Reflections on a Year of Indie Publishing

Hard to believe, but it's already been a year since I took the indie plunge. Since then, I've published two books: The Boy Who Loved Fire and The Summer of Crossing Lines.

I thought it would be fun to reflect on the past year--what I've learned, what I've loved, and what I'm thankful for. Here are some thoughts as I round out year one.

• Indie publishing is fun. Yes, it's also hard. And yes, it keeps authors very busy. But it sure is fun. The creative control is intoxicating. Editing the manuscript until it's ready for readers is such a worthy challenge. And cover design? Such a thrilling, collaborative experience. Heck, I even loved formatting the manuscripts and uploading them to distributors. For me, the whole process is fun, fun, fun.
• Zero pressure (except the pressure we place on ourselves). No pressure to sell a certain number of copies before the book is yanked off the shelves. No pressure to become a media darling. Sure, I placed pressure on myself to create quality books with eye-catching covers, and I pressured myself to hit deadlines, but those were self imposed. 
• I'm not a bestselling author...yet! (and that's ok). I've experienced so much joy from simply writing stories and preparing them for market. This may sound crazy, but I don't check sales numbers, rank, or lists. Maybe some day I will, but not right now. I'm just busy preparing the next book.
• Time management is a constant battle. I'm a slow writer. For me, my best work comes through time and reflection--not a meat grinder. Other indies release several books a year, but I can't focus on their timelines or I'd be tempted to release my books before they're ready. I do what I can when I can, in a way that makes me proud. You can't ask for much more than that.
• I'm grateful. For every single reader, for every single review, and for every kind word. I'm grateful for Amazon, and Apple, and every distributor who made indie publishing so darn easy. Each time someone downloads my book or orders a print copy, they're placing faith in me. I'm truly thankful for that. These books were labors of love, and it's satisfying to see them out in the world.
• The indie community rocks. I've been blown away by the amount of resources out there. Podcasts, blog posts and resources shared by Joanna Penn, Susan Kaye Quinn, Simon Whistler, and more. Everyone shares what they've learned, which helps other indies. It's awesome.

It's been a fun, exciting year. I've conquered massive fears and learned a heck of a lot. Moving forward, I will continue to write books, improve my craft, and send stories into the world. Indie life suits me!

Have you taken the indie plunge? What was 2014 like for you as a writer? Did you achieve goals? Surpass them? Re-align your priorities? Please share!

Hey, writer! Cross that finish line! #IWSG

Welcome to the October installment of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. *gasp* It's October already! If you want to be a part of this amazing group (inspired by the ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh) click here.

I'm big into podcasts now (I blogged about podcasts for authors here). I recently listened to Joanna Penn's interview with Orna Ross. Lots of good info packed into the interview, but one thing stood out to me: "Finish, even if it's not good."

You see, I'm deep in a tough revision right now. Like, a gut-the-opening and drop-useless-characters kind of revision. There have been days when I've opened the manuscript, revised one page, and then closed the laptop. It's overwhelming. My next step is to use Janice Hardy's tip to create an editorial map.

Orna Ross's advice reminded me that I just need to cross a finish line, even if the finish line is small. Finished one chapter? That's a finish line. Erased one whole character from the manuscript? That's a finish line. Even if those chapters aren't good, the simple act of finishing something is positive. It's one step closer to the ultimate finish line...creating a wonderful story.

I have a lot of hard work ahead of me. But should we ignore something just because it's hard? No. As Susan Kaye Quinn said on her blog, "It will always be hard."

Are you with me, fellow writers? Let's finish, even if it's bad. We can go back and make it good.

Have you ever been mired in a tough revision? Were you tempted to close the manuscript and not finish? Are you ever intimidated by the amount of work that needs to be done?

Podcasts for Indie Authors

My new favorite thing? Podcasts.

Holy cow, there is so much information available for writers on podcasts. Call me a slow learner, but before reading a post by another blogger, I hadn't considered podcasts as a learning tool for writers. (I wish I could remember the blogger's name who turned me on to podcasts for indie authors. If I ever find out his name, I'll be sure to update this post.)

New to podcasts? Here's what you can do:

• Go to Stitcher.com or download the free Stitcher app from the app store
• Create a Stitcher account
• Browse shows based on your interests (publishing, writing children's books, current events, whatever)
• Sift through the many choices (I typed in "Indie Publishing" and over 500 shows popped up)
• Add interesting shows to your list
• When you're ready to listen, download a show and play

The blogger-I-can't-remember had given a few suggestions, and so far I've tried four. I like them all and would highly recommend them. Here they are in the order of my preference:

1. Joanna Penn from the Creative Penn--Most of us have read Joanna's blog, The Creative Penn. Her podcasts are produced with the same topics in mind. She asks pointed questions in her interviews and boils it down for all authors--the small time and big time. Her podcasts focus on indie publishing, but there's plenty of information for all writers and publishers. Plus she has a cool accent.
2. Rocking Self Publishing--Simon, a guy who also has a cool British accent, has great interviews with successful indie authors who offer inspiration and nuts and bolts ideas. His style is relaxed and friendly. He has a great way of turning the conversation back to the topic at hand.
3. Sell More Books Show--This weekly podcast, hosted by Jim Kukral and Bryan Cohen, has a nice back and forth style. They go through the top five publishing news events from the week and offer their opinions. It's interesting to see their take on current publishing news, like Amazon's new preorder option for indies.
4. Self Publishing Podcast--This podcast, hosted by Johnny, Sean and Dave, is entertaining but packed full of colorful language--just a warning. They do a bit of self promo, but it's done in a way that gives authors ideas of what can work and what's worth trying. These guys are fearless and innovative.

Listening to podcasts is an entertaining and productive thing to do while walking or hiking. I simply download a show before my workout, then learn while I'm on the go.

Do you listen to podcasts? If so, are there any you can add to the list? Do you listen to other podcasts? Please share!