We recently connected with Nancy Golden and have shared our conversation below.
Nancy, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
As an author, I have often explained the time and financial commitment it takes to launch a book and to do it well. Occasionally, I reflect upon whether it is worth it or not. An author does not get paid until their books start selling and even then, it takes many books to just break even. Despite my book sales and great reviews, I haven’t gotten close to that point. So why should I stay in this difficult profession when it is so hard to make a profit?
Like so many other professions where people are committed to helping others in some way, we don’t get into it for the money. Whenever I bang away trying to figure out how to make my literary endeavors pay off, I come to a fuller realization—that they already have:
The hugs and tears shared when connecting with readers at in-person events. The opportunities to inspire young writers to pursue their dreams. Naming a character Princess Gillian after a dear friend’s daughter that has fought health issues from a very young age and witnessing their delight at the book’s launch, when I presented her with a princess tiara. Dedicating a book to my brother (my biggest fan), who got to see it while he was bravely fighting pancreatic cancer, just before he went on to his heavenly home.
Many people have been part of my author’s journey and contributed to my payday in ways while intangible, are eternal—and I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I think writing has always been important to me. My mom instilled a love of reading in me at a very young age and that eventually bloomed into a love of storytelling. Fun fact about the first book in my fantasy trilogy (Sword of Fate, Ring of Rosin, and Key of Power): the first draft of Sword of Fate was written in 1986 on a typewriter! I dragged it around in a manila envelope all of these years and pulled it out and dusted it off a couple of years ago. I started work on it again and that is how my fantasy trilogy came to be. Don’t give up on your dreams even if you have to put them on the shelf for a while—they will be there waiting for you when you are ready!
My tagline is “Light in the Darkness” and my mission is simple: to write quality stories that speak to the hearts of my readers and to provide positive messaging, leaving them feeling better when they are done. My books will brighten your day. I believe we need to have clean, optimistic reads available in a market that is saturated with graphic violence, sex, and horror. I believe we need books that serve to inspire and uplift readers—Nancy Golden Books will provide the adventures and obstacles that need to be overcome along with in-depth character development—all elements of a satisfying story, but ultimately good will triumph over evil, or in the words of one of my fantasy novels, “Darkness may descend, but light shall overcome it.”
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
Your Local Indie Authors: A View from the Trenches
I took classes to improve my craft. When I was working on my science fiction novel, Alien Neighbors, I asked beta readers to read my book to get their feedback. I went through five rounds of revisions and paid money for professional editing and a graphic artist for the book cover. I carefully researched how to launch my book and on what platforms. I put in the time and effort (around my full-time job) to launch Alien Neighbors during the pandemic. Not being able to have in-person events made the launch so much harder.
So, by now I must be rolling in the dough…right?
Most people don’t realize that indie authors typically get a fraction of what is paid for their print book when purchased through the various platforms available. And if an author agrees to accept refunds from bookstores who decide to return their stock (not to accept refunds is the death knell for getting into large brick and mortar book retail chains)—they will come out in the negative and not by a small margin, if the book seller returns their books. Factor in the costs of advertising. Millions of books are on Amazon alone. How do I get Alien Neighbors seen above all of the others? Facebook campaigns, Amazon Ads, Bargain Booksy emails—all of these cost money. As a little-known author trying to get my story into the hands of readers, it can be very disheartening to try to do so with an advertising budget in the hundreds rather than the thousands. And don’t forget the cost of preparing a book for publication I mentioned earlier, which includes professional editing (~ $1000) and professional cover design (my books average $800 for each cover—I don’t use or allow any of the professionals working on my projects to use AI).
Most indie authors are not in this to make money, but we often dream of breaking even so that we can continue our journey of writing our next book. So now that you have a glimpse of the writer’s journey—what can you do to encourage an author?
Reviews are a great way to help people make a buying decision. One of the best things you can do for any author is to put a review on Amazon or Goodreads. It is also one of the hardest things to accomplish. While an internet search revealed varying responses ranging from ½% to 4% of readers leave a review—ask any author what their numbers are and you will see them cringe with dismay. We don’t want to be rude, and we don’t want to beg—we would just like some support from our readers. Be honest in your reviews but also be kind if you are providing a negative one.
Tell your friends about the book if you enjoyed it. Word of mouth advertising is HUGE. If you see an opportunity for an author to be able to promote their book—please reach out. These opportunities can be hard to find.
Tell the author if you enjoyed it, too—most of us (who are not in the big leagues) answer our own email. It brings joy to my heart when I know I have touched someone with one of my stories. Your email or note keeps me from giving up when this journey gets really hard.
If it is within your budget—consider purchasing the book rather than borrowing it from the library. Every sale is meaningful.
