My Writing and Publishing Roadmap

This is a long post, so I color coordinated. If you’re only interested in the journey I’ve gone on with my Secret Book Baby Series, read the green destination marks (dates). If you’re interested in what I’ve actually published or other works, read the remaining destination marks (dates) in bold white font. Anything in red font is important either way.

Twelve Years Old:

I was twelve years old when my first real story idea came to me one afternoon after school and a lone game of basketball in front of my house. I've told this story many times, but I'll share it again.

Sitting in the grass, with the basketball on my lap, I was catching my breath, enjoying the weather, and playing with the blades of grass with my right hand. My fingertips brushed something cold and hard close to the earth. Excited, hoping to find a coin or a key, I searched the blades only to discover a rusted screw with a crooked tip. The strangest thing happened while I held that screw, though. I thought about what it would mean if that screw was really a key to an unknown world, and who would be there if I found that door? A girl was there, who had extraordinary powers. I ran into my house, grabbed writing utensils, and resumed my spot outside to write the opening of that story. The rest is, well, herstory.

I had kept that screw for many years, but when my family moved out of my childhood home because of foreclosure, I got rid of it. I could've kept it. It was tiny, after all. Alas, I did not. I wish I had that screw still. I honestly don't remember if I put it in the trash or stuck it back into the ground where I'd found it. Part of me thinks I did the latter...to honor it, so I choose to believe I did.

​Fourteen Years Old:

I finished writing my first novel. I had called it The Unknown World. It was a fantasy adventure and took up four hand-written notebooks. The computer document was complete at ​87,018 words/​​​​​​​426 pages.​​​

Sixteen Years Old:

Writing became my passion. I couldn't not write. I wrote on the school bus and in class. I wrote at home. I carried my current notebook wherever I went.

At ​the age of sixteen, I completed Book Two, The Face Beyond, which took up eleven hand-written notebooks. I was unable to open this document, so I don’t know the word/page count.

Seventeen Years Old:

Book Three took up seven hand-written notebooks. I apparently never typed this one up, which is surprising to me. I swear I did. I used to have so much fun typing up these stories, listening to music from my headphones, and adding to the story as I went. Alas, I can’t find that ancient document.

Book Three was the story that changed the course of my series, my characters, and my writing forever, and it was all because of a new character who came into the story. His name was (and is) Rainer. I loved him. Plain and simple. I liked him more than the love interest I had at the time for my FMC (female main character), and I struggled to justify keeping her and Rainer apart, as only best friends rather than boyfriend and girlfriend as they truly wanted to be.

Seventeen Years Old (Again):

I was working on Book Four, and I was seven notebooks in (nowhere near done), when writer's block hit. A big part of it was because of my Rainer dilemma. The other part of it, I later discovered, was because I'd matured while writing my stories and felt a disconnect from them because of where I was taking them. The first two, especially, weren't anything like the story I was working on, which was much more adult.

That's when I decided to rewrite them from page one. Age my characters. Give them interesting jobs. Change their world to be less fantastical. Dump the old love interest and bring Rainer in from the start.

Publishing Depression

 

For years I fought to get a single thing published. I sent out query letters and received only rejections. Nothing with any substance, either, to let me know what I did wrong. During that time, I kept on writing, though, and completed four books in a series. Still nothing. Not even a shred of hope.

I always read tips from agents telling unpublished writers to build their credentials, as if we aren’t trying to, and get stories published in magazines, as if it’s easy. To this day, I still haven’t had a story published in a print magazine. Although, I must admit I haven’t tried in a very long time, but when I did, nothing. However, there’s other markets out there, such as online magazines. So, I submitted flash fiction pieces to many of them, and still got rejections. Over time, though, I managed to publish a couple of poems and a few flash fiction pieces, one of which was published in a PDF anthology and is listed on Goodreads. Those accomplishments thrilled me and gave me something to put in my bio in query letters, but rejections continued to pour in.

