Writing a book series no one asked for may be one of the most massive creative commitments on Earth. And that’s especially true for indie authors. 

Collaborative art projects—film, television, theatre, etc.—strike me as equally bonkers in terms of their ambition. You get a lot of competing ideas about the final product. Sometimes the piece you worked on ends up on the cutting room floor. 

But writing is, by and large, done by solo creatives.  

And in the modern publishing space, books are increasingly published by sole creators, too.  

I started thinking about Anna Lin, Dave Montcalm, Jason Lin, the skyworms, and a bunch of characters you still haven’t met in Spring 2014.

This April, they’ll have been with me for a full decade of my life. 

It’s a long time to think about the same characters and their problems. 

For this reason, I have great sympathy for George R. R. Martin. He’s been thinking about Game of Thrones, Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, and all the rest since, oh, 1988. And probably longer. 

Because no matter how much I, as an admirer of Martin’s, want those last books to be done (especially after how the series ended, gah), I know he wants to be finished even more. 

Consider how tired he must be after more than 35 years on the same project. Thinking about my own work sometimes makes me want to take to my bed, and it’s only been a decade. 

Getting a fantasy series off of the ground is a heavy lift.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far.

Surprise! That first draft was a whole series 

In 2015, I finished the first draft of Chaos Calling. Little did I know, I’d written a whole series.

In the plot maps and journals from when I wrote the second draft of what became Chaos Calling and will one day be Chaos Armor, it’s clear that I thought I had a trilogy.

Roughly from 2016 to 2019, the story existed as one book–which seems like utter madness now! Past me estimated that I would be done, with all three books published, by 2025. Maybe 2026 at the latest. 

Great, I wrote back then, with zero awareness of my naivety. I’ll be in my 40s. Young enough to still travel easily and meet readers while taking the victory lap that may come from having a completed series. 

Well friends, it’s January 3, 2024. I’m in my 40s. Only one of my books—in what is most likely a five-book series—is out. 

On December 31, 2023, I finished Book II’s fourth draft.

In part, I’m posting to celebrate its existence for the first time as a fully-fleshed out, self-contained book. The manuscript now enters what I anticipate will be an 18-month production phase. That assumes its timeline will follow a similar path to what I experienced for Chaos Calling. I won’t really know until I finish. 

As I fix page numbers, I keep thinking back to that past self as she stands in the subway doors, furiously writing on her phone. And I think of her with so much love.

Because if she’d known the scope and magnitude of what she was tackling, she may have given up.

Writing a book series is not for the faint of heart.

Writing a Book Series in 2024

On average, self-published books sell 200 copies through the author’s personal network. 

Some of the most stunning data to come out of that wild Penguin vs Simon & Schuster lawsuit? Many traditionally published books also only sell a handful of copies.

We’re talking less than 12. 

I can proudly say that I beat both scales handily in my first year, and continued to challenge my sales numbers in Chaos Calling’s second year. If I’d based my success on those metrics, I may have viewed my project with more wisdom. I would definitely have saved myself a lot of grief. 

But I’m ambitious. It’s my nature. I wanted to sell 5,000 copies in one year and, long-term, a million copies of my series. 

I still do. And it hurts that there is no shortcut to that outcome.

I may never achieve that depth of readership. Or it may happen after I’m dead. After all, I wouldn’t be the first author that’s happened to.

Since starting this project, I’ve thought a lot about Jane Austen. She had no idea what her work would become when she died. She never saw a word of the critical success or a dime of the massive fortune her books continue to earn. 

That woman’s pen produced a billion-dollar, critically-acclaimed literary empire.

And when you consider how much the fear of poverty and homelessness runs like a wound through her books and letters . . . well, friends, that breaks my fucking heart. 

Calling a truce with my ego 

I chart the novel I’m working on using this wall.
As you can see, it’s beautifully blank right now.

When I started, writing a book series was never my goal. Yet, it’s where I landed.

Sometimes I want to write other books.  Sometimes it feels like The Xenthian Cycle will never be done.

Yet I remember looking at my Book II sticky wall in January 2023. Only four out of eight purple stickies for Jason’s chapters had checkmarks. Checking off every chapter in the book felt impossible. 

In total, I wrote over 107,0000 words this year. And Chaos Armor’s current draft is complete.

