Lynette White avoided the vanity press route and opted for self-publishing instead.  Find out which vendor she uses for marketing and the one thing she’d do differently if she could start over.

1. Give me the “elevator pitch” for your book in five to ten sentences.  

Betrayal is tearing at the very fabric of the twin cities and they are on the verge of collapse.  The frightened citizens are turning on the garrisons, the gods, and each other.  Commander Shadoe Van Ives discovers how to save them if he can stay alive long enough to find someone he can trust.  Shadoe must outmaneuver the enemies inside and outside the walls of the twin cities before time runs out for him and for them.

2. Why did you become an indie writer?

I have wanted to publish my work for a long time but kept letting life get in the way.  It took my dying mother to make me realize I am the only one who can make my dreams come true.  Being an unknown, I was lured to a vanity press.  Fortunately for me I was pointed in the direction of indie publishing before I made a critical mistake.

3. Have you been traditionally published?  Why or why not?

Not yet.  I am still working on finding the way in.  I have the tools now to pursue that avenue and will begin the process soon.

4. How have you liked self-publishing so far?

I won’t lie, I am struggling with it.  Being a novice with no funding I am struggling to get readers to buy my book. There is so much information to sift through that I am finding myself completely overwhelmed by it.  I feel like a single flower in a vast meadow screaming to be noticed.

5. Tell me about the marketing techniques you’ve used to sell your books. Which ones have been the most successful?

I am learning as I go.  I have relied on social media but everyday I am learning about new avenues. Going with KDP has proven successful to a point.  I recently had my first free giveaway that went better than I anticipated.  I am planning to do my next one right around Black Friday.

6. Are there any marketing techniques you intentionally avoided or discontinued, and if so, why?

Not yet.  I am willing to try about anything to help readers find me.  I know they are out there if I can just find them and bring them to me.

7. Which services or vendors do you recommend for the marketing methods you used?

I am still exploring those options but I do recommend Vistaprint for business cards for someone like me on a near nonexistent budget. I am finding new avenues every day to get the word out.  It is a vast world out there.

8. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about self-publishing that you didn’t know when you started out?

That it is a lot of work and not for everyone.  If you are not prepared to dedicate the time it is not going to work for you.

9. If you could do one thing differently in publishing your books, what would it be?

Get a solid cover artist.  I made a huge mistake with this artist and I am working with another to redo the cover, but it was a harsh lesson to learn.

10. Indie authors face the challenge of marketing their books without the resources of traditional publishers. What advice do you have for an indie just starting out?

Keep working at it and do not be afraid to try something different.  If nothing is working keep trying something new until you find what will.

11. What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on expanding my reader base via short stories.  I am committed to having six short stories written for different programs by the end of the year including Writers of the Future.  I have a tentative commitment to two anthologies: one edited by Heather Marie Schuldt and another that is edited by Paul Genesse.  I am also working on a YA book called Dragon Stones that I hope to release in the spring and the second book in the Destiny Trilogy that will follow shortly behind Dragon Stones.  I am also hoping to have The Enemy Within in hard copy before The Darkest Night is released.  Along with all that I am dedicating time every day to promoting The Enemy Within and finding that solid group of readers who will follow me through the short stories, trilogy, and into the next adventure.

12. If you could market your brand – not just one particular book, but your overall brand of writing – in one sentence, what would it be?  

Fast paced fantasy with many twists and unexpected endings.

13. How can readers learn more about your books?

The Amazon page for The Enemy Within.

You can also follow me on Facebook, On Twitter (@lynettekwhite), and my website, whitefantasy.net.