The Equation Occasion - How

The How Installment of 

(W⁵+ H) x (IP ÷ RMs)

or

The Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of Indie Publishing - R McCormack Style

Well, we’ve reached the last variable in our Indie publishing equation.  I’ve added many questions over the last several weeks, filtering the answers through the personal experience and knowledge I’ve gained so far.  I did try to keep to the facts, as I understand them at this moment, but today’s post will be more of a departure into opinion-based material because today we ask:

How do I make the most of my Indie experience?

Just like all things in life, the Indie publishing experience will be shaped by each individual’s skills, expectations, and unique view on personal expression.  The things I may find difficult, another person may breeze through.  The things that send me into fits of frustration may be a delightful challenge for another.  Knowing that Indie publishing is different for everyone is the reason why, in our first post Who, I suggested that you define who you are on the front end.  It’s also why I suggested making a Known and Unknown list in the Where do I start? post.  As you embark on this quest, you’ll hear and read lots of advice, tips, and stories, and it’s helpful to know which bits apply to you and which aren’t necessarily relevant to your process.

I’d say the most important things I was told or read would enhance my experience were:

Keep reminding yourself, you can do this 

Always be aware of your platform or brand 

Trust your creative gut

Here are a few things I wish someone had told me in order to make my experience better:

Give yourself lots (and lots) of room for this

Build up your energy reserves (on every level) before you begin

Leave your perfectionist tendencies at the door

You aren’t a mule, and don’t let your inner critic drive you like one

Celebrate everything, find joy in even small tasks, and laugh often

As I write all this, I’m thinking back on how I adjusted—and didn’t adjust—my work habits or goal-setting based on these ideas.  And it’s interesting that only one of these pieces of advice regard the actual business of writing, and the other stuff is a bit more, shall we say, touchy-feely.  Which is precisely why I’ve included them, and I would caution to never overlook physical and mental boundaries and strengths because these elements can make or break you during big creative movements like this.

Now let’s draw in more items that relate to the organization and actual doing portion of the experience.  Below, I’ll divide out larger parts of the process, and under each heading, list some things to consider if you want to make the most of this deal.

Make the Most of Research and Development By:

Taking a few days (or a week or a month even) to tool around self-publishing blogs and websites or hit the (Independent) bookstore or library in your neighborhood to just absorb information

Finding books and marketing plans that meet your high standards (you’ll be employing Steal Like an Artisttechniques as you move forward)

Making your Known and Unknown lists, which will help with goal-setting and deciding who you’ll have to call on to help with things you don’t know how to do

Deciding what your schedule will be and how you’ll manage your time

Preparing your family and friends for the shit-that’s-about-to-hit-the-fan (if they need convincing about the time and energy this will take, show them your Unknown lists)

Preparing yourself with sleep, good food, exercise, and a stress management plan that’s do-able when you’re buried in editing, designing, and uploading

Make the Most of Your Writing and Revising Time By:

Keeping your butt in the chair except when you need to rest, eat, sleep, move the body, read a book, or have a little fun

Setting up your work environment with inspirational items and all needed resources

Asking critique partners to give you honest feedback, and then…

Sitting with that feedback and being honest with yourself about the writing or concept

Asking family and friends to cheer you on and generally proclaim how amazing it is that you’re doing this (this will counteract the brutal honesty of your critique partners)

Not analyzing the marketplace (many a Creative has changed their focus midstream to meet industry trends or demands)

Make the Most of Your Design and Uploading Time By:

Remaining flexible and creatively open

Referring to those books you consider high quality and allowing yourself to learn from and be inspired by how they used fonts, formatted the interior, and designed their cover

Using review and proof-ordering wait times to work on other tasks, like building a web or blogsite, or just to reenergize

Taking the proofing periods seriously, giving a critical eye to all elements of the book

Not being afraid to change, while also…

Trusting your vision with one eye on marketing (different from the marketplace)

And speaking of marketing...

This is a portion of the Indie publishing equation that I’ve really only mentioned in passing, and I haven’t been sure why I was holding out on you readers.  But as I outlined this post, the reason suddenly came to me.  Brace yourself for a serious truth.

Marketing is distracting.

What I mean by this is that marketing requires just as much artistic thinking as bookmaking, and from what I’ve learned, heard, and witnessed, those who simultaneously use their creative energy for publishing and marketing tend to burn out, or fall short.  Remember, this is about the book.

