#IWSG - Independence Day!

It's July, already. Can you believe that? Where has the year gone? Anyway, Happy Insecure Writers Support Group Day. IWSG is the brainchild of Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Thanks, Alex, for starting this group and keeping it going. 

Thanks to this month's awesome hosts:  Nicki Elson, Juneta Key, Tamara Narayan, and Patricia Lynne!

Happy Independence Day, America! Happy Canada Day!

What does independence mean as a writer? How free are we to write and get published? As an independent author (aka self-published), I have a LOT of freedom. Traditional publishers have to watch trends (or set them), and they have to be aware of the bottom line. When the economy takes a plunge, everyone tightens their belts. Publishers have to go with a known quantity. If it’s a choice between BIG NAME author and UNKNOWN, it’s good business sense to throw money at BIG NAME. The (as yet) unknown author is rejected.

As an independent author, I can choose to publish the genre I want (whether it's in fashion or not). I choose when my book will be published. No waiting for two years from the time the manuscript is accepted until publication. Email or print versions? My decision. Granted, there are some downsides to independent publishing. Traditional publishers pay for editing and cover design. Independent authors have to pay for that upfront. If you’re good at design, that’s something you can do yourself. I have a degree in English, and I’m a good grammarian. Errors in grammar, spelling, word usage jump off the page at me. With one exception—my own work. As often as I read the manuscript, these eagle eyes glaze over mistakes. Enter my freelance editor. Yes, she costs money. But, that’s money well spent as she catches my errors. Thank goodness. Formatting can be another expense for an independent writer. I have the patience (and can read and follow directions LOL), so I save a little money and do it myself.

The ease with which I can put my books out there is phenomenal. Because it’s so easy, everybody and their brother are doing it. And that’s the rub. How do I get my book noticed among thousands? I’ve tried many free things. And I’ve tried paid promotion. What works best? It’s hard to tell. Does organizing (or paying for) a blog hop sell books? I don’t know, but since I like doing them, I’m setting one up for my new release. I’d appreciate your help. Below is the link to sign up for hosting the celebration of my romantic suspense, Numbers Never Lie, to be released on July 9. 

Here’s the blurb for Numbers Never Lie.

A shocking secret brings danger to Jack Sinclair and his sister Maggie. 

As kids, they were the fearless threesome. As adults, Jack's an accountant; Drew, a lawyer; Maggie, a teacher and camping troop leader. Returning from a weekend camping trip, Maggie receives horrifying news. She refuses to believe her brother’s fatal car crash was an accident. If the police won’t investigate, she’ll do it herself. Convincing Drew Campbell to help is her only recourse.

Drew Campbell was too busy to return his best friend’s phone call. Too busy to attend a camping meeting important to his teen daughter. Too busy to stay in touch with Jack. Logic and reason indicate Jack’s accident was just that—an accident caused by fatigue and fog. Prodded by guilt, he’ll help Maggie even if he thinks she’s wrong.

A break-in at Jack’s condo convinces Maggie she’s right. Then her home is searched. What did Jack leave behind? And what did he do that puts Maggie in danger?

Sign Up To Host

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdtq0uq2nARRiSy1Gb85U0MgUhoACL-7HA5oaM23wY9zkqEjQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

Thanks so much for all your support! A special thank you to all who signed up already. I'll be in touch this week.

A reminder: I'm always happy to help you celebrate a new release. Just drop me a note at dmburton72 (at) gmail (dot) com

This month’s optional question: What are your ultimate writing goals, and how have they changed over time (if at all)?

My ultimate goal is hitting a best-seller list (for example: NYT or USA Today). That has never changed. What has is the method. There are independent authors who’ve hit the best seller lists. So it’s not beyond my reach. Getting my book noticed is the hard part. If anyone has a tried-and-true method, please share.

Until next month, enjoy the summer 

or winter, if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere.

Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today.

#IWSG - Independence

It’s the first Wednesday of the month and time for the Insecure Writers Support Group. The purpose is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! A big THANKS to Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh for starting this group and keeping it going. And thanks to this month's awesome hosts Krista McLaughlin, Kim Van Sickler, Heather Gardner, and Hart Johnson!

Independence seems to be an appropriate topic this month, considering we Americans are celebrating our independence on Friday. In a way, I started celebrating my independence in November, 2011 when I self-published my first ebook. I still haven’t made a ton of money from that book nor from the five since. However, I have made more from that first book than my two books published by small publishers combined.

I was led down the self-publishing path by a comment from a fellow writer who observed that since Switched was out of print, it wasn’t doing anything. Then a few months later, I was part of a dinner discussion with several writers about self-publishing. I am so glad I paid attention. It took me another seven months to actually do it.

Why did it take me so long? Nerves. Scared about setting off on a new path. What if I did something wrong?

During those seven months, I wasn’t just sitting around twiddling my thumbs. I was reading/studying how to self-publish using Mark Coker’s Smashwords Style Guide. Boy, did I have things to correct in my manuscript! Oh sure, I could have hired someone to format it for me, but I’m a DIY girl from a DIY family married to a DIY guy. Besides, I had more time than money. (I did hire an editor and a cover artist. I know when I need help.)

I learned a lot from that first experience, but the key thing was reading the directions. Okay, two key things: read and follow directions.

But isn’t that true of most things? Projects are so much easier when we read and follow directions.

So Happy Independence Day not just to our country, but to writers who have so many options.

Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today.