While I congratulate myself on achieving that goal, I am also working to accept that my books’ fate is entirely out of my hands. That’s a truth you’ll hear authors acknowledge, but there’s extra mind-fuckery involved when you’re also the publisher and marketing team. 

In my bones, I believe in The Xenthian Cycle. That belief keeps me coming back to write and market this story.

I’ll deliver it to the best of my ability. And only a small readership may ever care. 

I have to be okay with that, and make the art I make. 

~

Perhaps you’re reading this post on an idle Thursday. Maybe you’re writing a book series, too, or feeling the creative weight of your other dreams.

If you are, I feel for you. I have been in the dark place before, and I will be there again. We all get knocked down.

So get up with me, and let’s take the next step. I know that we can do it.

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It’s a huge milestone for me and the series!

You can read the full review on the Kirkus website.

What, what is a Kirkus Review?

The three trade publications that cover books are Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist and Kirkus Reviews. 

If you take a look at the jackets of popular mainstream books, you’ll likely see one or all three shops mentioned in the blurbs trying to convince you to buy the book.

In marketing land, that kind of endorsement is called social proof. It helps you take a chance on something new because someone else has told you it’s good.

For example, here on the right is the front matter for Leigh Bardugo’s Crooked Kingdom. As you can see, her book designer has prominently referenced feedback from both Booklist and Kirkus Reviews: 

As an indie author, getting the attention of industry players is never a sure thing.

I don’t have a publisher or agent to vouch for me in those circles.  

How do you get a Kirkus Review?

I submitted Chaos Calling for a review back in October. Participation is pay-to-play (and in USD, too, owww), but that only opens the door.

There’s no guarantee the reviewer who receives the .pdf copy you send will like the book. And their submission process is very blunt about that to manage your expectations. You also aren’t told who the reviewer is and the post is anonymous.

I waited six weeks to hear back. I did my best not to think about it during that time. Having the insanity of the holidays to prepare for made that easy.

What did the Chaos Calling Kirkus Review say?

When I got the review back on December 27, I was thrilled. They didn’t give it a Kirkus star (the highest blessing), but they did say some damn nice things.

I can’t tell you how gratifying it was to see the reviewer comment on the character development and pacing.

I worked so hard with my beta readers and editorial team to get those aspects of the book right. It feels amazing to see them singled out here as strengths of the reading experience.

Read the whole review here.

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TORONTO (June 27, 2022) — E. M. Williams has published Chaos Calling: Book I of The Xenthian Cycle on Amazon as a paperback.

Set in contemporary Toronto, the series juxtaposes modern-day careers and parenthood demands with the dynamic action of a superhero film. In keeping with that choice, Chaos Calling‘s diverse cast also features adults in their mid-30s with superhero-like powers.

“I’m a long-time fan of superhero stories,” says Williams. “Toronto is a popular place to film all kinds of movies and TV shows. But, few fantasy and science fiction stories are set here. I was excited to tell a story where Toronto could be itself.”

Chaos Calling features many recognizable Toronto locations, including the SkyDome, Queen’s Park, the Stockyards, MaRS Discovery District, and Montecito Restaurant.

“My characters’ careers reflect my experiences working in healthcare and startups,” says Williams. “I’ve lived in Toronto all of my adult life, and it was important to me to create a cast of characters who reflect the wonderful people I’ve met here.”

Chaos Calling‘s paperback edition named a #1 Hot New Release

Like the Chaos Calling ebook edition, the paperback edition also charted on Amazon’s Hot New Release list. It held the #1 position in Contemporary Fantasy on June 29 and 30, 2022. The book continues to rank strongly in the category.

Chaos Calling’s paperback edition also climbed the bestseller list in contemporary fantasy, achieving a #12 ranking alongside genre classics such as Harry Potter and newer releases, such as Holly Black’s Book of Night, Naomi Novik’s Scholomance Series, and Olivie Blake’s The Atlas Six.

“I’ve been reading authors like Naomi Novik, N. K. Jemisin and Margaret Atwood for years,” says Williams. “It’s a thrill to see my book listed alongside work of theirs and other peers in this genre every time it happens.”

Read more about the novel’s early sales success.

