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Market research: calling all indie authors

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After reading this post, would you still hire?

Yes, because I can afford to 0%
Yes, because it's easier 0%
Yes, but only for things I hate doing 0%
No, because I can't afford to 0%
No, because I'd rather do it myself 0%
No - why pay for what you can do yourself? 0%
3 votes
VanessaFinaughty
Advanced Wordsmith
I hope this is in the right place.

My full question is: if a company offered the following paid services, but was willing to teach you - for free - how to do these things yourself or find someone to help you at no charge:

Manuscript edits | Manuscript proofreads | Manuscript critique | Book cover design | ISBNs | Author interviews | Character interviews | Book promotion & marketing | Ready made author websites | website banner creation | other website graphics | Press releases (writing and/or editing of) | Back cover blurbs (editing only) | Media kits | Personalised novels | Ghost writing novels | Ghost writing author blogs | Editing/proofreading author blogs | Creating social media accounts for you at: Twitter & Facebook | Creating distributor accounts for you so you can sell your books at: Smashwords & CreateSpace | Manuscript formatting for print novels and ebooks | Audio books

...would you still hire the company for paid work (or would you choose to do all these things yourself to save money)?
You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you - Ray Bradbury.

Find me on Smashwords: www.smashwords.com/profile/view/VanessaFinaughty
Hire me as your editor: www.write-way-freelancers.com
MissAdventure
Active Ink Slinger
It's a complicated question as there are so many different things in that list.

Would I pay someone to proofread my work, even if I'd learned how to do it myself? If I could afford to, yes, because I will always miss mistakes in my own work, no matter how much teaching I receive.

Would I pay someone to sort out ISBN numbers for me? No, since all I have to do is go to ISBN, buy a batch of 10 and register the details. Can I afford ten ISBN numbers? No. So would I pay a premium to buy a smaller quantity through a third party? Maybe.

Book cover design requires a completely different skill set, talent and level of effort from setting up an account on Smashwords.

So I can't answer for everything. On average though, I'd probably say I'd pay someone for a professional service if I could afford it, but at the moment I can't. But I would not pay someone to do what I consider to be my work for me.
Blog | Twitter | Website - The Great Escape

My new four part novella, The Star Coin Prophesy is now
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VanessaFinaughty
Advanced Wordsmith
Quote by MissAdventure
It's a complicated question as there are so many different things in that list.

Would I pay someone to proofread my work, even if I'd learned how to do it myself? If I could afford to, yes, because I will always miss mistakes in my own work, no matter how much teaching I receive.

Would I pay someone to sort out ISBN numbers for me? No, since all I have to do is go to ISBN, buy a batch of 10 and register the details. Can I afford ten ISBN numbers? No. So would I pay a premium to buy a smaller quantity through a third party? Maybe.

Book cover design requires a completely different skill set, talent and level of effort from setting up an account on Smashwords.

So I can't answer for everything. On average though, I'd probably say I'd pay someone for a professional service if I could afford it, but at the moment I can't. But I would not pay someone to do what I consider to be my work for me.


Thanks for voting and replying smile Your detailed answer is helpful and exactly the type I'm hoping for from everyone. :)

I agree 100% on your proofreading comment. There are always some things that professionals do better, and if one wants to stand out from the millions of indie authors out there, one has to have an excellent product.

I've heard of people buying ISBN numbers before, but as far as I know, all authors can get these for free. Smashwords, Barnes & Noble and Amazon give them for free, and in South Africa, we can also ask for an ISBN from the national library, and that's free (you just have to fill out a lot of looooooong forms and give them a free copy of your book in whatever form it's published in).
You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you - Ray Bradbury.

Find me on Smashwords: www.smashwords.com/profile/view/VanessaFinaughty
Hire me as your editor: www.write-way-freelancers.com
DirtyMartini
Rest in Peace
Quote by VanessaFinaughty


I've heard of people buying ISBN numbers before, but as far as I know, all authors can get these for free. Smashwords, Barnes & Noble and Amazon give them for free, and in South Africa, we can also ask for an ISBN from the national library, and that's free (you just have to fill out a lot of looooooong forms and give them a free copy of your book in whatever form it's published in).


Interesting, it seems they are available for free almost everywhere except the U.S....

How To Get A Free Canadian ISBN Number
http://blog.karenwoodward.org/2011/07/how-to-get-free-canadian-isbn-number.html

But yeah, if you go through CreateSpace or whatever, they'll give you the number...and it is important to have, btw...I've heard stories of people publishing without one...the problem with that, is you won't be able to actually sell the book anywhere...
I once knew a drinker who had a moderating problem...
VanessaFinaughty
Advanced Wordsmith
Quote by DirtyMartini
Interesting, it seems they are available for free almost everywhere except the U.S....

How To Get A Free Canadian ISBN Number
http://blog.karenwoodward.org/2011/07/how-to-get-free-canadian-isbn-number.html

But yeah, if you go through CreateSpace or whatever, they'll give you the number...and it is important to have, btw...I've heard stories of people publishing without one...the problem with that, is you won't be able to actually sell the book anywhere...


The good news for US writers is that any traditional publisher will organise the ISBN for you, and if you decide to go indie, Smashwords, Amazon and any other major distributor will give you one for free, so you can guys can still get them for free from all the main sellers smile
You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you - Ray Bradbury.

Find me on Smashwords: www.smashwords.com/profile/view/VanessaFinaughty
Hire me as your editor: www.write-way-freelancers.com
VanessaFinaughty
Advanced Wordsmith
Quote by DirtyMartini
Here you go Vanessa...someone just posted this over on FB...

Self-Publishing Statistics: Women fare better than men at making money from self-publishing
http://www.epublishabook.com/2012/05/28/self-publishing-statistics-women-fare-better-than-men-at-making-money-from-self-publishing/#axzz1w9Hc6lql[/quote]

How can they tell us to come back on Wednesday? LOL Thanks for that, Al. If you happen to spot the Wednesday post, would you mind sharing it with me too?

I think the male/female stats are vloek (chance) lol. A secret? Write series and make the first book in each series free. That's a money maker - if readers enjoy your stories and characters, they'll want more even after the book is finished. Give them a Book 2 with those same characters and even some who usually only download free books might buy the rest of the series. That's how it's worked for a few of my friends - I'll let you know if it works for me too, since I'm almost ready to publish Book 2 in my first series silly

Argh, I was hoping for more votes, though I think I've made my decision based on comments I received so far between our two forums. I'll wait till both polls close to set it in stone, though, just in case.
You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you - Ray Bradbury.

Find me on Smashwords: www.smashwords.com/profile/view/VanessaFinaughty
Hire me as your editor: www.write-way-freelancers.com
MissAdventure
Active Ink Slinger
As far as I'm aware you have to pay for ISBN numbers in the UK too.

Getting free ISBN numbers through Create Space ties you to that distributor, as you cannot use the ISBN through another publisher/distributor. I assume the same is probably true of similar sites. Since ISBN numbers are primarily used by distributors and retailers for stock distribution and so on, this seems to somewhat defeat the object of having one in my opinion. You can sell a book without an ISBN number, the only reason to have one is if you are looking to distribute more widely.

Of course if you go with a traditional publisher you don't have to worry about overheads of any kind.

That tip about making the first book in a series free is certainly something to think about.
Blog | Twitter | Website - The Great Escape

My new four part novella, The Star Coin Prophesy is now
available to read on my website, The Great Escape:
e2ZeQHyELydH DphdhpCccL3x