Hello to all of my indie author friends! The time has come around for another Indie Life post — a chance for independent authors to exchange tips, offer encouragement and chat about all the crazy components of indie author life.
I missed Indie Life last month because I was in Kona, Hawaii, having a wonderful (if a bit crowded w/ 15 family members) vacation. It was a blast! I didn’t do a lick of writing while away. Not a single key pressed. Awesome, eh?
This brings me to what I want to talk about today, because it is one of the most crucial things to remember, for me at least. 🙂
FLEXIBILITY
There. I said it.
Our indie author paths are our own. There’s no road map here, people. Anyone who tells you they know exactly how to do this is lying, or out of touch. So much has changed in the past two years as I’ve set my indie author course — we are living in a new world of publishing. And who knows what new developments the next couple of years will bring.
Be flexible; think ahead; and keep on moving.
Roadblocks will also crop up. I had one hit me last month, when the cover artist I’d been working with since 2011 let me know she was no longer doing custom covers. It forced a decision I’d been putting off, hoping I wouldn’t have to worry about it until 2014. When the roadblock occurred, I HAD to deal with it before I could get back to the parts of this gig that I really love.
So, I flipped the switch, dove in, and emerged with new covers for my romance series, and probably a whole new blog look before the end of the year. Awesome! Now I won’t have to make those decisions in 2014.
I’m glad I didn’t find a patch fix to get me through…sometimes you have to be FLEXIBLE.
What I really wanted to do when I returned from Hawaii was finish and publish a book — but the book and series are stronger for the time spent finding a new artist and having new covers made. Now I have covers in hand for the final book in the series, and the omnibus edition that will bring all five novellas together. Kellie Dennis, at Book Cover by Design, was SUPER to work with, and I highly recommend her if you’re looking for a cover artist.
Best of luck with the fall season, writers! Take care!
And remember…this is a blog hop!
I’m flexible! No, really, I am! Flexible like a rock!
Actually, I think I’m more like water.
Hi, J.R.,
Thanks for this reminder. I’m prone to getting stressed if I miss deadlines, but I’ve also taken the attitude that nothing gets done before the right time. I’ve given myself persons to put a little leeway in there for delays. Took a ton of anxiety off me. Hope your books do well when you get them out.
Thanks, J.L.! Planning time for delays is definitely smart, since they happen whether you plan for them or not. 🙂
Hey,
I have no idea what that comment you left on my Wunderkammer post means. I’m confused by it.
Yeah, that comment was supposed to be on your Indie Life post. Makes more sense now, eh?
Flexibility is huge! Sometimes a project takes longer than we expected, sometimes road block crop up, sometimes a book does better or worse than we expected! Sounds like you’re happy with your new covers!
It’s great to have goals and want things done at a certain time, but you’re so right about being flexible too. 🙂
There’s a fine line between flexibility and doing whatever you want whenever you want because you CAN. That’s been my problem. I’ve been TOO flexible. LOL. But it’s good that we, as indies, can be flexible and not have publishers breathing down our necks pushing us on that deadline. I don’t know if I could live like that.
I’m glad you found a cover artist you really like. I can’t imagine working with anyone but Anya. When you click with a cover artist, it’s a great feeling.
I need more structure sometimes (to get me motivated) but also flexibility at other times (when I stress the hell out). So overall, flexibility is best. As long as I don’t flip out and do nothing. 🙂 So glad you’re so positive about all you’ve done and are yet to do. 😀