With self-publishing on the rise (up almost 300% from 2007 to 2012 and still climbing), there are more and more resources for indie authors to share their knowledge and learn from each other. However, other authors aren’t the only indie artists we can learn from. Here’s our list of things we can learn from our more symphonic brothers and sisters:
#1: Artist Alliances
In the publishing industry, when two books are similar, we call them “competing titles”. In the music industry, when two artists are similar, they go on tour together.
For indie authors, competition is a four-letter word. If someone loves a genre, they’re not just going to read one book or listen to one CD. Musicians promote and share their audiences, and authors can too. Maybe that means blurbing or tweeting about each other’s book, starting a blog together, or planning a local author night at a bookstore.
#2: (Kick)Started From the Bottom
Many indie musicians don’t have the resources to pay upfront for the production and marketing of their art. The same is true for indie authors (and tons of traditional authors too: many traditional publishers make the author pay for their own marketing). When musician Amanda Palmer ditched her record label and went indie, she decided to try crowdsourcing and pretty much broke Kickstarter. From her campaign page:
I think kickstarter and other crowdfunding platforms like this are the BEST way to put out music right now — no label, no rules, no fuss, no muss. just us, the music, and the art.
For a quick and dirty rundown of your basic Kickstarter strategy for a book, check out our guest post from Publush.
#3: Sometimes it Pays to Give it Away
When I (Patrick: nice to meet you! I’m the editorial assistant here at Wise Ink) was in highschool, I went to a lot of punk shows. When the headliner finished, the concert-goers would all surge out the door and there would always be a local band handing out free demo CDs. You know how many of those CDs I listened to?
All of them. I’d get in my car (read: my parents’ car) and pop the disc in before I even shifted out of park. I didn’t like all of them; most never got a second listen. But some of those songs I sang in the shower the next morning. I paid those artists back by going to concerts, buying merch, and posting their music on social media.
If you enroll in KDP Select, the Kindle store will let you temporarily make your ebook free (more on that here). It’s a sure-fire way to increase your readership and build your author platform. Also, consider posting free chapters on your blog, website, or the end of your previous book.
#4: Diversify
There’s a merch table at almost every concert, yet very few indie authors decide to produce any merchandising. In the words of indie Minneapolis rapper Dessa,
“You need a lot of revenue streams to pay the rent,” said Dessa, who has taught seminars on feminist rhetoric and the art of the personal essay and probably holds the record for most “sucks” dropped during a commencement address at the University of Minnesota. “I sell some records, I sell some T-shirts and at the end of the day, I make a living wage and I’ve got no complaints.”
If your book has a great title, logo, or a memorable line, capitalize on that by putting it on a coffee mug, tote bag, t-shirt or coffee mug. If you’re an expert on something, give a talk about it. When you only offer a single product, you limit the amount of support your fans can give you.
Is there anything else you think indie musicians can teach indie authors, or vice-versa? Did you catch the pun I tried to make involving a Drake song? Sound off in the comments!
All good suggestions.
I am not a musician, but I have a grown child who plays bass as a second job and as a passion. The Twin Cities has a lot of good venues for live music. He not only attends performances around the region, but is willing to play with others in a range of genres. Hard rock, acoustic rock, classic rock, country, blues, jazz, as a side man for touring vocalists, and he had a good payday when he was asked to set up and tear down the sound equipment for a big show at the casino. As an artist, it helps to have friends in the business, and to be flexible.
Some great suggestions Patrick!
I would perhaps add that indie authors can focus on their ‘image’ – the impression they like to give others (prior to people even reading their books). So often you see indie musicians who have clearly understood that their ‘brand’ is essential in order to differentiate themselves from the crowd. It seems much more natural in the music industry.
Indie authors should not avoid the issue (and many don’t of course!). It is not an over-emphasis on marketing over content, but simply recognising that marketing should be closely connected to content. If you want to differentiate yourself from the crowd, invest in a great cover designer, get a decent author photograph and make sure your web presence conveys they type of author you are and the type of readers who may be interested in you.