(Part 3) Top products from r/selfpublish

I was at WonderCon this year and "Publishing Your First Comic Book" (not necessarily self-publishing) was one of the panels I sat in on. Here's my notes (as terse as they are):

• Have a strong characters and a good back story
  
• You have to really like your idea. Commit to it, but be critical as well.
  
• Develop your own voice. The more 'you' you bring to the idea the more unique it will be. Don't imitate. Be unique, but make it relate-able.
  
• You'll need to develop your cover, and at least 6 pages of art (with letters and inked). Maybe include some character design. Then do your 'Treatment' (full story issue by issue - keep it short, no one wants 60 issues from someone they have never heard of, 4 issues is a good number), introduce the team. Then pitch to publishers. Expect rejection.
  
• You may need to publish the first issue. (This will help you pitch it better) Have good names behind you if possible (the artists). Find good artists at conventions. Find an artist that really works with the style you're looking for.
  
• Develop a one page pitch. Characters and themes. Also have the 5-6 page doc that's the treatment. Send the one pager with the comic and mention more information is available if they are interested.
  
• Boom or action (no recollection what this meant, sorry. Maybe someone else does)
  
• Comixology is a place to do self publish and present to a traditional publisher. Maybe do the comic as a podcast as well (they're big right now and they need content).
  
• The publisher is betting on you too (not just the story). Tell them why you're a good candidate. Now is a great time to try to break in if you're a woman (which it doesn't sound like from your username).
  
• Twitter, tumbler, Facebook is a good way to connect to artists.
  
• Check the publisher site. Most times they want email.
  
• If you see someone at a con, get their business card, then give it a week or two before you follow up with them. (Having a known artist for ink/pencils will help a publisher pick up your comic.)
  
  From another panel on "Writing Great Dialog", at the same Con, here's a few relevant tips:
  
  
• Don't have soloquies that go on (particularly in comic books). (Look at Lilly and the unicorn book/comic strip.)
  
• If you're a writer you're probably an introvert. Instead you're really a salesperson (selling your story). Take an improv class. Become comfortable around people.
  
• Dialogue that is explaining something about a characters is not something to lead with, you have to bury the info. There's three levels of dialogue:
  
  

1. Direct
   
2. Speaking to a tangential topic (i.e. in Die Hard, "that's a nice suit")
   
3. You speak but never connect it to the action. (in Red Tide, there's dialogue about horses which is really about privilege and race)
   You want to stay in 1 not 3.
   
   

• In a fight you don't dance around in dialogue. You can have dialogue but keep it short and relevant. (Spiderman is a nervous talker)
  
• Characters that are ciphers (non emotional) are not interesting. You can't create a lot of personality for them. They are mostly used as villains. Give them a tick that comes out occasionally. This can be used to help expose the disguise.
  
  Last bit of advice from the Con:
  
  
• Diamond books - this is direct market - they use a monthly book called "Previews" to sell to comic book stores. You will need to write the marketing copy. The comic book stores will order what they think they can sell (one copy, maybe two for an unknown). When it's sold through Previews, you get cash in pocket. There are no returns.
  
• Book channel/market - this sells to Barnes and Noble and Amazon type stores. They may order a lot of books, but they can be returned to you, and you'll have to refund the money for the ones that get returned.
  
• Build your audience. Twitter, YouTube, Patreon. Engage your fans. Get the book sellers and libraries involved. You will need good in store and in market support.
  
  Best of luck to you. I was thinking of doing a comic book, but once I started to read The DC Comics guide to writing comics and Stan Lee's how to write comics I realized that I'm not a visual story teller and bailed. Good luck to you!
  
  (Edited because the formatting didn't come through for all the bulleted lists)

Congratulations on your book, getting it out there is quite an accomplishment!

I'm adding it to my to-be-read list, which seems to be growing all the time. I have a young daughter interested in math, so if I like it I might share it with her.

That said, the very first sentence is a little awkward:

> The last camp of the summer science camp had been such a bore, but Alex's father had really pushed for her to go.

Say that out-loud to yourself a few times. The last camp of the camp. Doesn't sound right, does it?

Is the first 'camp' supposed to be a different word? Maybe session, or week, or day, or something? Not sure why but it just sounds weird, and takes me out of the story before it even starts.

Also, in the first sentence of the second paragraph:

> Her dad worked for this big company building...

Sounds a little weird to say 'this big company', unless we are dealing with and angsty teenager speaking. Maybe 'a big company'? Not really sure. I'd probably use something more specific, like 'a multinational construction company' or 'a large conglomerate'.

Further slightly odd phrasing in the blurb "a young precocious girl".

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you've got one chance to make a good impression. I read the 'look inside', notice the writing that doesn't quite flow so nicely, and maybe I move on to buy a different book.

This idea, and similar ideas about grabbing a readers attention from the start is explored further here:
http://www.amazon.com/The-First-Five-Pages-Rejection/dp/068485743X

The cover is very nice, although I would punch up the yellow lettering, make it a little brighter. It definitely catches my attention, and would get me to read further.

