Being a Solo Flying Writer Can be Scary As Hell. Being a Pro Writer Offers Grounding. Being an Indie Author Too Gives the Best of Both Worlds.

My first published works appeared in the Janes' School Gazette in 1976, a grade school newspaper where I wrote columns and was a junior editor. (Yes, that was when I was in the 4th grade. :-)

Ten years later though, in 1986, I finished my first full-length novel. In 1991, I won my first writing award--an award that sat on my desk for some 20 years, reminding me where I got my start in this crazy business called publishing.

But it wasn't until 1994 that I signed my first contract with a publisher, which makes 2014 officially my 20th year as a published professional writer.

Between 1994 and 2001 were a lot of good and great writing years. In 2001, I went independent and straddled the so-called hybrid-author line between published pro and indie writer.

Of all the things I've done in my life, going indie was one of the scariest. Why? Independent writers fly solo. They rely on no one and nothing. It is refreshing. It is releasing. It is renewing. And yet it also can be scary as hell.

ABOUT EBOOKS AND AUDIOBOOKS

Many people think ebooks are something fairly new, but an interesting fact about ebooks is that they've been around since the mid to late 1990's when there were several very popular ebook programs that helped writers produce books on floppy disk and later CD-ROM. The first really big ebook push was around the fall of 2001. Back then, Amazon carried ebooks distributed by Ingram Digital. 

Ingram Digital's initial ebook distribution program went to websites all around the world. The first Ruin Mist novel was released as a serial ebook in 2001 as part of Ingram Digital's early ebook service, as well as other early ebook services, and was very successful. Reagent Press and I followed the successful ebook launch with a print release in February 2002 and the Ruin Mist books quickly became bestsellers on Amazon and elsewhere. 

In 2005, Reagent Press and I brought the Ruin Mist books to audio, focusing particularly on digital audio which was something fairly new at the time and available from sites like The Audio Book Store, Emusic, and Audible. Upon their release, the Ruin Mist audiobooks quickly dominated bestseller lists, especially at Audible. 

Like Harry Potter, Narnia, and many other popular books, the original Ruin Mist books are available in editions for adults and young adults. For adults, there are 'Keeper Martin's Tale', 'Kingdom Alliance', 'Fields of Honor', and then 'Mark of the Dragon'. For young adults, there are the four 'Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches' books and the four 'In the Service of Dragons' books.

The world of Ruin Mist is expansive and there are many other related novels. 'Journey Beyond the Beyond' and 'Into the Stone Land' are Ruin Mist: Magic Lands novels. 'Breath of Fire' and 'Living Fire' are Ruin Mist: Dragons of the Hundred Worlds novels. 'The Dragon, the Wizard & The Great Door' is a Ruin Mist: Guardians of the Dragon Realms novel. Companion guides like 'Illustrated Encyclopedia of Ruin Mist', 'Keeper Martin's Guide to the Fantastic', and 'Art of Ruin Mist: Heroes and Villains' are also available.

About all this, I am certain of one thing and it is this: If the Ruin Mist books had been published only in print or only in print in standard markets, the books never would have sold over 1 million copies. Just as the availability of the Ruin Mist books in print beyond standard markets created new opportunities, so did the wide availability of ebooks and audiobooks. As you plan your author platform, you too should be looking at releasing your books in formats, editions and markets that make the most sense for you.

ABOUT MY DAY JOB

An industry joke by and between writers is "Don't quit your day job." Of course, I wrote the Ruin Mist books and many other fiction books while also working a day job. My day job from 1985 to 1996 was in the military. From 1996 to the present, my day job is as a technology journalist and writer.

After high school, I joined the military to see the world--and really did. I was stationed in Japan, and toured Asia. I was stationed in Germany, and toured Europe. I saw what hell is like during two combat tours in the Persian Gulf War. I was stationed in Hawaii, and toured the Pacific.

After the military, I began work full-time as a writer. My writing though was primarily focused on nonfiction. I wrote articles for PC Magazine, Dr. Dobbs, and other journals, and I wrote technical manuscripts and other nonfiction works for publishers like Macmillan, McGraw Hill, Pearson, Microsoft, and O'Reilly. This work paid the bills, the mortgage and kept the lights on, but I also kept dreaming of things beyond.

