11 questions for the indie publisher: Bob Baker
Posted By Sue Collier on May 24, 2011
This is another installment of our series 11 Questions for the Indie Publisher. This month, we are featuring indie author Bob Baker. Please let me know if you would like to be featured!
Your name: Bob Baker
Your website/blog: www.FullTimeAuthor.com and www.TheBuzzFactor.com
Your bibliography:
- 101 Ways to Make Money in the Music Business (1992, Rockpress Publishing, now out of print)
- Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook (first self-published in 1996, updated every couple years or so, the book I’m probably best known for)
- Branding Yourself Online (Top Floor Publishing, 2001, now out of print)
- Unleash the Artist Within (self-published in 2005)
- Guerrilla Music Marketing, Encore Edition (self-published in 2006)
- MySpace Music Marketing (self-published in 2006)
- 55 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Book on the Internet (self-published in 2009)
- Guerrilla Music Marketing Online (self-published in 2011)
- plus a lot of other resources for musicians and authors in audio, PDF, and multi-media formats
1. What is your background?
I’ve been an active rock and roll musician—as a guitarist, singer, songwriter—since my early teens (we’re talking the 1970s, mind you. I turned 50 in 2010.)
In my mid-20s I started publishing a local music magazine in my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. Over the 10 years that I ran that publication, a number of significant things happened that led to what I do now…
First, I started writing a regular column in my own magazine filled with tips for working musicians on how to attract more fans, book more shows, sell more music, and make money doing it. I also began putting together local workshops and music conferences. In 1992 my first book was published by a small press, and I knew then that’s what I wanted to do the rest of my life.
It took me a while to get to full-time status, and I had to go through several lean years and a few day jobs here and there. But I’ve been comfortably supporting myself as an author since 2004.
2. What led you to self-publishing?
In 1996, I self-published the first crude version of the Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook, which was a collection of about 15 articles I had written at the time. It was one of the first books to advocate self-reliance and taking your music career into your own hands (as opposed to “getting signed” to a record label, which most music business books were all about back then).
My DIY perspective came in handy when the traditional music biz began to crumble around 2001. Before long, going the “indie” route became the way to go, and I had already established myself as a voice for that message.
Even though I had a good experience when my first book was published by a small press, I’ve always been fiercely independent. For the past 15 years I’ve embraced that same “self-reliant” approach that I encourage musicians to take. That’s why I’ve self-published six of my eight books to date.
3. What have you found to be the biggest challenge in self-publishing?
Managing the workload and learning to wear many hats when it comes to creating content, finding your ideal readers, staying in touch with them, making sales offers, and so much more. Luckily, I love the many facets of working from home and running an Internet-based, info-publishing business – so all this activity suits me well. But I know that many authors struggle with juggling so many things.
4. What has been the biggest surprise about self-publishing?
That so many people are still resistant to self-publishing or intimidated by it. I’ve often said that many authors suffer from SPIS—Self-Publishing Inadequacy Syndrome 
It’s the outdated stigma that implies you only publish a book on your own if it’s not “good enough” for a regular publisher. Baloney!
I believe you should put out your own book because it’s a great way to get it out into the world. And your readers (the only people who really matter) generally don’t care what entity published your book. They are most interested in the subject matter and you as the author.
Sure, there’s a lot of effort involved in self-publishing and a bit of a learning curve (especially with your first book). But it’s quite doable, and you’re foolish not to take advantage of all the amazing tools at our disposal these days. Using “I’m confused about self-publishing” as an excuse won’t do much to cement your legacy as an author.
5. Describe your writing process.
Luckily, I never suffer from writer’s block. Years of working with magazine deadlines cured me of that long ago. I write something practically every day—from tweets and Facebook updates to blog posts and work on my next for-sale title. I think you should always be in the process of cranking out some type of content: text, spoken-word audio, video clips, public speaking…whatever suits your communication style.
As for the mechanics of writing, I like to come up with a strong title and topic focus first. I use that to create an outline of the chapters. Then, one by one, I focus on each little content piece as I write it.
To me, an author’s life is all about sharing your message with the people who need to hear it the most. Quite often that content is freely given away in small chunks. Doing so builds awareness and, hopefully, an audience. And that growing audience is what will eventually support you financially.
6. How do you stay disciplined?
It’s funny. I’ve rarely thought of myself as being disciplined. When I look at the mess on my desk and in my office, and when I see the long list of book ideas that I haven’t found time to birth yet, I feel so disorganized.
Recently, a group of friends started using that D-word (“disciplined”) to describe me. I was shocked. They said, “Most people can’t focus long enough to get one book out. You’ve written and published eight! That’s discipline.”
Okay, so maybe I am a wee bit disciplined
How do I stay that way? By having a sincere desire to help more people through my books. Knowing that the ideas I want to share serve no one if they stay locked up in my head, I do the best I can every day to make some small progress toward the completion of my next title.
