Friday, November 18, 2011

The power of customization

Okay, I have actually been working very hard on marketing my novel, writing another science fiction short story, mothering, and finishing a sweater for my son, but while out looking at various blogs, look what I found! Really nifty free blog backgrounds! Here's the link for where I got this one: http://itkupilli-cutencool.blogspot.com/

I'm also prepping for the release of my next indie novel. Ten days after the release of my first one, it's interesting to examine how I feel. While sales have been lower, obviously, then when I had a publisher, I've been able to publish a book that looks and feels exactly how I want. Everything from the text down to the decorative chapter headings and scene breaks was crafted by me.

I've always wanted to be a writer, and my brushes with the publishing world haven't changed that goal,  but now that I've had a taste of what it's like being an indie writer? If I could make a living as an indie author, I'd have my dream job. This isn't because I don't like editors - editing is a very important step of the process and there are fantastic editors who can make a good book great. It isn't because I don't like publishers. Those are hit or miss. Some are good business partners and some aren't. It isn't because I love self promotion. I so don't, but I'd have to do that whether I had a publisher or not.

I love the idea of working directly for my fans with no middle-men. I love being able to set my own publishing deadlines and not have to deal with publishers who move those around. I love knowing that each of my readers has something I carefully crafted for them. It's got all the advantages of handcrafting, plus the advantage of mass production.

So, very much to my surprise, I LOVE being an indie author. Before, when I had a publisher for my chick lit, I wasn't really sure where I was going with chick lit. It seemed like a potential for a little income on the side while I continued to work in science fiction and fantasy. Now, though, I feel like I have renewed enthusiasm for the genre. After I finish this short story, I'm diving into my next chick lit project.

Many, many thanks to the fans, both known and unknown to me, who've posted reviews on Amazon. I really appreciate anyone who's taken the time to do this, and the fact that more than one are people I do not know, is beyond touching. I look forward to continuing to work for these people.

2 comments:

  1. This background looks cool! And good luck on your next project! Sounds like you're absolutely zooming ahead, and all I can say is, keep going! :-)

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  2. Thanks, Melanie! It feels more like crawling than zooming, but I hope it will feel different in hindsight. I never get anywhere near as much written as I hope to. Hope you and yours are well!

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