Why I’m an indie author re-visited — A Writer’s Convenient Truth
I’ve been suffering “blog burnout” for some time. To counteract it I’m rewriting older posts with some new content as well.
If I was under a contract to a big company, I could only write the books that I was under contract for. I could write other things, but I’d likely have to sit on them for a different deal,= or have to publish them under another publisher, under a pseudonym.
As an indy, I can publish whatever I want whenever I choose to.
Example: I’m writing a short story for my email list (set in the ‘world’ of my novel) and have the outline for a non-fiction work after I’m done with the novel, as well as notes for another series… my mind is busy!
Advantage: indie pub
Independent Truck Company logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
If I was under a contract to a big company, I would be hampered to writing in just one genre, and just one style. If I was signed for one series, I would be forced to write for that series alone. If it was for novels (it often is) I could only write novels and not short stories or non-fiction (the exception being if they help to drive interest to your contracted novels, and if they don’t affect your contract time).
[Of course, Steven King, James Patterson, and J.K. Rawlings are exceptions to this rule.]
As an indie pub author, on the other hand, I can write and publish whatever I want and when I want to. I can start one series, then another, then put out an unrelated short story or a non-fiction work. I have that freedom.
See what I said above.
Winner: INDIE PUB
People under contract to a big publisher have no control over how their work is presented.
Indie pub authors control every aspect. The cover art is what they chose, as are the fonts (for a hardcopy book; for eBooks it’s still not under your control) and even illustrations inside the book.
You can print on demand and/or e-publish on Kindle/Nook/epub/Smashwords/whatever you choose.
[If you pick the Kindle KDP program you can’t try another for 90 days..]
ADVANTAGE: INDIE PUB
Audiobook? Indy Pub authors can do this at will, and profit from it. Authors on contract can too — if they’re on the contact to get paid for it. Otherwise, the publisher might produce one, but all profits go to them.
ADVANTAGE: INDIE PUB
To play Devil’s Advocate, there is a big negative: all the costs (art, editing, advertising, etc.) come to you. After your first work sells, you can set money aside for the next one, but that first one may cost a lot.
grudging win: traditional pub
Novels in a Polish bookstore (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The one minus doesn’t outweigh the positives, though.
Originally published at www.jabwriter.com on January 24, 2017.
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Aw… Medium! Don’t you DARE be sour! CLAP for your someday famous message poster, and feel the power! It’s a New Day, yes it is…
(I’m back now.)
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