132. Launch and publish your novel (Step 7) (Trust Your Creative Heart Roadmap)

“There's a lot of ways to launch a book. And you get to decide what is the way that feels the best for you.”


This episode is part of a mini-series based on the “Trust Your Creative Heart Roadmap” where Beth Barany discusses the method she developed to help writers go from idea to published science fiction and fantasy novel.

In “Launch and publish your novel (Trust Your Creative Heart Roadmap, Step 7)" How To Write The Future podcast host, Beth Barany explains the different publishing options you have for when you’re ready to launch your book and key considerations to think about, plus she shares 2 questions to help you start your publishing preparations.

Work the roadmap! Sign up and receive a copy of Trust Your Creative Heart Roadmap workbook: https://bethbarany.com/trust-your-creative-heart-roadmap-workbook/


ABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCAST

The How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to write positive futures and successfully bring those stories out into the marketplace. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers. We cover tips for fiction writers and get curious about the future of humanity.


ABOUT BETH BARANY

Beth Barany, an award-winning fantasy and science fiction novelist, teaches novelists how to write, edit, and publish their books as a coach, teacher, consultant, and developmental editor.

RESOURCES

GET HELP WITH YOUR WORLD BUILDING - START HERE

Free World Building Workbook for Fiction Writers: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/world-building-resources/

Sign up for the 30-minute Story Success Clinic with Beth Barany: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/story-success-clinic/

Get support for your fiction writing by a novelist and writing teacher and coach. Schedule an exploratory call here and see if Beth can support you today: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/discovery-call/

• SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth Barany
• SHOW CO-PRODUCTION + NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDade

c. 2024 BETH BARANY

https://bethbarany.com/

--
CONNECT
Contact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#tve-jump-185b4422580
Email: beth@bethbarany.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbarany/

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EDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://get.descript.com/0clwwvlf6e3j
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Transcript

132. Launch and publish your novel. (Step 7) (Trust Your Creative Heart Roadmap)

[00:00] Introduction to the Podcast

BETH BARANY: Hey everyone, Beth Barany here with How To Write The Future podcast. I'm a science fiction and fantasy writer and also a writing teacher, coach, and editor. and I'm here to talk about Step Seven in my Trust Your Creative Heart Roadmap.

[00:18] Overview of the Creative Heart Roadmap

BETH BARANY: This roadmap is for writers who want to go from idea to finished novel. 

I work specifically with science fiction and fantasy writers. Although what I'm sharing in this roadmap can work with all fiction writers and probably even be extended out to nonfiction writers. Because I have worked with them as well. 

[00:39] Launching and Publishing Your Novel, Step 7

BETH BARANY: So in this step, Step Seven, I'm going to talk about launching and publishing your novel. 

I'm going to give you a few key points for you to consider and ask you a few questions.

Now, if you would like an overview of this entire roadmap. I have an episode on that. And if you would like a little bit deeper dive into each of these steps, I have episodes on that too. So be sure to check those out.

And also I have a workbook that comes with this roadmap. So you can write notes and reflect on all the questions that I'm asking you. So be sure to, check that out. That link is in the description. 

So today I'm going to talk a briefly about launching and publishing your novel. 

There are two important things here that I want to say, and probably a few more, as I said, and then some questions. 

[01:32] Key Considerations for Publishing

BETH BARANY: So when you launch and publish your novel, what I notice is for first time, novelists or people early in the process, they consider getting the book out there as quickly as they can because they want the satisfaction of having published. And that's awesome. That's wonderful. 

So just keep in mind: what is your goal for launching and publishing your novel? Are you doing it for yourself or are you doing it for readers, to find readers? If you are doing it for readers, awesome. I work with people who want to find their readers. 

Then think about all the components of publishing your book that are for the readers, meaning you want to make sure that your cover, your book blurb, and all the material that goes with marketing your book, categories and keywords, subtitle, author bio-- that these are all prepared ahead of time. And you're thinking of your audience as you write these. 

[02:29] The word "Launch"

BETH BARANY: I want to talk about the word "launch." When we say "launch your novel," what we mean: is have, have a big announcement and tell everyone, Hey, my book is published. Now you can throw a party, you can do a book tour. You can do a blog tour, which is essentially going from blog to blog or social media influencer to-, and have different people talk about your work or you go into their platform and talk about your work, your new book. Or you could do run some kind of big, in-person party. Or you can do none of that. You could just tell a few people. 

So there's a lot of ways to launch a book. And you get to decide what is the way that feels the best for you. 

This is called Trust Your Creative Heart Roadmap for a reason. It's about doing what sustainable and enjoyable to you. And when you start from a place of strength, then you can expand outward and try some new things. Try some things that might feel risky or a little bit scary and expand outward into new territory, but start with a way that, of launching your book into the world that feels good for you. 

[03:41] Different Publishing Options

BETH BARANY: And I'm going to talk a little bit about publishing, how to publish a novel. Now there's the nuts and bolts of how to do it, if you're self publishing. 

There's how to find a publisher and how to find an agent, if that is what you want to pursue. 

And then there's also something in the middle called hybrid publishing, where you pay a publisher who does some of the services for you, but you have a hundred percent control of the work. 

And ideally you should also have a hundred percent control of receiving the royalties, depending on the agreement that you have with that hybrid publisher. 

So there's lots of options on which is all the different ways to publish. And you really need to figure out what is best for you.

This is not an episode in me going into all the nitty gritty and the pros and cons, but if you want more information on that, just let me know. 

And I could make an episode on that as well. 

So that's what I wanted to say about publishing.

[04:37] 2 Questions to Ask Yourself

BETH BARANY: Now, as you consider launching and publishing your novel after you've written it, edited it, and got all the parts ready to do marketing, I want you to ask two questions of yourself. And if you've been following along in this series, these questions will be familiar. Two very simple questions. One is: what is working for you? As you entertain the publishing process.

Do you have resources? Do you have know people? Do you have lots of examples? Do you have the information that you need to make a decision on how you want to go ahead and publish? 

And then the second question is: what would you like more of?

Usually people at this phase, they would like more information. They would like to meet people who have done publishing in a few different kinds of ways. 

When I'm thinking of the publishing phase in the launch phase, I often would like more energy. So sometimes I need rest. That's really what I need to be able to really do this phase well, because I've spent a lot of energy editing and revising the novel, getting all the marketing ready that often I'm very tired by the time I publish. And I'm independently published, meaning I self publish most of my work. 

So usually I need a break before I actually do any kind of official launch. And that's quite all right. You can publish your work if you're independently published or, and then take a break and then do all the marketing that you want to do for it. 

[05:59] Final Thoughts and Resources

BETH BARANY: So that's what I'm going to say in this episode on launching and publishing your novel. Write long and prosper.