Was this book edited by a professional? Just wondering, not being snarky, because I think an editor might catch some of the odd phrasing that grates on my ear. Another trick is to read it out loud to yourself, or use text-to-speech on your computer.

I'm rambling, ignore me. Great job! Keep writing and polishing and you might really have a winner on your hands!

Also available on Amazon with some reviews: Here

You may recognize this book from the front page of all of Reddit from a few weeks ago. The post went wild and I got a ton of great feedback, as well as a huge amount of sales in just a day. Very fun! I'd love to answer any questions you guys might have about it too!

Hey Folks!

To start, at 40 yo, I published my first book, Emberhand: Threads of Life. The last 18 months have been quite the journey. Learning how to tell a story and the numerous steps involved in producing a final product. Book 1 is out and I have another 4 books planned with book 2 being written now.

I started out with a prequel book to set up the world and lore without having to backtrack (within the main story), which I think detracts from the momentum of the journey. I did so without throwing out the baby with the bath water, if you will. Giving enough to know generally what's going on, while not spoiling the truth of the overarching story. As book 2 and 3 are read, there will be moments that tie back to book 1. That's the goal at least! Writing is a tough endeavor, but a joyous experience. With that said, you can find the book below, along with any additional information. And feel free to AMA.

Description of book 1, Threads of Life:



For thousands of years, the Emberhands have fought the forces of evil to maintain balance in the world of Eren, preventing the annihilation of man. Now, in this time of peace and prosperity, the current Emberhand, Tennivus, is training his successor in a world that seemingly no longer needs the powerful protection they have given.

Filled with innocence, the young successor, Mendileah, quests to find her role in things to come. What power will be bestowed upon her by the Keepers and how will she use this power to maintain the balance in these peaceful times? Looking to Tennivus and others for guidance, she pushes forward with great curiosity and a sense of an oncoming storm that stirs within humanity.

As Tennivus struggles with questions of the balance and his purpose, a mysterious man from a familiar place appears, adding to the complications of this simple yet trying time. Enemies and allies become less discernible and at the turning of an age, tensions build as the destiny of not only the Emberhands, but for all of Eren hangs in the balance.

Site: Emberhand.com

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VQ4RWYX Priced: $3.99

Print on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578472201 Price: $12.99

Hey, I am with you. And I have seen many people on this sub have the same question/dislike for marketing.

One thing I have read pretty consistently is that until you have at least 3 books published, marketing is not that important. The rough formula being spend 90% of your time writing your next book and only 10% marketing until you get 3+ books. And even then the split is only like 70/30.

I have only one book out, New Alcatraz now and I am working on my second. I have done very little marketing. I have started a FB page (which is bare because I have avoided FB for more than a decade). But it is free. I have also started a blog (which is also bare because I would rather write my book than blog). This wasn't free. I had to pay for the domain name. These are all just outlets for people to learn about your book. But what about getting people to go to your FB page or blog?

That is a slow burn. As you write you can join forums, such as reddit and goodreads.

I look at marketing my book less as advertising and more of talking to people (who are interested) about something I am passionate about. The rest I am hoping word of mouth will get me a few more sales as well. There is no step by step guide that I know of. If it was "do XYZ and you will sell books" we would all be doing XYZ.

There are only two copies of my book of vignettes about my supermarket customers on Amazon. I gave everyone a backstory to regain empathy for the masses. There’s also a ridiculous poem about Oreo cookies and a love poem for a guy who worked in produce. You might even find yourself in there! It’s 4.99 on kindle or free on ku. It’s a quick read but everyone says I make them care about strangers. It’s 10$ for paperback.

https://www.amazon.com/Supermarket-Diaries-Nina-Bel%C3%A9n-Robins/dp/0983227527

I've just released my four book Tipped Z series on Kindle Unlimited. Set on a working ranch in the Tucson desert, these novels revolve around horsemanship and family.

Book one has been an Amazon bestseller. It tells the story of what happens to a young woman named Erin when she encounters a cowboy on horseback on her quiet neighborhood street one morning.

All four Tipped Z novels are currently on Kindle Unlimited. For book one, the Kindle ebook is $0.99 and the paperback is $12.99.

If you need to escape the snow and the cold for a sunny adventure among cactus and sagebrush, these books are your ticket!

Dude, the very top result when you search "bullshit" contains the word in the title. Plus, there's this fine gem which means Amazon doesn't care much about vulgarity in titles.

Edit: gotta give a shoutout to another of my favorite absurd titles: click if ye dare

Spoiling your plot sounds like a terrible idea. It also sounds like you've... never read a blurb? I mean, look at The Da Vinci Code's blurb. I seriously doubt the plot of your novel is more complex than that (though I hope it's better written...)

I'm a former juggler for Cirque du Soleil, and my first real nonfiction project made its debut a few weeks ago. It's about history of juggling around the world (~2000BCE - 1897CE) was released about two weeks ago. The book is titled "Juggling - From Antiquity to the Middle Ages: the forgotten history of throwing and catching" and is available on Amazon (and your friendly local juggling & magic shops worldwide!)

