Tag: writing career

Nonfiction: THE SUCCESSFUL HYBRID AUTHOR by Katlyn Duncan

January 19, 2023 / Katie L. Carroll

I’m always happy to have Katlyn Duncan guest post on the blog. Not only is she an award-winning fiction author, she is also a wealth of information when it comes to the topic of author careers. Her first nonfiction book is TAKE BACK YOUR BOOK: AN AUTHOR’S GUIDE TO RIGHTS REVERSION. Let’s give Katlyn a big welcome as she talks about her latest book THE SUCCESSFUL HYBRID AUTHOR: TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR TRADITIONAL AND INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING CAREER.

As an author who has been publishing for 10+ years, I’ve witnessed many different iterations of what a writing career can look like. More importantly, the joining of both types of publishing paths that many people tend to think of as separate. Today, I’d like to share my experience and knowledge about what it means to be a hybrid author, and how both traditional and self-published authors can become one.

A hybrid author is someone who has traditionally published books and also self-published books. The term “hybrid” is used to describe the combination of traditional and self-publishing methods. This allows authors to have the best of both worlds and to gain control over their publishing career.

Becoming a hybrid author is a practical decision that can be made by both traditional and self-published authors. For traditional authors, it can mean having rights to their books revert back to them, giving them the option to self-publish. For self-published authors, it can mean pursuing traditional publishing opportunities while continuing to self-publish.

One of the benefits of being a hybrid author is the ability to have control over your publishing career. Self-publishing allows authors to have more control over the creative process, including cover design and release dates. Traditional publishing, on the other hand, provides authors with a team of professionals to help with editing, marketing, and distribution. As a hybrid author, you have the opportunity to choose which route to take for each individual project, giving you the best of both worlds.

Another benefit of being a hybrid author is the potential for multiple income streams. Self-publishing allows authors to earn a higher royalty rate and to have control over pricing. Traditional publishing, on the other hand, provides authors with an advance and the potential for larger sales. As a hybrid author, you can earn money from both traditional and self-publishing, providing a more stable income stream.

However, becoming a hybrid author also comes with its own set of challenges. One of the biggest challenges is the amount of time and effort required to navigate both traditional and self-publishing. It can be time-consuming to query agents, submit to publishers, and to self-publish. It’s also important to have a clear understanding of the rights and contracts associated with both traditional and self-publishing.

Another challenge is the need to constantly adapt and evolve. The publishing industry is constantly changing, and as a hybrid author, it’s important to be open to new opportunities and to be willing to adapt and evolve.

To become a hybrid author, it’s important to research both traditional and self-publishing options. For traditional publishing, research literary agents and publishers that are a good fit for your genre and writing style. For self-publishing, research the best platforms and distribution channels. Building your author platform is also essential, by developing a following on social media and building a community of readers and reviewers.

It’s also important to have a clear understanding of the costs associated with self-publishing, such as editing, cover design, and formatting. It’s also important to have a clear plan in place for marketing and promotion, whether through traditional or self-publishing channels.

You can learn about all of this and more in ‘The Successful Hybrid Author’, a comprehensive guide on how you can take control of your writing career and start earning more income from your books. It’s available now in eBook, paperback, and hardcover.

THE SUCCESSFUL HYBRID AUTHOR blurb:

Are you ready to take control of your writing career and start earning more income from your books? If so, becoming a hybrid author may be the perfect solution for you.

With hybrid publishing, you can take advantage of the best of both publishing paths, such as greater creative control, higher royalty rates, and the ability to release your books on your own schedule.

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll:

Discover the key differences between self-publishing, independent publishing, and traditional publishing.
Learn how to choose the right publishing options for your books to maximize your income.
Navigate the world of hybrid publishing and transition from traditional or independent publishing.
Get practical tips and advice for starting and growing your career as a hybrid author.

Whether you’re coming from traditional or independent publishing, this guide will give you the tools you need to become a successful hybrid author. It’s time to start your hybrid author journey today.