Now, I will say that there are a select group of people who have a well-established platform or brand and need a book to move their vision forward.  These people would still do well to focus on a quality book, but because they have a built-in audience and may have a history of marketing other products or services, would not be robbed of creative ideas or motivation needed for the book. 

With that said, I’m going to stand by my opinion that to be effective most people need to treat the bulk of marketing like a follow-up project.  I mentioned that establishing your target audience, defining your platform and/or brand, and doing some basic research and brainstorming can all happen during the creation of the book, but once the book’s in print and/or sent live as an eBook, you can turn your full focus to the bulky parts of marketing, which includes:

Building a online presence, most commonly done with a web or blogsite

Establishing a relationship with Independent bookstores and/or libraries

Planning events, charitable outreach, and/or promotions and giveaways

Networking (appropriately) online to announce your book and promotions

Creating a word-of-mouth campaign

Earning media attention through book reviews and/or press releases

Developing and living your platform/brand

A word on platforms and brands: your platform may not be easily detectable at first, but just decide what you want to bring to the reading community and work from there.  Your platform is a sort of mission statement.  Branding can be a bit confusing, and I hope I articulate this in an understandable way.  If your brand only describes your writing/book(s) and any related products/services, it becomes separate from your platform.  If your brand describes you as an author and your writing/books then the two essentially combine to be a platform.  Sometimes the author is the brand and the book is about the author, but again, in this instance the industry uses the terms brand and platform interchangeably.  This happens a lot with public speaking professionals who have one topic they present.   

To close out the marketing conversation, I’ll point out a few things that will help you make the most of your experience, though, you may have heard these before.  First, do only what you’ll love.  This includes joining social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, or starting a blog.  Second, it’s said often, but deserves repeating, there are online rules of marketing etiquette, and being a good social media steward will earn you the respect of your peers.  And the final note: when I reached out to a savvy marketing professional friend of mine for advertising and public relations advice, she talked first about pacing.  She reminded me that marketing a product is a marathon, not a sprint, and adopting this attitude will not only help us get the most from our marketing experience, but from the whole entire process (thanks SM).

(W⁵+ H) x (IP ÷ RMs)

So there you have it.  The Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of Indie Publishing, R McCormack Style.  I can’t claim to know it all, and I’ve made and continue to make mistakes, but I wanted to share my experience with those that have been wondering about the risks and rewards.  I hope there’s some morsel in this series that speaks to you and helps you decide how to invest in your own personal expression and creativity.  Wishing you abundant words and helluva good time!

The Equation Occasion - Why

For information about the November 15th 

artist/author event, click here

and now

The Why Installment of 

(W⁵+ H) x (IP ÷ RMs)

or

The Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of Indie Publishing - R McCormack Style

Once upon a time there was a bookmaking industry who met three travelers at a crossroads.  The first wayfarer was Creativity, looking for the next adventure.  Then there was Technology, buzzing with potential ideas.  The last of the crew was Economy, who felt a bit sluggish and wondered if he was coming down with something.  Standing in unknown territory, introductions and hellos were made, and soon they found themselves settling roadside to rest and eat, to share stories and advice.  The foursome ended up making merry with tall tales and drink, and all was going well until a scuffle broke out.  Economy had been drinking from Bookmaker’s tin cup, and Bookmaker was sure she would come down with whatever was ailing Economy.  Creativity suggested they both switch to water, pop a Vitamin C tablet, and hit the rolls.  Technology smoothed it over further with a funny retelling of a bad day ending in a reboot.  Never-the-less, the next morning Bookmaker and Economy both awoke feeling terrible, and though Creativity and Technology wished they could’ve done more, they had to move along in their travels.  They left Publishing and Economy well-stocked with provisions and promised to write, email, text, and tweet as they waved from the road.  Bookmaker and Economy huddled in their packs to wait out the downturn in their health.  They knew they’d be okay.  They also knew that all their paths would cross again, for they were headed to same place.  Indie Publishing Land. 

Today I introduce the last W in our equation, W⁵, the question of Why.  Why is the market changing?  And after reading my Indie publishing fairytale, you may have figured out that there are three evolutionary placeholders that have affected the book-selling/book-buying marketplace over the past few years. 

The Economy, Technology, and Creativity

Beyond my attempt at being cute, there is truth in my fairytale.  These entities did all converge at the exact right moment to initiate change, and the personalities of the characters in the tale are similar to their real life counterparts. 

The economy wassick, and when it tanked, it hit traditional publishing just as hard as it did other industries.  There were layoffs, restructuring, and of course, the Big Six began to take on fewer titles.  Part of this was due to the habits of readers, who were buying fewer products.  And part of this was due to book buyers (book stores, big box stores) who couldn’t sell their stock (think Borders). 

