Roland Denzel: Don’t Be Afraid to Write in Your Own Voice
Roland Denzel
Courtesy of the Author
[A shortened version of this spotlight appeared in the November/December 2023 issue of Writer’s Digest.]
Roland Denzel
Man on Top, The Real Food Reset, The Author Brain (forthcoming)
(Health, wellness, nutrition, and authorship; Fit Ink Publications)
Why self-publish?
My first book, Man on Top, was a fitness book for overweight men who didn’t love fitness. Publishers back in the early 2010s didn’t seem interested. I assume they thought that not enough people would buy it. And while it might be true they wouldn’t reach the numbers they needed for the book to be successful, my goals were different. I wanted to reach people just like me—busy guys who were overweight, didn’t love fitness, and didn’t want to turn their lives upside down just to be fit. They were an underserved community, and helping them was important to me. And, because I was also a health coach and nutritionist, I wanted my book to reach the perfect reader for my style of coaching.
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Had you considered traditional publishing?
Actually, my coauthor, Galina Ivanova Denzel, and I have one traditionally published book, Eat Well, Move Well, Live Well: 52 Ways to Feel Better in a Week. For nonfiction authors, a traditionally published book can be a stamp of approval. It was helpful to get speaking engagements, write magazine articles, and to get on TV and radio. A publishing company put their trust, money, and reputation on the line for us, and media outlets take that seriously. You can still do those things as an indie author, but it can be a lot of work to gain the trust of someone who might not have heard of you when you’re your own publisher.
Indie publishing appeal?
Publishing exactly the books you want to publish. Yes, that means all the mistakes are on you, too. As an indie publisher, you have the ability to make changes immediately when you need to. Indies can turn on a dime when it comes to publishing in a way that a traditional publisher can’t. Whether it’s adding a chapter, changing the cover or back cover copy, or just fixing a typo, the power is in your hands.
Biggest Challenge?
Marketing. Although, since I have a traditionally published book, I know they have the same problems indies do! Indies have an advantage, though: You can do more with less money, have more control over your books, and use your more personal connection to readers to sell more books.
Wish I’d known:
A series is easier to sell than standalone books. The readers who read the most books, tend to love books in a series. And, from an author’s perspective, it’s much easier to sell the next book to readers when it’s directly connected to the previous book. For fiction, that’s often the sequel or a prequel. For nonfiction authors, think about what readers of your current book would want to read in your next book. It could be a deeper dive or just a closely related topic, but your readers should think of it as the next book in your series.
Learn more from Roland Denzel.
Roland Denzel
Writing advice:
First, don’t be afraid to write in your own voice, even if it’s more casual or funky than your English teacher taught you. There are lots of books with similar stories or topics, but the readers who become your true fans will do so because of the personality you put into your books, not just because of what you write.
Second, hire someone to look at your book at the big picture level before you spend time polishing it up too much. Fiction and nonfiction both need a structure that works if you want your writing to resonate with readers and keep them coming back for more. Authors need outside eyes until they’re more experienced.
Publishing advice:
It helps to think of your first few books as a hobby, not a business. People will spend hundreds on a hobby with no expectation of making it back, but authors think $250 for a book cover is wasting money. Just because you can indie publish for free doesn’t mean you should. Put money into a hobby account while you’re still writing so you can pay for an inexpensive cover and editing when the time comes.
Order a copy today.
Roland Denzel
Marketing Strategy:
My email list is my number one marketing tool. I offer free content that’s directly related to what my ideal reader would like. Once they join my list, I can email them about all of my books over time. Since I write nonfiction, I can also tell them about my courses, coaching, and events.
Don’t Skimp On:
Editing. Especially at the start of your author career. Editing isn’t just correcting typos and fixing grammar. A good editor can look at the big picture, helping you create a book that will make your readers buy your next book, too.
Connect with Roland Denzel:
Instagram: @IndestructibleAuthor
Awards
Foreword Indies – 2016 INDIES Gold Winner for Eat Well, Move Well, Live Well: 52 Ways to Feel Better in a Week
Improve your nonfiction writing with this Writer’s Digest University online course taught by Mark Spencer.
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