Next month will be two years since I released my first book, Elthea’s Realm. Since then, I’ve also published Elthea’s Gambit, the second book in the series. It doesn’t seem possible that I’m living a life I had wished for so many years ago.
But as the saying goes, careful what you wish for.
Before you jump to conclusions, let me say I love writing. Almost as much as that, I love working for myself. After spending most of my career as a marketing and communications manager at both global corporations and small tech start-ups, it’s nice to be my own boss.
Since striking out on my own, I’ve learned that the life of an independent author such as myself has its challenges. Not least of which is the need to churn out new products (read books) on a regular basis.
Competition for mid-list (or lower-list) authors is intense. Well-known independent authors can often spend many tens of thousands of dollars per month on advertising and publicity. Big traditional publishing houses spend even more on their bestselling authors.
To overcome this disparity, some indie authors have turned to a process called ‘rapid release’ of their books. Newly-released books can receive a bump in sales at first. So these authors will release a new book once a month or so. They keep riding that wave of sales bumps with the hope that Amazon’s algorithms recognize the author as a winner and begin to push his or her books through its massive marketing machine.
I’m not that kind of writer. Maybe some have the ability to crank out a well-crafted 60-thousand word (or longer) book in a few weeks. I don’t, and neither do I want to.
For me, the process of writing is akin to the magic that I try to infuse in my storytelling. There’s no other feeling like being lost inside a world that I’ve created on my own, moving the plot along so that it’s compelling, developing new characters that come to life on the page. The writing process can also be a sterile wasteland of a place, but that’s a discussion for another time.
I’m writing my third book now, and I’m happy to say that I am infusing it with all the richness it deserves. And if that takes time, it’s the way I prefer to have it.
You can help offset the disparity in the publishing world by telling your friends about my books, sharing my post on social media, and writing a review. Meanwhile, if you haven’t already done so, Elthea’s Realm and Elthea’s Gambit are available for your reading pleasure.
Until next time,
John