Beyond the supply and demand issue, book printing is an expensive endeavor, where it takes teams of people to write, design, print, market, and sell a book.  Most do their jobs very well, as the traditional publishing marketplace has had years of honing its craft.  And the problem doesn’t lie with the people behind the scenes, it lies with the system, which requires publishers to risk money upfront in order to get books on the shelves.  The book sellers also take a risk by ordering without knowing if the entire shipment will sell.  There ends up being a lot of waste and unsold books are often shipped to disposal centers.    

Enter technology, who was stock-full of ideas for how to rework the system in ways that were more environmentally friendly and would put money back in people’s pockets.  First, we had the birth of the eReaders...Kindle, Nook, and many others.  Second, we had improvements with online publishing, and suddenly anyone with a computer could upload a Word document to become a print-on-demand (POD) or eBook.

When creativity came into the picture, the self-publishing market changed again because dedicated writers, artists, and illustrators saw an opportunity to become their own publisher.  More and more information was shared, and technology responded by creating the templates for craftspeople to take their brand, product, books to the next level.  As social media grew and websites and blogs became easier to build, all the online media sources merged into one big information highway where people could share ideas and market their work.    

Now, there arekinks that need to be worked out.  Traditionally publishing is still in the process of finding their way in the new marketplace, and chain book stores and big box stores (Costco, Target) that sell books aren’t feeling the economic upturn from the growth of POD or eBook publishing.  Independent bookstores are doing okay, though.  They have always dealt in smaller supplies, used books, and individualized service, and they’ve been able to adjust their model to include online sales and feature local and/or Indie published authors.  And let’s face it, most people still love the feel of a book in their hand, so there will always be a place for libraries and book shops.  I’ve heard it said many times over the past year that the traditional publishing houses will enter the POD and eBook market on a larger scale, creating their own online stores and only printing hardcopy books for their best-selling, up-and-coming, and popular authors/illustrators. 

Another issue is the speed at which the market is changing.  And this brings us back to the economy.  The process has become so simple and user-friendly that the self-published marketplace is becoming saturated.  In fact, most writers won’t see a return on their investment.  Luckily, the financial investment is quite low, but there is the matter of time and energy spent.  This is why I’ve been encouraging anyone who wants to move this direction to accept certain standards of quality before they launch their title.  Quality equals longevity.

Along with fast growth, as in any new venture, there are many who come out of the woodwork to offer services to the people entering the field.  Not all of those Indie publishing services are necessary or worthwhile, and I caution you to do multi-tiered evaluations before you pay anyone to do work for you.  In time, the good businesses will rise to the top, so for now use referrals and triple-check what you get for your money.  Remember, in the end this is about personal expression, which can be done with an eye on the wallet.

The markets—traditional and Indie publishing—will also have to flex and bend as their relationship grows.  And there are matters, like marketing, that will affect both.  There will be some overlap, and we’re already seeing players in the traditional game opening their doors to the Indie pubbing world.  For instance, the highly-respected Kirkus Reviews now offers self-published authors reviews for a fee.  How will this reconcile with the reviews they provide on traditionally published books?  Will they always remain separate or will they combine one day?  A good book is a good book, no?  I personally think most things will remain separate but become equal.   

So, with a long road to travel and many unknowns, why would you want to get in on the ground floor of Indie publishing?  Here are a few reasons:

1. You want to build or grow your platform NOW – Authors who already have an audience, whether through previous published titles, a blog, public speaking efforts, another career, or charitable work, may choose to self-publish because they can tailor the book’s message to fit into a specific framework or brand that they’ve established or hope to establish.

2. You want to create a related product(s) NOW – Authors who have or want to sell products related to their book may choose to self-publish in an effort to manage brand consistency and get the products on the market in a timeframe that best suits their needs.

3. You want to earn a higher wage NOW – Authors who are looking to make a higher return on royalties while also holding the copyright to all their work may choose self-publishing.

4. You want to be the Creativity CEO NOW – Authors who have specific ideas about their book or books and want to bring an exact vision to light may choose self-publishing.         

Get out that calculator, start working the variables.  Is it time to pack the bag and hit the road?  Or maybe you need more information before you embark.  Next week we'll add the final question to the equation when we discuss how to make the most of your Indie publishing experience.  For now, you have the five Ws to consider, and as the Irish say, may the road rise to meet you and the wind be always at your back.

