IWSG: Becoming an Indie Author.

Published on by Debbie Johansson

This month, for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, my insecurity is on high alert. No, let’s be realistic. Make that extreme! My insecurity this month is on an all-time high because this month I become an indie author.

It’s going to take some time to get used to calling myself that. Despite blogging and being on other forms of social media, I’ve become used to being a writer with no real deadlines to meet or any form of expectations from others. Pressing that ‘publish’ button now changes things, taking it to a whole new level. Now that I’ve committed, I’m in it for the long haul.

And it’s being committed for the long haul that I know is something I can do. Pursuing a writing career has been my goal since I was ten and I’ve done everything I can to get to this point in time. It’s just the perfectionist in me that is having a bit of a struggle. 😉

When I take a step back and really give the situation some thought, what frightens me the most is what other people will think of my writing. Will they like it or not? This then evokes imposter syndrome. Having spent a lifetime surrounded by negativity, this is what I seem to be struggling with the most. Realistically, I know that what I write is not going to be to everyone’s taste and that’s okay; these people are not my ‘tribe’. The trouble is, I am worrying about something that is out of my control. When I stop thinking about that, everything seems fine.

Of-course I’ve thought about the marketing aspect of indie-publishing, but for now, I’ll be sticking with the ‘soft launch’. During this early stage, I’m still learning and there will be some trial and error while I continue to work on my current projects. Over the years, I’ve experimented with different social networks and have now come to stick with the ones I feel the most comfortable with. And this is what I’ve decided I need to do. Do what I feel comfortable doing and take things one day at a time.

My daughter has now finished school, so that marks the end of our school lives. Our household is now entering a new phase. It’s therefore, the perfect time to make the leap into indie-publishing. I’m experiencing a lot of different emotions – nervous anxiety mixed with excitement and relief. I guess I could be feeling like this for some time yet! 😉

There comes a time when one must bite the bullet and say enough is enough. That time for me has finally arrived.

Okay, when I’m not stressing, this is me!

My short story, The Ghost at Willow Creek, will be available soon as an eBook through Amazon. I will be posting shortly with further details.

If you are indie published, how did you work through your insecurities? When it comes to writing, do you worry about things out of your control? Do you tend to stick with what you are comfortable with?

The purpose of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds.

Main image courtesy of Unsplash

41 thoughts on “IWSG: Becoming an Indie Author.”

  1. Hi,
    First, congratulations on your upcoming release. Wishing you a successful launch.
    As for indie publishing, I haven’t gotten that far yet, so I can’t say anything about it outside of I think it is a lot of work but very exciting. That might become an option for me. I just don’t know yet.

    As for writing, I am right there with you. Since I have finished my first manuscript the imposter syndrome has been haunting me, and then there is the content wolf that wants to make me believe that my manuscript is something that it is not, as it tries to stripped me of my confidence. I am beginning to think these are symptoms that happen to all writers and slowly I am learning there is nothing wrong with me, and I am doing my best to let these fears fuel my momentum to keep moving forward.
    Have a lovely month of November and all the best.
    Shalom aleichem,
    Pat G @ EverythingMustChange

    1. Thanks, Patricia! I’ve been listening to a writing podcast lately that says that even well-known authors still suffer from imposter syndrome. They say that the only way to deal with it is to work through it. It’s good to know we’re not alone! Congratulations on finishing your manuscript – best of luck with it! Thanks for stopping by and being a co-host this month. 🙂

    2. Congrats on finishing your first manuscript, Pat G! I’m dealing with imposter syndrome and I haven’t even gotten halfway through my novel.

      I think you’re right. We all deal with that insecurity. I’m not sure how many of y’all are doing NaNoWriMo this November, but it’s been an invaluable goal setting tool & community to help me push through those “I’m just not good enough” blues.

      Good luck, friends!
      <3 Anna

      https://lionbriar.home.blog/

    1. Thanks, Madeline! The ‘soft launch’ approach suits me right now. I may gradually work my way to something a bit bigger once I get over this learning curve. 😉

  3. Congratulations! How exciting! Your comments mirror a lot of my own feelings about writing, being a writer, and publishing. I’m putting together a short story collection that is on track for indie publish in the spring. I just need to keep those demons of doubt at bay. I’ll be watching for your story.

    1. Thank you, Lee! Best of luck with your short story collection! I’ll be keeping an eye out for it. 🙂

  4. Congrats on becoming an indie author!!! That’s awesome news! Everything that you’ve written about, publishing, sending your work out into the world for people to critique, marketing, it’s all nail biting times. Good Luck and wishing you great success!