Balancing work and writing life

Beginning in 2014, Williams wrote three drafts of Chaos Calling using the Wattpad app while riding the TTC. She finished the novel during the Covid-19 pandemic. Across the project, she worked with 26 beta readers, two sensitivity readers, an editor, a copywriter, and a proofreader.

Williams also collaborated with several Toronto designers to create a strong reading experience. For example, she worked with illustrator Helen He to visualize the series villains. Designer Wesley Lyn used He’s sketches to create the book cover for Chaos Calling and design the series brand.

“So many people encouraged me along this journey,” says Williams. “I’m excited to share this novel and help it find readers while I work on the sequels.”

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TORONTO (May 31, 2022) — Today, E. M. Williams publishes Chaos Calling: Book I of The Xenthian Cycle on Amazon as an ebook.

Set in contemporary Toronto, the series juxtaposes modern-day careers and parenthood demands with the dynamic action of a superhero film. 

Consequently, Chaos Calling‘s diverse cast also features adults in their mid-30s with superhero-like powers.

“I’m a long-time fan of superhero stories,” says Williams. “Toronto is a popular place to film all kinds of movies and TV shows. But, few fantasy and science fiction stories are set here. I was excited to tell a story where Toronto could be itself.”

Chaos Calling features many recognizable Toronto locations, including the SkyDome, Queen’s Park, the Stockyards, MaRS Discovery District, and Montecito Restaurant.

“My characters’ careers reflect my experiences working in healthcare and startups,” says Williams. “I’ve lived in Toronto all of my adult life, and it was important to me to create a cast of characters who reflect the wonderful people I’ve met here.”

Chaos Calling named a Hot New Release in contemporary fantasy

In April 2022, preorders for the Chaos Calling ebook launched on Amazon. It was named a Hot New Release in contemporary fantasy, and remained in the Top 80 until launch.

Readers can also experience the ebook through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Program. It allows subscribers to read an unlimited number of books for a set fee. The trade paperback edition is forthcoming in June.  

Beginning in 2014, Williams wrote three drafts of Chaos Calling using the Wattpad app while riding the TTC. She finished the novel during the Covid-19 pandemic. Across the project, she worked with 26 beta readers, two sensitivity readers, an editor, a copywriter, and a proofreader.

Williams collaborated with several Toronto designers to create a strong reading experience. For example, she worked with illustrator Helen He to visualize the series villains. Designer Wesley Lyn used He’s sketches to create the book cover for Chaos Calling and design the series brand.

“So many people encouraged me along this journey,” says Williams. “I’m excited to share this novel and help it find readers.”

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Pre-Launch Campaign: Week 1

Chaos Calling: Book 1 of the Xenthian Cycle has been live on Amazon for just over a week. Like any self-published author, I hoped you would be excited to see the book’s cover and title. I also hoped some of you would pre-order a copy. 

I had zero expectations for what actually happened. 

Last November, I picked May 31, 2022 as my launch date. Book people launch things on Tuesdays, I’m told. My plan was to announce the book’s existence and drop the cover six weeks ahead of time on April 19. 

Thanks to my background in marketing for the tech sector, I’ve run public and private launch campaigns before. Four weeks can be too short a window to establish a new idea and get traction. Nine is waaaaay too long. Six seemed like the ideal middle ground. 

I uploaded the files a few days early since Amazon’s site advises that you may need up to 72 hours for it to clear their backend. Everything loaded without issue. 

Find Chaos Calling by Amazon market: 
                                    
Please note all editions are currently in English and translations are out of scope.

Tuesday, April 19: Pre-Launch Campaign Day 1

I scheduled the cover drop/title reveal email to go to my subscriber list at lunchtime EST. Since I ran a split test for the subject line, it didn’t fully deploy until 2 pm. My supporters are a small but mighty group, and they responded. My open rate was 81 percent (thank you, awesome email subscribers—I adore each and every one of you).

I was busy with work until late Tuesday afternoon when I paused to tell my peeps in the GrowClass Slack channel about the soft launch. They’ve followed my writing journey for some time and, since they’re all growth marketers, love hearing about campaign work as it evolves. Earlier this year, I presented my book launch plan to the Mastermind Jam group and got some excellent feedback (so grateful!). They gave me confidence that I was in a good place because they’re amazing, but also seasoned pros. 

