I write sweet and steamy rom-coms with tear-jerker happy-ever-afters.
  • Home
  • Books and Series
  • FOR READERS
  • Free Stories
  • For Writers
  • BOOK LIST AND CHARACTER DATABASE
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • Contact

This is where we talk all about writing.


I'm still new to indie / self-publishing, but if there's a question you'd like to ask me, please feel free to do so. 
Contact me here.

My Road to Publication

Filipino writers who'd like to self-publish

2/4/2014

7 Comments

 
Hi everyone. Please click here to read my most recent post about self-publishing.
So I was thinking of a way to pay it forward and I thought that for Valentines Day, I'd write some sort of Q&A post about self-publishing for Filipino writers. I need to emphasize the Filipino part since I'm Filipino myself. As such, I'm in a better position to share info, insights and stuff about self-publishing from the Philippines. 

On the other hand, I don't think I'm in a position to offer advice about self-publishing to authors outside the Philippines. Plus, a lot of more experienced authors have already offered really good advice about this so I don't think I'd have anything much to offer.

Anyway, if you've only stumbled upon my site or post and you don't read my books or you don't know anything about me, here's a very brief summary of my writing career so far---
  • I worked as an online content provider / Internet writer for about 8 years. One of my articles was republished by Yahoo! Small Business (content syndication) and another by MarketingProfs.com
  • I once had a literary agent in US but it didn't work out. 
  • I have been rejected too many times to count by numerous literary agents and local publishing companies. 
  • I write steamy romantic comedies. And YA horror when I have time. Oh, and children's stories, too, under my real name.
  • I made the deliberate choice of rejecting certain golden rules about writing (e.g. head-hopping POVs, use of adverbs) when I started self-pubbing. 
  • I get my share of one-star reviews. Most of it have to do with the fact that my heroines are so naive (but hey that's because I tend to be naive IRL too and I keep forgetting to take off my rose-colored glasses) and my heroes are jerks (what can I say? I also believe that reformed rakes make the best husbands). Oh, and that I have too much sex in my stories (errr...no comment. :D).  Lastly, there would occasionally be reviews that say my stories - ex: The Werewolf Prince and I & How Not to be Seduced by Billionaires - are Fifty Shades copycats. However, that's not true and my long-time readers over at Girltalk (a forum on Female Network, owned by Summit Media) will be the first to tell you that my stories were completed way before FSOG became viral.
  • I know for a fact that I have more US and non-Filipino readers than readers here in PH. 
  • I currently have almost 2000 subscribers in my mailing list.
  • I have one traditionally pubbed book here in PH - a chick-lit novella pubbed by PSICOM. This was back in 2007 or 2008 I think. Can't remember now.
  • I now have almost 20 books available on Amazon and other e-retailers. 
  • My best ranking books are The Werewolf Prince & I (Top 250 on Amazon US) and Nick & Lilac (Top 220 on Amazon US and Top 200 on Amazon UK)
  • I became a NYT bestselling author when the Billionaire Bad Boys of Romance Boxed Set (multi-author anthology) hit the COMBINED LIST OF BESTSELLING EBOOKS AND PAPERBACKS on its first week. The boxed set made it to NYT for two weeks.
  • Two of the boxed sets I'm a part of made it to the USA Today - Billionaire Bad Boys of Romance (3 weeks) and Tangled: New Adult Romance Boxed Set (1 week).

If you want something more extensive, I have my Road to Publication story posted here somewhere. 

So basically, that's it. If you think I can answer questions you have about self-publishing then you can post it here as a comment OR if you want to ask anonymously, then you can email me at authormariantee@gmail.com with SELF-PUBLISHING QUESTION as subject line. Feel free to ask anything that concerns you as a self-publisher (e.g. marketing your books, connecting with an international audience, royalties, etc. - anything goes!).

I'll also go through my older emails and share relevant questions (and answers) asked by Filipino readers. 

Expect the post to be up on V-Day. :) 
7 Comments
Dayvin
5/21/2014 05:25:23 pm

Hello, Mariantee!

