Hello all and welcome to the monthly write-fest that is the IWSG. Here you'll find motivation to overcome your insecurities, learn more about the writing journey, and learn the varied methods of publishing.
Alex's awesome co-hosts for the November 4 posting of the IWSG are Jemi Fraser, Kim Lajevardi, L.G Keltner, Tyrean Martinson, and Rachna Chhabria!
Once again, I've invited a guest to take over my blog. Today Jemi Fraser returns. Yes, I'm obsessed just a little with publication stories and have been from when I began blogging in 2007. I see Jemi as a pioneer as she's published the way I intend to - "now you don't see me, now you do" kinda thing! Anyway, to help other sly writers who have a truckload of books they've been writing, editing, rewriting for YEARS, I've asked Jemi to talk about the pros and cons of publishing the rapid-release way!
Over to you, Jemi!
Thanks for having me on your fabulous blog again, Denise!
2020 has been a weird and wacky year in so many ways. Which means it was probably the perfect year for me to enter the publishing world in my own weird and wacky way.
In January 2020 I decided this was the year I was going to
publish both my nonfiction book and my romance series.
I set up pre-order dates for Dancing With Dementia
and arranged a blog tour for the end of March. You know, when the pandemic
really hit.
It was early days in the pandemic and people were thinking we’d
be more or less normal by June or July. I picked a date to release my romance
series at the end of July.
I decided to release 3 books at once and then another before the end of the year. Bloo Moose has been living in my head for a while. Because I was writing a series, to me there wasn’t much point in releasing one book then waiting for a few months before releasing another. I wanted to have something else for readers to read if they liked Reaching For Normal (it’s free!).
I wanted Book 4 (Reaching For
Balance) out before the end of the year - preferably within 3 months
of the first 3. Apparently this is good for visibility on some retailers.
While I was finalizing 4, Book 5 started
yelling at me. It was supposed to be book 6 but it changed its mind and decided
it wanted to be a Christmas story.
Hmm.
Christmas stories sell best before Christmas so I decided
November 10 looked like a good date. Four weeks after book 4.
I did mention weird and wacky, right?
What have been the pros and cons of my publishing schedule?
Cons:
• Exhaustion
(I’m also providing daily child care for family)
• Imposter
Syndrome is Strong! (who am I to think people want to read my stories?)
• Marketing
and Promo? Who has time for that?
• Pressure
to keep up the pace (spoiler alert: probably not publishing 6 books in 2021!)
Pros
• Not
a whole lot of time to do things like checking numbers and rankings and reviews
• There
has been some reader buy-through of the series
• I’ve
had people tell me they are excited about the series and waiting for more!
(yay!!!)
• Readers
are preordering
• Pushing
myself to really focus means even more stories and ideas are knocking on my
skull
• I
love my Bloo Moose folks and getting to spend time with them is fun
• I
have 2 new series ideas waiting their turn (con = they’re impatient & time
is limited)
• I
have 6 books out and about in the world!!!
Would I do it all again? Yes! Although I’d wish for less
global pandemic and more time!
How about you? Anyone else save up their books to publish
them together? Anyone else start publishing during the pandemic? Anyone figure
out how to create more time yet?
Life is short - go for the HEA! Author of Contemporary
Romance (Bloo Moose), Dancing With Dementia (nonfiction), and short/flash
fiction. Variety is the spice after all!Thanks Jemi! Let's give Jemi your reactions to her post. Or...share your own pros and cons of publishing in the comments!
Seeing you're here ... think about joining us at WEP for the Christmas challenge, UNMASKED.
27 comments:
If people like one book, it's certainly good to have others out there for them to pick up. It must be pretty unusual though, to have so many ready to go all at once. I'm curious why you held on to them rather than publish earlier - was this the plan all along?
I am humbled and awed by Jemi's achievements. She epitomises if you want something done, ask a busy person. And weird and whacky works for me - after all the only normal people are those you don't know very well.
Congratulations Jemi. Huge congratulations.
I have read all the Bloo Moose books and I love them all. Your rapid release plan looks like it worked too.
I so hear you when you said, "Marketing and Promo? Who has time for that?" I can soooo relate! It's hard to focus on everything at the same time.
That's amazing that you were able to get all your books done and ready for release like that. I can't imagine how exhausting it must have been. But it sounds like it worked for you.
