Why a Urologist-Turned-Educator and a Trial Lawyer Decided to Self-Publish

When client Mara Monoski told me that she decided to self publish her novel, I was curious about why she made this decision. When I first started working with her, she was on the traditional publishing track. Client Brett Burlison was also keen on finding an agent and traditional publisher but ultimately decided to publish his novel under his own label. Here is my brief interview with both writers about their experiences self-publishing and their advice for other writers considering the same.

Tell us a little about the novel you self-published.

Mara: Downtown Dani is a medical romantic comedy about a divorced former nurse doing her urology residency in New York City. She is smart, hard-working, and very focused on her career, all while maintaining a whip-smart sense of humor. Dani has to figure out how to find a balance between her professional ambitions and her love life.

Brett: "A steamy tale and beguiling thriller, with plenty of local color and some provocative twists." -Kirkus Reviews

Riverside is a romantic crime drama set in Austin, Texas in the early nineties. Two young lovers move in together and decide to open a café, only to be hindered by their own pasts, drugs, and bad guys from New Orleans. It’s about a couple struggling for the American dream and the lengths to which they will go to protect it.

What made you decide to end your search for an agent or publisher and self-publish your novel instead?

Mara: I attempted to get an agent, but as a first-time author, I got limited traction. I wanted to get my book out there while everyone’s locked-down for COVID-19! I used Written Word Media, a marketing company for independent publishers, as a guide. They have a lot of free information available, along with great marketing tools that are easy to use. I wanted to challenge myself and see if I could do it on my own.

Brett: The most common response I got from agents, who took the time to respond with something other than a form email, went something like this: “I liked your writing and use of dialogue, but this just isn’t for me. Let me know if you write a legal thriller.”

The last comment I assumed was due to my background as a trial lawyer. But I wasn’t ready to write a legal thriller. Riverside was the story I wanted to write. And I wanted it out in the world so that I could get my fair share of abuse, so to speak, and see what the world thought.

I also wanted to learn the business of publishing from the inside out. For these reasons and more I chose to form my own imprint and publish under its label.

What have you enjoyed most about the process? Expedited publication? Creative control?

Mara: I have enjoyed figuring out how to do all the little pieces to make my book come together. It has been quite a learning process, but I have a roadmap now. I outsourced certain aspects such as a copyediting, cover art design, and e-book/print book formatting. With these parts completed, I then had complete control over what I wanted to do with the book: where to publish it, how to market it, and what promotional activities to participate in.

Brett: There is nothing like holding in your hands a physical book that was once upon a time just a knot of jumbled ideas in your head. It doesn’t matter the route you take. It doesn’t matter how your book gets to market. Holding in your hands your novel and knowing that you did every single thing you could—from the selection of the cover art and design to the final proofing—to make sure it is a good as it can be is incredibly satisfying. Some folks are going to read it. Maybe some will like it. Maybe some won’t. Maybe it will take someone away from her troubles for a little while. And that’s a good thing. And if it does, it’s because of you.

 
Have you faced any challenges in terms of finding the right platform, designing a cover, running a marketing campaign, etc.?

Mara: I have tried to keep things fairly simple. The book preparation was pretty straightforward. I would definitely recommend outsourcing the copy editing and cover art design to ensure the final product looks professional. Then I only published my book on Amazon. Marketing on the other hand is quite difficult and complex. I initially used Written Word Media’s marketing tools. Then I branched into ads on Kindle/Amazon and Facebook. There is a learning curve to using the different marketing resources and determining which are most cost effective. I’m still in the process of figuring it all out! 

Brett: I was lucky. I found excellent people to work with on Riverside and am very proud of the finished product we put out. Because of the rise in indie/self-publishing alternatives there are a number of high quality freelance editors, cover art designers, and even production companies that can help.

 The problem is marketing. In most industries if you want to beat the competition you have to first, produce a quality product, and second, have sufficient capital and know how to spend it. In indie/self-publishing the problem is that last part. There are plenty of folks that can help you spend a small to moderate amount to achieve a small to moderate result. But there doesn’t seem to be anyone who can advise a non-celebrity on how to invest significant resources to compete with large commercial publishers.

Do you have any advice for writers who are considering self-publishing?

Mara: It is important to have reasonable expectations. It is rare to have a big hit as a debut author, particularly in independent publishing. You have to consider writing like a business. One product is not going to get you very far. If you write more books, especially in a series, the sale of one book can lead to many more if a reader enjoys your writing. It looks like I’ve got some more writing to do!

Brett: Know what your goals are and be realistic about what is necessary to achieve them.

The best advice I have for anyone considering self-publishing is to be prepared to invest a large amount of time learning as much about the industry as possible. This will help ensure that your finished product is as good as possible. And be prepared to invest significant resources, as in money.

There is no business that I can think of in which one can expect success without significant capital investment. And publishing is a business. As writers we are artists, but unless you are truly giving your words away for free or hiding in a bunker in New England locking them away in a vault, you are engaged in the commercial business of publishing. Act accordingly.

Dr. Mara Monoski is a urologist turned educator who lives in North Carolina. She completed her residency training in New York City and is well versed in the very colorful world of urology and hospital life. Downtown Dani is her first novel.

Brett Burlison is a writer, lawyer, and Texan living in Northern California. He grew up in the piney woods of East Texas and went to school in Austin. He writes character-driven novels about couples struggling for the American dream. Riverside is his debut novel