If the author has a fundraising platform, consider a donation if you are able. Even just the amount you would spend on a cup of coffee is helpful and very appreciated. You can learn more about my writing philosophy, read some fun posts, and if you become a member, you’ll receive a monthly short story or devotional at: https://buymeacoffee.com/nancygoldenbooks
The next time a local author is sitting at the grocery store or at a community festival with a stack of books they are selling and offering to sign—you don’t have to buy anything. But pause and pick up a copy and examine it. Chat with the author a moment. You can still put it back down if it doesn’t grab your interest or your budget won’t allow it—but smile at the author and compliment them on their perseverance in getting their book written and out in the world. They are putting a piece of their heart in front of you. We are all on this journey together and your affirmation will mean the world to them.
Since I first launched Alien Neighbors, I have also completed a very fun fantasy trilogy (Sword of Fate, Ring of Rosin, and Key of Power) and several other books. Remember dear reader, writing is not an easy task. We understand what we write won’t resonate with everyone. We don’t want false praise or empty flattery. We just want your support and perhaps a kind word in exchange for all of the ones we have labored to give you. Keep reading—we will keep writing!
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Epic Failure or Huge Success?
I was very tired. It had been an exhausting day. We spent several hours at a lovely antique mall. It’s a huge and a wonderful place to wander around on a rainy day. We were invited to do a book signing there for my newly released memoir, Growing Up with Eddie ~ A Nostalgic Look at Being a Kid in the ’70s, and since it is in Richardson, the same city that I grew up in, it seemed ideal.
We did our usual prep work. The day before, we drove to a little candy store on our town square that we know carries candy from the ’70s. We like to put out a bowl of vintage candy and give pieces away for free. Books are often just not unusual enough to make a person pause in that type of setting, but people love vintage candy—it’s a great conversation starter since many people may just glance at our table without really seeing what we are offering and keep walking if we don’t otherwise engage them.
So, we spent the day sitting at our little card table with the books and a sign and candy bowl. I don’t ever want to come across as pushy so I just measured interest as people walked by and would call out and ask them if they would like a free piece of vintage candy. More often than not, they would come over and look curiously at all of the different candies in the candy bowl. Bazooka gum with its accompanying comic, slow pokes, zebra peanut butter bars, root beer barrels, bit of honeys, and strawberry candies all brought smiles. I could see the candy pieces bringing back sweet memories.
This would give me the opportunity to share about how we’re giving away the candy to celebrate my new book about being a kid growing up in the ’70s. The conversation would either fizzle from there or they would be very interested and start sharing their own memories.
We were blessed to meet some lovely people who were genuinely excited about the book and were very encouraging. But we were there six hours and only sold six books.
So, this sounds like an epic failure as far as book promotion and to be honest, in one way it feels like it is. But in another way, it feels like a huge success and I’ll tell you why.
When we went to buy the candy the day before, we were in our car which sports large magnets of my book covers on each side.
As we drove along the square, there was a man sitting on a park bench in front of one of the shops. I am going to call him Harley for the purpose of our story, although that is not his real name. Harley can often be found on the square.
We met Harley a year ago when we were driving to a restaurant on the square and had parked in a spot across from his bench. When he saw the pictures of my book covers, he waited for us to get out of our car so he could ask us about them. When I mentioned I was the author, he was very excited. Harley loves to read. He asked us if he could have one of the books and of course, I said yes. I brought out the one he wanted (Alien Neighbors), signed it, and gifted it to him. We chatted for a little bit and then Phil and I went on our way.
We saw Harley, sitting on his bench as we drove through the square. When we parked, Harley came running up and gave me a hug. We chatted for a minute or two and then he asked if he could have another book. Of course, I said yes. Harley and I sat down together on a bench while I signed two of my books for him. We said our goodbyes and then Phil and I headed to the candy store to make our purchases.
We made our selections and as we drove back by the bench Harley was sitting on, I looked out the window to wave goodbye, but he was oblivious to the world around him, already deep into reading one of the books.
When we were at the antique mall, I was talking with a woman who had accepted my offer for a piece of candy. As we were chatting, I felt led to bring up my brother Eddie’s battle with pancreatic cancer—that the book was an outpouring of the stories we shared while he was fighting it.
I always keep a small picture of Eddie on the table during my book signings. I showed it to her, and I could see the emotion in her face. She didn’t buy a book, but she did something much better. She looked at me and said, “I’m going to call my brother when I get home.” Tears welled up in my eyes.
So, Harley and this woman are among the reasons I write, along with so many others. Sometimes I forget that, because book promotion is so exhausting and sometimes seems so futile, but God always provides a reminder (or two) when I want to quit.
You can learn more about me and my writing projects at https://nancygoldenbooks.com/
We have all been through a lot these last few years—I hope you’ll allow my writing to be a welcome distraction from our sometimes-chaotic world.
Keep reading—it’s one of the very best things you can do. And never pass up the opportunity to ride a dragon!
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Image Credits
All images are author photos