The short story in three sentences:

1. I launched a kickstarter for the production of #TheLeftoverBride audiobook.
2. And I offer rewards in exchange for your pledge to fund said-production (rewards include: an early electronic copy of the audiobook, your name in the credits, pick a name for a character, more audiobooks, chat with me about self-publishing and so so much more…).
3. The project will only be funded if it reaches its goal and you can choose your reward (they start at $1 or even pledge whatever you’d like without a reward here).

The longer story:

“Patron of the arts” does sound good and this is basically what you’ll be doing by helping me fund my kickstarter for #TheLeftoverBride audiobook.

As per Wikipedia:

People who back Kickstarter projects are offered tangible rewards or experiences in exchange for their pledges. This model traces its roots to subscription model of arts patronage, where artists would go directly to their audiences to fund their work.

Closed caption:  My story? I was born in 1981 … Oh no, not my story but the story of this project…Oh, okay, Keep reading…

There we go. 

#TheLeftoverBride is a book I wrote not long after my autologous stem cell transplant as I needed a novel I could concentrate on that would make me smile. And a book that I hoped would make people smile.

This is the dedication of the book:

It seems it worked for many readers. 

Those are some reviews the book has received: 

• “This book is so much fun! The perfect combination of romance, angst, and humor, it’s your favorite Hallmark movie’s sassier, steamier cousin.”
• “Sweet, sassy and fun!”

An audiobook allows me to reach out to so many more people around the world. Maybe making them smile, too. 

And by funding this project, you ensure that it can be made available to libraries as well as retailers. In addition, I can make the book available at a lower price around the world if this project is fully funded, than if it was made exclusive to only one distributor.

This book has characters who have been through a lot. Sorcha has OCD (wonder where I got the inspiration for that?). Ryan dealt with a tough childhood (that I’m lucky I had to research a lot as my experience differs from his) and thinking his career defines him (hmmm).

And an audiobook production requires investment up front for my wonderful and amazingly talented audiobook narrator.

Do you know the amount of work for one hour of finished audio (narrated, edited and mastered)?

It takes about 6 hours to produce one hour of finished audio: about two hours of narration and going through the audio to edit it (take away possible repetitions, mistakes, extraneous noises, clicks) and master it (ensuring the noise level is to the requirements. One also needs to re-listen to the finished file for quality control.

So, when you’re listening to an audiobook of about eight hours, it may have taken the narrator/producer about 48 hours to produce, not counting the breaks when you’re recording for your voice or for the way you sit or stand.

That also doesn’t take into consideration the pre-work that might be needed like reading the entire book before you record, making notes to make sure you keep the characters’ voice the same throughout and so much more…

When you hire a narrator/producer, you hire someone who can not only act and perform, you also hire someone who knows the intricacies of audiobook narration and production.

Once the audiobook is distributed, I receive between 10% and 40% of the price of audiobook (depending on the royalty share agreement, on the way a listener buys or borrows the audiobook, on the retailer).

With this payment structure, I might decide to put the audiobook available in places where my return on investment might be higher. It not only means the audiobook wouldn’t be available everywhere, but recouping said investment can still take quite a long time.

In addition, the narrator may also take a risk when they agree to a part of their return being royalty-share because what if the audiobook doesn’t do as well on the retailers? Not from any fault of their own, but maybe the marketing or advertising plan doesn’t work the way it could/should?

So… this would be how the project funding would be used:

• First, the audiobook will be made available on a larger distribution platform, which would include libraries. Libraries can then purchase the audiobook at a much lower price;
• $2000 for the audiobook narrator/producer: this would be an actual remuneration of $40 per hour for the work done. (This is the median hourly rate for an experienced audiobook narrator). This narrator has gone above and beyond for previous audiobooks which she had agreed to do via royalty-share (where she had reduced her rate per finished hour but, like me, ended up making a loss);
• About $130 for Kickstarter fees;
• About $130 in processing fees;
• About $200 for shipping (including some international shipping);
• About $70 in taxes;
• About $20 for the platform enabling distribution of audiobooks electronically;
• About $250 for ads once the audiobook is available worldwide;
• And because I can dream, right? Anything above the goal would be split this way: half for the narrator and half for me.

By funding this project, you not only will help me make more people smile. It will make it easier for me to have the audiobook possibly available in libraries and in more countries around the world where people speak or learn English. But you will also enable me to accomplish other projects (such as more bilingual books and more actual writing…)

So, thank you, thank you, thank you SO MUCH! It means the world to me.

Risks and challenges

All the rewards are either already in production or will be as soon as the project is successfully funded. The only one is the short story reward. That reward might take me a bit more time to get more to, which is why the delivery is longer. When it comes to the short story, you’ll be able to give me names, tropes or story idea. There will be a survey to fill out. If the story idea is out of my competencies or a topic I do not write about, I will deliver a short story that might be slightly different but will still be exclusive.

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Self-publishing reflection: planning and goals (Vella, novellas, marketing and more…) – A self-published author's diary: The Ups and Downs of Self-Publishing (and everything in-between)

I almost titled this episode: "How to achieve your self-publishing goals without feeling overwhelmed." But dear Diary that would have been false advertisement as while I'm trying to adapt my systems and plans to fit my goals, I'm still in the process and it does feel overwhelming from times to times. Do I have coping mechanisms when it does so thatI can nmake sure that it also doesn't take away from my plan?. Yes, I do but still… I'm not yet at the "achieve your goals without feeling overwhelmed" stage. I am trying to get there. First steps: planning and goals… Mentioned in this episode: Facebook Ads Library: https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/?active_status=all&ad_type=political_and_issue_ads&country=US&media_type=all Facebook Vella Author Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1769498126557594 Becca Syme website: https://betterfasteracademy.com/podcast/ When Inspiration Meets Smart Marketing With Ines Johnson on the Author Like a Boss Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0F0t3nIf7jzoglMneFGzsB Bryan Cohen's free webinarThe 5 Myths of Email Marketing: How to Use Email Effectively to Get Better Launches and Sell More Books: https://bryancohen.lpages.co/5-myths-of-email-marketing/ As always: Ask me a question (per email: authorelodienowodazkij AT gmail.com or by leaving me a voicemail: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/message) Follow A Self-Published Author's Diary on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aselfpublishedauthorsdiary   Visit my website: http://www.elodienowodazkij.com   I'm on TikTok: @elodienowodazkij and the podcast too: @aselfpubbedauthorsdiary Ways to help Ukraine: A few ways to help Ukrainians:  https://snyder.substack.com/p/a-few-ways-to-help-ukrainians?utm_source=url&fbclid=IwAR1tRHYwpS0z9XOtaMafpVuequlTEuRKcs74bEEpeCUAXHtPOardfnQe15k   List of charities to support Ukraine by subject: https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/comments/s6g5un/want_to_support_ukraine_heres_a_list_of_charities/   If you're in Germany: https://zez.am/act.now.by.klitschko If you're in France: https://parrainage.refugies.info/   Ukraine Media Crisis Center How To Help: https://uacrisis.org/en/help-ukraine

My EU VAT Saga As A Self-Published Author: What I Learned (and Got Wrong Info About) from Amazon KDP Support – A self-published author's diary: The Ups and Downs of Self-Publishing (and everything in-between)

If you're an indie author self-publishing wide, or specifically on Amazon KDP, and you're based in the EU, this episode is for you (or at least, it's for you to commiserate with me). I walk through my ongoing, unresolved, and occasionally maddening experience trying to figure out EU VAT reporting for my Amazon royalties as a Belgian-registered sole proprietor and US citizen self-employed author.Topics covered in this episode:Amazon KDP's EU VAT Invoices requirement and the self-billing agreement, and why that option isn't showing up in my accountWhat actually happened during a two-hour Amazon KDP support chat, including an agent who left mid-conversation and wrong information about my tax formsWhy a US citizen living abroad still has to file a W-9, not a W-8BEN, no matter where they liveWhat I found digging through KDP's own (and partly outdated) VAT help pagesThe next step I've identified but haven't tackled yet: submitting VAT invoices to Amazon manuallyA Patreon update: three new paid tiers now live (Emotional Support Crew, Spicy Pickles, and Raccoon Author), and what free members and newsletter subscribers can still expectAn early audiobook release for # Sweets For Love, going out chapter by chapter on PatreonA Barnes & Noble payment update and a quick note on my ongoing TikTok experimentDisclaimer: This episode is not tax, VAT, or legal advice. It's a personal account of one indie author's experience. Please consult a qualified tax advisor, VAT specialist, or your local tax authority for guidance specific to your situation.Stick around for the blooper reel. I still cannot say "EU VAT" cleanly.Links mentioned:Patreon (with the Raccoon Author tier): https://www.patreon.com/c/elodieswritingnook/membershipFAQ VAT (old document I think): https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GZJMEVQJPYBGJ8Z7FAQ VAT (newer FAQ): https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GZU8XMCDUGR6PM7FContact: elodie AT elodienow.com

1. My EU VAT Saga As A Self-Published Author: What I Learned (and Got Wrong Info About) from Amazon KDP Support 26:03
2. Numbers: A TikTok Experiment As an Indie Author (the yay, the nay, and what it costs), pre-order numbers and more 29:12
3. Writing and revising, Author Taxes & the Emergency Room: 3 Days in My Self-Published Life 29:48
4. Numbers: Amazon blocked one of my e-books (one that had been live for ten years) 18:33
5. ROMO Or My Reality (Realities) Of Missing Out In the Self-Publishing World… 25:59