[0:00] Music.
[0:16] Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, whatever time this recording finds you.
I hope it finds you well. Welcome back to the book cast.
This is my platform for sharing short fiction and updates on what I'm reading and writing.
This is episode 84 and I am D.L. White.
I'm an author of contemporary Southern and romantic fiction novels that center Black love and relationships.
I'm also a big fan of books, so we usually begin with a book report.
Then we talk about writing and topics of the day.
I'm currently writing The Pearl, A Black Diamond Romance, and we'll talk more about that book during the writing update.
The book cast is a production of Books by D.L. White, written, edited, produced, and supported by me.
If you'd love to back me up, I'd be most grateful.
The best way to do that is to talk about the books, but also buy the books.
[1:05] Booksbydlwhite.com slash books has all of the good stuff in ebook or audio, and it's still in the April, everyone. one.
So as always, I'm celebrating myself and other independently published authors this month.
My debut novel brunch at Ruby's is still on sale and audio at my store and at chirp.
There's actually only one day left to grab brunch at Ruby's and dinner at Sam's for 99 cents in audio at chirp.
I'll put the link in the show notes to this episode.
You can also grab a dinner at Sam's of course, which is the follow up to brunch at Ruby's for 99 cents in ebook or audio at my store visit payhoop.com slash books by D.L.
White, tap audiobooks or ebooks and shop to your heart's content.
If you're a member at Kobo Plus, you can grab all of my ebooks and audiobooks as part of your subscription.
As a reminder, if you're a premium subscriber at Spotify, you get 15 free hours there.
So snatch up my audiobooks. I still get paid for them.
I'm also available at your local library. So if none of those options apply to you, hit up Libby or Hoopla.
I do believe all All of my audio books are now available on Hoopla, which is amazing because it's been many years that I've been waiting for them to be available on Hoopla. So go borrow them.
Do you have a topic you'd like me to cover on the book cast?
[2:17] Shout me out a holler. I'm always on Instagram or Twitter at author underscore DL White, or you can visit the show notes of this here episode at booksbydlwhite.com slash bookcast slash 84.
I welcome your feedback. Today's going to be another shortish show.
I'm back from my brief jaunt to Mexico for work. I got a little bit of a funny tummy.
I didn't drink the water. I didn't have the ice.
I didn't really eat anything out of turn, but my stomach is just mildly unpleasant.
So anyway, I'm aiming to finish the book this week. The aggressive timeline
[2:51] that I previously mentioned is violently harassing me now. So no time to waste.
Let's get going. We will start with the book report as always.
I'll mention a couple, a good listen and a good read.
This week we're talking getting the most bang for your buck as an indie author and the writing that I managed to get in while I was on my trip.
Hint, not much, but I made progress.
Today is April. Today is Saturday, April 20th. By the way, have you checked out the 420 Bays collection?
It's a group of, I think, nine black romance books where the central theme is the bud, the marijuana.
It sounds interesting. I have a few of them, so I'm going to check them out.
Anyway, it is 9.19 a.m. It is sunny in the ATL. I have a mic and I'm ready to dig in.
But But first, I need some coffee.
[3:36] Music.
[3:48] She's back. She's hot. I burnt my tongue yesterday on some very, very hot tea.
So let's mute things on our computer.
Also, let's sign out of teams for work. Oh, goodness. Okay.
Wow. We begin, as always, with the book report because I am a book head.
I have read 59 books of my challenge to read 150 books this year.
I'm a whopping 14 books ahead on my Goodreads challenge.
This week, I only got in one book. It was Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth. It was pretty good.
I would say I enjoyed this more than I enjoyed previous Hepworth novels.
She's a British author, so there's always a little bit, I don't know how to put it, but there's always a little bit I have to overcome when I read books that aren't set in the U.S.
I always like to say I am annoyingly ethnocentric.
I like to read books that are set in the U.S. because I'm familiar with the terrain.
So a lot of the words and the colloquialisms and the language of countries outside my own, throw me for a loop and pull me out of the story.
Trying to be better about that. Hepworth is one that I have read a lot of books by her, not a lot, a few books by her.