The Equation Occasion - Where

The Where Installment of 

(W⁵+ H) x (IP ÷ RMs)

or

The Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of Indie Publishing - R McCormack Style

Everyday we wake up with an option to see the day as a new beginning or a continuation of the past.  It’s one thing to use the lessons of yesterday to take a fresh look at the current moment and entirely different thing to live in those yesterdays.  Great days and tough days alike offer us experience, and we must use both to grow.  Sometimes we get stuck, though, and we operate in a loop of sameness, which keeps us from expanding our experiential life map.  The trick to beginning again, no matter the project or goal, is to organize the action into simple steps. 

With this in mind, we move deeper into our Indie publishing equation by asking:

Where do I start? 

In the previous posts, I indicated the importance of knowing the Who, What, and When of Indie publishing in order to decide if you want to enter this world.  But once you commit to going for it, it’s time to get organized.  This variable in our equation could ignite a frenzy of worry and wandering, but not if we balance our awareness of the details with the big picture.  For me, it helped to make lists outlining my strengths and weaknesses, and the Knowns and Unknowns.

Below I’ll walk you through list construction, and further down, I’ll give you some of the basic tasks to consider on the front end.  This will not be a How To guide, but a visual map to help you see the hills and valleys of the learning curve.  Before you make any list, though, I’ll suggest that you do a smidge of research on the How To.  It will be invaluable to you pinpointing those Knowns and Unknowns.  Here are three ways to get the basic understanding of the How To:

Read a Book – there are two excellent resource books I read before making my lists, Becoming an Authorpreneur by Kris Tualla and Indie Publishing by Ellen Lupton.  Tualla’s book is a great How To guide.  Lupton’s book is a great design guide.  I’m sure there are more.  Ask around, do a search, go to the library.  Pick one or two and give them a good once-over.

Visit Blogs and Websites – there are many good ones (google “self publishing”), and some are listed in the left column under Helpful Places.

Go to the Source - going directly to the online pubbing sites, CreateSpace, KDP, Pub It, Lulu, or Smashwords will give you a quick education about the requirements.  Creating an eBook and creating a POD book require different tasks, so read their instruction manuals, if you’d like.  Remember, at first glance, their directives may sound very technical (and they are), but as you go along, you learn the vocab.  As a side note, I found myself returning to the Smashwords guidelines more and more often to troubleshoot problems because it’s.  Just.  That.  Awesome.

Once you’ve got some basic knowledge about the tasks involved, you’ll be ready to start your lists.

A List of Knowns and Unknowns

Whether you do this on the computer, the notes section on your iPhone, or sit down with pad and pen, you’ll begin the same way.  Make an exhaustive list, all-inclusive of everything you know and don’t know about writing, designing, and marketing a book.  Also list what you know and what you need to learn about the Indie publishing industry.

At this point, the order to the list isn’t important, but as you move deeper into the process there will be a need for ordering your tasks.  This is very personal, based on your individual strengths and weaknesses, so I won’t focus on it here.  Just keep in mind that I’ve mentioned it. 

Also, as you create your list, make note of little things and big things. 

Examples are:

revise chapter 12versus write the book

or

set up account on Smashwords versus read entire Smashwords manual 

Including Knowns and Unknowns at all levels of the process is important as well.  Some items, like marketing, have many steps, and you’ll be working on them in each phase of development.  Last thing, don’t become overwhelmed when the list grows longer than expected because some of the Knowns and Unknowns won’t become actual tasks.

Here are some general Known and Unknown topics to consider for your list:

Computer skills – Do you know how to:

Use Word (book interior), design software (book cover)?

Build and use a blog, website, social media page?

Interpret technical language to format and transfer documents to online sites?
Troubleshoot uploading problems?

Writing and formatting skills – Do you know how to:

Write? Edit? Revise?

Structure a manuscript?

Use fonts?

Design a book interior, including front and back matter?

Art and design skills – Do you know how to:

Decide what goes on the front and back cover?

Choose colors, fonts, images for the front and back cover?

Create graphics and/or use photography for either the cover or interior?

Use art and design for marketing elements?

Marketing skills – Do you know how to:

Reach your audience?

Use online and earned media?

Schedule your time and promotions in a way that energizes, not depletes, you?

Be creative with resources and budget?

When you get to a point where the list feels complete, the next step is to transform the Known and Unknown into tasks.  And from there, divide the tasks into sections.  Beginning, middle, end.  First, second, third.  A, B, C.  Writing, Designing, Marketing.  Label them what you like, post them where you can refer to them, and then turn your attention to those first phase tasks.

