I met author Nicole Thorne through Instagram of all places. We shared a love of indie authors, each being one and supporting them. She reached out to me for an article about indie and or self-publishing author services and my experience with them. Below is a portion her article (an interview with yours truly). For the entire article please visit her blog.
An avid reader as well as an indie author, Nicole’s books will take you on an emotional rollercoaster. Believable characters who you will fall in love with. Nicole’s books are driven by her desire to create the type of book she loves to read. Books that keep you turning the pages, books you don’t want to put down. Nicole’s books are bound to give you a book hangover!
Thorne says, “Being an indie author can be tough. The question is, when you have a limited budget, just where should you spend the money?“
“Any indie author will tell you that there are lots of people out there who are making a good living from offering a range of author services. As a new indie author, it can be difficult to work out which ones are worth spending your money on.“
Author Services Insights from Tam
Nicole Thorne: How long have you been writing?
Tam Francis: On and off for my entire life, but seriously for the last twelve years.
NT: What is the name of your book/books?
TF: The Jitterbug Dress Series (The Girl in the Jitterbug Dress, Hops the Atlantic, Dances in the Dark), Ghostoria:Vintage Romantic Tales of Fright, The Flapper Affair, Swing Shorts: Stories & Wonders.
NT: How did you hear about the book review service being offered?
TF: For the content editing, I met a gal on Twitter and we followed each other. Then I checked out her website. For the cover art, a friend of mine introduced me to a designer, I checked out her website and talked to her on the phone.
NT: What was your first impression?
TF: Content editor: expensive (for my part-time minimum wage salary), but, experienced, honest, thoughtful. Cover Designer: Easy to work with, kind, accommodating.
NT: Did you take the plunge?
TF: Yes for both. I did content editing for The Girl in the Jitterbug Dress with Change it Up editor Candance Johnson. And Karen Phillips has designed all of my covers.
NT: Which services did you use and why?
TF: I hired both the content editor, cover designer, and for Swing Shorts an illustrator for cover artwork. I had tried creating my own cover. It was a disaster. In fact, I wrote a blog about the process and my first experience with a cover designer. I also didn’t want my covers to look indie. I’d seen some self-designed covers and they stood out as amateurish. I wanted my novels to be able to sit next to a traditionally published book and a buyer/reader not be able to tell the difference.
NT: How much did it cost?
TF: Content editing was $800, Cover art $350, Original illustration $150
NT: Did the promotion lead to any additional sales?
TF: Hard to calculate, but one of the covers made honorable mentions in a cover contest for Historical Fiction Cover Pam Lecky’s Vintage Treasures 2018 and although not a winner in Joel Friedlander Indie cover contest, he gave praise for design of all covers entered. After edits from the content editing I advanced to the Second Round Finalist for Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2013.
NT: Would you recommend author services to other writers?
TF: If you have the money, yes. But I would now spend money on proof-reading. One I now have a critique group that is great for content editing, and two, because after I made the edits from the content editor I missed typos. They’ve all been fixed, but it cost me a star on Amazon reviews early on. I wrote a blog recently about the Edit-shaming of Indie authors and how there seems to be more scrutiny than traditionally published authors.
NT: What is your overall impression of people who offer book reviews for a fee?
TF: Nope. Unless it’s a nominal fee, like a reading fee for a contest. Anything over $20 seems smarmy and exploitive. There are too many who review for free and I want honest reviews and paying for reviews seems like a slippery slope. I cannot believe how much Kirkus reviews are and how that seems to be one of the standards in the industry and their reviews are far out of most Indie Author’s budgets.
As for paying for other services: Do your homework, get recommendations and look at the work they’ve done, but if you have the money, it’s worth it for editing and cover design services, and if you don’t have the money for a cover, seriously find the money or save it up. Your cover is your number one selling tool. I’m a substitute teacher making minimum wage and I saved up the money. It’s worth it for a pro cover or a typo-free manuscript.
For more insights and experiences from other indie authors check out Nicole’s entire article. She did some cool surveys with surprising and not so surprising results. See if your ideas align.
Nicole’s work can be found here and here. And while you’re checking it out, buy something, read, and review it!
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Do you have experience with paid reader review services or indie/self publishing author services like editing, review, or book design? Any tales of terror? Any must-haves. Any beware author services?
Tam Francis is a writer, blogger, swing dance teacher, avid vintage collector, and seamstress. She shares her love of this genre through her novels, blog, and short stories. She enjoys hearing from you, sharing ideas, forging friendships, and exchanging guest blogs. For all the Girl in the Jitterbug Dress news, give-aways, events, and excitement, make sure to join her list and like her FB page! Join my list ~ Facebook page