While I gathered up my materials to post the news, I checked the Amazon Canada listing. And then I did a double take.  

Seeing the book ranking in Amazon’s Contemporary Fantasy (ebook/books) and Urban Fantasy categories was deeply satisfying. A lot of self-publishing sites emphasize the importance of choosing your category wisely. I think of The Xenthian Cycle as Fantasy Action, but there’s no subcategory for that (hold my proverbial beer). So, I spent a long time researching novels by my intended peers and debating where to list the book. 

The payoff to that strategy felt AMAZING. 

By the end of the night, Chaos Calling was on Amazon’s “Hot New Releases” list. I was floored, especially since that books also listed are by authors I’ve admired for years. 

I went to bed with a smile on my face. 

Wednesday, April 20: Day 2

Wednesday morning, I woke up to this text from a friend:

And it kept going. 

By 5 pm on Wednesday, I’d cracked the Top 20 in my category for best sellers:

I mean, Margaret Atwood? N. K. Jeminsin? Diana Gabaldon? Naomi Novak? Harry freakin Potter? I’ve read all of these books, and enjoyed them. 

Also, mad respect to the self-published authors  whose work you also see in these lists—I look forward to discovering your stories for myself.

But there was Chaos Calling, sitting right beside The Atlas Six. 

And it kept climbing. 

And climbing.

Later, my soul left my body for a couple of minutes when this happened: 

At one point, I spotted Chaos Calling’s cover in the middle for the hot new releases widget (see below):

I won’t lie. On Wednesday night, I did a lot of shrieking. When you’re five days into living your dream with this kind of astounding feedback, there are no words, only sounds. 

Thursday, April 21: Day 3

If you’re curious (and I was), Amazon lists 60,000 books in contemporary fantasy.

On Thursday morning, this was still happening:

At its peak, Chaos Calling was:

• #657 in all of Kindle for Amazon Canada
• #7 Contemporary Fantasy Bestsellers (Kindle)
• #8 Contemporary Fantasy Bestsellers (All Books)
• #38 in Urban Fantasy Bestsellers
• #2 in Hot New Releases, right behind Margaret Atwood’s short story, “My Evil Mother”

So, how many copies did you buy? 

I have no idea. I can’t tell if this result came from 10 sales, 100, or 1,000.

Talking with peers, I’ve learned the backend of Amazon’s sales analytics is somewhat murky. They undoubtedly have the data to tell me exactly what I want to know (how many copies by city per hour, please and thank you), but that would mean making their data transparent to their competitors. 

The kicker? Canadian sales data is rolled INTO the American numbers. Which means I can’t access historical Canadian sales data at all, where my biggest spikes came. 

Like, I know we’re a small market, but seriously? SERIOUSLY?? 

The data-driven marketer in me is real salty about that.

My best bet is apparently to wait 90 days for the royalties report, which is where the deductive reasoning kicks in. 

Beyond My Wildest Dreams

As I write this post, however, I’m conscious that in the grand scheme of things, sales operations do not matter. After seven and a half years of talking the ears off of my family, close friends and co-workers every chance I got, Chaos Calling is out there. Even in countries I’ve never visited, like Japan, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Germany, France, and India. 

And without a single public review to give you a sense of whether this thing I wrote is any good, you answered in spades. That trust is beautiful. 

I suspect that the gorgeous cover, designed by Wesley Lyn using conceptual illustrations by Helen He, is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Thank you, Wes and Helen, for your extraordinary work. I’m so grateful to collaborate with you. This is only the beginning!

To everyone who bought an ebook, told a friend, asked to get on the Chaos Calling paperback list, added Chaos Calling to an Amazon wish list or their GoodReads TBR, followed the completely unhinged rankings climb, sent me screenshots so I wouldn’t overlook things, or liked my social media posts — thank you, thank you, thank you! 

YOU ARE THE BEST. 

I also want to thank the grade school classmates, high school friends, current colleagues, and co-workers from jobs five or six boats back who reached out in support.  Your enthusiasm is both humbling and infectious. 

As a pair of my self-publishing peers and long-time mentors said over Slack Thursday morning:

It still takes my breath away.

Reluctant as I am to come back to Earth, I’m now working on the pre-order campaign’s second week, making ebook ARC copies, and getting that paperback edition ready to upload. 

Waving,

emw

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