Indie – I’ve heard the phrase through the years but not in the landslide it’s become today. I remember a folk/rock band called The Indie Girls – I loved their music. Their songs were cutting edge, the raw harmonies like nothing I’d ever heard.
They made a name for themselves by being different.
Like a lot of other authors, I always thought to go the traditional publishing route. When I finished my manuscript (actually before then) I had such a longing to have people read the book, to enjoy it, that I wanted to get it out the fastest way possible. I’d been hearing the term “Indie Author” and “Indie Publishing” but hadn’t really looked into it. After hours of research I decided to try it.
Indies are Awesome! I have to say that right up front, because even though I am one, I wouldn’t be here today without my fellow authors, marketers, readers, website designers, and video trailer designers.
You see, the premise of being an Indie Author is that you do everything yourself. Well, maybe not EVERYTHING…
I did pay someone to make a video trailer for my book (I had no idea where to start and needed the time to finalize my manuscript). I read every book on self-publishing I 
could get my hands on and one of them had a list of people to contact for various phases of the process. I emailed a few video trailer designers, found one that seemed to have the same vision I did, and sent her my material. It turns out she is an Indie Author too. See what I mean? She “got” it. The video trailer is awesome! I had a designer do the cover and together the result was fantastic. The entire process was effortless and I made a new friend. I’ll be contacting her shortly for the second book trailer.
WATCH THE INDIES ROCK BLOG TOUR TRAILER HERE
I had no idea how to format my book for Kindle. I belong to a writer’s group and there are several published authors, both Indie and traditional. One of the Indies offered immediately to do the formatting for me as I was in a time crunch. (I’m not sure the traditionally published authors would have even known how to format.)
Questions, did I ever have them! I joined some Facebook and Twitter groups and made new friends. Not only did they offer help if you asked, they actually offered before you formed the question. With lots of online articles, publishing eBooks (most of them free) and the awesome Indie Authors I now call friends I was able to get my book published with very little problem.
One of my biggest dislikes is having to be everything. Having to be everywhere. As a mom I’ve done that for years, but it wasn’t my intent to have to do it with my writing. However, it didn’t take long for me to realize that I could do many of the things with a little research and help from Indie Authors. Here I have to interject that the term
http://www.stockfreeimages.com
Indie is a broad spectrum. I’ve had marketing experts offer to help me gratis, beta readers, editors, and the like. All of us form a core group of the movement called Indie Authors. Although there is some resentment by a few of those authors
are traditionally published,
many have even tried it themselves and are finding it exhilarating. I love books. I am in heaven in the library. But today most of my books are on a Kindle and I carry the library with me. I didn’t think I’d ever make the switch –I love the feel, the smell, and the touch of books. But I have.
I have a suggestion. Try an Indie Author this week. Pick a genre you like,buy it on Amazon or one of the other publishing sites online and give it a read. You may find a diamond in the rough.
http://www.stockfreeimages.com
L.LEANDER BOOKS 
