Megan Williams, Founder of The Self Publishing Agency.
We love seeing success stories of entrepreneurs who needed something that didn’t exist and created their own. That’s exactly what Megan did with The Self Publishing Agency.
By self publishing her first book (an amazing true story called Our Interrupted Fairytale that we can guarantee you will love) she understood the frustrations and complexities that come with self publishing.
The industry is set up to invest in authors before they are published but then to take royalties on every book published until the end of time. But, what if you could flip that process? Offer a la carte options to help you publish your book and then your book and all the sales from it are 100% yours. That’s exactly what she created with The Self Publishing Agency which has since helped hundreds of authors across North America publish their own books (including three authors from the Bachelor franchise).
Read on to find out how she started The Self Publishing Agency, her career highlights, advice for the next generation of business women and more.
(Pink Tank Group): Congrats on the success of the Self Publishing Agency! How did the idea come about to start the agency?
(Megan): When I wrote my first book, Our Interrupted Fairytale (and when I first met Pink Tank!), there wasn’t a one stop shop that I could connect with to get all my publishing questions answered. I also knew I wanted to professionally publish but didn’t want a one-size-fits-all solution. So, what do we do when the “thing” we want doesn’t exist? We build it ourselves!
Seven years later, TSPA has grown to a team of 20+ managers, designers, editors and printers which help hundreds of authors professionally publish their books in a way that suits their story and lives.
(Pink Tank Group): Becoming an entrepreneur is no easy feat. What has been the hardest part about taking on this role (or the most surprising)? What has been the best part?
(Megan): The hardest part was keeping the faith and staying the course when cashflow was tight. We knew that our business had a market that continued to show potential, but when finances are tight month after month, it’s a challenge to not go looking at quick fixes that take you away from the business’ core functions for something that feels shinier.
For example, we had multiple authors asking us to do their social media for them. It was so tempting to take on the extra income, but we aren’t a social media company and taking on those extra hours would have taken time away from our primary operations and depleted our resources.
So, reluctantly, we declined the income and held on to the faith that it was the right decision to stay the course.
(Pink Tank Group): I love how you have created a strong community of writers in the self publishing world. What is the best aspect of that community that you have created?
(Megan): The best part of our business is when a book, that was just an idea a year earlier, can be purchased at Chapters Indigo, or launches as a best seller on Amazon. Seeing people hold their dreams in their hands is something that never gets old, and keeps our team’s motivations high.
As for community, I feel so proud when I see authors from all over North America buying other books written by TSPA authors because they’ve become so invested in one another’s success.
In several instances, I’ve seen authors meet up when they’re travelling or arrange to meet up. It’s a connection that they found through TSPA’s community, but a camaraderie that they’ve pursued on their own.
It never gets old seeing two authors, who have written books in entirely different genres, meet up for coffee and I find out about it on social media.
(Pink Tank Group): Can you share with us a career highlight that stands out?
(Megan): The first time we signed a New York Times bestselling Author, an Olympian, and a few celebrities who opted to work with The Self Publishing Agency instead of pursuing contracts with traditional publishers. It’s a milestone we have celebrated as a team.
When an author decides to work with us instead of taking a traditional publishing contract is validation that they see the same opportunities that we do to move past the industry gatekeepers, break old rules and change outdated perspectives about what it means to professionally publish a book.
(Pink Tank Group): Do you have any advice for the next generation of business women?
(Megan): When you are specific to what you are asking for, you’re likely to get a more helpful answer than if you ask for general advice.
If you reach out to a mentor or someone that you’re interested in learning from, be thoughtful and level-up your ask so you respect their time AND get specific, actionable advice.
For example, “Any advice about this line of work is helpful” to “is there a job description I should be looking for”?
(Pink Tank Group): Do you have any advice for anyone wanting to write their first book?
(Megan): YES! Start, and don’t look back until you are done. The authors we see who stall out and lose momentum are the ones who start writing and simultaneously start editing. Rather, start writing and don’t stop until your story is purged. Then, bring in an editor.
(Pink Tank Group): What do you think is one thing women can do more to support each other?
(Megan): Financially support one another. Buy services, don’t trade (if you don’t have to). Buy other women’s books, courses, products, whatever their business is, buy it at full price. When you do this, you are supporting their business as well as showing them what they’ve created is strong and valuable.