Enjoyed Darling Girls probably more than I've enjoyed her previous ones.
This one was very convoluted, especially toward the end.
[5:15] But it was a really good tale about three girls who were fostered by this woman who was initially very sweet and then got very evil.
This week, I have five books on my reading list. I'm not going to get through all of these this week, but I add them to my reading list to remind me that I am reading them.
Work Song by Danielle Allen is a workplace romance, some kind of love.
Prelude by Elle Wright. I believe this is a prelude to her 420 Bays book, perhaps.
I don't know. I picked it up. It looked good. One of Us Knows by Alyssa Cole.
This is her latest thriller.
I had an arc of this, But I decided to wait for the audio. Desperate by Tia Love. She just pulled from Amazon.
What's their what's what's their Vela? Yeah, she just pulled this from Vela and she was selling it direct on her site because Vela is just not treating authors very well as we figured that's how it would end up.
So I bought it to support. And of course, I'm reading it.
It is like the first chapter or like the first segment of a serial story.
So just getting started. And then I picked up Work, Love, Balance, The Blackwells of New York, number three by Nikki Knight.
This is a Harlequin novel.
[6:27] Honestly, I logged into TikTok. It was the first video that popped up.
And I was like, hey, that looks like a workplace romance. I am going to read it.
So good job, TikTok and Nikki Knight. So I grabbed that.
I'm going to read that probably first because it looks shorter than the others, but I'm going to get through them all.
[6:46] Recommended listening this week. I really enjoyed this episode from the Wish I'd Known Then for Writers podcast.
Hosts Jamie and Sarah are talking this week about how to save and when to splurge in your author business.
When it comes to your author business, a bargain sometimes costs money in the long run, but other times it pays to splurge instead of scrimp.
Join your hosts as they discuss tips for saving money as well as when they're willing to pay more.
I, me personally, I for myself fully believe an author should point most of their money at a great cover in their price range that matches the book they're writing and is genre specific and a great editor.
The best editors run the gamut from developmental to proofreading.
So you might find a way to bundle services or narrow down what you need.
After that, pick and choose what to spend your money on. Let's be real.
Most of us aren't going to sell like King or Hoover. Let's not spend a ton of money on marketing as if we have a chance.
Put your money towards services that will benefit you in the long run.
We had this conversation on Twitter this week.
So many new authors out here think they need to spend a ton of money and you really don't. I mentioned a few things I do to stretch my dollar. Here's what I said.
[7:59] I talked to so many authors that think you need to spend at least $10,000 to publish a book. You don't have to buy a $1,200 cover.
You don't have to choose an editor that's going to charge $8,000.
If it's your debut, skip the expensive promo approach.
First of all, nothing sells a book like the next book. Write the next book and the next book.
And I honestly, I hate to say it, but if I look up an author and they only have one book, I'm kind of disappointed because I want to go from book to book to book, write the next book, or at least have the next book ever pre-order.
Second, I laid out some money over time to save in the long run.
I bought a refurbished Mac in 2016 so I could use publisher software like Vellum.
So I format and I typeset my own books. I have Canva Pro and Deposit Photos accounts.
So I do my own covers. I do my own promo images.
Canva is something that I dip into like while I'm watching, for example, every season of Monk.
Coincidentally, I just like might dip into Canva. I might see a cover that I like and let's see if I can reproduce it. Oh, I like that.
I like that effect. How did they do that? I follow Canva accounts on TikTok and Instagram.
And here's a tip on how to do this. Here's a tip on how to do that and dip into Canva and try it out.
And the more you practice, the better you get. I understand that not everybody is artistic.
I'm definitely not an artistic person.
[9:22] But I also know that the more I practice at it, the better I am.
There are also lots of templates in there.
So you can always take a template and do whatever you want to it.
Keep the font, change the image, change the font, keep the image, add more images, add more font.
You know, there's lots there to work with. So do what you can for the least amount of money. I pay for all author.
If you follow me on Twitter, those promo tweets that you see pop up.
It's the book and the quote that it's a GIF.
Those are from all author. I supply the words and the book cover.