Close to giving up, I had an epiphany. Perhaps I needed a different story to break into the publishing industry. That was when I thought of Hurricane Crimes, and I started to write it on Christmas Day 2012. That wasn’t the end to my struggles, though. Oh no. In many ways, it was just the beginning. The beginning of the road to a lot of good, and the beginning to some of my worst days.

Below is an entry from my journal, bad writing and all. Why am I sharing it with you? Because I hope it’ll demonstrate that you’re not alone, that some of the thoughts you may be having or troubles you may be experiencing, I had, too. Also, to show you that I got past them, and so can you.

Traditional Publishing - Pros and Cons

 

First...I did a thing...I signed up for TikTok. I didn't think I ever would, and have said as much, but I guess it's true when they say to "never say never," cuz I took the plunge.

Are you on TikTok? Follow me! I'll follow you back!

***

NOTE: This post was originally a vlog (video), but I have updated it (2022) to be the script from that presentation instead. It's long but informative.

Why Might A Writer Choose to Publish Traditionally?

Well, there’s several reasons.

For me, I can say that I chose to traditionally publish because I can’t afford to self-publish, which can get quite expensive if you don’t have the means. The other reason I’ve decided traditional publishing is right for me is because I like having a team behind me, helping me every step of the way. While I don’t have money, that is priceless to me.

What Is Traditional Publishing?

Traditional publishing is when you acquire a book deal from a publisher through the process of submitting your manuscript to agents and or publishers.

Self-publishing is when you do everything yourself, meaning you're the publisher. Self-publishers are also called indie authors. Short for independent authors.

Hybrid publishing is when you use both paths depending on the project. You might self-publish one project or traditionally publish another one.

All publishing paths are valid though they have differences one is not better than the other which route you choose is always and only up to you. 

Dear Publishers Interview / Jess Lee Talks About Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Antiracism in the Publishing Industry

Today I am welcoming Jess Lee, the founder of Dear Publishers, to Write with Fey.

I am thrilled to have Jess as a guest. I asked her if she would be interested in doing an interview here because I believe what she (and everyone at Dear Publishers) is doing is important, and I wanted to help Dear Publishers' mission to reach more people, like the lovely people who follow my blog. <3

Her answers about Dear Publishers, diversity, equity, inclusivity, and antiracism are amazing. When I read them, I became even more excited, and I hope they impact you as much as they've impacted me.

Dear “I’m Still a Nobody” Author

Dear “I’m Still a Nobody” Author,

Boy, do I know how that feels. I have said these words many times. “I’m still a nobody!” I bet nearly every author has said that at least once. That phrase, that criticism, that expectation, that wish would lead me down the dark tunnel of depression again and again. But once I looked past myself, I realized that I’m in an ark full of authors who feel the same way, authors who are literally in the same boat as me.

Do you know the average number of books that are self-published each year?

There was a record number of over 1 Million books self-published in 2017, according to Bowker.

What about the number of new books published each year?

According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2.2 Million new titles are published worldwide each year, and that data is from 2013!

100 Marketing Tips

100 MARKETING TIPS

NOTE: This post has been revised since publication due to marketing/social media/website changes. 

100 Marketing Tips PDF

Marketing is all a game of chance. There are no right answers. All you can do is try and see what works for you.

Below are 100 marketing options. I’ve tried many of them and know they are useful. The things I’ve tried that didn’t work for me have worked wonders for other authors. You just never know until you give it a shot.

1. Build your brand.

2. Write a great book.

3. Have a standout cover image that reflects your story and the genre.

4. Write a prequel to get more readers interested in the first book.

5. Create a newsletter. Lure people to opt-in for your email list/newsletter with an incentive, such as a free book or gift. Then create good, interesting content they will find useful. When the time is right, promote one of your books. Put a note in your books/eBooks (beginning and end if possible) asking your readers to sign up for your newsletter.

6. Start a street team. A street team helps you get the word out about your books. And they want to do it, too. So why not set one up? You can give them a special badge (image) to put on their blog/website, and you can also create a Facebook group for everyone to go to and chat.

