Support Your Local Author

​Support Your Local…
 
We are living in a new golden era of authorship. Technology has given the average person the power to write that novel they’ve always dreamed of writing. More and more writers are coming out of the woodwork. These days, if you have a story itching to get told, you can sit at your computer, type it out, upload it to a program, punch a few set up buttons, pay relatively small fees, and BOOM!—you’re a published author. It’s just about that easy.
There are several potential levels whereby a budding author can potentially be published. I’ll give you my thoughts on what I see as the primary options:

1. Mainstream, Traditional, Large Publishing House – These are the big names in the publishing world with serious budgets, editors, marketing departments, and they have direct influence on traditional bookstores. Almost every author would like to publish with one of these big names because it means things like advances, publicists, national (even international) marketing, and often multi-book deals. Perhaps, even movie deals. Very few authors achieve a deal with these publishers. They are very selective, and that is not meant to be a slam on them. They are a business, after all, and they need to turn a profit to succeed, so they are careful where they put their money. To a new or budding author, these companies are very frustrating because it is so hard to get (and to keep) their attention.
2. Small Press Publishers – These publishers are traditional in how they function in that they sign on authors with contracts, provide royalties (or author profits), and take care of many of the steps required in getting a book to market. However, they usually don’t have the huge marketing budgets. They provide direction, suggestions, and tips, but cannot fund the massive marketing campaigns that the big houses can fund. Think of them as boutique publishers. The product is often excellent, but the authors need to handle much, if not all, of their own marketing steps.
3. Independent Publishing – This is where an author, usually after exhausting his or her efforts at securing a deal with one of the large houses and maybe the small presses, ends up utilizing technology resources from companies like Amazon (KDP) or Ingram Spark to set up and publish their own works completely independent of a traditional publishing company. This option does have its merit and advantages, but the author is completely on their own in every aspect of the process unless they shell out significant dollars for assistance. These days, this is how many new authors get their starts. Some, the diligent ones, can be quite successful.
4. Vanity Presses – These are often predatory companies that really will publish your work—after you give them a lot of money. Sometimes, they ship you a truckload of books that you have to deal with on your own. Or they may print on demand, but you might have trouble getting any royalties paid out to you from the distribution network. You can use them, but you’re still considered to be independently published. Best to stay away from these guys, in my opinion.

Where am I on this list of publishing options? I’m sitting at number two. I have a three-book contract with a small press (Winged Publications – www.wingedpublications.com) for my Cutters Notch Trilogy. They have also published my short story collection (Cutters Notch Interludes) and my devotional book (Loving Out Loud). I am very happy with the support that my publisher has provided. They do all they can to see me succeed. If I win, they win, and the reverse is true, as they do promos to support my work as much as they can. However, my first novel was originally published by one of those companies from #4. Eventually, I pulled it from them and signed with Winged. That original “publisher” had trouble paying me on the back end.
Here’s the thing…
Regardless of where an author stands on the hierarchy of publishing options, he or she needs YOUR help. Your support. Your word-of-mouth. Without it, discouragement follows. Many writers hang up their word processors and give up.
How can you help?

1. Sign up for your favorite author’s newsletter. When a publisher considers an author’s work, they often look at their “platform” – which is a fancy way of asking, “What is their built-in audience?” A newsletter email list provides that author a built-in audience of people already interested in their work—a platform. Also, if a writer produces something new, it gives them a direct line to the people most likely to want that product without needing to pay money to the folks that run the social media platforms. If you want to help me, go to www.authormichaeldecamp.com and sign up for my newsletter.
2. Like, Comment, & Share. Authors almost always maintain a social media presence. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linked In, and others. Sometimes this is because they just love the interaction. Often, though, it is because they NEED those platforms to spread the word about their works. Remember, most of them don’t have huge marketing budgets. Short of big bucks backing you up, you must resort to Facebook posts and tweets to get the word out. It works so much better when you get a following of people who share those posts, re-tweet those tweets, and comment on everything. So, go like their pages, follow them on Twitter and Instagram. Share, share, share.
3. Provide Ratings & Reviews. The key thing here is, the more ratings and reviews, the more readers are attracted. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Goodreads, Bookbub. These are all formats where you can rate a book and leave a review. Even mid-level or low reviews can help an author because it lends credence to the process. Most of my reviews come on Amazon or Goodreads. You can also leave reviews on my Facebook Author Page. If you can honestly say something good, please say it.
4. Recommend the Books. Do you have a connection to a book club? Recommend an author’s work. Do you know someone who runs an educational program at a church? Recommend a devotional book from an author you like. Did you just read it and it resounded with you, write about it on your social media app. Word-of-mouth is critical to an author’s success.

How can you help me?

• Sign up for my newsletter – www.authormichaeldecamp.com
• Rate my books & write a review for me on Amazon or Goodreads
• Recommend my books to others
• Buy one or more of my books as gifts for someone else
• Like, Comment, & Share my social media posts

If you’ve read this blog post all the way to here, I want to say thank you. I appreciate you sticking with me. Readers who follow me and read my work are the coolest. Thanks again! Please, please, please, support your local author.
Michael