They shoot out the tweets four times a day across multiple accounts that they own and mine. The tweet scheduler is available at the free level.
You don't get the GIF, but you do get the book cover and the words.
Then you can take those tweets and images and repurpose them across all of your platforms.
A pro account gives you even more promo benefits like being able to feature your books. You get weekly mock-up images in your email.
I believe on Wednesdays at noon, they send out the new mock-up images.
You can shoot those out to Twitter, repurpose those to any of your other accounts.
There's an array of mock-up options based on seasons, based on holidays,
[10:36] to make your book look more appealing.
Word of Mouth sells books.
[10:42] I can't tell you how many times when Beverly Jenkins mentions my books, I make money.
That's how it works. So I put the most effort in getting the book to people and asking them to talk about and review them.
I'm also quite vain about my books, and I don't mind talking about them.
I follow so many authors that are afraid to talk about their books.
They don't market their books or market them terribly.
I honestly, I want to grab them about the shoulders and tell them to stop it.
Nobody cares that you hate promo.
Talk about your books. books nobody knows about your book if you don't talk about it the way some of us promote our books i wonder if you like it because if you don't care i don't i'm gonna be honest if you don't care i don't either tell us why you love this book tell me why i need to read it a lot of people feel.
[11:31] Self-centered and self-serving talking about their own books and i just stop it i need you to stop it because you're going to be upset when nobody knows your book is out.
You're going to be upset when nobody wants to read it. You're going to be upset when you don't sell.
Talk about your book. Include a picture and a link. Always, always, always include a link and repeat it.
Repeat it. Repeat it. People that post stuff once and then never again and wonder why they got no traction puzzle me.
In the millions of pieces of things that get posted a day, an hour on social media, you thought someone caught that, repeat it.
Like post in the morning, repost it in the evening for the evening crowd.
A lot of people don't log into their social media until midday or evening.
It's their evening scroll.
Like I don't really tap into TikTok until evening. I just need something to like relax.
[12:20] Repeat it because if they missed it the first time, they'll catch it on the repeat.
Honestly, most people aren't paying attention to you.
So be you, be the you that you need to be to get your book out there.
[12:33] Okay, recommended reading in that article that Sarah and Jamie posted on the Wish I'd Known Then for Writers, which I'm going to link to that in the show notes.
I'll also link to this article from Readsy, five ways to save on your self-publishing budget super quick.
Now that you have a general idea of the average cost to self-publish a book, a few ways independent authors can get more bang for their buck could save you thousands without sacrificing quality in your book.
Number one scout for talented but newer professionals seek out editors and designers who have just a few projects under their belt enough to prove their competence and abilities but not so many that you'll be faced with an exorbitant price tag this kind of reminds me of how when audio blew up and everybody just had to have jacoby or wesley or sean and you know they've got a list a year long of books they're gonna voice and i i don't know how much it costs to get Jacoby Diem to read your book, but I bet I don't have enough money in my bank account.
[13:37] Look for narrators, professionals, cover designers, editors that seem just as good, that get good ratings, that have good reputations, but aren't backed up for a year from now, that aren't maybe as hugely popular, and try to book them.
Number two, self-edit extensively ostensibly before hiring an editor.
This is especially important for those hoping to get a developmental edit.
If you haven't rewritten your manuscript as much as possible before hiring an editor, you'll end up paying them to tell you things you already know.
There is absolutely no reason to shoot off a rough draft to your editor.
Go through that thing front to back, end to end, a couple of times.
I'm always writing and rewriting and revising.
I want the cleanest copy possible to go to my editor because even when I get it back and I think I produced an absolutely clean copy, you should see what I get back from her.
Can you imagine if I just sent her my rough draft?
[14:43] She can't either. She can't imagine that either. Number three, combined services where possible.
Many publishing professionals are specialists in a number of skills and niches.
Some are happy to bundle together a few services and offer them for less than you would pay if you hired two separate people.
Number four, request a cover design based on stock imagery.
When searching for potential cover designers, look for ones whose portfolios show a talent for manipulating stock images in inventive ways.
