Independently Minded: One Woman’s Journey from Traditional to Self-Publishing by Anna Campbell

I spent most of my life wanting to be a published writer. By the time it happened, in my 40s, I was convinced I’d never achieve my ambitions. I sold Claiming the Courtesan to Avon HarperCollins New York at auction in April 2006 as part of a 3-book deal. Cue “dreams come true” music. Suddenly, I could give up the day job and write full time!

2006 is not an eon ago, but the publishing landscape was completely different. Self-publishing wasn’t really a commercial possibility, and while small presses existed, the e-book revolution was in its infancy. The only effective way to get your book into a large number of readers’ hands was to have a manuscript accepted by a traditional publisher. Many were called, few were chosen!

Fast forward to 2019 and the landscape has changed out of all recognition. Traditional publishers are still hanging in there, while small presses and self-publishing offer a lot of writers the chance to make a living, particularly in my genre, romance. In fact, for romance, I’d argue that self-publishing is the dominant medium.

I stayed in the traditional fold until Hachette/Grand Central released A Scoundrel by Moonlight, the last book in my Sons of Sin series, in 2015. There were and still are a lot of good reasons for going with a traditional publisher. A solid advance; a good editor; someone else doing blurb, cover and marketing (although legacy publishers have slashed marketing staff. If you imagine a contract means resting on your laurels when it comes to getting word out about your book, you’re deluding yourself); getting books into brick and mortar stores.

But as my career developed, some things niggled. A major issue was that most years, I had one book out. Yep, that’s right. ONE book. Romance readers are voracious consumers. There was clearly a market for more than one Anna Campbell book annually, but because traditional publishers release a set number of books each month, I was stymied. One reason for self-publishing becoming such a force is that writers set their own schedules and this means more books for keen readers.

My first attempt at self-publishing was a novella in late 2012 called The Winter Wife, an extended version of a Christmas story I’d written for a Mammoth anthology. The success of that encouraged me to release a ghost story called These Haunted Hearts, another anthology piece. Then in 2013, I put out Her Christmas Earl which for some reason went through the roof. By the way, something I’ve learned in my self-publishing career is that I can never tell what will light up the skies and what won’t.

Her Christmas Earl’s success coincided with writing the last book in the Sons of Sin series. It was time for some serious decisions. Although I’d enjoyed my traditional career and I’d learned a ton of stuff, the flexibility of self-publishing won out. I could control pricing, marketing, blurbs, covers, you name it. Not to mention dates and frequency of releases!

I also wanted to experiment with books that hit the Regency genre dead center. If any of you know my earlier books, you’ll remember that they were dark and emotional and involved difficult subjects. Basically, this girl just wanted to have fun for a while. But I wanted the option of writing a challenging book if the urge took me. Going indie appealed artistically as well as commercially.

Under the publishers’ banner, I released 10 full-length historical romances and an e-novella in a decade. As an independent, I’ve released 33 new stories. Look at the maths – 11 books in 10 years compared to 23 in 7.

I’d like to dig a little deeper into those figures. When I decided to take the scary step of going on my own, I realized that I needed a lot of product out quickly. Writing shorter was the answer. Of those 23 indie books, 18 are substantial novellas (most 30,000 to 40,000 words). 17, including 4 full-length stories, have come out in the last 5 years when I’ve been completely indie.

While my output can’t compare to the real powerhouses of the industry, I’m writing more than ever before – the pressure for new product is relentless – but it’s not quite as relentless as it looks if you just consider the release figures.

Did I take my readership with me? Yes and no. Many people who read my Avon and Grand Central books buy and enjoy my self-published books. Inevitably quite a few don’t. On the upside, I’m always surprised by how many people love my indie books who never picked up my older stories.

Am I glad I took the plunge to leave traditional publishing? Definitely! It’s been financially and personally rewarding.

I love the way everything works so fast in indie publishing. The big publishers generally move pretty slowly. I’ve never worked as hard as I have in the last few years. I like making my own decisions and I’m prepared to wear my mistakes. I’ve also realized that I could market 48 hours out of every 24, but that isn’t good for me. I’ve become pretty ruthless about carving time away from writing.

What advice would I give a new independent author? Firstly, get a good support group. I regularly work with a formatter, a copy editor, beta readers, and a cover designer who are as committed to quality as I am. Be prepared to try new things if current strategies aren’t working. Network with other authors. Cross-promotion works.

Would I recommend this path? It’s a lot of work, I won’t sugar-coat that, and there’s no safety net. But it’s tremendously satisfying to captain my own ship. I choose my course, I select my crew, I pick the color of the sails!

But on the other hand, if I hit the rocks, there’s nobody else to blame!

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Website: http://www.annacampbell.com

Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/annacampbell.writer

Twitter at AnnaCampbellOz

Bookbub: https://partners.bookbub.com/authors/1846/edit

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Anna-Campbell/e/B002NKV1HQ/

Bio:

I’m an Australian historical romance writer. So far I’ve published 10 award-winning novels for Avon and Grand Central, and 22 books as an independent author. My books have been translated into 22 languages. I’m currently working on a series featuring roguish Highland heroes, called the Lairds Most Likely. The Laird’s Willful Lass, The Laird’s Christmas Kiss, and The Highlander’s Lost Lady are now out. Look out for The Highlander’s Defiant Captive and The Highlander’s Christmas Quest later in 2019.

THE HIGHLANDER’S LOST LADY

A Highlander as brave and strong as a knight of old…

When Diarmid Mactavish, Laird of Invertavey, discovers a mysterious woman washed up on his land after a wild storm, he takes her in and tries to find her family. But even as forbidden dreams of sensual fulfillment torment him, he’s convinced that this beautiful lassie isn’t what she seems. And if there’s one thing Diarmid despises, it’s a liar.

A mother willing to do anything to save her daughter…

Widow Fiona Grant has risked everything to break free of her clan and rescue her adolescent daughter from a forced marriage. But before her quest has barely begun, disaster strikes. She escapes her brutish kinsmen, only to be shipwrecked on Mactavish territory where she falls into her enemies’ hands. For centuries, a murderous feud has raged between the Mactavishes and the Grants, so how can she trust her darkly handsome host?

Now a twisted Highland road leads to danger and passion…and irresistible love. But is love strong enough to banish the past’s long shadows and offer these wary allies all that their hearts desire?

 

 

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Category: How To and Tips, On Publishing