Lessons and experiences from all my military service and traveling spill over into my writing like water over Niagara Falls. When my children were young, I started writing the Bugville Critters books in the 90's and over the years finished dozens of illustrated picture books featuring a little bee called Buster, a little lady bug called Lass, and their friends. My children have always been big Bugville fans and they're the ones who urged me to get the books published. 

When I started the journey to get the Bugville books published in 2004, I decided to bring the books to audio first and then print. Audio seemed a natural fit as my children loved hearing the stories as much as they loved reading them. At the time, I also was starting work on the Ruin Mist audio books.

The first Bugville Critters audiobooks were released in 2007. The print books followed in 2008. After releasing the original books starring Buster and Lass, I realized I also had a wealth of early learning books. These books became part of my Bugville Jr and Bugville Learning product lines. About all this, I am certain of one thing: If I had not expanded the Bugville Critters into new product lines, the books never would have sold over 1 million copies. It was the wide selection and diverse product offering that helped the books become successful.

As an author, your books are your brands and you too should be looking for ways you can expand. Expand into areas that make sense based on what you are writing.

I've sold 2.5 million Robert Stanek books, but I don't know if I'd have been able to continue as a writer without also having sold 7.5 million William Stanek books. Selling 10 million books over 20 years is a solid success, but one without the other? I'm not sure that would have worked, and it's one of the reasons I decided to be both a pro and an indie author. 

I hope my insights from 20 years in this crazy writing business help you in your writing.

Thanks for reading,

Robert Stanek

A Long Hard Slog Up the Middle: A Writer's Journey Part 2

As I was saying last time, I finished my first full-length novel in '86, won my first writing award in '91, and signed my first book contract in '94. Since then, I've written over 150 books which have been read by over 10 million people. But I almost gave it all up in the late '90s.

After months of waiting to hear good news, my wife and I were considering our options and wishing we’d sold the family home and moved to Seattle where I was working at the time, having gone back to full-time work other than writing.

Thankfully though after months of waiting, I heard got good news from my agent. The publisher wanted to meet with me. The publisher wanted to discuss my ideas.

During the meeting, it was clear that the publisher liked my ideas but I’d need to provide sample chapters, expand the series details, have more face-to-face meetings, and generally do more to convince them. The hard part that followed required a leap of faith. I couldn’t do all that was required of me, in the time that was required of me, and keep working full-time elsewhere. I had to quit the day job and proceed, or keep the day job and let the dream die.

I chose the dream. I gave notice, worked my last two weeks while I continued developing the materials needed. A few weeks in, I learned the publisher had one idea for the series and I had another. Worse, the concepts were radically different.

I thought for sure disaster was ahead. Thankfully, the publisher did eventually sign me to a two-book contract. A contract to do things their way—and not my way.

However, the sample chapters I’d written over the past weeks were for my series concept and not theirs, so I kept writing the books my way. For this publisher, it was something unheard of for any writer to go outside the standard or to deviate from fixed standards. But my editors loved the final chapters I submitted, and I completed the work in its entirety ahead of schedule—so many weeks ahead of schedule they didn't quite know what to do, and this also was something else that was unheard of.

In fact, I was so far ahead of schedule, that the book’s publication dates were moved back several months. Those several months proved critical, as they allowed the publisher to showcase the books at a major industry event when the publisher otherwise would not have been able to. And the books done my way were smash hits at the event.

The rest as they say is history. Those contracts were followed by two other contracts from other publishers that I’d contacted previously. Suddenly, I was back in the publishing business.

Looking back now after I these years, I know exactly what I would have given up, had I not chased the dream. That little series I started? That series would eventually go on to become one of the biggest blockbuster series for the publisher, with $100M in worldwide retail sales—and counting.

Those first books I wrote in that series? They set the foundation for the entire series and became critically-acclaimed, award-winning bestsellers.

Sometimes in life you must take that leap of faith. Sometimes you must believe in yourself when no one else does. Sometimes you must follow the wrong path to find the right one.

Talk to you next time,

Robert Stanek

Summer of Indie Hangs Out with Robert Stanek

I asked Robert Stanek several weeks ago if I could do something to help him like he's done for hundreds of others over his several-decades-long writing career. He never really answered, and that, I've found is typical. Robert Stanek is a selfless, big-hearted guy who goes out of his way to help others, day in and day out, not expecting anything in return. My idea was to show some support for the guy who's always supporting everyone else. So I pushed until he finally said, yes, I could write a feature on him, like he's written for everyone else this summer.

