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Both Logan Karlie and R.M. Gray originally self-published their YA romantasies--Dream by the Shadows (Christy Ottaviano Books) and Nightweaver (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers), respectively--and became online friends through their shared community. Here, the authors discuss the world of self-publishing, the transition to traditional publishing, and a few of the bumps and joys along the way.
Logan Karlie grew up in a rural Midwest town in the U.S. and completed an MA in English Literature at the University of Arkansas. She lives in Illinois with her family.
R.M. Gray hails from a quaint Texas town. She is the author of the Nightweaver series.
Logan Karlie: We've both had a whirlwind year, and deadlines make it hard to chat (thank goodness for social media!). What have you been working on lately?
R.M. Gray: I live for your social updates. I'm currently preparing for the release of Starchaser, Nightweaver's sequel, this November. There's some swoony new characters that I'm dying for readers to meet, and I can't wait to see everyone's reactions. I'm also drafting book three.
Karlie: It's such a different process being on deadline now, isn't it?
Gray: So different! I love deadlines, but I haven't seen the sun in 72 hours.
Karlie: I've been preparing for the release of Dream by the Shadows while also drafting the sequel.
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| Karlie Logan (Til Death Photo Co.) |
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Gray: I need that sequel! It was such an honor to read an early copy, and to say I'm obsessed is an understatement. It's surreal and makes me think back to our early days of self-publishing--why did you choose to self-publish your first book?
Karlie: At the time, I was in a constant state of chaos: working as a high school English teacher, managing my two young children, and writing in any spare minutes I could find. I originally planned to traditionally publish, but after researching self-publishing, I realized it sounded exciting--I've always loved being fully involved in the creative process. It was overwhelming, however, because there are so many decisions to make.
Gray: I didn't know much about self-publishing and always thought I would pursue the traditional route, but I decided I was ready to put my story out into the world. It's so rewarding to be involved in the creative process, and self-publishing seemed like a great way to learn the inner workings of what it takes to produce a book.
Karlie: There are so many inner workings! Basics like choosing a cover artist and finding an editor, but also small things no one talks about.
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| R.M. Gray (Kayla Pavao Photography) |
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Gray: Like which font to use? The size of the book? Should I use a pen name? I still don't understand formatting.
Karlie: I went through 10 sample copies when I was trying to format it myself. Sometimes the font would be illegible, sometimes the cover was one or two centimeters off, sometimes the margins were too narrow. I was still formatting until the week of release. And I was so focused on the pre-publication logistics that I didn't fully comprehend that there would be difficult parts afterwards. What were some of the hardest parts for you?
Gray: Marketing was a nightmare. I cried for two hours after making my first Instagram reel. I'd spent all day working on a video only to lose it.
Karlie: I didn't realize how involved authors need to be in marketing, and it felt like climbing a mountain in the dark without a flashlight. I remember having 50 followers and wondering how anyone was going to know my book existed. But I worked hard to establish a community of readers and it ended up being a rewarding skill to learn, though some epic failures were involved.
Gray: Cheers to epic failures! But it was worth it. Finding a place in the community was a reward in itself.
Karlie: Finding a community was the best part! Being an author can be lonely. I remember trying to find my place in those early days by reaching out to other authors self-publishing their debut novels. And one of those authors was you.
Gray: You're so right--when I first started building a platform, I felt like the new kid in school. Now, many of my closest friends are people I met online--including you. It wasn't long after we started chatting that you invited me to join an author support group, and I'm eternally grateful to you for including me. Having a group of people that understood and supported me through all the ups-and-downs was a game changer.
Karlie: That group was a lifesaver. We chatted about everything related to getting our books out in the world.
Gray: I don't know what I would have done without that group chat. How did you get into traditional publishing?
Karlie: I started getting attention from audiobook and foreign publishers and needed guidance on navigating the next steps, so I queried a pool of agents with the goal of finding someone to help me with those offers and explore traditional publishing. After I signed with my agent, we immediately dove into edits and took it on submission a few weeks later.
Gray: How was the submission process for you?
Karlie: Going on submission to publishers was equally exciting and nerve-wracking. We started getting interest very early, and within a month, I had a book deal for DBTS and its sequel! What about you?
Gray: Julie Hays, a Waco, Tex., newscaster, found me on Instagram shortly after I self-published Nightweaver. We did an interview, and with all the love the story received in my community, the article went viral. The next morning, an agent saw it, read the book, and e-mailed me that same day. I thought I was being scammed! A few weeks after I signed with my agency, Nightweaver was in the hands of my dream publisher. Just shows what a community can do for their local creatives.
It seemed terrifying handing my book off to a larger team, but everyone was already so excited that it felt like handing it over to a team of fairy godmothers.
Karlie: It's been such a relief to not shoulder all the weight of publishing a book. I enjoyed my experience as an indie author, and have such respect for my indie friends, but I've also enjoyed having a larger network of support.
Gray: Same. What has it been like for you making the shift to writing full-time?
Karlie: It can be extremely challenging juggling writing with work obligations, family responsibilities, and everything else. It's been a blessing to be able to write full-time, especially as a mom. When I was teaching, I would often work on the book until midnight after a day spent teaching and parenting. I was in survival mode, and it wasn't good for my health or caffeine budget. You're full-time, too, right?
Gray: It's an absolute dream. When I was getting up for work every day, I used to think how wonderful it would be to stay home in my pajamas and write. And I can finally use "sorry, I have to write" as a valid excuse when people want to make plans.
Karlie: I feel so lucky to be celebrating the release of my debut as a traditionally published book, and it's been full-circle seeing yours release as well!
Gray: It was unreal celebrating the release of Nightweaver, and I was thrilled to partner with you for an event--meeting you in person was such a delight. It's hard to believe we're here!