Know What Your Publisher Does for You

Pet peeve here.  If you accept an offer from a publisher, I don't care what kind of publisher, you better know what your publisher does for you.

Does your publisher just put your book out there?

Do they do edits at no charge to you?

Do they do the cover art at no charge?

Do you have input on the cover art?

Many of these are spelled out in your contract. So please, read your contract.  You are signing a legal binding agreement with the contract, make sure you know what you're getting into. 

There are also things like:

Does your publisher do any marketing for you?

Does your publisher arrange blog tours for you?

Do they give you copies to give away or must you purchase them?

Some of these may or may not be in your contract and these are things you need to know and understand. 

If  you don't know something, ask your editor and/or agent.  Or research the answer by talking to other authors published by that publisher.

Don't assume your publisher is doing something unless they've told you.  If you're not sure ask.  You won't appear stupid to the publisher, they know there are so many options out in the world. 

An example of this, I was explaining to some writing friends about my publisher putting my books into Amazon's KDP Select and how it worked out for me with the 5 free days KDP Select has.

Another published author wanted to know when she was going to get her 5 free days with Amazon and how did she set it up. 

Both myself and another writer explained, that was up to her publisher, she needed to talk to her publisher.  This author continued to go on about how if I did it why couldn't she.  I patiently explained my publisher did this, not me.  And since they published her book she needed to discuss with her publisher, she can't take the book the publisher published and make it free without them agreeing and her publisher making it free.

This is just one example.  There are so many options now-a-days.  Writers/Authors need to be informed. Writers/Authors need to do their homework.  

And just because someone else is doing it doesn't mean its the right fit for you.  You have options, explore them all.

Next week: Writer's Options

Track Expenses

It amazes me how many people have no clue about tracking their expenses. 

I'm asked all the time if I keep receipts, how do I do my taxes, etc.

From my experience with the IRS (US), the more you keep track the better off you are especially if you're doing a tax filing showing yourself as a writer. 

I track all my writing expenses: conferences, hotels, meals, etc., that includes car mileage.

There are various ways to track, and you can find various ways on the Internet or by asking people what they use.  

But it is important to track your expenses before and after you've published.  

I started claiming my writing expenses many, many years before I was published.  Now, I will say, there were many things I could have tried to write off my taxes but chose not to.  This was my choice.  I wrote off dues to organizations, conferences, hotel expenses while at conference, meals, etc.  

Now, you don't have to claim your writing expenses before your published with the IRS.  But it is important to tack them, because it will give you an idea of how much money you are spending.  And when you do become published, you'll already have a good tracking system in place.

  

There are expenses I never thought about and year after year I keep track and see what I'm spending my writing income on.  

I track both incoming and outgoing income, I do this by spreadsheets.  It's not hard and as long as you keep it up, so it's not time consuming.

You are going to have expenses as a writer so it's important to track them.

Next week: Know what your publisher does for you

Changes Ahead

Now that I've had a week to digest the RWA National conference I realize the buzz word at conference was "change."

Most of us, including me, don't like changes in our lives.  We like our routines, our quirks and how we do things.  Change is almost always hard and probably always will be.

The writing industry is changing practically daily.  It has been going on for a while, but not quite at the pace I've seen in the last eight months.

Self-publishing (some call it indie-publishing) jumped into the market place in 2010, in 2011 it really began to take form with the sale of the Amazon's and Barnes & Nobles e-readers and tables.  Amazon opened their own self-publishing arm as did Barnes & Noble.  Smashwords took off along with others.

Some self-publishing authors are making lots of money, others are barely making back their expenses in getting the book out there for the public to read.  RWA has had to look at self-publishing and figure out if there is a place in the organization for them.

Editors and agents are having to change how they look at writers, while not all of them are going to make things better for the writer, they are beginning to realize that authors have choices.

So as authors we now have several routes: Traditional (NY print), E-Publishers (e-book only and some print) or Self-Publishing (do it yourself).

I know some people won't like the do it yourself tag I put on self-publishing, but it really is do it yourself.  You must find an editor, a copy editor, a cover artists as the writer, and you will pay out of pocket for these services before you ever put your book up to sell.  And those services can cost you thousands, depending.

I do know authors who have wonderful people they can rely on to edit and copy edit their work for them.  But many don't have a big circle of people they can trust like that.

Change is scary.  I don't advocate one method of publishing over another, I just ask people to think long and hard about their choices.

My choice will not be your choice. I found myself at RWA defending my choice of publishing.  Each person has a different motivation for writing, and it will eventually show up in the writing.

For now, things are going to be in flux.

Back to the Writers Journey

I know the last few blog post haven't been up to my normal standard, today I'm getting back into talking about the writers journey.

Since I was first offered a contract in August 2009, things seems to have moved at lightening speed.  My first book was released in Jan 2010, then the next two books in Feb. 2011 and June 2011, now my latest release was out in March 2012.

Since the first book release I've learned a lot.  Dealing with social networking (facebook and twitter), promotion material, doing promotional mailings, setting up a mailing list, a newsletter list, making sure my website is updated, blogging not only my blog but a group blog as well, and probably several other things I'm not thinking of right now.  Oh, and writing the new books.

It's been quite a balancing act, because I work a full time job outside of writing my books, my writing happens at night and on weekends.  Of course, there's family to deal with, the housework, laundry, grocery shopping, extended family, and more and more. 

I'm usually pretty organized but in the last few months I haven't been as organized as I usually am.  I had to sit down and figure out what.  Mainly because this year has been a different year for me, let me explain.  I made the decision in January that I would leave the day job at the end of April.

This is a life changing event, while I will still have an income, it will not be what it was, but this means I will be able to write full time which is something I've always wanted to do.  Along with leaving the day job, it also means changing where I live.

So I will also be moving to a new home this year and because of my mom's health, she will be living with me.  This takes me in a totally new direction because I will be cleaning out her home so she can sell it and moving her in with me.

This will take place over several months.  The fun thing is in my new home I will have a home office.  It won't be the guest bedroom anymore but an actual office.  I can't wait.  I'm working on training myself now that when I sit down at the computer that means work, not play. 

I'd like to know any organization tips or moving tips that you may have?  I'm going to need all the help I can get.

Time is Flying

Time is flying.  I have have no idea of where the first four months of the year went.

I have been busy, His for the Weekend was released, I've been working on another story for The Wild Rose Press, and I've written two short stories for a soon to be released anthology (More later).

Along with writing, I've been winding down the day job.  I'm lucky enough to be able to retire at the end of April, so I can write full time.  With retiring from the day job also comes some life changes.  I will be moving to a new state, cleaning out one house to move to a new home. 

The move will be nice as I will have a ranch style house rather than one with stairs.  I will be closer to family and I will have an actual office, not an office/spare bedroom.

I'm a little nervous about it all, but the changes are good.

Have a great week.