7. Make business cards and give them to everyone you talk to about your books. You can even leave them places.

8. Look for award opportunities. Do some research on yearly book awards and check the guidelines to see if your book(s) qualify. If you don’t win an award, no harm, no foul. (Most do ask for a fee, though.)

REVIEWS:

9. Approach reviewers. There are many book bloggers out there—use the Internet to find them.

10. Encourage fans to post reviews. You can put a polite note at the end of your book/eBook asking your readers to post an honest review of the story they just read on Amazon.

11. When you get reviews for your books, pick the best ones by authors and professional book reviewers. Search those reviews for a sentence or two that you can add to the Editorial Reviews section on your books’ Amazon page.

12. Give Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) to anyone interested in reviewing your book before release day.

13. Also look for snippets of reviews to put on a testimonial page on your website. This is good because it shows you have cred. You can have testimonials for specific books, your overall writing, your services, or even your blog.

14. Mail galley copies to pre-publication reviewers and major magazines. Most need these copies 3–5 months in advance of the release date.

15. Approach local book clubs/reading groups to see if they’d be interested in reading your book. Most members buy the books they want to read. This will result in quite a few reviews and sales.

16. When you post a review, start it (or sign off) with “[Your name] Author of XYZ.”

Amazon:

17. Narrow down your book’s categories on Amazon. Instead of “paranormal,” think “paranormal detective mystery.” Use Amazon’s search bar to find popular searches for your book’s genre. Click on it and check out the number of books under that category. You can find this in the top left-hand corner. The smaller this number is the better. Think 1,000 or less. Under 500 is awesome because it’s less competition. Use these categories when you pick the categories for your books.

18. You can also put a list of categories in the “Product Description” under the blurb and pick one to include in the title.

Example: Ghost of Death – A Paranormal Detective Mystery. Try to get that on the cover, too, if possible.

19. Add author interview questions to the “From the Author” section on your Amazon book page.

Goodreads:

20. Join Goodreads Groups. There are many groups for many different genres. Follow the rules set out for authors in each group before you post promo. While you are there, connect to readers and other authors.

21. Use Goodreads groups to get reviews. Many groups have discussions to help authors get reviewers. You will need to provide the necessary info as a comment or separate post and interested people will email you asking for a copy. Make sure to specify a timeframe.

22. Do a Goodreads Event whenever a new book comes out and invite EVERYONE.

23. “Friend” other authors by clicking the down arrow next to “Follow Author” and selecting “Add as a Friend.”

Website:

24. Add all of your books to your website/blog. You can do this on the sidebar and/or create a page. And make the images clickable with a URL to your books’ Amazon pages, so visitors can buy your books.

25. Use your website/blog to make announcements, and then send people there using social media to see that announcement.

26. Create a “Special Features” page on your website for deleted scenes, facts, soundtracks, book/character tidbits, etc.

27. Update your bio as necessary.

28. Find unique ways to promote your website daily or weekly.

Social Media:

29. Post fun things about your books to social media instead of pestering fans to buy, buy, buy. These fun things could be one-sentence teasers, dialogue, short excerpts (Facebook), facts, and odd tidbits your readers won’t know by reading your books.

30. Create quote images with your tagline, logline, dialogue, and lines from your blurb and story.

31. Take advantage of Instagram. Share cover teasers before a big reveal and even images of your computer as you work on your current WIP.

32. Join Twitter Chats such as #1LineWed. You can’t share buy links, but you can still generate interest in your writing if you share awesome lines from your books.

33. Host your own Twitter chat with a unique hashtag.

Pick a date, a time, and tell everyone about it. You can talk about your books, writing, share snippets, anything.

34. Update your profiles on all social media websites at least once a year.

35. Utilize your email signature. Add links to your social media platforms and even list your books. Everyone you send an email to will see it.

36. Do Live videos on Facebook to connect with your readers.

37. Create videos related to your books and upload them to YouTube. Then upload them to your Goodreads author page and your Amazon author profile.

Blog:

38. Do a blog tour.

39. Interview authors on your blog. This is as easy as asking them or putting an announcement out there that you are accepting author interviews. To save time, have a list of questions already prepared.

