THE TRIALS OF AN INDIE AUTHOR: FINDING A WAY THAT WORKS
A big thing about being an indie author, is that pretty much everything to do with the publishing process is in your hands. You have to write the book, revise the book, pay for the editors, do the edits, pay for the cover designer, do the promo and formatting, or pay for someone to do both. All of it is in your hands, and that can be exceptionally overwhelming, especially if you're also on a budget or just haven't done anything like this before.
While I do not regret taking the path I did when it came to publishing, I do realise that comes from a position of privilege. I was first published in 2005, so almost 20 years ago. I also got into KDP and the like early on when they were first out there. I made mistakes, I made a whole lot of them, but I am still here. I am still publishing. I've worked with a number of different editors, but have had the same cover designer all the way through, so I've been lucky to have that continuity there.
But I'm also aware that I could not have made it as a trad pub author. Not because there's anything bad about trad pub, you pick the path that works for you, and both are very much valid. I just mean that with the way my health has gone, and the way my writing journey has been, I don't see how I could be sat here with 23 books of varying genres out, if I'd queried and gotten an agent. The trad pub path is very much valid, but it's just not for me. I know a lot of other writers feel the same way, and that's okay. Neither one is better or worse than the other, they both have their pitfalls, and their gains.
That said, going into indie is about finding a way that you can do all the things you need to, and still pay your own bills, still bring about a story and release that will hopefully work for you. Too much of the time I see advice on doing it all on your own, or the opposite of paying through the nose otherwise you will fail, and I'd just like to say that there is some middle ground there. You can find a way that works for you without breaking the bank.
Firstly it's about deciding what things you can do yourself. Like you can write, and revise yourself, but I wouldn't skip an editor of some kind. If you're in a position of only being able to pay for one, go with the dev because I feel like way too many authors stick to line or copy and do not realise that they are missing a chunk of story and plot issues because that's not what those editors do. Now you might be lucky and be able to use beta readers only, or combine them with a copy editor who's willing to give some feedback on the story as well, but do not go into that relationship expecting or demanding it. Make sure you communicate with them, and make sure they are comfortable doing that, and if they're not, respect that.
Now I have zero design skills. I do not have the first clue about that stuff, I can write a brief for a concept for a cover, but I could not design the cover myself. There are some authors who can, and that's great for them, but if that's something you can't do, then go for saving your pennies for this as well. A cover can make or break a book, and it's about making sure you put your best foot forward there.
At the end of the day, you can choose where, and how, you spend your money, but if you want to be able to make some kind of living as a writer and author, then you need to put in the work, and some of that is monetary work. There are people who are willing to barter with you for prices, and there are others who will do payment plans, but at the end of the day, these professionals also deserve to get paid, just as you should, so work out what you can afford, what you can skip, and don't just attach a huge money amount because someone on the internet spent the same so you have to too. It's about finding a way that works for you, and that's okay.
Good luck! Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!
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