So, what kinds of things happen in the first phase?

First and foremost, Prepare a Well-Written Manuscript.  Over the last few weeks, I’ve written a lot about the importance of quality in the self-publishing process.  This is the most important element in the process.  So important, that I’ll say it again, having a well-written book is the most critical part of Indie publishing.  Two ways to become a better writer are to read well-written books and to write.  A lot.  If you’re a beginner, the mantra is read, write, repeat.  If you’re a veteran, scrutinize your work until it meets a high personal standard.

Other things to do first:

Set up accounts on the publishing sites

Familiarize yourself with publishing sites guidelines

Research book covers, fonts, and interior formatting

Create first drafts of your cover and interior

Decide on building a blog, website, or blogsite to support your printed work

Look into marketing materials and brainstorm ways to garner earned media

Find people (to hire or trade services with) who can do the things you can’t

Where do I go now?

It may feel like I’m being vague with the answer to Where do I start?  But the truth is, as you research and learn, as you transform the Unknown into the Known and create a To Do list of tasks, the personal details to your process will reveal themselves.  Then you’ll begin to check things off the list.  Do what’s in front of you, taking time to unravel mistakes.  This often means allowing some problems to overflow into other tasks in order to expose the best solution.  As you near the finish line, you’ll see where you can jump ahead.  For example, there’s a proofing process that happens on each publication site once you upload your submission, and you’ll also need to order hardcopy proofs to review.  While you wait, you can move forward to other tasks, or go back and work on a problem.  Remember the opening paragraph about seeing each new day as a beginning?  That idea easily transfers to our Indie publishing To Do list.  As you approach each task, and each phase, always be asking yourself, Where did I leave off?  And just begin there.  

Once you take the leap and move, momentum will be on your side.  Depending on your computer skills and the time and energy you have to dedicate to this, it could take up to six months to put out a quality product on every site.  Just keep looking at every moment as a bright new day.

The Equation Occasion - When

Looking for wildflowers for sandy information, click here.

Looking to check out this week’s Equation Occasion, read on.

The When Installment of 

(W⁵+ H) x (IP ÷ RMs)

or

The Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of Indie Publishing - R McCormack Style

I first began this series with the question Who.  The focus was on asking who you are as a writer or illustrator and if self-publishing could be a match for who you are as a person.  Last week I shared What I’ve learned about self-publishing so far, which includes the nuances of this industry.  Indie publishing is a nuance, and I think I drove home the point that anyone moving into this marketplace would do well to be dedicated to the same professionalism and quality that a publishing house/press would assume.  Moving into the Indie market also means you’d be less likely to hire a printer or vanity publisher to produce the book for you and more likely to involve yourself in all aspects of creating the final product, using online retailers to sell your book as a POD and eBook.  Today we add to the equation by asking: When is Indie publishing a good fit?  But, now that I think about it, it may be useful to understand when it isn’t a good fit first.  This means we need to take a look at traditional publishing.

The path to traditional publishing typically starts by signing with an agent.  The agent’s role is to handle all the business of writing, which includes advising on and negotiating contracts, as well as following up on contractual agreements by acting as spokesperson for the author.  Some agents will help with revisions and editing, too.  Once the agent sells a manuscript to an editor at a publishing house, the author and editor begin to polish the book for publication.  The editor and art department assist with all interior formatting, the book cover, and graphics and illustrations inside the book.  The editor would also work with the marketing team to discuss the promotion of the book and getting the book reviewed.  If the book has potential to sell in large numbers, the marketing budget is bigger and the effort more widespread.  New titles also appear in seasonal catalogues that are viewed by book buyers and libraries.  I’m oversimplifying here, but the point is that the author’s main job in this process is to produce writing.  These days, with less money available for public relations, the author’s second most important part may be to do as much marketing as they can on their own.  This entire scenario can happen without an agent (though not often), and you can see what responsibilities you’d be left with if you contracted directly with the publishing house.

So, this doesn’t sound too bad, huh?  Well, it would be lovely, and I think many will see the benefits of having both traditionally published and Indie published titles.  But there are authors who’ve begun to express their frustration with traditional publishing when compared to Indie publishing.  Here are some of their complaints:

1.  Giving up copyright to work

(with Indie, you own everything)

2.  Low royalty returns

(with Indie, you earn significantly more)

3.  One to two year timeline to bring book to print

(with Indie, your book can be live in a matter of months)

4.  Having little control over out of print backlist titles

(with Indie, you can re-launch a book at anytime)

5.  Marketing cut backs

(with Indie, you decide how much or little you do and spend)

Now, I could go back and forth arguing against these complaints and then supporting them again in the same breath.  The truth is, some things are better with traditional publishing and some things are better with Indie.  So, when the rubber meets the road, when does the time come to just go Indie?