I first heard about Summer of Indie when Robert Stanek did the launch party in April (http://readindies.blogspot.com/p/summer-of-indie.html). It sounded like a fantastic event and I was excited about participating. What peaked my interest even more than the event was its host. Robert Stanek is one of the indie pioneers who blazed the trail millions of us indies are following today, and he's also a guy who's had more shit and nonsense shoveled at him than any one I know.

I don't know how many people know that Robert Stanek is the name the more familiar international bestselling William Stanek writes fiction under. It is. This guy's written about 200 books, has been a published pro since '95, went indie in '01, and has sold millions and millions and millions of books. How many millions? I don't know.

His William Stanek web site (http://www.williamstanek.com) lists nearly 50 countries where translated and foreign editions of his books are sold outside the USA along with covers from some of these editions. His Robert Staenk books have been translated into many languages as well. And yet, this down-to-earth guy will sit down and talk with you and treat you like a human being.

Contrast that to the Hockings and Lockes of the indie world who wouldn't give you the time of day if you needed to know to save your life. But don't take my word for it, Robert Stanek hangs out right here at Read Indies (http://readindies.blogspot.com/) where he's spent hundreds of hours of his own time producing Summer of Indie and where you'll find a hundred featured authors this summer.

Robert Stanek also hangs out at Go Indie (https://www.facebook.com/groups/goindie/). Robert Stanek founded Go Indie back in 2007 to help indie authors.

About Robert Stanek

Robert Stanek is the bestselling author of the epic series Ruin Mist Chronicles, which includes Keeper Martin's Tale, Kingdom Alliance, Fields of Honor, and Mark of the Dragon and which was also released for young adults as The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches #1 - #4 and In the Service of Dragons #1 - #4. In 2010, Robert Stanek released the first Ruin Mist comic, Betrayal, A Daughter of Kings #1.

Betrayal (A Daughter of Kings, Comic #1), tells the never-before-told story of Delinna Alder’s journey into exile and of the tragic romances that will eventually tear nations apart and destroy worlds.

Read Betrayal (A Daughter of Kings, Comic #1) http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/betrayal-robert-stanek/1103006560?ean=9781575458823

Then Deliverance (A Daughter of Kings, Comic #2) http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/deliverance-robert-stanek/1102979844?ean=9781575458854

Then Rebirth (A Daughter of Kings, Comic #3) http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rebirth-robert-stanek/1102970447?ean=9781575458861

And finally Discord (A Daughter of Kings, Comic #4) http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/discord-robert-stanek/1100536265?ean=2940012655691

Robert Stanek has also written many other novels and short stories, and is well-known for his Bugville children's picture books, which includes many Bugville Jr, Bugville Learning, and Bugville Critters books. There's a list of his books at http://stanek.reagentpress.com/book_list.htm.

Several reader favorites include Remember Their Manners (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/remember-their-manners-robert-stanek/1026826596?ean=9781575458915) and Explore the Solar System (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/explore-the-solar-system-robert-stanek/1026826763?ean=9781575458939).

To learn more about him, read Meet Robert Stanek (http://stanek.reagentpress.com/robert_stanek.htm) which talks about all the places his books have been featured and reviewed.

Around the web:

Robert Stanek web site http://www.robertstanek.com/

Ruin Mist http://www.ruinmist.com/

Magic Lands http://www.themagiclands.com/

Bugville Critters http://www.bugvillecritters.com/

Robert Stanek Books I Love


If you have children ages 0 to 8 and you haven't read Bugville Critters, you need to. They're all witty and fun with pictures as gorgeous as the words. One of my favorite of his Bugville children's books is Pirates Stole My Booty.

Another children's book recommendation is Twelve Dresses One Star.

Have A Spooktacular Halloween is fantastic too.

In fiction, I recommend The Pieces of the Puzzle. It's my #1 favorite of his work.

My final recommendation is Mark of the Dragon, the grand finale of his Ruin Mist Chronicles.

My long way of saying, Robert Stanek, you're my inspiration. You deserve support and much success. You earned it.  

J.G.