Indie Expedition: Launching as an Indie Author
The first copy of a book I authored that I’ve held in my own two hands.
Tunnel Vision, Proofs, and Divination— The Second Entry
By Thio Isobel Moss
The more I think, the longer the title gets.
After the first post in this series, I took the predictable next step and promptly succumbed to tunnel vision. I’ve been working long, odd hours, and, when I do sleep, I wake suddenly because I thought of something I should or shouldn’t do and need to have a dramatic freakout. The word “obsessed” might be apt. If you’re an aspiring writer, I’d advise investing in a quality mouthguard. I grind my teeth in my sleep, and it’s made my jaw sore.
The further along I’ve gotten, the more my “modestly encouraging” numbers feel more modest and less encouraging.
I believe this is a common early phenomenon.
In any case, I’ve had a few stern talks with myself. Yes, it would be massively affirming to be a runaway success right out of the gate. Yes, I hope to make a career out of this experiment, but this go-around is an experiment. I am an untried author, learning what works for me. Whatever I choose to do, it needs to be sustainable.
I am no marketing expert, but after going over my plan, I’ve come to four conclusions: first, that I’m doing better than I realize, despite starting several months later than I should have; second, that I need to actually wait for results before jumping to conclusions; third, I need to bring my focus back to finding my audience, not simply an audience; and fourth, it takes time to build a community, so relax and enjoy the ride.
If you read my previous post, this may sound familiar.
It is. I need to follow my own advice. It’s hard, and when things don’t happen when you think they should, it is rough. But experiments are to learn. Blind Spot is my first book, not my last. I’m feeling out what I need to learn and what I need to tweak. There have been mistakes, and there will be plenty more. I’m far more likely to succeed, though, if I take the pressure off and allow myself to have fun.
Today, I received my first proofs!
I received a box of books with my name printed on them! This is real, folks! Four sets of hands have held them, and four sets of eyes have beheld their wondrous beauty. We were all suitably awed, but some of those aforementioned mistakes immediately became apparent.
Some I’d already unearthed and have corrected, but my cover needs a little work. The alignment is near perfect, but just shy. Some stylistic choices need to be revisited. But, it’s beautiful and it’s mine!
I’ll try not to gush too much, but I feel very much like my lovely cousin when her husband took some magnificent pictures of their baby grinning as he sat inside a pumpkin. He really seemed to enjoy it, and Mama was so proud! I’m Mama, now. I’m proud!
My plan was, if these books had turned out a little better, to use them as giveaway prizes. At least three of the chapters don’t have proper page breaks, and the table of contents is missing page numbers (whoops!). Let me know in the comments if anyone would still be interested, and FYI, although Kindle allows you to order up to five proofs at a time, maybe start with one. Then adjust as needed and order more. I ordered two, but wish I’d kept it to one.
I budgeted way more for proofs and author copies than I thought I needed, hoping to have leftovers to reallocate. Well…that may happen, but it isn’t going to be the ample chunk I’d thought it would be. Shipping and handling. Gets you every time.
My Kindle hardcover and Draft2Digital paperbacks have yet to arrive, but I have a little more hope for them.
So, tonight I have a date with Canva, Word, and KDP. It’s going to be a blast!
In my efforts to enjoy this process rather than push for immediate rewards, I joined some groups on Goodreads. I found a good many folks in the same boat I’m in, trying to promote their books when they’re almost completely ignorant of how to go about it.
We know about BookTok and Instagram, but where do my readers hang out? Somehow, I don’t think that me dancing around on camera, lip-syncing to Florence and the Machine, will draw the folks who will enjoy my book. Not to say that Florence and the Machine aren’t great; they are. Regardless, I’m trying graphics and excerpts! Character Q&A sessions! Things that I like, basically. But then, how do you convert a browser into a buyer?
I am a serial browser. Seeing the same book over and over does encourage me to take a chance, especially if it's on Kindle Unlimited. Less pressure to finish if it’s not for me. The tricky thing is, realistically, every book is niche. There are broad, massively popular genres, but even those aren’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Me? I am niche within a niche. But here’s my good news. My analytics are showing that those people who do click on my website explore. You read the blog. You read the extras. You read the excerpts. You read, so far, my single, solitary review! You look at the art! I’m on an upward climb, and just that slight adjustment in trajectory is amazing! My bounce rate has dropped by twenty percent over a few days! Thank you!
So, here’s my prognostications for Blind Spot’s future: when my book finds traction, it will have felt six times longer for me than for everybody else. I will find my audience, or you will find me, and we will build a community that loves fantasy/sci-fi, spirited discussions, folklore and innovation, gramophones and typewriters, and everything in between.
It will be more than numbers on a list — real interactions, sustainable, and fun.
If you’re on a similar journey, let me know how it’s reshaping you. What have you tried and how did it work? Did you have a moment where you thought, “This isn’t working. Let’s try something different”? Did it help?
Changing subjects, I’m planning on tackling the evolution of my cover art on Monday! Stay tuned!
