The
book is writ - now what do I do?
I had written a story—a story I never imagined I’d write in my wildest dreams. Night after night, I felt compelled to put these words to paper, as if possessed. But now, having finished it, the question loomed—what was I going to do with it?
First, I sent my manuscript to family and friends who kindly agreed to read it. Their feedback ranged from helpful to, well, less so. After four rounds of writing and rewriting, I finally felt satisfied with the final version. I meticulously checked for story content, grammar, and edits. My book was ready to send to literary agents.
Self-publishing through KDP wasn’t my initial plan. I was adamant that vanity publishing wasn’t for me. My reasoning was simple: If I couldn’t find someone to believe in my story enough to invest time and money into it, I wasn’t going to pay just to feed my ego. My goal wasn’t to write for myself, friends, and family—I wanted my book to tell its story and share its message with the world.
“I want to do this properly,” I thought. My vision was to find a literary agent who would handle the hard work: securing a traditional publisher as enthusiastic about my story as I was, managing the marketing, and, yes, even paying me for the privilege! Only after trying this route did I come to fully appreciate just how challenging it is to market a book in today’s saturated market. There are so many books out there—how do readers even choose? What are they searching for? What draws them in? I felt utterly overwhelmed.
I emailed several literary agents, sending them my story synopsis, an elevator pitch designed to ignite interest, and the first three chapters. Then I waited. Weeks passed. Rejections trickled in—polite, but rejections nonetheless. Eventually, I conceded defeat.
Enter fellow author and comedian Lester Crabtree. During lockdown, he’d written a book about his life as a comedian “Born to Die” [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Born-Die-Real-Life-Comedian-ebook/dp/B08D1H2G93] and he introduced me to KDP Publishing. I was sceptical, but I decided to see what they had to offer. Through KDP, I could professionally publish my book as an eBook, audiobook, and paperback, all tailored to my specifications with their guidance. Best of all, there were no upfront costs. KDP only earns when a book is sold.
In September 2020, with their support, Joan - Put On A Happy Face
was officially published through Amazon.
I’ll admit I had reservations about self-publishing. I’d heard the horror stories—poor royalties and wasted time. However, with KDP’s royalties offering 70% on eBooks and 60% (minus print costs) on paperbacks, I thought this arrangement was quite reasonable! No upfront costs were another major bonus. Of course, traditional publishers cover all costs, taking the financial risks themselves—but that wasn’t an option for me. Vanity publishing? Out of the question! So, KDP Publishing was the path I chose.
To my relief, KDP proved incredibly supportive throughout the process, offering prompt responses to my queries. While the technology initially intimidated me, they guided me through it with patience. Their marketing tools, such as free promotions, countdown deals, and “click-to-view” ads (which I haven’t tried yet), add another layer of accessibility for authors.
I wholeheartedly recommend KDP Publishing to anyone struggling to find a traditional publisher. Unlike vanity publishing, there are no upfront costs. However, I can’t stress enough the importance of editing. Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional, ensuring proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation is crucial. Sloppy, error-ridden books tarnish the reputation of independent authors and discourage readers from giving our work a chance.
Today, I am a published author, and there’s no feeling quite like holding your first book in print. It’s simply marvellous!
Take a “look inside” my book courtesy of Amazon, or visit my author page. Whatever you choose—happy reading! And as Joan says, “Put on a Happy Face” and keep smiling
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