40. Do a cover reveal. Use a Google Form so people who want to help can sign up to post your new cover on their blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Send them everything they need a few days before and stress the date so no one posts too soon.

41. Guest blog and have guests on your blog. It’s as simple as asking authors/bloggers. Don’t be afraid. At the worst, they won’t respond or will say they don’t have a spot available. That’s it.

42. Join the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

TIP: Don’t just share excerpts from your book, though. Dig into topics related to your book that starts with each letter. I once did a disaster theme for my Disaster Crimes series.

43. Get interviewed. Many bloggers interview authors. When you’re setting up your blog tour, see if the blogger offers author interviews and tell them you’re interested in one.

44. Do a blogfest instead of a blog tour. A blogfest is more engaging for the people who want to participate, each post will be unique, and you’ll be blasted on many blogs on a single day. Make sure to ask a fun question or offer a unique prompt for the blogfest.

Publishing:

45. Publish more books and advertise your previously published books in them. You can create a list of books in the beginning or share an excerpt for a book or two at the end.

46. Use more than one book distributor (self-published authors) to reach more readers. Smashwords links to Barnes & Noble, KOBO, Apple iBooks, and more. Then upload to Amazon Direct Publishing. Not Select (unless you really want those 5 free days). Select wants you to publish exclusively with them for 3 months.

47. Turn your books into audiobooks with ACX.com.

48. Have a series? Put them together in a box set.

49. Look for anthology opportunities and submit a short story for consideration. Anthologies are a great way to find new readers.

Release Promo:

50. Ask your supporters to share a release day announcement on their blog, Facebook page, and/or Twitter feed.

51. Do a Facebook Release Party. Make sure it’s set as “public.”

52. Add your books to book websites such as Manic Readers, BookLikes, Book Goodies, Book Buzzr, and Awesome Gang.

53. Look for major book newsletters and email them to see if they would like to promote your book. Make sure to include all of your book’s info and the blurb in the email when you ask.

Writing Community:

54. Join Yahoo Groups, websites, organizations, writing groups, etc. When your book comes out, you can spread the news to all of these places.

55. Cross promote with other authors. If you know authors who have books in your genre or who are coming out with books around the same time, ask if they’d like to be part of a big promo opportunity. Every author can share promos for everyone on their blogs. You can do the same locally with a group of authors for a signing/event. Or you can contact other authors signed with your publisher to cross promote.

56. Ask an author to write an introduction, forward, or testimonial for your book. This doesn’t have to be a best-selling author but an author you know and respect.

57. Contact a few famous authors and ask if they’d like to read your book and give an endorsement. The worst they could say is “no” or not respond at all. You won’t know what’ll come out of it until you try.

58. Get on your local radio and TV shows, such as Public-Access Television.

Contests and Giveaways:

59. Do a contest. This can be big or small. I’ve often asked fans to help me name characters.

60. Hold a giveaway. Rafflecopter lets you use “like my FB page” and “follow me on Twitter” as things for people to do to get points in the giveaway. Always offer a Free Entry.

61. Offer your readers sample chapters or short stories for free.

62. Create unique SWAG for giveaways.

63. Put together a baggie with promo stuff and deliver it to houses in nearby neighborhoods. I did this once with Ziploc bags, a postcard, and a business card. I even alternated by including a white tea candle and a green gemstone for weight and a little extra something.

64. Leave promo items (postcards, business cards, etc.) and/or a copy of your book in doctor’s offices and airports. People get bored and may become curious.

65. Carry a couple of copies of your book wherever you go. If you happen to strike a conversation with someone and they become interested in your book, you can give them a copy for free or sell it to them with a discount.

Sales and Free Books:

66. Put the first book in a series on sale whenever a new book comes out.

67. Make a book free for a short time or forever. You can use Smashwords to set an eBook as free, if you’ve self-published. If you do this, Barnes & Noble and Kobo will also follow suit. Then you can notify Amazon and they will price match your eBook.