These are the ones who can help your book look like a million bucks for just a fraction of that cost.
[15:15] Caveat, the danger here is using an image on a popular stock image site like Deposit Photos or Shutterstock.
You may end up seeing that person on the same book, I don't know, six months from now, a year from now. Now, number five, grow your following before you publish.
Focus first on providing valuable content and maintaining genuine relationships.
Eventually, you'll be able to snowball these relationships into a full-fledged community.
I can't stress this enough. Get somewhere. You don't have to be everywhere, but get somewhere and begin establishing your community.
I know it. I know you're shy. You're shy. You don't want to be on the internet.
And to be honest, you don't have to be.
You don't have to be. Find one place where you're comfortable. Is it your newsletter?
Is it your sub stack? Is it your Instagram? Do you have a little community?
[16:08] Start posting stuff. Post samples. Start talking about things. Share tips.
Share things you're learning. Share things you're enjoying.
Start building your relationships. Get in good with authors that you like talking to, with readers that you like talking to, because when you are ready to launch, they will stand behind you and they will amplify what you're putting out.
But you can't do that if you don't have community.
And if you're only on social media, buy my book, buy my book, buy my book, people tend to really tune that out. Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, they're a conversation.
It's not a sales vehicle so much as it is community and conversation.
And by the way, hey, I write books about this. If you're interested in that, they're absolutely interested.
Promise. So I'll put links to those in my show notes.
I encourage you to give a listen to the Wish I'd Known Then podcast.
Check out this article. Follow me on Twitter. I'm just saying author underscore DL White. I'm very funny. Very funny.
[17:11] Onto the writing update, y'all.
My last reported word count was 70,559 words and I was freaking out.
And today I'm at 75,013 words.
Yeah, I hit my 75,000 word goal, but I am not done with this book yet.
[17:33] I just need to finish the thing. I just need to finish it. I got into writing sessions at the beginning of the week.
Once our meeting's in full swing, I'm going, going, going, or I'm sleeping.
So again, I'll give it a good read through before it hits the editor.
I'm not inclined to cut good words to be within word count, but I also want a nice and tight storyline. I cut everything unnecessary.
I cut full sentences, full paragraphs that is just me rambling and navel gazing, cut them.
So I have a few chapters, maybe two and an epilogue to go. So I am definitely going to be over 80K, but I will cut it back in revision.
My goal is for this book to be under 80,000 words.
So this week I have a multi-day in-person meeting, but I play the coordinator role.
So in between making sure everything is set for different segments of the meeting, I'm sitting in a chair staring at a screen.
So I probably won't be able to write, but I can edit.
I want to get in as much as I can in skeleton form, just kind of sketch it out and then to spend time this week polishing that until it's all flushed out.
[18:39] There was a great scene between Kari and her little sister that I had been looking forward to writing since I started planning this book this week. I wrote that.
I had a really good time in Mexico writing that scene.
I'm happy with it, but of course, I'll keep messing with it. I want it nice and tight.
There's a little bit of scratching and biting between the sisters.
So writing is revision and refining and revision and refining, right?
So today I am back at the the resort with Davis and the worst guest ever.
Kari and Davis will be reunited.
They have been apart for a few days. Kari had to go rescue her little sister.
So there's an extra person in tow.
So we're on the downward ramp to end the book. And I have a lot of loose ends to tie up.
So endings are really hard for me. So pray.
[19:29] That brings us to the end of today's episode. I need to get off of this mic and get back into my document so I can finish this book.
Thank you so much for joining me for today's chat. I truly enjoy having you here.
I welcome any comments or feedback at booksbydlwhite.com slash book cast.
Please share the podcast if you enjoyed this episode. And if you listen on Apple podcasts or Spotify, give a girl a rating.
I'd really, really appreciate it. Do not forget that you can support this podcast with your book purchases by spreading the good word or by throwing some coins in the hat at bookcast.buzzsprout.com.
Every little bit helps.
I'll be back on Saturday, April 27th, at which point I hope I will be able to call words complete. Please enjoy this weekend.
Have a superlative week and we'll chat again soon.
[20:17] Music.