Today I’m doing a long-form dive into a topic that’s been on my mind lately. If there’s one thing that’s changed in the world of publishing, and especially self-publishing, over the past several years it’s that there are more ways for authors to share their work and even more confusion about the best way to go about writing and sharing stories. From which software to use in composing stories to distribution outlets, or ways to distribute to those outlets, to various perks, subscription programs, and more, publishing has only gotten busier.
There are four simple questions to ask yourself about each of your publishing and technology options.
Technology (and your systems) should be there to serve you, not the other way around. So if it’s not giving you more time to write, or more rewards from your writing, why do it?
How do you know if your technology is serving you? Asking yourself a few simple questions will help.
- Is it allowing you to reach more readers?
- Is it taking up time that you could use for writing? And if so, is it paying dividends for that time?
- Is it simple to use?
- Does it give you control over your data, your readers/customers, and your money?
Let’s look at each of these questions individually.
Is it allowing you to reach more readers?
Whether it’s your website, your newsletter platform, social media, or a serial/subscription platform, you need to be reaching your current readers as well as new ones. This means on social media, for example, to look at metrics (If you can. Mastodon, at this time, doesn’t have metrics, but many report it’s their most active platform.) If the social media site you’re using isn’t showing your posts to people who might be interested in them, then why are you still using that site?
Is it taking up time that you could use for writing? And if so, is it paying dividends for that time?
Any platform is going to take up time. That’s a given. But it should be “paying” dividends for your time. Which means it should be either paying you money (such as a subscription platform) or helping readers find and buy your books (website/newsletter). I know, for example, if I send out a newsletter I usually net a few sales of my books. That platform is paying for itself.
Is it simple to use?
Not everyone is technically savvy. I get that as I’ve done tech support for over two decades. And I love helping people understand and use their technology. But if it frustrates you and seems difficult to use with arbitrary rules that keep changing, that’s just not any fun. So make sure whatever tech you’re using is easy for you.
Does it allow you to keep control over your data, your money, and your customers/readers?
Let’s be honest, most social media platforms won’t allow you to do this. If you’re not running a self-hosted WordPress website, then you probably can’t do this either. I know I probably sound like a broken record, but it’s because I care. If you cannot move your website to a new provider if something changes with them without completely rebuilding it, then you’re hobbling your writing business. If you cannot export your customers or have access to their information, then you risk losing them.
Obviously when we sell our books through vendors like Amazon, Draft2Digital, or others, you don’t control your customers. And yes, you’re at their mercy. Depending on what you write, that may or may not be an issue. But at the moment I’m talking about the systems you set up, what you have in place.
Are you able to keep control of your own business and build it on platforms that you have some control over? That’s the main question.
I understand technology can be difficult. If you’d like to talk about your systems, reach out. I’d love to help you with a technology and system audit.
