Saturday, October 5, 2019

Why I Love Being An Indie Author

Since the first time I wrote a story and let someone read it, I have wanted to be an author.

My father loved my story so much that it was published in the Virginian Pilot - Ledger Star newspaper in my hometown (where he just so happened to be an editor of said paper) when I was seven years old. 

All through my school career, my English teachers loved me, I was in the newspaper club, the yearbook staff, and I focused on writing in any way that I could. I never thought I could make a career at it.

Then, I got swept up into life and got married, had two children, and wrote when and where I could. As I learned and practiced more, I started to enter my stories into competitions on the internet. I won and was paid for writing my story for The Legendary

After that, I began to consider writing and being published. I wrote and saved over the days as I took care of my family and researched at night while they slept.



I wrote about Drive In Movie Theaters for FilmSnobbery for about a year and enjoyed every minute of it. Drive In Movie Theaters are the best way to experience all movies, by the way.



I kept writing on Tumblr, and Facebook, and Twitter, and all of those other places you find yourself immersed in online and stumbled across CreateSpace. That was it. CreateSpace helps you format and edit not only your words but your book cover! It gave me total creative control over my book and I excitedly started putting my first book together. 


It was done! I had done it! And people were buying it! It was almost a surreal experience.


My second book followed shortly after and I was so excited for the whole process again. I put it together using my own creative control, published, and it was well received as well!


 Now, there are some pros and cons I've found being a self-published author and I'm going to share them with you.

PROS
  • You have 100% creative control. You decide what goes in and what stays out. You have all of the creative freedom in the world.
  • It's an excellent way to learn the process of your craft, all the way down to how books are bound.
  • You get as many copies as you need for promotions, giveaways, and signings for free. 
  • YOU DID IT. Yeah, just that feeling. That feeling of accomplishing a lifetime goal is the biggest pro of being a self published indie author.

CONS

  • MARKETING. Get ready to HAVE to learn everything you never cared about! You should be able to get a marketing degree from Google for all of the tips, tricks, stats, graphs, blahhblahblah you have to research to get even an inkling of a tip or trick to get your book out there. You are definitely going to have to eat it on marketing and just pay someone to do it if you can swing it. I've tried myself and I've paid others to do it and when I've paid others to do it, it always turns out much, MUCH better.
  • You are now grouped in with "What's Up With Needles?!" by Anti-vax Mom and "Hey, Aliens Are Real, Join My Cult!" By Crazy O'Ridiculous or the zillion "Marketing Master Entrepreneur Real Pro Tips" By Basic Business Guy/Gal In A Business Suit on the cover as the type of authors people associate self published authors with. 
  • You are going to learn a lot about royalties. You'll have to learn to negotiate and fight for your work to get the money you deserve. Although, once you can negotiate the right terms, you'll be so happy, especially when you get your first check!
  • It's A LOT of work. Expect to put a lot of work into it. It's more than just writing once you are publishing.




But, it's so worth it. I love being an indie author! I love having complete control over my words and how I present them to the world. But most of all, I proved to that little seven year old girl that yes. Yes, you can write a book. And you will.

And, you did.

I'm working on my third book at the moment which will be another collection of poems. I hope to have it out by next autumn but maybe I will get it out sooner. Either way, I'm excited to be closer to my next publication! 

What do you love about being an Indie Author?


25 comments:

  1. My favorite author just went indie and she seems super happy with her choice. I love supporting indie authors as a book reviewer and never mind helping them promote!

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  2. I recently wrote a book this year and marketing can be tough for some but I would say that we should have an online presence whether it's a blog or social media to promote to our followers.

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    1. Absolutely. The internet is perfect for marketing, especially social media. I think one of the first marketing tips I got was to start a blog once I published my books. It's worked out pretty well, so far!

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  3. There's nothing better than being in control of the way you write. Keep it up.

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  4. Having all the control sounds like it would be a HUGE benefit of self-publishing!

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  5. You know I have been a ghost writer for awhile now, and I've been trying to finish my own book (on the side) but I can't seem to do it. I mean, I can write books for other people but I cannot do it for myself. I've been stuck in the same Chapter for months now and it has not seen progress.

    I admire you. I wish I could publish my work too.

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  6. I've always wanted to have published books, I've always enjoyed reading ever since I was young and I've always dreamed of being an author. Right now, I am posting my stories on wattpad.

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    1. Take those stories and make them into publications! My first book came from getting such a great response for those poems on Tumblr that I wrote so I saved them all and published them!

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  7. I want to be writer and publishing book someday and congrats to your new book and I will support this!

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  8. It is so interesting to learn why other people love to do what they do and especial curiosity for me is the authorship business)))) Congratulations - new book is an achievement.

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  9. I agree on promoting a blog and it had been successful. But self publishing a book and promoting is still tough for me. Hopefully I can crack it well.

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    1. I knew absolutely zero about marketing when I started. Good luck <3

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  10. I love anything Indie. I gravitate more towards films and music that are Indie but this is the first time i read about indie authors. But the premise is pretty much the same: more creativefreedom and more raw thoughts. Good on you!

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  11. Promoting a blog is really important, I would say it is equally important as writing it.

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  12. I do love writing a lot but don't have a big heart to publish it so I choose to keep and let my love friends read it. Promoting a blog is look more easy that publishing and promoting your own book but I am glad you were able to accomplished it.

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    1. I spent many years agonizing over it. My husband has been a huge support system (and my biggest fan)! Keep writing!

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  13. When I self-published my first book I had no idea how to market. It took many failed attempts and advice from other authors before I figured it out. Thanks for sharing your story. =)

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