Happy new year! I hope you’re well rested and making plans for 2023.
I admit 2022 was not one of my best years. I had ongoing health issues which hampered my writing efforts. Despite that, though, it gave me time to reflect on what I considered important in my life; writing being one of them.
Before I self-published three years ago, I read that once I hit that “publish” button, my life would change. In some respects, it did. I had more work to do, and like blogging, I had readers to satisfy. The trouble was, I managed to get caught in the belief that to be successful, I needed to write fast. Add on the “fear of missing out,” and worrying about things out of my control, what once gave me pleasure, I soon began to dread. I even considered chucking it all in.
Thankfully, I managed to persevere, believing that my health issues were an opportunity for me to slow down (the slow and steady route has always been my preferred option, anyway). I continued to take a step back from all the noise of social media and have come to realise the three most important things when it comes to indie publishing: –
- Focus on your product
- Do what is comfortable for you, and
- Enjoy the process.
Indie publishing is a lot of work, and we can get so caught up in all the rush we forget why we’re doing this in the first place. Sometimes we need to reassess and take the time to appreciate how far we’ve come.
My husband recently told me to think about my personal satisfaction. Knowing I have created something I am proud of, and that readers enjoy, makes it all worth-while.
If you’re an indie author, have you been overwhelmed, or do you prefer to do it your own way? If you’re not published, which option are you considering – traditional, indie, or both?
I did one novelette (The Hay Bale) via self-publishing, and I did not like the process. Dog Meat (and my upcoming duo-story) was through a small press. It’s much less stressful. I can concentrate on writing and chatting about my stories online while the publisher worries about the cover and the formatting and everything else.
Hi Priscilla. I loved ‘The Hay Bale!’ I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the process of self-publishing, but if you don’t like it, there’s no point in continuing down that path. You don’t know unless you try, I guess. I enjoy it, but I get others to do what I struggle with, like formatting for example. Besides, I’m a bit of a control freak. 😉 I’ve heard good things about small publishers, which is well worth considering. I’m glad you found what suits you best. I’m looking forward to your upcoming release! 🙂
Congrats on 3 years! I chose to be an indie author after learning more about the traditional publishing industry and I’m glad I went that path.
Thank you, Sara. Good on you for indie publishing, which is not an easy thing to do! Traditional publishing didn’t appeal to me either, and it’s getting harder and harder to get into. It was scary to hit that ‘publish’ button for the first time, but I’m glad I took that plunge too. It’s good to meet you. 🙂
It’s so awesome you’ve taken the plunge! 🙂 It’s a good feeling knowing your work is out there.
I’ve done the traditional route (small press) and the indie route. While it sounds nice having someone worry about all the incidentals, it was hard for me. I like more control than a publishing house will give me. (And I don’t like to share royalties.) But everyone has a different opinion, and we all have to do what we’re comfortable with.
Wishing you much success this year, Debbie.
Hi Staci. Those are two of the reasons why I also chose to go indie. It’s good that we have these choices now, if we choose to be published at all. Many thanks for the well wishes! Wishing you the same! 🙂
I’m not published yet, and I think I would try to get traditionally published, but I think I’m more likely to end up as an indie author.
I love your three most important things. Your work is never going to come out the way you want if you’re pushing yourself too hard or not enjoying the process.
Hi Sarah. Thank you! I think it can be easy to get caught up in the ‘next big thing’ when it comes to indie publishing. Yes, it’s good to experiment sometimes, but at the end of the day, it’s doing what works for us. What works for one, doesn’t always work for others. I wish all the very best whichever way you decide. 🙂
I was recently made aware that I’m about to hit the big Ten Years in Indie Publishing, and asked how I would celebrate it. There’s a downer way to face that milestone, which is that I haven’t ‘made it big’ after 6 books. Then there’s the fact that I have the power and responsibility to craft and create my life, which is pretty magical, when you think about it. Love your priority values!
Hi Margaret. Congratulations on ten years in indie publishing! That’s a wonderful achievement! I know what you mean about the downer. These days, I try to focus on the fact that I’ve accomplished something I’ve always wanted to do. Not many people who say they want to write a book, actually do it, let alone publish it. That’s something we can be proud of. Thanks for stopping by, it’s good to meet you. 🙂