7. How are you financing your publishing project?
In my early days, it was bootstrapping and using the Internet to spread my articles, tips, and ideas by any free means I could find. Today, most of my income is generated by product sales (paper books, ebooks, audio programs, downloadable reports, etc), which funds new titles and the growth of the business.
8. What is your favorite self-marketing idea?
That’s simple. Sharing your message with the people who want it the most. Your message could be educational, inspirational, or weaving a great story. Whatever that special thing you have is, share it. The book should be just one extension of your overall mission to help people and spread your unique message far and wide. This is more of a mindset than a tactic, but it’s been the primary thing that drives all my self-promotion efforts.
9. What advice do you have for burgeoning self-publishers?
Be patient with yourself as you learn about this indie book publishing journey. You’ll never be able to know it all or do it all, so don’t hold yourself to an unreasonable standard. Do the best you can, bite off a little at a time … but above all, keep moving forward with your book project. Keep a picture in your mind of that finished book and how proud you’ll feel when it becomes a reality. Imagine your ideal fan reading it in amazement. Let that greater vision pull you and help you overcome any hurdles you must jump along the way.
10. When you’re not writing what do you do for fun?
I still play music a lot. My girfriend Pooki and I lead the Gateway to Agape Choir in St. Louis (www.GatewayToAgape.com). It’s an energetic mix of R&B, rock and gospel styles. We also have an electronic music project called Soul Massage (www.SoulMassageMusic.com) that we’re also having a lot of fun with.
11. What project are you currently working on?
I’m wanting to explore and create more multi-media resources that combine text (PDF and ebook files), audio (MP3s), and video (streaming online and downloadable for iPhone and iPad) formats.
And, while I plan to publish many more books for my primary musician audience, I’m also very eager to create several more titles for authors and self-publishers. Keep an eye on www.FullTimeAuthor.com and www.TheBuzzFactor.com for the latest.
a great informative Q & A with my favorite Indie Music supporter/ inspirer, Bob Baker- all the best to both you!
I think that suggesting that self-publishing is “a great way to get your book out into the world” is misleading and a bit irresponsible. I, too, have had great success with self-publishing. In fact, like you I have self-published and published through a small press, and I made quite a bit more money and got quite a bit more attention in various media outlets and such with the self-published book. However, ALSO like you I was writing in a niche that had a clear target market, and ALSO like you I had a background in marketing and knew how to sell the book, starting with building a relevant online network nearly a year before the book was published and establishing my expertise in a wide range of forums before I ever had a product to offer. The truth is that self-publishing is a great option IF you are able to effectively edit your own work or get someone else to do it, and IF you are writing in a niche area that’s easily targetable (or already have a marketable name), and IF you have the time and knowledge to invest in marketing the book yourself–if all of those things are true, self-publishing can be more rewarding and more profitable than traditional publishing. But far too many people read things like this and believe they have universal application and end up sitting home dejected wondering why no one is buying the self-published novels they’ve made available on a low-traffic website.
Thanks for stopping by, Larry!
Tiffanny–Bob also said “Managing the workload and learning to wear many hats when it comes to creating content, finding your ideal readers, staying in touch with them, making sales offers, and so much more. Luckily, I love the many facets of working from home and running an Internet-based, info-publishing business – so all this activity suits me well. But I know that many authors struggle with juggling so many things.” so I believe he has pointed out that it’s not easy nor is it for everyone. The reality is that even authors who are traditionally published are responsible for the bulk of the marketing effort for their book. Certainly, self-publishing is not for everyone, but if you are willing to wear the “publisher” hat and put out a top quality book and work to promote it, it can be an excellent option–and sometimes the best option.
Many authors may jump into it, unprepared, then wonder why their book sales languish. But there is a lot of information out there today (this blog included) that explains just what authors need to do to put out a quality product and how to market it.
Thanks a lot for weighing in!
Tiffany, I appreciate the comments and your realistic perspective, but I’ll stick by what I said.
Sue already summed up a lot of how I would have responded. I would only add that there are a LOT of negative stigmas related to self-publishing, which leaves many writers feeling downtrodden and unable to get their work out into the world. If I can be a voice that helps people overcome some of those hurdles (many of them self-imposed), I’m good with playing that role.
Of course you should have your words properly edited. Of course design is important. Of course it takes a LOT of effort and persistence to make it work. And the truth is, most authors won’t reach a wide audience and won’t make much money at all. But some will.
So if I can inspire authors with a little optimism while they’re surrounded by so much doom and gloom, I will have served a purpose — and I’ll sleep well at night doing it
Oh, and thanks for your kind words, Larry!
[...] 11 questions for the indie publisher: Bob Baker- Sue Collier interviews Bob Baker about his self-publishing [...]
[...] This is a distinction that I originally got from Bob Baker, author of 55 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Book on the Internet. Bob got his self-publishing start with a book about indie music marketing, back in the mid-90′s. He told the story in a recent interview about self-publishing: [...]
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