    1. Thank you, Cathrina! It certainly is nail-biting times! 😉

  5. I think you have to remember how everyone has an opinion. Be firm in you and your talents and go forward with it. This is your dream. Happy IWSG Day 🙂

    1. Thank you, Erika! I appreciate your words. My husband tells me that if people don’t like it, they’re not my audience. I just have to find them. 🙂

  6. Wahoo! Congratulations on being able to hit PUBLISH! You’ll have to keep us up to date on how it goes!

    1. Thank you, K.J! I’ll keep you all posted. Perhaps my next post for IWSG will be ‘what was I thinking?’ 😉

    1. Thanks, Anna! I might actually have a drink to celebrate. These days one would be more than enough for me. 😉

  9. Congrats on becoming an indie author. Yes, it was scary at the beginning (8 years ago). But for me it was the right thing to do. I’d had it with small trad pubs who kept so much of my money while I did the work. I don’t regret going indie. Best wishes on your launch.

    1. Thank you, Diane! I’m glad that indie publishing has worked out for you. I hope it will prove to be the right choice for me too. 😉

    1. Thank you, Lynda! Best wishes to you also! 🙂

  11. Congrats! Had the same fear of what people will think when I hit publish for my poetry chapbook. Remember the feeling of excitement and anxiety because you’ve published a story someone wants to read. And would want to read more of your work.

    1. Thank you, Lidy! I hope you’ve managed to overcome those fears a lot better now. I’m hoping that the excitement will begin to kick in soon, after all, it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time. 🙂

  12. I know I don’t really know you, but congrats! That’s a huge step for any author, and I can totally relate to how mind-boggling it is. Just take things one step at a time, and should you need any help, all of us fellow WordPress authors are here for support!

    Also, I’m super curious about your story and would love to check it out once it’s available!

    1. Thank you, Jonny! It’s taken me a long time to get to this point, so I’m being overly-cautious. Small steps, right? 😉 Thanks for the offer of help! The on-line writing community has been great and I wouldn’t have got this far without them. Thanks for the interest in my story, too, it’s much appreciated! 🙂

      1. Yeah, it definitely takes a while to get to that point, and once you do, it definitely feels like there’s no turning back.

        Small, cautious steps are perfectly fine until you find your footing. 🙂

        Sure thing, I’m always on the lookout for great new authors, and you seem to have a great mindset. You’ll go far with that, I just know it!

    1. Thank you, Alex! One of the things that has worried me is marketing due to the amount of advice out there. Doing too much would take the joy out of it, I feel, which is why I’m taking things slowly. And thank you for the IWSG – you’ve all been wonderful! 🙂

  14. Insecure Writer’s Support!

    What a great name. My insecurity lead me to take 18 years before I finally bit the bullet and sought publication.

    Keep up the good work!

    1. Thanks, Michael! And congratulations to you too! 🙂

  15. Hi Debbie congratulations on your book. I just followed your site because as another writer and now indie author I really need the support 😊 it will be good to know a fellow IA. Anyone else on here please feel free to follow me and I will follow back – I’m a reader too so have at me with your books and I will go take a look

    1. Thank you, Kate and congratulations on getting published! It’s a big step and I know at this point in time it could take a while for the reality to sink in. 😉 Thanks for following and if you need any help or support, I’ll be happy to help or point you in the right direction. This is a whole new journey we’re going on, so it’s always good to meet up with others who are on the same path. 🙂

  16. Congrats! I tend to have zero expectations. That’s how I navigate. I do my thing on my side, expecting that getting great books out there will get fruits. I wish you a lot of success. Have a great IWSG day!

    1. Thank you! At this stage I don’t have high expectations either as I’m just starting out. I think it’s better too in some ways as there will a lot of trial and error. As you say, putting out great books will eventually get results! 🙂

  17. Congratulations and best wishes for your upcoming release.

    1. Thank you, Damyanti! And congratulations to you too! 🙂

  18. I was slightly less stressed about that part because a lot of the stories in my first solo collection had been published in traditional magazines/anthologies ahead of time, so I had a taste of feeling “accepted” ahead of time. But it’s still nerve wracking thinking about putting out a novel that’s never had a publisher’s eyes on it. Good luck!

    1. Thanks, Shannon! Congratulations on having your stories published in an anthology! What a great way to get started. 🙂

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