I'm learning everyday and Jemi has been an example of everyday, regular writing. I appreciate her grit and her dedication. There's plenty of inspiration on the IWSG, right Denise?
Sonia from https://soniadogra.com
Well, it was a wacky year for it, but you made it happen. People needed escape and your series gave it to them. And continues to do so.
Hi Denise, Hi Jemi,
Jemi I am happy to hear that you love self-publishing even though it is a lot of work. I want to be a hybrid author and will be self-publishing one of my stories soon. I hope I have fun with it.
All the best for your writing career.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
Botanist - Yes, it was always the plan! I tend to work on more than one story at a time - 3 isn't unusual for me (Tigger Brain) so the first 3 were ready to go fairly close together :)
Sue - Thank you! LOVE that bit about normal people - so true! And my dad used that quote for us all through my childhood. Busy is always more fun!
Lynda - thanks for all of your support! Somehow I have to find more time for promo! ... Probably not :)
Natalie - Thanks, it has worked well for my brain - but it's always been a bouncy one :)
Sonia - thank you! There's nothing like regular writing to keep my brain flowing!
Alex - It sure has been (and continues to be) wacky! Thanks - I sure hope so!
Pat - it is a lot of work and a lot of learning (thankfully I enjoy both!). Looking forward to your stories!!
Congrats, Jemi, on everything you've achieved this year - it sounds like a whirlwind, to put it mildly. I do hear it's good to publish a series in quick succession, and yes, this year hasn't been ideal circumstances - but on the other hand, you're doing a great service by providing distraction and entertainment. Kudos.
Jemi has certainly burned up the road the publishing! What a whirlwind she is.
That sounds amazing Jemi! That's a lot of work and the first thing that came to mind was exhaustion. I loved hearing the pros! Thank you for sharing and good luck!
Jemi, You've done a fabulous job! I'm so excited for you and it's been my pleasure to read and review each one! Great job, your weird and wacky works just fine! Could I do it, nope, not on your life. LOL
Hey, Denise - looks like we're going to win! Yay!
Wow! Wow! That's all I can say, Jemi! You are something!
And thanks for featuring, Jemi, Denise!
Thank you Denise and Jemi for your post on publishing. Way to go. Happy November writing.
Nick - whirlwind is a very good term!! And I hope people are enjoying their visits to Bloo Moose! :)
Lee - you're the best - thanks!!
HR - thanks - it's definitely been worth it!
Renee - you're an amazing support, thank you for everything!!
Fundy Blue - LOL - thanks!
Susan - happy writing to you as well!
Hi Denise - great guest to have Jemi here ... I think her book Dancing with Dementia will really open people's eyes to Dementia and help them; while her Blue Moose romance series is obviously longing to get out onto paper ... so congratulations to her.
I feel whacked reading her post - but she also has been doing family care - even more pressure ... all the best to you both and all reading - Hilary
Jemi, I'm exhausted just reading your schedule. I've published 3 books in a year and thought that was a lot. Hah! Good luck to you and try to take time to enjoy your success.
Hilary - thanks so much! DWD is the book of my heart. I hope it helps people struggling with those early stages of this hideous disease. It's busy, but it's a good busy!
Diane - LOL - it is busy in my world, but it's also lots of fun! Good advice too - thanks!
Many congratulations to Jemi - her schedule sounds the opposite of laid back! :) So awed and impressed with all her achievements. Wishing her continued success for all her books, already released and the ones to come in 2021 and beyond.
Thanks so much, Nila! 2021 should be fun!
That's totally amazing you've managed to get so many out in one year! We are not worthy!
Jemima - LOL - The series has been floating in my head and I had a draft of 4 done before I published. But it's been a wild ride!!
That's a lot of books in one year! I'm glad it's inspiring you to write more. Keep up the great work.
I hope your November went as well as it could and that you'll experience joy in the coming holiday season, Jemi and Denise.
There's a giveaway on my blog that ends today, if you're interested.
Jemi has slayed publishing this year. Just seeing how many books she's come out with has made me feel exhausted. lol So, I can definitely see exhaustion as being the biggest con. She's done amazing, though!
Jemi was a force this year with all that she did! Huge congratulations again, Jemi.
Lenni - I think keeping my brain in writing mode means more creativity happening behind the scenes! Thanks so much - all the best to you as well!
Chrys - thanks so much! And, yep, that exhaustion is real!
Lee - thanks so much, Lee - it's been a ton of fun!
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