What I Learned Self-Publishing My Debut Novel In 2023
Publishing a debut novel is an exciting and challenging endeavour for any writer. In today’s digital age, self-publishing has opened up new avenues for authors to bring their stories to the world. As a self-published author of a young adult epic fantasy adventure novel, I embarked on this journey with enthusiasm and a desire to learn. In this blog post, I want to share my experiences and the valuable lessons I learned while self-publishing my debut novel in 2023.
Writing the Actual Book
The time it takes for an individual to write a full-length novel varies from person to person. In my case, I wrote the first draft of The Beauty of Dawn when I was fifteen years old. It took me another five years to rewrite, edit, hire professional editors in the industry, order proof copies, and finally list it for sale on Amazon.
Because it was my debut novel, and because I was so young and had other priorities like school, it took me quite a bit longer to release. But that’s okay. Now that I have a proper framework to follow, publishing the next book will be even easier.
If you’re in the writing space, you’ve probably heard terms like “plotter” and “pantser.” Brandon Sanderson refers to these terms as the “architect” and the “gardener.” A plotter, also known as an outliner or planner, is a writer who prefers to plan their story meticulously before starting the actual writing process. A pantser, short for “fly by the seat of your pants,” is a writer who prefers to dive into the writing process with minimal planning.
Many authors are actually a mixture of these two things. It will be hard for you to determine what kind of writer you are until you actually sit down to write your first book. I tend to lean toward John Truby’s method of writing organic stories, which is very outline-focused.
Beta Readers and Hiring Editors
This is where I made a few mistakes. I paid a beta reader almost $400 CAD on Fiverr to read my book and provide feedback. Although she did a great job, I definitely don’t think that was a good way to spend my budget. Instead, I wish I had become more active in writer’s groups beforehand. There are many people on TikTok, Reddit, and Facebook that love getting free stories. And they will be brutal with their critiques because they don’t know you personally.
With that being said, this method isn’t for everyone, as many people are worried about their work getting pirated. I wasn’t too concerned about this. I figured, I’m a debut author, nobody knows me yet. If people start sharing my book all over the internet, that can only get me more recognition and sales in the long run.
Hiring my first editor was a terrifying experience for me. I was paying someone thousands of dollars to make my book the best version of itself. Whoever I chose would play a huge role in the success of my book. I spent months searching for a developmental editor on a platform called Reedsy, until finally, I discovered Hillary Sames, a previous acquiring editor at Orbit.
Hillary was an absolute gem to work with. She looked at my story with fresh eyes and made it infinitely better. After we had finished working together, I began another long search for a line editor. After many referral chains, I was put in touch with Melissa Frain, a previous senior editor at Tor Books and founder of the Tor Teen Line. I took a chance on Melissa, as her busy schedule made it impossible for me to receive a sample edit from her, and I had to wait six whole months for her to even start editing. But boy, was it worth it. Melissa took my manuscript and made it a worthy novel that young adult readers of classic fantasy could put on their shelves.
Designing the Physical Product
To format the eBook, I used a program called Atticus, which was very simple and essentially did everything for me after I imported my document. The physical book was a lot more work. My mom, a tattoo artist, designed the cover. I did the typography and the interior, a task that plagued me for weeks on end.
Because I was using Amazon KDP to publish my book, I had to follow their regulations for formatting both my cover and my interior. I used Adobe Indesign and learned all kinds of technical terms, like bleed marks, margins, and colour profiles like CMYK and RGB. I struggled immensely with the technical portion of this project. My proof copies were off-centred and so dark you couldn’t even see the art in the background. I asked my local library for help, but they had no resources for me.
After perusing the internet for many hours, and ordering multiple batches of proofs, what I ended up doing was taking one of my favourite books from my shelf that was in the same genre as me and taking a ruler to it. I copied the margins, the font, and the font size. I printed out papers to compare with the book, slowly making adjustments in my InDesign file until everything was perfect.
Creating a Marketing Plan
Once I was able to actually hold my book in my hands, it was time to figure out how to market it. Being 21 years old with expenses, and having spent all my money on editors, I basically was out of luck in the financial department. Luckily, I did have a business-marketing diploma. I created a content schedule and stuck to it, posting 3 times a day on TikTok and Instagram. I gained a fair bit of traction on TikTok and got a pre-order from someone I didn’t know personally! That was a big moment for me. It was how I knew what I was doing was working.
I reached out to hundreds of people in the fantasy space asking for reviews and testimonials. I was bold and reached out to bestselling Amazon authors like Joe Abercrombie and John Gwynne; heck, I even tried to reach out to Stephen King. (Not that I could — he doesn’t publicize his e-mail.)
The author that did respond to me and show interest was David Estes, #1 Amazon bestselling author of Kingfall and Fatemarked. I am extremely grateful that David took the time to read my book, and even provide some mentorship.
I also managed to secure a book signing at my local bookstore and gain the attention of a couple of libraries in my area, who requested author visits.
In Conclusion
Self-publishing my debut novel in 2023 was a transformative journey filled with valuable lessons. From the importance of preparation and establishing an author platform to navigating publishing platforms and implementing effective marketing strategies, every step taught me something new. It required perseverance, adaptability, and a genuine passion for storytelling.
Despite the challenges, self-publishing provided me with creative freedom and the opportunity to connect directly with readers. As I embark on my next writing project, I am grateful for the knowledge and experiences I gained, and I’m ready to apply them to my future endeavors and continue growing as an author of sci-fi/fantasy.