68. Use Kindle Direct Publishing’s (KDP’s) 5 free days.

69. Add your books to discount/free sites if your book is on sale or free. A simple Google search will help you find them.

Advertisements:

70. Pay to advertise on Facebook. Out of all the social media ads, this one has been the most effective for me. I don’t recommend Twitter ads.

71. Pay to advertise on book blogs/websites/newsletters. But do your research first to see if your ad will get lost in a slew of ads, and stay in budget.

72. Advertise in newspapers and magazines, even digital ones like InD’tale.

73. Buy a $10 Goodreads ad and target all readers.

74. Make fliers and pass them around or ask your local libraries if you can pin your flier to a bulletin board.

75. Put an ad on a bus bench. Yes, really.

Book Signings, Readings, and Events:

76. Go to book fairs/festivals and set up a table.

77. Do a book signing at a local spot. Big or small.

78. Record a video of yourself reading an excerpt of your book and post it everywhere, even add it to your Goodreads and Amazon profiles. This is perfect for people afraid of doing a live reading.

79. Do a book reading at a local library, book store, independent coffee shop, community college/school, etc.

80. Wear a badge with the cover art for your book or with your name and “Author of XYZ.”

81. Put a review packet on your table so interested readers can check out the best reviews for your book.

82. Create an atmosphere with your space. Bring a colored tablecloth, table decorations, and even props to go up behind your table.

83. Invest in a tabletop easel with your book’s cover on it to catch people’s attention, or a bigger banner to stand behind your table.

84. Put a newsletter signup sheet on your table and ask everyone who stops to sign up. When you get home, send them an opt-in email so they can confirm subscription. Or have a tablet on your table and have them sign up at the event.

85. Sell your book at an event for a cause and donate part of the proceeds to that cause.

Books in Stores:

86. If your books are stocked in local bookstores, purchase “Local Author” stickers and ask the manager if you can put them on your books.

87. Also ask if you can sign them. Then you can put “Signed Copy” stickers on them!

Go to Your Local Community:

88. Look for speaking opportunities at schools, conventions, libraries, etc.

89. Teach a class or workshop.

90. Go to local schools for career day, do classroom or media center readings/presentations, have a table at the school’s spring fling or other fests, and donate a copy of your children’s book to their media center.

91. Email the directors of your local libraries and pitch them your book to be added to their collection. Providing a copy is the easiest way to get your book in their system.

92. Pass out flyers at book stores, book events, libraries, community events, flea markets, etc.

93. Tack a flyer on bulletin boards in libraries, book stores, coffee shops, etc.

Press:

94. Create a press kit. Make it available on your blog and website.

95. Hosting an event? Going to an event? Let your local newspaper(s) know about it, and they may do an article about you.

Video:

96. Create a book trailer. Put it on your website, blog, Facebook page, Goodreads, Amazon profile, everywhere.

97. Ask fans to make a book trailer.

98. Get on podcasts created by established authors.

Magazines:

99. If you are knowledgeable about a certain subject that relates to your book, write an article on it and submit it to niche magazines.

100. Submit excerpts to literary magazines.

There are many more things that authors can do to promote their books, but these will get you started.

Now that you’ve gone through this information, make a plan to start doing one of these. Then after you do that, try another. And then another. And... well, you get it.

How to Create a Website +QoM

NOTE: This is tailored toward authors but these tips can benefit anyone.

A website is a must-have for authors. A blog is good but websites are better landing places for readers to get all the news about you and your books. It’s where readers will go to more often. Having one also makes a good impression. It says you are serious. (Please don’t think that translates to that you’re not serious if you don’t have a website, because that’s not what I mean.) But having a website is a good sign. Agents and publishers like to see that, and readers will think you’re more established even if you’re new.

If you want to create a website, follow these steps:

1. Research website hosts.

There are a lot of website hosts out there like GoDaddy.com and many more. Not all of them are equal. Their rates differ, some offer more, some offer less. Google website hosts, ask authors you know what host they use for their site, and weigh the pros and cons before you commit. FYI: I use Wordpress.com for my website.

