Multiplatform Publishing for Indie Writers
by Mary Kole | Former literary agent, now a freelance editor, writing teacher, and IP/story developer for major publishers and creators.
One of our Good Story Learning members recently asked about the artist/writer's role in today's multi-platform markets. This question applies mostly to indie writers who want to be successful and forward-thinking by diversifying their skills and routes to market. She wanted to know how to leverage their experience and knowledge as indie writers when posting work across platforms, like ebooks, apps, audio, and serial opportunities.
Indie Writers Have Endless Opportunities
When dealing with a creative type of writer who is interested in many areas and routes to market, which might characterize a lot of indie writers, it can be tough to give a concise answer. That being said, my advice is for indie writers who primarily want a print book deal to concentrate on that first, whether you publish exclusive to Amazon KDP or go wide.
Once you’ve had the experience of publishing successfully on one platform, then you can explore ideas that are related to book production … or ideas even further afield, like apps, television shows, magazines, and merchandising. Sometimes, wanting to put your idea into too many ideas at once is ambitious for indie writers … and not in a good way. It can be more like putting the cart before the horse.
Indie writers should keep their focus and create the best book they can, focusing especially on story. Publish it well and let audience demand for your work dictate its course of evolution into multiple platforms. Don't try to do too much at once initially.
Pitch Your Publishing Partners Carefully
A lot of writers, including indie writers, make decisions to bring publishing partners aboard or change course at some point in their career. Whether a self-published writer takes on a print publishing partner, or a traditionally published writer goes indie, shifts are possible on a project-by-project basis.
But be careful about pitching too many multiplatform opportunities at once. If an indie writer wants to do an app, a movie, a theme park, etc., etc., etc., this doesn’t seem as if that writer is particularly interested in producing a book. Instead, it seems like the writer is trying to stick any story idea against the wall and see what will stick. This isn't the way to go about entering the publishing industry: you need to be interested in producing a book specifically, as many indie writers are. They are writers first, and intellectual property developers second. Discussion of other platforms and formats should wait until after the book itself has been released.
Focus Is Key for Indie Writers
It can be true that a successful book idea may go on to be featured in many platforms. And that is obviously interesting (and financially beneficial) to many creators, whether trad or indie writers. Nevertheless, other platforms and publishers usually become interested in such a property because the original version succeeded on its own merits and drew attention toward it, creating opportunities from a solid first version of the idea.
I cannot emphasize this enough: focus on perfecting a single product before trying to expand your horizons. This is especially important for indie writers who are already adding the editing process, formatting, and marketing a book to their craft knowledge. It’s exciting to learn and do so much all at once, but it’s also easy to drop the ball when you’re juggling so much.
Customized Book Marketing Solutions
Whether you’re a published author or still on the submission trail, you need a marketing strategy that gives your writing the best chance to succeed. Let Good Story Marketing help you confidently stand out from the crowd with a personalized plan for building your author platform or supporting your existing published works.