An experimental book launch
How can author's succeed in the creator economy?
Welcome everyone to Chapter 1 of the newsletter!
So what’s this newsletter about?
In 2019, I published a book called, She Died Famous. By most standards, it was a success. It got a good readership, good sales – It even got optioned to be a movie. But the experience also woke me to the brutal reality of author economics. It’s VERY hard to earn a living on royalty checks alone.
Recently, The New York Times shared a statistic - “98 percent of the books that publishers released in 2020 sold fewer than 5,000 copies.” That blew my freakin’ mind, especially because there are over a million books published every year.
AND YET…
When I look around the creative economy, so many artists are finding ways to THRIVE. So many content creators are making a living doing what they love. I believe there has NEVER been a better time to be a creator.
So the questions I’ll be asking with my latest book launch are: How can authors utilize this exciting creative landscape? How can we start thinking outside of book royalties? Throughout the launch, I’ll be experimenting with all sorts of different things — Serial fiction, NFT’s, fiction podcasts, sky is the limit. I plan on building out the DIED FAMOUS universe for years to come, and I want to explore all sorts of creative ways to share it with the world.
Book Launch Update
What is this new book all about?
The next book in the Died Famous series picks up after Kelly Trozzo’s death. A famous Hollywood street artist (the creator of the yellow blur)1 has emerged from hiding with a murderous art installation that poses the haunting question - How far would you be willing to go for fame and glory? I’m pitching it as FYRE FESTIVAL meets HUNGER GAMES, and it will introduce readers to a secret Hollywood cult that is at the heart of the DIED FAMOUS universe. I’m so excited to start revealing my grand plans for the universe.
How close is the book to being done?
It’s done! Last week, my editor delivered the final edits. Honestly, I was terrified to open up the document. She’s the most candid editor I’ve ever worked with. When I hired her for a final read-through of She Died Famous, she was straight-up brutal. There I was, thinking I was ready to publish this amazing novel, and she was like—Nope. It needs work. Thanks to her, I was literally making edits to the book on publication day (Don’t recommend).
So last week, I anxiously downloading her notes for the new book, expecting the worst.
**insert sigh of relief**
While my editor did find a few inconsistencies, there were no major plot holes. Her notes were as close as “I liked it” as I’ll ever get from her.
So what’s next?
Now that the book is completely polished, one dream literary agent requested the manuscript that I’ll send it to. At that point, I’ll either be setting a release date or sharing the good news that I landed my dream agent. 2
Either way, I’ll be documenting the entire launch on this newsletter.
Other Updates
She Died Famous is on Wattpad
As part of this book experiment, I’m trying different storytelling platforms, including Wattpad. Last week, I put She Died Famous onto the site for FREE.
What is Wattpad?
Wattpad feels like the Netflix or YouTube of books. It has this amazing built-in audience of 60 million monthly readers that are anxious to consume content. Wattpad also offers paid features, which according to The New Publishing Standard, has paid out over a million dollars to authors since it launched its paid program in 2019. It also has a ton of tools to make your story stand out. For me, the option to add video and images to the book is huge. By adding trailers and promo imagery, readers will be able to truly immerse themselves in the story. Looking forward to sharing the results. If you want to check it out on Wattpad, click here!
This week’s experiment’s
How can authors capitalize on NFT’s?
Ok - I’ll confess - I’ve gone down the NFT rabbit hole. If you think NFT’s are just JPEGS, you are mistaken! They are so much more than that. They are a way to build, harness, and reward your community. Think of NFT’s as Kickstarter meets Patreon meets collectibles — An insanely cool way for fans to invest in their favorite projects. So let’s just say that I offer (5) limited edition book covers to fans. And because NFT’s allow for smart contacts, I can say that anyone who buys a limited edition book cover will get access to merchandise, future books, a shoutout in the acknowledgments, etc. Now you hold a digital collectible that represents your investment in me as an artist. AND if you decide you no longer want to support me, you can sell the NFT or token on the open market. So basically it allows fans to become stockholders in your brand and projects.
EXPERIMENT #1: This week, I’ll be finding someone in this field to help me better understand how authors are utilizing this exciting new technology.
Should authors be promoting their content on TikTok?
Authors are getting noticed on TikTok. That’s not under debate. But what entices me is seeing older content of authors, like Colleen Hoover’s 2016 book, It Ends With Us, go viral and see a massive resurgence.
EXPERIMENT #2: This week, I’m going to promote She Died Famous’s on TikTok. While I do not expect that I’ll “go viral”, It should be a fun experiment.
📚 Resources for Authors & Creators
What I’m listening to!
The Colin & Samir Podcast
This is a podcast highlighting real creatives who are earning a living doing what they love. Here are some of my favorite episodes right now:
A Coldstone TikToker earns a living scooping ice cream.
A YouTuber who dropped out of college to create videos
How to create an NFT and sell it online!
The Joanna Penn Podcast
When it comes to discussing the latest in publishing technology, Joanna is on it! From artificial intelligence to NFT’s, Joanna is constantly exploring the way the publishing landscape is changing. Here are a few of my favorite episodes.
Check it out here!
Other Inspiring Articles:
How TikTok Got this YA Author a Six-Figure Deal
Could the Creator Economy Work for Fiction Authors?
Author Adapting Novel for Podcast Series
Nelson Mandela’s Grandkids Auctions Books as NFT’s
Thanks for checking out my first newsletter. Please send me any questions or comments you have. I’ll be posting updates every Tuesday. Make sure you follow me on Instagram @kmrutkin.
The real creator of the “yellow blur” is a designer named, Anamaria Stephenn. She created the She Died Famous cover and she’s amazing.
After seeing the statistics, why am I still considering a literary agent and seeking a traditional publishing deal? Whether you’re indie or traditional, It’s hard to break out as an author. After working with a client who got a traditional deal, I’m under no illusion that a traditional deal is a “golden ticket” or authors aren’t required to do the bulk of marketing. But I do think traditional publishers can cast a wider net, have better distribution, and do offer a better end product. They also alleviate a lot of the administrative work that keeps me up at night. And since my goal is to focus less on book royalties and more on community building, I think working with an experienced team could be an asset. However, I would be asking the agent to negotiate the rights to - Special editions, NFT’s, and other streams of income outside of book royalties. FYI - All this is hypothetical. Will see how it all plays out.
I love this! I hope you figure out the way in and let us in the secret. Sounds like a great book, I will be getting my hands on.
As a writer who's also wondering how to find readers and open to experimental storytelling, I am very fascinated by your ideas. Looking forward to reading and learning about your experiences.