Self-publishing is rapidly on the rise, with The Self-Publishing Agency, Inc helping authors ... [+]
Self-publishing continues to rise in popularity, with growth expected at 17% compound annual growth rate per year compared to traditional publishing, which is projected to grow at just 1%. Some 300 million self-published books are sold each year. While self-published authors do not receive an advance and therefore must front the money for producing their books, the trade-off is that they get to take control, determining when and where their work is shared and taking home a far higher percentage of each book sale.
Amanda Gorman and Rupi Kaur are just two celebrity authors who have chosen this path, skipping over the traditional publishing industry’s long-established process to create their own opportunities. Trade publishers also act as gatekeepers, making it difficult for new, unproven writers to ever secure a deal. Self-publishing allows anyone to release a book. As with traditional publishing, the work then comes in promoting it.
Megan Williams is the founder and CEO of The Self-Publishing Agency, Inc. (TSPA).
Megan Williams is the CEO and founder of The Self Publishing Agency, Inc. (TSPA), a self-publishing company that works with authors from around the world. It is the only self-publishing agency in North America that doesn’t take royalties from its authors. Since the Covid-19 pandemic began in spring 2020, TSPA has seen over 300% growth.
The agency recently signed bestselling author Kristine Carlson, who wrote the series Don't Sweat The Small Stuff. Lifetime released a film with star Heather Locklear playing the author in Don't Sweat The Small Stuff: The Kristine Carlson Story, based on Carlson’s 2011 book Heartbroken Open.
TSPA has seen a 130% increase in the number of US-based authors that have come onboard in recent years. Williams attributes this increase to the exchange rate between U.S. and Canadian dollars, which now tilts in favor of Americans, allowing them to use TSPA’s service at 20-40% of the cost they would pay at home.
Megan Williams offers tips for success in self-publishing.
Here are Williams’ top eight tips for successful self-publishing:
1) Know this: Good enough is not great.
Build a team of people who are better at their jobs than you are. Hire a professional editor and designer who can take your book from good to great. (Hint: Asking a friend who “reads a lot” to proofread your writing isn't the same as hiring a book editor.)
2) Work around financial barriers.
If hiring a professional publishing team isn't in the budget (yet), a clever Kickstarter campaign or savvy pre-sale strategy can ensure you're not cutting corners on quality due to financial barriers.
3) Own your work and your files.
Make sure you own your ISBN, account logins and book files. We've heard too many stories of self-publishing companies going under and taking an author's files and account information with them.
4) Realize that book marketing is all about momentum.
Once your book is published, start local with your publicity. Connect with local news media, friends with podcasts, etc. As your book gets more exposure and you get better at talking about your book, you can use each feature to get the next opportunity and the next.
5) Make it easy for people to buy your book.
The fewer clicks between a reader and your book, the more likely they are to buy it. Your “link in profile” should take them directly to a page to purchase.
6) Tell your network who your book is for.
Your friends might not be your target readers, but they know someone who is!
Ex. "If a mom in your life is going through a rough patch, consider gifting them this book instead of flowers."
7) Don't wait for readers to find you, go find your readers.
Where does your ideal reader spend their time? Farmers markets? Kid stores? Sell your book where they already are.
8) Remember: Success is a moving target.
I have never met an author who feels like they have “made it.” From sales numbers, to national media, to influencer endorsements – success and goals continue to grow as your story does. The authors who feel the most successful are the ones who aren’t chasing a moving target. Rather, they've realized they're always "making it."
Williams herself is the successful self-published author of "Our Interrupted Fairy Tale."
According to Williams, the Covid-19 pandemic caused a shift in how writers and readers are defining what it means to professionally publish a book. After being stuck at home for a year, people have been more eager to share their voices. They are drawn to TSPA’s hands-on and supportive approach to working with authors – not only in publishing, but also in writing and marketing their books.
Williams herself is the author of the award-winning book, Our Interrupted Fairy Tale, which details the end-of-life moments of her former fiancé, who died from cancer at the young age of 34. She is also the coauthor of two children's books with her 13-year-old step-daughter Madison.
It was her own tragic experience that first inspired Williams to author a book. She was just 25 when her partner passed away from an incurable blood cancer. “My world went dark – but poking out from the bottom of a closet was a sliver of light,” she says. “Chad had written a diary when he was first diagnosed and unbeknownst to me, on the back page he had written one instruction for me to find: Publish this book when the time is right.”
Williams spent a year writing and another year researching the best way to publish the story. Although she contacted a few publishers, her heart pointed her to self-publish. “Historically in the literary world, self-publishing meant you couldn’t find a publisher. To me it was more important to keep the integrity of my story and have it published sooner than a trade publisher's calendar would allow. I didn’t want to wait for someone to validate that my story was worth telling,” she explains.
With The Self-Publishing Agency, Inc, Williams and her team help authors through editing, design and ... [+]
After working with a team of publishing professionals, Williams released Our Interrupted Fairy Tale. It went on to sell thousands of copies and has been optioned for a screenplay. Williams herself has been featured on talk shows and news programs as a result. She felt inspired to help open the doors to self-publishing to other aspiring authors.
Over the next six years, The Self Publishing Agency, Inc. (TSPA) has gone on to help hundreds of authors – including New York Times bestsellers, Olympians, TV stars, and business savvy influencers – professionally self-publish books they are proud of and that are aligned with their life purpose and brand. The agency connects authors with their team of professional book editors, designers, marketers and printers that allow authors to be taken seriously in the marketplace.
Working in an industry that is hesitant to accept new, unproven authors can be a challenge, Williams reports. The traditional publishing industry has determined what stories we see in mainstream bookstores and media. Some authors, reporters, and bookstores still prefer to have validation from a publisher rather than take a risk on an indie author.
However, in spite of these challenges, Williams enjoys being a trailblazer. “I can't think of a greater privilege than to help others discover their purpose, create their legacy and have their stories published for the world to devour,” says Williams.
Williams offers this advice to people looking to align their career with their life purpose. “Do something brave. If you have an idea, you have the power to manifest it into something tangible and influential in the world. If you have the brainpower and the bravery, you can create something the world can benefit from.”
