, the beauty of the imagination, and the endless possibilities of an abandoned / lone boat. And who knows, while you’re reading, you may end up writing your own story.

Pick up a copy on Amazon. And see for yourself. All profit goes to charity. Good stories for you and cash for Team Rubicon.

Who Are The Underground Authors?

There are 12 authors at present in the group. Below are the names, which you can click or tap, and go to their Amazon US pages.

CJ Peterson left the group last year to focus her efforts on her own publishing company. We miss her enthusiasm and contributions, but wish her much success.

Working together. Sharing thoughts and advice. Getting help when needed. Just having someone to talk to. Writing doesn’t have to be a solitary venture.

The Underground Authors. I’m glad I’m a part.

Next week, I am going to talk about the newest project to come from the pens of The Underground Authors: The Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles. Stay tuned!

Comments are always welcome. And until next time, happy reading!

CW Hawes is a playwright, award-winning poet, and a fictioneer; as well as an armchair philosopher, political theorist, and social commentator. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

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The Indie Movement

In December 2012 I bought my first book by an indie author. The book was The Emperor’s Edge by Lindsay Buroker. I was favorably impressed. So much so, I went on and bought the series.

From there, I discovered other indie authors who were very good writers. And somewhere in the reading of those authors, my choice of authors shifted from traditionally published to a majority being indie published.

The independent author/publisher movement confirmed all the stories I’d heard for decades — that the big corporate publishers rejected thousands of good manuscripts every year.

Why do they do that? Because big corporations are by nature conservative. Sure they had to take risks to get to be big. That’s when they’re innovative — when they’re small. But once a corporation is huge, they become much more concerned about the bottom line. And innovation takes a back seat to profits.

Random House/Penguin and their behemoth German owners, aren’t going to take the risks that small press publishers might (although even those can be quite conservative). There is always risk with business. More fail than succeed. So the successful eventually begin to conserve their gains. That’s just how it is.

The sole entrepreneur, however, has only himself to be concerned about.

If I self-publish a book and it doesn’t make money, that only affects me.

If Macmillan (now a German company) publishes a flop, they are out the advance to the author, the salaries of the acquisition editors, the copy editors, the advertising people, the office rent, the cover artist salaries, the warehouse space, etc, etc. And the shareholders don’t get their dividends — which puts the CEO’s job at risk. And that’s something that just isn’t tolerated.

If I publish a book that goes nowhere, I can leave it on Amazon, and Kobo, and Apple, and wherever else I choose, essentially forever. And let the royalties dribble in. Simon and Schuster (owned by ViacomCBS) can’t afford to do that.

Thus you see the big corporate boys declaring for many years now that vampires are dead. But on the indie scene, dozens upon dozens of those bloodsuckers can be found. And some are making their creators a lot of money.

The big boys don’t want to continue a fad because they don’t want to be left holding the bag when the fad fizzles out. Or can no longer make enough money to meet their bloated bottom lines when the fad tapers off.

What is significant is that James Patterson has now discovered money can be made at the indie price point and has convinced his publisher to take on his BookShots line. The blurb on Patterson’s website reads in part:

Life moves fast—books should too. Pulse-pounding reads under $5 and 150 pages or less. Impossible to put down.

This comes at a time when many indies are moving to longer books and higher prices — in an attempt to look like the big corporate publishers, and thereby make themselves look more legitimate. A bad move, in my opinion.

Patterson, though, realizes money can be made for him and his publisher at the indie price point. And with shorter books. This is truly a return to the ethos of the 1950s. And I think forecasts good things for indies who can, for the most part, turn out shorter works faster.

Back in the pulp magazine era, many of the magazines cost a dime. Today, depending on what standard you use, that dime would be equal to anywhere between $1.50 and $6. In the 1950s, paperback books could be bought for a quarter. Or $2.50 to $4 in today’s money. Essentially the price range of most indie books today.

I’ve said for quite awhile now, that the indie movement is essentially a return to the Pulp Fiction Era. To be successful, a writer has to turn out a good story in a popular genre that is exciting and generally fast-paced. The writer must also write lots and publish often. To be sure, as an indie, there are more factors involved than what faced the average pulp fictioneer, because today’s indie author is also a publisher. But the basic formula remains the same.

Today is a good day to be a writer. A self-published writer. An independent author/publisher. It’s also a good day to be a reader, because there are many excellent self-published books available to read.

Thars gold in them thar books! So get crackin’!

Comments are always welcome! And until next time, happy reading! (and writing!)

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