About the Author:

Katlyn Duncan is a multi-published author of adult and young adult fiction, and has ghostwritten over 40 novels for children and adults.

When she’s not writing, she’s obsessing over many (many) television series’, and hanging out on YouTube where she shares her writing process and all the bookish things.

Keep up with Katlyn on her newsletter at http://www.katlynduncan.com.

Stuck In The Writing In-Between

April 22, 2021 / Katie L. Carroll

I’m currently in between big writing projects, and I’m having trouble getting out of that space. Some of that is because there are things currently out of my control in regards to what happens next in my writing career, so it’s hard to look too far in the future. Which makes it hard to commit to anything big right now–mainly on deciding what novel I want to write next.

I did have a sort of break planned where I was going to read and catch up on some non-writerly stuff…and wait and see where my muse takes me next. I’ve definitely done this, and worked on some smaller projects in the meantime. All those small projects have turned out to be on the quirky side, so I’m not really sure what to do with them.

It’s not that I don’t have novel ideas (I literally have notebooks of ideas stashed away); it’s more that I can’t quite seem to figure out what one is calling to me the loudest. There’s also the consideration about what makes sense to work on next as far as my career goes, and that brings me back to having to wait to see where those things out of my control shake out.

The waiting is part of the business of writing. I’m growing impatient with the waiting, though. My fingers are itching to get to work. My dreams (like the sleeping kind, not goals and aspirations) have gotten even weirder than those small projects I’ve been working on, which is a sure sign that my brain is getting antsy to work on a big project.

I thought maybe writing this post out would help me have some insight into what to do next. But here I’ve reached the end and I still don’t know what to do.

October #InkRipples: Writing Is My Career(ish)

October 23, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

This month’s #Inkripples of career vs. hobby had me scratching my head. Is my writing a career or a hobby? I’m not sure. I think somewhere in between. Here’s my dilemma: I’m a stay-at-home parent who also works on the side. So family stuff is the first priority, but my main “work” (quotes because raising kids is work in and of itself, but let’s say for this post, it means something not having to do with the kiddos) right now is writing, with a little freelance editing on the side.

But I am not financially independent right now (I have a mini panic attack every time I think too hard about this fact). I depend on my husband’s job to pay the bills, for health insurance, and to make sure my kids are fed. My husband and I made the decision to become a one-income family after lots of thought and careful consideration of whether or not we could make it work financially.

The question remains whether or not writing will become my career once the kids are bigger and I go back to work. I really have no desire to go back to an office job like I had before kids (I was a puzzle magazine editor…I certainly didn’t hate the job, but after doing it for 8 years, it became tedious). And I wand to have the flexibility to be able to support my kids as they grow because even big kids will require my time. I’m not sure I want to commit full-time to a gig economy either.

Do I want to back to school? Do I want to work in a field that isn’t writing and write on the side like I did when I worked full-time? Do I want to just get a job at a bookstore or a cafe or open a tea shop and write in my free time? (Notice writing will likely always factor into the picture.)

The answers to questions definitely depend on what my situation will be when my youngest (now only 3 months old) is big enough for me to have to make a decision. So I have some time to decide. The pie-in-the-sky hope is that I end up with a string of best-selling books and I won’t have to worry about what my job will be because it will be writing. But, honestly, so few people can support themselves this way that if feels irresponsible not to at least think about what else I will do for work.

And thinking about all this right now gives me anxiety. I guess for now, I’ll just try to enjoy taking care of my little ones and being able to squeeze in the writing time when I can.

How about you? Do you have any hobbies that could potentially become a career? Or do you like that your hobbies are just that, hobbies?

#InkRipples is a monthly meme created by Katie L. Carroll, Mary Waibel, and Kai Strand. We pick a topic (October is all about Career vs. Hobby), drop a ripple in the inkwell (i.e. write about it on our blogs), and see where the conversation goes. We’d love to have you join in the conversation on your own blogs or on your social media page. Full details and each month’s topic can be found on my #InkRipples page.