Synopsis

Some aspiring writers are afraid to dive into publishing because they believe (and were led to believe) that it is a costly endeavor. There are costs for editing, book cover design, and of course, marketing. This is the case regardless of whether you choose self-publishing, traditional, or hybrid.

Still, some muster their courage and try it out anyway. We’re looking at all these costly services with uncertain results. For an aspiring writer or indie author having financial constraints, majority of these services are ignored, as we try to do things on our own, as much as we can, with satisfactory results.

There will be people who will tell you to “invest”. That you have to “invest” if you want to reach more readers or make more sales. And for that, you have to spend money.

But what if you have no money? I mean, you do, but it isn’t much. You can only spare less than a hundred bucks a month. We’re all in different circumstances and it’s not polite to say that “you should have saved for it.” We all have reasons for the situations we’re in.

Why do I have no extra cash to spare? I have investments I have to pay every month. A couple of charity pledges. And the pandemic hit. I don’t want you thinking I’m terrible in handling my own finances. I do teach financial management and that entails efficiently utilizing whatever’s available to be spent to get the most returns. My alter ego is an accountant, with two master degrees in business management and management accounting. A former business owner who disliked the political side of things so I decided to go back to writing.

As I return to writing and was faced with the marketing budget dilemma, I figured I might as well apply the things I've learned in business. There would be differences, but reconciliation is king. Hence, this book.

For the challenge, I’m going to make things work with a budget of less than $500 a year. I believe it's still a huge amount, so I'll see how much is actually needed. The operative word being "less". You just have to know where to properly put them.

This book is slated to contain the author's experiences until December 31, 2020. First draft is expected around February or March 2021.

BOOK OUTLINE ---------------------------------------------------

The book has two parts: (1) About Writing, and (2) About marketing.
Below is the outline of the book and in these chapters I will also provide information on where to use your money, which ones to avoid, which ones you can consider if you have extra cash, complete with analysis, results to expect, pros and cons.

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE: Overview
An overview of everything that will be discussed in this book. Includes a discussion on the basics for a writer, the foundation of writing books worth-reading.

CHAPTER TWO: Mindset
Includes topic on the mindset that an aspiring self-publishing author should have. What to expect and the misconceptions about self-publishing, as well as the attitude that one should possess if he’s to pursue writing as a career. A total of four subtopics will be discussed in this chapter.

CHAPTER THREE: While writing your book
Includes topic on the things that you should prepare and do WHILE still writing your book, such as managing social media, building a following, among other things. A total of seven subtopics will be discussed in this chapter.

CHAPTER FOUR: As you finalize your book
Includes topic on the things you should focus on AS you finalize your book, such as getting feedback from beta readers and ARC readers, getting advance reviews, among other things. A total of five subtopics will be discussed in this chapter.

CHAPTER FIVE: After you publish your book
Includes topic on the things you should give attention to AFTER you publish your book, such as promotions, cross-promotions, featuring your book on websites, conducting book blog tours, among other things. A total of four subtopics will be discussed in this chapter.

CHAPTER SIX: Other matters that might interest you
Other things that you can delve into if you want to expand your horizon. These aren’t required to be done, but they will help you improve if you want to challenge yourself. A total of four subtopics will be discussed in this chapter.

SUMMARY
Chapters one to six will be written journal-style. This section will provide you with the summary. You can go ahead and head straight to reading this section. If you want the nitty-gritty details, you can read every page of the book.

CONCLUSION

OTHER INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------

Confessions of a Writer is part of the Memoir Series NOT EVEN CLOSE.
The second and fourth book are a mix of memoir and self-help.

Book 1: Confessions of a Reader
Book 2: Confessions of a Business Professional
Book 3: Confessions of One Living This Life
Book 4: Confessions of a Writer

Sales arguments

• Writer of 14 self-published titles to date. I have published eleven romance books, and three collections of poems and quotes. Two will be released this August. WIPs include four books in a memoir series, and another collection of poems. Writing schedule includes two more series for romance books, one series for short stories, and one series for young adult fiction. Have explored self-publishing since 2016 and is supporting other indie authors as well.
• Currently, still writing but focusing more on marketing the already published books. Those 14 titles sat on my mind for years and have been released into the wild this year. For the last two to three months, my focus has been on publishing them. Now is the time to play the market game.
• Former business operated for nearly 18 months generated 976 subscribers, 741 sales, and 19,664 USD in revenue.
• 4800+ email subscribers, 3000+ followers on Twitter, 1500+ followers on Instagram.
• Foreword to be written by Andi Cumbo-Floyd. A writer, an editor, and a writing coach. Most of her novels are for young adults, and they often deal with themes of justice, especially around race and ethnicity. She also writes books about writing: writing tips, writing advice, and writing support. Author of The Slaves Have Names, Steele Secrets, Charlotte and the Twelve, God's Whisper Manifesto, Writing Day In and Day Out, Discover your Writing Self, Love Letters to Writers, and Plantation Jesus.

Similar titles

• Writing tips from Authors (For writers and authors Book 2). Publisher: Paradox Publishing; 4 edition (August 28, 2013). This is similar to Confessions of a Writer as it provides tips and advices to aspiring writers and new authors on how to improve certain areas in their writing career, including marketing. Main difference is the discussion on how to utilize a small budget (less than $500 a year) to get the results we want, which are reaching more readers and making more sales.
• On Writing Well by William Zinsser. Publisher: Harper Perennial; Anniversary, Reprint edition (May 9, 2006). This book provides advices on writing based on the author's own experiences. Confessions of a Writer will follow the same principle.
• On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King. Publisher: Scribner;. Reissue edition (June 2, 2020). Similarities include the description of experiences in writing and having advices for aspiring writers.

Audience

This book is for aspiring writers and new indie authors faced with financial limitations. This book will provide them with information on how to go through the writing process, publishing process, and marketing, without being troubled by the financial aspect of it; through efficient utilization of a small budget that is less than $500 a year to get the most results.