I'm an aspiring writer/author. I've already written my Sci-Fi, Young Adult novella with 33,000 words and I really think it's 'publishable'. Well, I'm from the Philippines (pure Pinoy) and I know it's very hard for me to get published in the US especially I'm still a minor and I don't have a credit card! I really need help not only because I badly want money but also because I want to share my talent and this story widely! Can you help me? :) Thank you.

Reply
victor john Lao link
4/27/2018 09:29:21 pm

You should not aim to write for money. Authors must have a day job even not related to writing when it comes to income. Focus more on writing passionately and writing articles or on blogs to promote yourself as a writer. There are free selfpublishing platforms online like print on demand sites like lulu.Com and createspace.Com. For ebooks there is kindle direct publishing and kobo. those are just free ways to publish your book online As an indie author. You will wear different hats as writer, editor and marketer.

Reply
Mel Wong
10/23/2020 04:56:44 pm

Hi! Question. :) Foes Kindle Direct accept Philippine based bank accounts? If not, how sid you manage the royalties? I am lost there.

I was exploring self publishing via Kindle Direct these days. I use to write fanfiction stories on a platform called Asianfanfics. I have been writing fanfiction for 7 years now and did it all for free since it was just a hobby and I was reluctant to give up on some loyal readers. But I wanted to see if the stories I write are actually good enough to be piblished. I have a job so it's not going to be my primary source of income. But if the stories can add a little to what I'm making today, it will be helpful. Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you! :)

Reply
Mel Wong
10/23/2020 05:05:37 pm

***Correcting the typos on my previous comment. ;)

Hi! Question. :) Does Kindle Direct accept Philippine based bank accounts? If not, how did you manage the royalties? I am lost there since it seems like Amazon only accepts a very limited list of countries from which the bank accounts must be base from. Philippines is not in the list unfortubately. :(

I was exploring self publishing via Kindle Direct these days. I use to write fanfiction stories on a platform called Asianfanfics. I have been writing fanfiction for 7 years now and did it all for free since it was just a hobby and I was reluctant to give up on some loyal readers. But I wanted to see if the stories I write are actually good enough to be piblished. I have a job so it's not going to be my primary source of income. But if the stories can add a little to what I'm making today, it will be helpful. Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you! :)

Reply
Marian link
10/23/2020 11:22:37 pm

Hi Mel. I actually posted an updated guide for Filipino writers publishing on Amazon - http://www.authormariantee.com/for-writers/updated-self-publishing-101-for-filipino-writers-and-authors. You'll find your questions about payment answered there. But basically, the long and short of it is that you simply create a Payoneer account, which you can then link to your PH bank account. Your Payoneer account, OTOH, will provide you with a US bank account that you can link to your KDP account.

Hope this helps, and I wish you luck on your writing journey! I also started writing for free (mostly original stories though, and just one Vampire Knight fan fic) before eventually finding my way to self-publishing. :)

Reply
Melody Wong
10/23/2020 11:39:06 pm

Thank you so much for being so generous and supportive of new writers like me. :D

Marian
10/24/2020 01:47:19 am

It's no problem at all. Always happy to see more Filipino writers sharing their books with readers all over the world. Feel free to email / msg me using the contact form if you have any other questions. :) I don't always get to reply right away (depends on deadlines), but I do my best to get back to everyone. :)

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Welcome!

    * Starting February 1, 2014, this blog will be dedicated to providing publishing tips for aspiring Filipino writers.
    * This blog is also where I share my theological views and how it affects my life and work as a writer. I consider myself an open-minded Catholic as I also have an uncle who's a Christian pastor. Luke 9:50 Jesus said to him, "Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you."
    I believe with all my heart that it is our personal relationship with God that saves us and NOT RELIGION.
    * Readers, the stuff you want may be found here.

    Archives

    July 2020
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    February 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013

    Categories

    All
    Author Insights
    Book Spotlight
    Catholic And Christianity
    Filipinos Writing
    Free Reads
    Indie Pub Tips
    Kindle Worlds
    Legal Matters
    Psicom
    Quick Tips
    Release Dates
    Resources
    Road To Publication
    Self Publishing
    Taxes Duties Customs Imported Books Shipped To Philippines
    Writing Rule Violations

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.