I won't make you suffer through the details, but a review came out in a major industry website today that I'm just dying to share -

https://circustalk.com/news/drinking-deep-from-the-well-of-juggling-history-with-thom-wall-a-book-review-giveaway/

The book itself can be found over here -
https://www.amazon.com/Juggling-Antiquity-forgotten-throwing-catching/dp/0578410842/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=Juggling+from+antiquity+to+the+middle+ages&qid=1554134197&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Take a look at the covers for YA Urban Fantasy books. See what elements are common to them, what look they go for.

On your cover, the boxing off of the image, the image itself, and the font all say literary fiction or textbook to me.

For example, This:
http://www.amazon.com/Branded-Fall-Angels-Book-1-ebook/dp/B0039UUB16/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1426614405&sr=8-4&keywords=ya+urban+fantasy

vs. This:
http://www.amazon.com/Principles-Economics-N-Gregory-Mankiw/dp/0324589972/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1426614449&sr=8-10&keywords=economics+textbook

Yours is leaning toward the second example. Also, this is a great blog about DIY covers: http://www.jasongurley.com/blog/?category=DIY+book+cover+design

Hope this helps!

The Next Testament. When faith becomes a crime, some dare to believe. This is an alternative, near future dystopia set after a second civil war has ravaged the United States and left behind one tyrannical religion, The Common Faith.

Here’s the trailer:
https://youtu.be/ZDbDXILo6Kg

On sale at Amazon now:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0981595952

First in a trilogy in this story world.

Nope. It's called Nyx.

One book that I am reading through is Story Craft: Complete guide to writing narrative non-fiction. I picked this up after finishing Out on the Wire which focuses on radio storytelling but the techniques still apply.

Each single-page poem of Love, Sex & PTSD represents a difficult moment or a nagging thought; together, the poems tell the coming-of-age story of a woman who has experienced sexual assault and abuse. It's raw and emotional, with glimmers of hope and strength.

Originally, I wrote the poems for myself and publishing the book was a bucket-list item that I never intended to promote. But given the current climate in the US, I feel like there might be people out there who can relate and just want to be able to connect with someone else experiencing what they are.

The book is currently free (through 10/20) on Amazon Kindle and it's enrolled in Kindle Unlimited. Otherwise, it's $2.99 on Kindle or $4.99 in print.

Self-Publisher's Legal Handbook: Updated Guide to Protecting Your Rights and Wallet $18.99 paperback $7.99 kindle

Helen Sedwick, attorney and self-published novelist

Building on the best-selling success of the original Self-Publisher's Legal Handbook, Helen Sedwick wrote this expanded second edition to help writers stay out of court and at their desks.

Using 30 years of legal experience, Sedwick shows writers how to

• Set up their business
  
• Protect their copyright
  
• Avoid infringement
  
• Spot scams
  
• Save on taxes
  
  This second edition covers additional topics including
  
• Choosing a pen name
  
• Using lyrics and images
  
• Fighting content theft
  
• Minimizing defamation and privacy risks
  
• Expanding beyond the book
  
  Don't lose your copyright by signing a bad contract, or waste money by buying into a scam, or lose sleep by getting sued for defamation. Self-Publisher's Legal Handbook helps writers navigate the legal aspects of writing and independent publishing.

If murder and killers with a dose of humour count - The Final Cut

The Visitor From Incel World is now on sale at Amazon for $2.99 or free if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Da Blurb:

Ariana Heppelwhite was a promising Gender Studies grad student at Lacy Swanson College for Women in Bayport, Massachusetts. She had actually written a paper describing three hitherto unknown forms of nanoaggression! She was on track for getting a professorship and a actual job with a real salary and all the perks, maybe even tenure eventually.

Ariana had even met an unexpectedly charming incel (a phrase she had never expected to think, much less say) while doing research on incels for a grant she had. Sure, she'd done some nasty academic infighting that had an athletic department coach looking for her scalp over a transmale gaze incident, but overall, things were coming up roses for Ariana.

Then it happened. Ariana got caught in a freak physics accident while running from the gym coach, and was transported to an alternate world. And it was the exact WRONG world for a Gender Studies feminist to be transported to. It was full of women who walked around naked in public and wore collars engraved with “Property of (their significant other)” and who LOVED their collars -- and who seemed to think Ariana was a barbarian from a violent place.

And the thing was, they were all nice people, and calm people, and they just might be right about Ariana. Even more of a thing was that some not-so-nice Collar Land people thought Ariana's world represented such a threat that they should kill her for security reasons!

Will Ariana ever make it back to good old Earth from Collar Land? Will she learn to adjust to these very strange people or will she subvert their entire society? Will the not-nice people kill her? And what about that unexpectedly charming incel?

All these questions and more will be answered -- all you have to do is read this topnotch science fiction comedy!