Indie Pitfalls

cautionLast week, we focused on identifying and avoiding scams. That’s really just the beginning point. Outright scams are a little easier to avoid than many of the other pitfalls awaiting indies. While most of these other considerations are not necessarily categorized as predation, they can be calamities nonetheless.

As you probably know, there is a lot more involved with being an indie author than just writing your book. Those other necessary steps, including editing, formatting, cover design, and marketing may fall well outside your wheelhouse. There are plenty of people selling those services, but you have to be careful. You do not always get what you pay for.

DO NOT BUY ANY OF THESE SERVICES FROM A PUBLISHER. Legitimate publishers do not charge authors for editing, formatting, cover design, and marketing. Continue reading “Indie Pitfalls”

Indies Unlimited Writers up for Awards

The Indies Unlimited authors are killin’ it. Laurie Boris is a finalist in the Festival of Words competition in the literary fiction category for her novel Drawing Breath. DV Berkom, Carol Wyer, and Laurie Boris are all semifinalists in the Kindle Book Review 2013 Book Awards.

Not to be outdone, Entertainment Weekly has published its top 100 novels of all time. Frankly, there were some names on the list that I didn’t even know. As I perused the list, I was stunned to find that my novel, The Card, was sitting in the #13 spot! Who would have known?

Okay, we can dream. But that’s the point, we can dream. In fact, if you’re not, you might as well stop writing today. It can’t hurt to plaster a couple of things in your writing space that tells what the future can be. I wrote about that a while ago, you can find that here. You may not believe it, but manifestation boards do work. Here’s mine:

I need to do a new one because lots of the things on there came true. Try it, even without believing in it; stick it up on your wall and see how many things you accomplish in a year.

Indie News Beat: Miami Dice

Sometimes you come across a press article which is written in such a way that it makes you wonder where the journalist has been living for the last five years. Then, a moment later, the thought hits you that maybe not everyone in the rest of the world is a self-publishing author like you (although it usually feels like everyone is).

We’re off to The Miami Herald this week, for one of those stories that starts as though it was written in 2007. However, get past the headline and first couple of paragraphs, and an interesting and sobering story emerges of self-publishing successes – and the potential for failure. Continue reading “Indie News Beat: Miami Dice”