Pieces Coming Together

[Navigating toward success: source]

We were able to get into Mark Dawson's class, the one that trains you to become successfully self-published.  We're clearing our slate of other critical items, so we can start it soon.  The one piece I could never figure out for myself, even after several other classes, was how to market on the road to self-publication.  Apparently, this plus some books on the topic will start opening doors and making things clear. This is something anyone can do, even you.  It's not a cheap class, but it will be worth it in the end. 

[Cover Design-source]

Another step we'll be pursuing, likely this week, is finding a cover designer on Fiverr.  Yesterday, I picked up an audiobook on the strength of its cover and because it was for the same target audience.  Two things (other than boredom) came out of it: 1. an exciting, professional cover can bring the audience, especially on a website like Amazon; 2. doing my own audiobooks won't be outside the realm of possibility because I can read in a much more expressive way that that actor.  I don't know that I'll have time for all of them, but I can get it started and then maybe pay someone to do the rest. Getting someone to do it won't be cheap, but if the book starts making sales, it may pay for itself.  And my boy has crazy, fun voices already practiced for his audiobooks.  

[The journey begins-source]

I'm sure setting up toward successful self-publication will be time-consuming, but in the end, knowing how to do it will be one of the most important skills we can acquire.  And as we figure this out as a family, I'll share my path to success, so you can both try it yourself and learn when and how to acquire our books. It will be an adventure for all of us.  

A New Strategy

[Typewriter/publisher-source]

Up until the end of 2021, I was sure our path to publication would be a hybrid publisher I picked out a couple of years.  I can write.  I can edit.  I have illustrated our books.  I can do all but a cover that will really sell our books and, of course, effectively market.  That is where this hybrid publisher was to come in.  All I had to do was submit a chunk of money upfront and send in about 150,000 words of semi-finalized print, and that hybrid publisher would prep everything for publication.  That sounded like a great plan because I didn't know how to market.  I've taken classes, and I've tried to execute the strategies those classes taught.  And the few things I've thrown into Amazonland hit like a drop in the bucket and disappeared in the crowd, including a preliminary Doomimals short story. 

[A new path-source]

Then, my genius son and co-creator of our multiple series got the chance to do a job shadow with an established self-published author, A.M. Luzzader, author of the Middle-Grade Mermaid series, who showed me a path, the path she took to success with self-publication.  She showed me it could be done, that she and several people she knows found a pathway to success with self-publication.  When I understand more about it, I will publish what I learn.  For now, it's simply a list of names, titles, and suggestions.  

[Investing in the future-source]

Luzzader suggested I take that same chunk of money I was going to throw at a hybrid publisher for one book and turn it into a wealth of knowledge that could lead my whole family down a path to successful self-publication.  This could lead to at least moderate success for Doomimals, Just Us Chickens, Key Lime Python, The Radiant Army vs Us (the working title for a series for older youth that we haven't started yet), and a whole pile of other projects including some about which my husband and other child have been dreaming.  

[Just Us Chickens]

In other words, within (hopefully) a month or two, I will have a strategy finalized for bringing you Cockadoodle-DOOM, the first book of Doomimals, followed by The Misadventures of the Just Us Chickens and so on, one after another.  You'll hear about it as soon as we have a formulated plan, but it should be coming soon.  Then, I can guide you along the same path.