Self-Published to Big Five Success - Is it Possible?

Once upon a time, traditional publishing (that is, getting published by a professional publishing company) was the only definition of success for a writer. Self-publishing was an option, but it was called “vanity publishing” and nobody thought it counted.

Times have changed. Self-publishing is not only valid in most circles, but is in many ways an easier career path for a writer.

That said, many writers still dream of a deal with one of the Big Five publishers as the ultimate sign of success in our chosen craft. Rumors abound as to whether or not that is possible for self-published authors.

Some people will tell you it’s not really an option to move from self-publishing to the Big Five.

Others will suggest that those companies won’t even look at you without a track record of success. Still others will tell you it’s not a prize worth chasing anymore, so people making money in self-publishing should stay happy with what they have.

Today we’ll look at some facts about who’s right and who’s wrong, if self-published authors should chase Big Five success, and what sort of plan for action might help get you there.

Leading By Example

Examples exist that prove it is possible to move from self-publishing to Big Five success. The Martian, 50 Shades of Grey, Still Alice, and the poetry of Rupi Kaur all started as self-published projects that went on to multi-million dollar Big Five success.

These examples show it is possible, but the reality is they are the exceptions. Self-publishing to Big Five has odds just as long as getting a Big Five contract without the self-publishing step. Just like the existence of lottery winners doesn’t mean you’re likely to win the scratch-off this week.

The odds are long, but not impossible. Your best bet in this endeavor is to follow a very specific set of rules from the start.

The Process

These steps won’t guarantee you a successful drive from self-publishing to a Big Five deal. Not following them, though, will pretty much guarantee a failed attempt. Ignore them at your peril.

One Quick Reminder

The examples above notwithstanding, you are very unlikely to sell your self-published book to a Big Five company. Instead, you will be using your self-publishing track record to sell another book. If you write a self-published series, this same rule will almost certainly apply.

Prime Directive: Self-Publishing Numbers hurt more than help

Remember, the agents who represent authors to Big Five companies, and the editors to whom they pitch, are overloaded with query letters every day. They are looking for excuses not to consider every pitch that comes to their email inbox.

Having a track record of self-publishing success (say 5,000 copies a year or more) will help get the attention of both agents and editors. However, anything less than that might be that excuse they’re looking for. It suggests that your name and work has already been tried, and found wanting…that they’d be better off with either a proven success or an untried author.

Whether or not that’s a fair or accurate assumption is debatable. But that’s the way things are right now.

Begin With the Goal in Mind

If you want to self-publish as your sole method of writing success, there’s nothing wrong with that. Use the other articles and trainings on our site to make that happen. If you dream of a Big Five deal, and want to use self-publishing as a springboard, you need to set your strategy accordingly. You can’t afford to run test books and “learn as you go”, but instead open with a book that derives solid sales numbers and gets a large number of great reviews.

Start Strong

Your goal here is to have an immaculate track record of book sales. They don’t all have to be million-dollar, USA Today bestsellers, but you want publishers and agents to look at your numbers and not find that excuse to stop thinking about you.

We talk quite a bit about the techniques and strategies for making that happen, but here are the top ten things to keep in mind as you begin the journey:

Start marketing your book about the same time you start writing it…at the very latest when you begin your first round of edits.
Spend the time and money to make your cover both excellent and specifically engaging for your audience.
Craft a high-quality sales description for your sales page, whether or not that’s on Amazon. Hire a professional if that’s not the kind of writing at which you excel.
Build your platform and keep it active. These are the people who will drive your sales numbers. Ideally, you will have at least 10,000 engaged followers or subscribers.
Have your book professionally proofread.
Seriously consider paying to have your book professionally designed and laid out.
Develop a team of at least 20 people who will leave reviews on release day for your book.
Aim to get a total of 25-50 reviews in the first month after publication.
Be prepared to invest a thousand dollars or so into advertising and marketing for your book.
Learn the basics of online book marketing so you spend those dollars effectively.

Success

Once you have at least one book selling several hundred copies per month, with at least 50 positive reviews, you can call it a “success” for purposes of pursuing Big Five publishers. Ideally, you would get three to five books performing at that level. This is easier than it sounds because once you’ve done the work to build your audience and master key skills, you don’t have to do either again for additional books.

What’s tough is, like I mentioned earlier, you’ll need a different book from a different series to maximize your acceptance chances. Once that book is written, it’s time for the slog of pitching agents or working your network for introductions.

Bonus Points

The following aren’t necessary for moving from self-publishing to a Big Five deal, but they can be very helpful:

Going to writing conferences and making connections with agents who represent your kind of writing.
Pursuing self-publishing and independent publishing awards.
Writing short fiction (related or unrelated to your self-published projects) and getting them into websites, print magazines, and anthologies.
Working with other self-published authors to share audiences and boost sales.
Touring podcasts that interview writers in your genre.

Problems and Pitfalls

The above is all fine and dandy for people who haven’t yet self-published their first book. But what if you’ve already self-published, and your track record doesn’t look like that? I’m not going to lie: your situation is tougher than if you were just starting out. That said, here are a few things you can do to groom your existing works:

If your books have not been professionally edited and laid out, make that happen and update the files for ebooks and on-demand print copies. Seriously consider a reprint run if you’re buying in bulk.
Prioritize building a platform so you can create a sales surge for your books in the year before you start seeking your Big Five deal.
Revamp your covers unless they’ve already been done up by a professional, and they look like books published by Big Five companies.
Do the same for your sales page, whether that’s on Amazon or on your own site.
Consider relaunching your books as you update them.

This is most important if you have your books up on Amazon, because you have less control over what’s out in the world and how easy it is for people to find it. If your work is only up on a personal site, you might be all right if you simply take down your sales page and stop mentioning your books on social media.

One Last Little Thing: The Harsh Reality

At the numbers you need to really impress and get the interest of Big Five publishers, you’re already selling enough books to make somewhere between $20,000 and $50,000 per year per book. That’s enough money to make a pretty all right living without ever going for the Big Five deal. It also means you have enough of a following that there’s some doubt even a Big Five publisher will 10x your book sales (which is what they’ll need to do for you to improve your income with that deal).

On the other hand, Big Five publishers do have the reach and the marketing budget, and improved access to book and TV deals, and international distribution, that 100x and 1000x on your income is possible. That’s why it’s a lottery ticket…it’s up to you whether or not you want to buy one.

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