R.K. Brainerd: Self-Publish Spotlight

Last Updated on September 16, 2024 by ThoughtsStained

Hello, everyone! I hope you’re all having a lovely day. As part of the BLOOD PRICE book tour, I was lucky enough to be interviewed by writing partner and fellow self-pub author, R.K. Brainerd. You can read that interview over on her website! As part of that, I thought it’d be fun for her to answer the same questions here! (And who knows, perhaps start a new dual interview series? 👀)

So, please give a warm welcome to the lovely R.K. Brainerd! 🖤

Interview with R.K. Brainerd

What brought you to the decision to self-publish your debut, Jagged Emerald City? Tell us about your journey of why!

Like many of us, I was so set on traditional publishing at first. I spent probably thousands of hours researching agents, the traditional process, how to make myself stand out (but follow the rules), attending conferences and seminars and everything. I knew about self-publishing, and I learned about it too because I knew I’d likely have to handle most marketing and connecting with readers myself.

I also had many self-publishing writer friends, and found some of my favorite books in the self-publishing sphere. But I wanted an agent; I didn’t want to feel alone in this big thing I wanted to do with my life. Then… I don’t know. Somewhere along the line my brain started going “what if?”

What if I didn’t have to wait to be noticed to get my books out there? What if I could have ultimate control over the story, the cover, how my book was released? What if I didn’t have to wait and wait and wait on others? And maybe it was aging that got me to the point of having the balance between self-confidence and not caring about the rules anymore—but over the course of several months in 2022, culminating in a trip to where JAGGED EMERALD CITY’s magical city is located, I decided to publish it myself. Doing it alone with everything depending on me can be really intimidating sometimes, but I haven’t looked back once since I made the decision! 

What’s been your favorite thing about this publishing path?

Being able to do things on my own timeline. It’s a double-edged sword with ADHD, but being able to work with how my mind functions has been the biggest boon. I also really love being able to have ultimate control over everything. This is always tempered with the understanding that I can always improve, a story can always be better, my obstinate ideas on things aren’t always the right ones—but being able to stay truer to my craft and art is incredibly fulfilling. 

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?

Don’t try to do everything. You’ll burn yourself out so fast; this is a marathon, not a sprint. Try a few things at a time and reject the idea of perfection—there’s always going to be a next book to try out a new writing method, marketing idea, or what have you. Also, be very skeptical of any “this is the way you succeed” author-gurus out there. There are often nuggets of wisdom you can find, and exposure to ideas and methods is great, but don’t succumb to desperation to make it work. You WILL figure out your own path and what works for you, and don’t let anyone tell you you have to do it one way or another! 

What’s something you wish everyone knew about self-publishing?

Self-publishing does not equal bad quality. Someone who is directly managing their own art has a vested interest in making it the best it can be. Sure, the cumulative experience and talent in the traditional publishing industry means there may be higher average quality and polish for the books they produce. That comes from having more eyes and hands on a product. Self-publishing, on the other hand, allows for a boundless creativity and style that can be unmatched. 

What is one thing you’d change about the publishing industry?

Make it less risk-averse! Traditional publishing, with the power it has, could be doing beautiful things. They know what makes books sell: advertising and exposure. So worry less about the big names whose fans are going to keep buying anyway and more on the marginalized, the unique, and the mid-list authors. I get that in our society things are built for making money, but it’s very short-sighted to focus on only a handful of authors, and long term it may even be detrimental. Tied to this, I’d also really love to see better representation—not just in the books produced, but in the editors, authors, and industry experts working in publishing. 

What’s next in your self-publishing journey?

JAGGED EMERALD CITY book 2! It’s taking much longer than I want, which is probably an inherent problem with being ADHD and not having external deadlines (another reason I initially wanted to trad publish, but there are workarounds!) The past couple years also burned me out with some personal issues, which I am now feeling more healed from. This fall/winter is going to be sit down and be serious about it time! 

Who are some of your favorite self-pub writers to support?

J.C. Andrijeski is one of my favorite self-published discoveries! She writes post-apocalyptic sci-fi romance. Honestly, there are so many favorite books I’ve come across in the self-published sphere, I’m a little overwhelmed trying to decide. Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shoutout to self-published peers I’ve had the privilege of befriending over the years: Stephen Coghlan, Kaija Rayne, Ashe Armstrong, Michelle Piper—just to name a few. (I’m sure I’m forgetting someone right now which is sure to haunt me later.) And of course, Nicole Evans is joining this list very soon!!

In Sum

Thank you so much again to R.K. Brainerd for doing this dual interview with me! As one of my favorite writers, friends and inspirations, hearing her insights into the publishing world we’re both in means so much!

You can support R.K. in the following ways: buy her book, subscribe to her newsletter or follow her on Instagram.

And stay tuned for some fun, BLOOD PRICE related announces coming in the next few weeks. ❤️

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