1.  When you want it your way

Obviously, if anything in 1 through 5 above struck you as a concern, Indie is a great option.  Also, you may have a specific vision for the interior format and structure or the book cover, or you may want to develop a series.  In traditional publishing, they’ll hear you out and get your approval, but design is mostly left to the internal staff.  It is their job, and they tend to be pretty good at it.  As for a series, in traditional pubbing you may hear, "Whoa, slow down cowboy!  Let’s see how that first book sells."  This doesn’t mean your wrong for wanting to follow through on your artistic viewpoint, and this is where Indie gives you the liberty to be your own brand of expressive.

2.  When you’ve reached your limit on rejection letters

I joke, but really this is a factor.  Submitting to the agents and editors that have stated an interest in your genre/subject matter and are open to receiving manuscripts is important.  It’s a valuable exercise where you must follow directions with reverence to the system and try to sell your work.  And though you may receive your share of form rejections, other times you’ll get feedback that you can use to improve your writing.  They may even encourage you to revise and resubmit.  With this said, there will come a point when you must ask yourself if the rejections are due to the work not being up to snuff.  If you feel it is quality work, then consider if your story/writing is too unique, niche, or not commercial enough for it to be worth the risk of investment.  Remember, publishing is a business and taking a book to print is expensive.  If your concept is deemed not marketable to a large enough audience, publishing houses have to pass.  This isn’t to say an independent press (publishes 10 or fewer books a year) wouldn’t be willing to take on a less-than-mainstream title, so keep trying.  But if you can’t bear to read another rejection and you feel confident that your material is well-written, illustrated, designed, then it may be the right time to consider going Indie.

3.  When you want to go a certain direction with the marketing or your platform

This may sound like I’m rephrasing the know-your-audience discussion, and I am.  It can’t be overstated that we must know our audience, but to take this a step further, we also benefit from having a purpose…even if it’s to entertain.  The truth is, Indie publishing can be used to create all kinds of interesting books.  For non-fiction, it can be used to publish community and family cookbooks, a grassroots group or organization’s story, or a guidebook to support your public speaking efforts.  For both non-fiction and fiction, I encourage you to look at your writing like a piece of art because you are an artist.  When I first entered the self-pubbing world, I didn’t know I’d feel so at home among the mass of authors/illustrators who weren’t just interested in writing a book, but creating a world.  This is what makes Indie different within the self-publishing model…Indie is about design that's aimed at a particular audience.  Sure design includes fonts, interior material, and book covers, but with Indie, an author/illustrator can use titles to also design a platform.  A place to stand and announce, this is how I want to make difference.  Platforms can absolutely be built within the traditional publishing world, and I think most agents and editors want to assist authors/illustrators on their individual paths, but again, marketing budgets are being cut.  If you have to do (and pay for) this yourself, Indie gives you more freedom to make an impact with your book(s).

To this point, I'll reference my urge to do something to help the Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts.  I could have just logged on to Red Cross's website and turned over some cash, but part of my influence while writing wildflowers was the attention that Hurricane Katrina brought to human's responsibilities to and within nature, and somehow I wanted to do more.  I knew that by pooling my own funds with donations, I could give more money to Red Cross, but I also thought that maybe a few more people would read my book and be influenced to do their part, environmentally speaking, and to have hope in the future.  The book is also about relationships...the one Keifer has with himself, as well as his sister, family, friends, and community.  I liked the idea of enticing my readership to band together in support of a community that needs it.  Anyway, if wildflowers had been traditionally published, I'm not sure I'd have been able to create the donation drive...for lots of different reasons.

Before I sign off, I'd like to mention another valuable charity event happening in Phoenix next weekend.  On November 10th, a benefit for the Lake Titicaca Literacy Project in Peru is being held at the Barnes and Noble at Desert Ridge Market Place at Tatum and the 101.  Greater Paradise Valley Reading Council hosts this project that builds libraries on Amantani Island, brick by brick, book by book.  All special activities, including local author book signings and donation opportunities, will take place from 10am - 2pm.  For more information about the project, click here.  This is an excellent example of authors acting from their platforms.

Next week, the big Indie equation variable, where do I start?