Indie Author Interview: Tara Mondou

Welcome back to my interview series with indie authors! It’s my hope that readers thinking about self-publishing can learn from their peers about what to consider—choosing a platform, if (and when) you should hire editors and other professionals, and what you should definitely know before starting out.

Today we have Tara Mondou, author of two creative memoirs The Girl in the Mirror and Me and My Shadow, and I had the honor of providing editorial assistance for both. Tara’s great at promotion and getting her name out there, so read on for some wonderful tips!

Tara Mondou, My Self-Publishing Journey

JENNIFER DINSMORE: What made you choose to self-publish? Did you try the traditional route at all?

TARA MONDOU: I never tried traditional publishing because I don’t personally know anyone who has had the kind of success that makes that route worth it. I don’t feel that self-publishing holds me, or my work, back from gaining the sort of success I’m looking for.

From what I’ve learned about traditional publishing, I don’t like how difficult it seems: write a query letter and find an agent, wait several months or more to hear back from a publisher, only to be denied or, even if accepted, have to wait a year or two (or more) until the book is ready to publish.

I like to have control of my work: the title, the design, the timing, and the money. When you manage your own project, you can publish when you want, and how and where you want, and you don’t have to give a portion of your royalties. A publisher also can’t guarantee sales, especially for a new, unknown author, and even their marketing services—listing your book, setting up a few events, and advertising it on their website/social media channels—will only last for about a month or so. Then the marketing and promotion land squarely on the author’s shoulders anyway, so even if you do get traditionally published, you’ll always have to keep marketing, promoting, and selling your book.

JD: What platform did you use to publish? What factored into that decision?

TM: For paperbacks, I use Ingram Spark. They are one of, if not the, biggest distributors in North America. When you uploaded to their platform, your print-on-demand (POD) paperback will be available on 30,000 outlets around the world, including Amazon, Waterstones, Barnes & Noble, and Indigo. It’s inexpensive, and once familiar with the site it’s easy to use. Sales reports are available at any time, and it’s easy to see where your book has sold, how many copies were sold, or if there were any returns. Accounting is available for review on a monthly basis, so you know what you’re getting paid, and when you’re getting paid.

For e-books, I use Draft 2 Digital. Their platform is also easy to use, has good reports, and distributes to all e-reader platforms including Apple, Kobo, Kindle, and Book Nook. Draft 2 Digital also makes your work available to various library distribution services (like Overdrive), which can be a lucrative opportunity for authors and their work.

JD: Putting a book out in the world takes a lot of work! Where did you find your team of professionals?

TM: I always recommend allocating a large portion of your budget to a good editor. As a self-published author, I want my work to be of the highest quality, so I am happy to pay an excellent editor (like Jennifer, who I found several years ago through Humber College Publishing Services [no longer operational]) to edit my work. I do this out of respect for myself as an author, for the self-publishing world, for booksellers, and most importantly, for my readers.

I also work extensively with Volumes Publishing, which designs, formats, and prints my books, as well as cleans up the odd typo and errors introduced during the formatting process.

JD: Many authors struggle with marketing and self-promotion. Talk a little about your author platform.

TM: I work hard on marketing and self-promotion, but I can be a bold and assertive person when I need to be, which I understand isn’t natural or easy for some people. These skills do come naturally to me, but if they don’t for you, consider joining a group or organization that can help you with self-promotion. It’s so much more fun when you surround yourself with like-minded writers and authors who can support you and your project!

Here’s what I do with regard to my author platform:

• A well-designed website is a must. I pay an annual fee for my website and domain name, and after having it first professionally designed, I now update the site on my own. It takes some learning and time—whether it’s Wix or WordPress or something else—and can be frustrating) time. Personally, I find Wix less tricky.

• I am very active on social media and have an author account on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. I haven’t waded into the TikTok waters yet, but that might be next. I also truly believe in the effectiveness of Goodreads as a marketing tool. When it comes to Googling an author and their work, Goodreads always appears in the top three results. It’s free and easy to set up.

• I attend many different kinds of events such as launches, those hosted by bookstores or libraries, and local artisan markets and author showcases. I’ve also done speaking engagements and community events in cities I have some connections to; the list goes on! I then make sure to promote these events using well-designed ads that look good in print and online. For frequency, I think attending some event once every two months is a good idea.

• I created a press/media kit and request to be interviewed by local news outlets. I am also sure to advertise them (for free) in far-reaching local newspapers via Metroland or Postmedia.

• I create and/or join author support groups, as well as author events for libraries and other organizations, which in turn help get my name out into the world as a writer and an author.

• I’ve been fortunate to work with an excellent salesperson at Indigo who helped to get my book into their stores, as well as their website. I am honored that my book is in so many Indigo stores, so I make sure to do events at various locations as often as I can.

Remember: Building and maintaining relationships in a very authentic and gracious way is KEY to becoming a successful author.

JD: What do you find most rewarding about self-publishing? The most challenging?

TM: Rewarding: My friends and family are proud of me and, even more importantly, I’m proud of myself.

Challenging: For me, it’s probably reading my book after it’s been published. If I find an error, I know it will never stop bothering me because I know I can’t fix it. I am someone who always has to fix mistakes and learning to live with a mistake (even a small typo) is very challenging for me.

JD: Are these different than you first anticipated? What do you wish you knew when you started?

TM: Writing, publishing, marketing, and promoting your own work is a journey, and all journeys are both rewarding and challenging. There’s always room for improvement, so if you want your book to sell, the work and the journey never end. People think that the work is done once your book is published, but I believe the opposite is true—post-publication is when the work begins.

Of course, you can decide for yourself when the journey is over. Maybe you just want to sell 100 books, maybe you just want to make your initial investment back, or maybe you just want your book available on Amazon and you’re not worried about sales. But that’s a question you should ask yourself before you start your project as the answer will help you measure success in your terms. Ultimately, the goal should be to feel proud of yourself!

 JD: What advice would you give to those considering self-publishing?

TM: You have to know what your endgame is—what success looks like to you, and what you envision for your journey. What do you really want out of this process? Why are you doing it? How do you want to feel when you’re done?

Once you know these things, you then have to create targets and goals and make a plan to attain those goals. You have to be determined, committed, and bold, but must always be thankful, grateful, and gracious.

Good things (like book sales) come to people who treat others with respect and kindness.