2. Think long and hard about your URL.

You’re going to have a DOT COM! This is something that will be on the Internet for everyone to see. You don’t want to mess it up. The first and best option is to use your name/pen name. Mine is www.ChrysFey.com. Simple and easy to remember. You can add “author” to it if you need to.

TIP: Do a Google search to make sure the web URL you want is not already being used.

3. After you decide on a web host and URL, make your payment…make it permanent!

4. Spend some time getting to know the ins and outs of the site before you do anything.

5. Once you feel comfortable with the site, pick a layout. You can use a free one, one you have to pay for, or have someone create one for you and implement it. On Wordpress, it’s easy to choose and set up a layout.

6. Add a banner if you can. Make it unique to you and your brand.

7. Work on the Home page. Make it the static post if you have to (like with Wordpress), so it’s the first thing everyone will see when they go to your website.

Things to add to a Home page: 

-   Welcome message. 

-   An announcement if you have a new book release, an upcoming event, or a giveaway going on. 

-   An event calendar if you do a lot of book signings or author visits. 

-  Fun insights into one of your books or characters.

TIP: Update news and announcements periodically. And try to change up your Home page every 1-2 months. Make it fresh for returning guests.

8. If you have a sidebar, spice it up. (In Wordpress.com you can add widgets.)

Things to add to the sidebar: 

-   Your author photo. 

-   Social media icons. 

-   Images of your published books. 

-   A list of pages on your website. 

-   And whatever else you think is important. On my website I have a grab button for my website and an icon for my publisher.

9. Create pages that your readers can click on and explore.

Possible pages you can create:

-    About Me (with your complete bio and links.) 

-   My Books (with the cover art, blurbs, and links for all of your published books.) 

-   Blog (You can use a direct link to your blog, so when someone clicks on the tab it’ll bring them right to it.) 

-   Press Kit (see: How to Create a Press Kit) 

-   Newsletter (If you have a newsletter, create a page that’ll take a visitor to the opt-in form.) 

-   Services (If you do editing or cover art work, set up a page to talk about these services and how someone can hire you.) 

-   FAQ (If you get a lot of questions about your books or services, create a page to highlight these questions and show your answers.) 

-   Testimonials (of your services, writing and blog to show potential clients and readers how professional you are.)

-   Freebies (This is good for someone who has eBooks that are always free. You can also add giveaways as you host them.) 

-   Contact Me (Include your email, social media links, and a form so a visitor can send a message right from that page.)

     You can also have drop-down links, so if someone hovers over a page, more will reveal themselves. I have a few drop-downs on my website. One of my pages is called Fan Fun and the drop-down pages are: Book Extras, Recipes + Excerpts, and Flash Fiction + Poetry.

     10. Get creative! Make your website reflect you, your style and your books. Explore the websites of your favorite authors to get some ideas. 

     TIP: Get people to come to your website by offering something new daily, weekly, or monthly and by promoting that.

     When your site is how you want it to look, let everyone know about it! Add the URL to your email signature, to your social media sites and your business card if you have one.

   QUESTIONS: Do you have a website? What do you like to see on an author’s website?

To join this monthly blog hop visit Michael G D'Agostino's blog.

    QUESTIONS: Have you ever met an idol/influence/someone you really admire? How did it go? (If you haven’t met any of your idols before, talk about the person you’d like to meet.)

     If I could meet one of my idols, it would be Lady Gaga. She is extremely talented, unafraid to speak up for what she believes in, and is proud to be exactly who she is, even if others don’t like it or understand it. I’ve been a fan of hers almost from the beginning. I saw her range and talents when she performed live (on TV) years ago—way before she surprised everyone with her tribute to Julie Andrews and sang the National Anthem at this year’s Super Bowl. Yes, I even liked her wacky style back in the day, and designed several outfits inspired by her.

     I image us drinking tea on a pretty couch and discussing everything from being bullied to creativity and female empowerment. She is so wise and intelligent that I know I’d walk away from that meeting feeling twice the woman I was before.

     Check out this moving performance she did at the Oscars: