A Realization That Made Sense

In recent weeks, I’ve been looking into strategies and models that befit independent artists and authors.

What I found shocked me profoundly.

Many authors forgo release dates altogether and just get their work out there.

Launch dates are a relic of the old world of publishing novels.

That’s not to say that an author can’t use them, as brick-and-mortar retailers would need a solid date, but it’s not like a book is going to be any less valuable as time progresses.

I’m aiming now for a malleable timing window where I have a target time and release when I’m satisfied with the work.

I’ve noticed this pattern in some of the artists I follow. They’ll announce a date for something unexpectedly and drop something.

Sometimes they’ll just drop something without prior announcement, which I’ve talked about before on my author blog.

Going further, they might release some merch for a limited time, and then it’s not available again, or not for a while.

That’s smart business.

The inquisitive and open-minded person asks why someone formed an S corp even if they’re the only one working.

Unconventional seems to just work. It might not always work in a hurry, but it does.

The line of thinking I stumbled across goes like this. If you set a launch date, say September 27th, 2026, and you aim for this date and spend tons of money and time marketing when you could write, you’re akin to the wealthy family that signs their piano prodigy child up for the football team and puts all their eggs in that one basket.

The child hadn’t proven himself in football at all, yet the time and effort were spent on something that hadn’t proven itself to work yet.

Whereas, if you release a book as though it were a child, then you nurture it and watch it grow, the book will blossom as time passes.

You can always promote the first in a series heavily three years after release, and if you’ve written an extensive backlog of work, the readers will find the rest of your series.

For authors today, the best discoverability kicks in after writing around two dozen books.

Traditional is a fine path, too, but keeping a 50% to 70% royalty rate and all your own IP rights seems the better way.

Agents have been seeking indies lately for movie deals and the like, because all the money is shifting away from the standard model.

I’m the type who won’t release something unless I’m 99.99% satisfied with my work.

My aim now is to have my books out and sell without always setting a solid date.

That gives me enough breathing room and builds up the backlist for a large inventory of IP.

That’s the beauty of freedom. If one model doesn’t work, try another.

Eventually, with the right approach, the doors will open.

And I really want this door.