Indie Authors Embrace the Whole Process

Indie Authors Embrace the Whole Process - Podcast

I’ve been reading a blog by ‘mixusmedia’ about being an Indie author and one comment stepped of the screen and slapped me in the face.

‘I love writing but not marketing/not first drafting/not rewriting/not editing/not formatting/not networking/not telling the world how great my stories are.’

Oh, I thought, this is so me. I have favourite moments in the writing process, but the one I love the most is first drafting. I was relieved to see I was not the only one who felt this way.

Then I read on –

This mindset is not healthy for an Indie author.

Wait. What? Why not?

Being a successful Indie author, and probably any author, means embracing every part of the process of writing as equally important and equally loveable.

We break it down into steps to manage it, and maybe this is where the problem starts, the labelling and separating, but all of it is important. All of it is writing.

If I want my books to sell, if I want to make some money with my stories, if I want other people to read my books then every step needs to be equally valued.

I am going to explore this idea and its relevance to me and see if I can find a more positive way to look at each aspect of the writing process, to bring joy to every moment I spend creating a book.

“I love first drafting but not rewriting”

A thought that goes through my mind on a regular basis, and one I say often- but this means when I sit to rewrite there is already a negative barrier in my mind and that author companion Procrastination shows up with its friends, Imposter Syndrome and Doubt.

I do love how the story when rewritten–maybe more than once as my first drafts are very messy-becomes more substantial, the character arcs clearer, the scribbly confusing side plots vanish, pacing is no longer an issue, and it gives me the opportunity to understand what the underlying issue of the story is, what I want to say in a way others can understand-this is something I struggle with in conversation.

How can I not classify rewriting as writing?

It is not as easy for me, it definitely is not as fast as first drafting, it also makes me feel uncomfortable as it shows me where my writing is weak, but it is writing, and if I love writing then logic says I love rewriting too. Well, I can try. And I do appreciate knowing where my weaknesses are for if I know them, I can learn and be stronger. Rewriting is a gift in many ways.

I’m going to try saying this instead-

‘I love rewriting as it untangles the wordy knots of first drafts.’

“I love writing but not editing”

Yep, I’m guilty of this one too. I think because it’s so slow and a tad boring, especially when it comes to listening to the computer read it aloud, and I keep finding the same mistake; those damn commas and sticky sentences get me every time.

But each tiny correction; a deleted repeated word, a gap removed, a paragraph shifted, a better word found, a comma splice un-spliced, each one allows the true beauty of my writing to shine, and that has to be something to love.

From now on I’m going to say with a smile-

‘I love editing as it allows readers to dive deeper into the story’

“I love writing but not formatting’

This one is more in the past for me. I have had moments of pure frustration and confusion but I’ve learned through mistakes and research and now have a crib sheet and a list of instructions, easy to put in place when the right time comes and I no longer have to think about this aspect too much, unless I choose a different book size, decide to use a different e-book distributor, or find a new company to print the draft copy for the final edit.

Formatting is such an important part of the process as an Indie, if the book looks as good – or even better in some cases- than a traditionally published book then it stands more chance of being placed in bookshops and libraries. I don’t love it, I just do it.

I’m going to try-

‘I love formatting as it shows how much I value my books.’

‘I love writing but not networking’

Hum, this is a tricky one. I’m not sure I have a strong opinion on this aspect, it’s not something I have thought about to be honest. I know we all need ‘our people’ but I am quite happy to go it alone. I enjoy blogs, podcasts and vlogs as I don’t need to interact but can still learn and feel connected.

I have networked, years ago I started an online writing group for authors at a similar stage of their writing as me, but after a few years it had outlived its usefulness as we were then all on different pathways, and I couldn’t find new people. This group was started after I’d attended a writer’s conference, where I felt as lost and uncomfortable as always in a crowd, but I did meet one author whom I am still friends with, and the original group do keep in contact.

Now, I network online as I write in English but live in France, rarely getting the chance to meet other Indie authors in person, although I have found a group in Switzerland, and I plan to take the plunge and be social for real, one day. I’ve not yet worked out in my head how important this one is for my writing. Probably discovering bookshops willing to take Indie books and maybe some book fairs too which I’d like to do but I am struggling to find ones I can attend or who are willing to let me have some space.

It may be fear or nerves – I’m not great in a group of people- as well as time and money which prevent me from doing more networking rather than a love/hate thing. But I am aware that networking is an important part of the Indie author life if I wish to reach more readers.

Something for me to ponder on-

‘I love networking as it connects like-minded people to learn from and support.’

“I love writing but not marketing”

This is a biggie for me, my favourite of them all, and in some ways, I think that saying this gives me an excuse not to market, or not to persist when the going gets tough, to lie to myself and say, ‘Oh, I don’t care about making money from my stories, I just want people to enjoy them.’

Well, Jenni, how are they going to do that if they don’t know your books exist? And, anyway, of course I’d like my books to sell. Who wouldn’t?

It will be hard to say I love marketing, but I do love what marketing can achieve: the excitement when a book is sold after making an advert; the joy when a new subscriber joins my secret library after reading my blog or listening to my podcast; the warmth in my heart when someone leaves a review, knowing they felt strongly enough about my story to do so, that it had touched them in some way; the satisfaction of likes and views on an Instagram or facebook post about my writing process or my books.

And If I do more marketing and have success–which is defined by me as regularly selling books that are not on a free promotion, covering the cost of paying for professional editing and cover design and yes it would be lovely to have money going into my ever-dwindling bank account now I no longer write educational articles.

If, or should I be saying when this happens, I’ll be dancing in the rain, singing in the bath, and shouting from the rooftops. Now that’s got to be worth a little effort, brain power, and love.

Here’s hoping-

‘I love marketing as it expands my readership and brings financial success.’

“I love writing but not telling the world how great my stories are”

I know many people would say this the crux of marketing, but I feel it’s deeper, more emotional. I can let people know my books exist without saying I think they are great.

My shoulders hunch and I am uncomfortable. It feels wrong, not modest, or humble to say what I write is brilliant. It feels boastful and I am a sixties kid, boasting was frowned upon. I know this isn’t about boasting and I know it’s my low self esteem blocking the way, but I don’t honestly know if my writing is brilliant. Many people have said my stories are good, that they connected to the characters, enjoyed the book, felt involved, saw the underlying message, that they were well written.

Maybe it is time to believe them, to read my books again with different eyes, dig deeper and find what is good and then tell the world through social media what I find.

I can do this-

‘I love believing in my stories are as this connects my stories with the right readers.’

This has been interesting, and quite Zen with changing negatives to positives. I’m going to write the new statements on watercolour paper, decorate them, and hang them in my writing hut as positive messages to my brain.

If you are an Indie author what is your I love…but…? How can you change your mindset?

If you want to use my new statements, go ahead and I’d love to hear how they work for you.

And –

I love writing.