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malcolmschmitz · 23 days

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So, there's a dirty little secret in indie publishing a lot of people won't tell you, and if you aren't aware of it, self-publishing feels even scarier than it actually is.

There's a subset of self-published indie authors who write a ludicrous number of books a year, we're talking double digit releases of full novels, and these folks make a lot of money telling you how you can do the same thing. A lot of them feature in breathless puff pieces about how "competitive" self-publishing is as an industry now.

A lot of these authors aren't being completely honest with you, though. They'll give you secrets for time management and plotting and outlining and marketing and what have you. But the way they're able to write, edit, and publish 10+ books a year, by and large, is that they're hiring ghostwriters.

They're using upwork or fiverr to find people to outline, draft, edit, and market their books. Most of them, presumably, do write some of their own stuff! But many "prolific" indie writers are absolutely using ghostwriters to speed up their process, get higher Amazon best-seller ratings, and, bluntly, make more money faster.

When you see some godawful puff piece floating around about how some indie writer is thinking about having to start using AI to "stay competitive in self-publishing", the part the journalist isn't telling you is that the 'indie writer' in question is planning to use AI instead of paying some guy on Upwork to do the drafting.

If you are writing your books the old fashioned way and are trying to build a readerbase who cares about your work, you don't need to use AI to 'stay competitive', because you're not competing with these people. You're playing an entirely different game.

#on writing #self-publishing #ai discourse #publishing #my freaking industry #indie publishing

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publishinggoblin · 2 months

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Alright alright... @cryptotheism / @normal-horoscopes, I think we've got one more in us.

The third edition of the Normal Tarot is coming... and it's coming March 5th. All-new, full-color illustrations by Ezra Kimbell, this deck will be the final version of the incredible Normal Tarot, designed by the Caretaker.

You can sign up to be notified of our launch on backerkit here!

Oh... What's that? Oh, okay, it won't be alone then.

@worm-dark, @charminglyantiquated y'all ready for the Gold and Silver decks to finally get reprints? I suppose it is about time, then. We'll have to make them cheaper than last time, to let the most people get a hold of one!

And... what?

Alright alright, I hear you-- the 1st edition will also be there, in its clean black and white glory.

If you want to be there and be first, please join us here on the teaser page and signup to be notified, help us see how much interest we have! : )

#kickstarter #the normal tarot #normal tarot #tarot #oracle #divination #backerkit #crowdfunding #worm-dark #charminglyantiquated #caretaker #normal horoscopes #cryptotheism #publishing goblin #publishing #indie publishing

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hiveworks · 9 months

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The Demon of Beausoleil by Mari Costa is coming to print!

Armed with a demon-forged knife and guarded by the enigmatic Elias, Helianthes ventures into the streets, causing mischief and exorcising demons. But the shadows of his past lurk, and a haunting specter emerges to confront him. Amidst the dark chaos, an unexpected romance blossoms between Helianthes and Elias, fueling the fire in this dramatic M/M narrative.

This is definitely not a story for the faint-hearted. We recommend 16+ readers navigate this fiery tale.

Claim your copy today!

#the demon of beausoleil #webcomic #graphic novel #indie publishing #dark fantasy

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thebibliosphere · 2 years

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This is more of a problem on Facebook and Twitter, but there are some fellow authors who get a tad... upset when you talk about money and royalty earnings.

Needless to say, my frankness about how royalties work and just how little many of us are earning from our labor has drawn the ire of a few people, even here on Tumblr.hell.

I'm not particularly bothered by this. In my view, they're the same people who won't discuss wages in the workplace because they don't want anyone else to earn what they do. They know the system is unfairly rigged, but they like it that way because they're scared if more people are educated about how things work, they'll lose whatever competitive edge they think they have, thus enforcing the status quo.

Needless to say, I don't care for this view.

I'm very much a "holy shit, two cakes" kind of creator. I also very firmly believe in pulling people up behind me and spreading the wealth of information that was shared freely with me by other like-minded individuals who also believe that the mysteries around publishing are gatekeeping bullshit and everyone deserves the chance to earn money from their creative endeavors, not just the people who can afford to.

Anyway, David Gaughran's 'Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish And Why You Should' is an invaluable resource for indie authors and provides great insight into how publishing and distribution work. It is available for free through the retailers listed on his website.

If you don't want to publish exclusively through Amazon, draft2digital.com does global ebook and also paperback distribution. (I've only used it for ebooks, but I'll be trying out their paperback options for my next book.) You can pair it up with a books2read account to create easy-to-post buy links. Draft2Digital also allows for distribution through library lending services like Overdrive. So that's neat. (NB: if you use d2d, you can't use Kindle Unlimited, so be aware of what links you have active and where if you decide to enroll in KU. You can always opt for wide distribution again once your KU time expires.)

D2D also recently partnered with FindawayVoices.com for audiobook distribution. You can find voice actors there, or you can upload your own files if you already have them. You can submit to Audible through them, too, but you'll earn a pittance more if you upload directly through Audible. Findaway also allows for library lending distribution through Libby and several other global equivalents.

If you need ISBNs, you can buy them cheaper in bulk from Bowker at myidentifiers.com

Individual storefront options like Payhip.com and Gumroad.com are also great ways to allow people to buy directly from you, though I soured on Gumroad after the whole NFT thing and their CEO harassing people on Twitter over it. Payhip is now my preferred storefront, and as an added bonus, they calculate VAT in European countries as well, so that's one less thing for me as an indie author to work out. As an added bonus, Payhip can be directly integrated into your author website if you have one. It's a feature I'll be implementing soon.

itch.io also allows for the sale and distribution of ebook files, though I haven't used it yet.

If you don't have the means to hire a cover designer or the means to do it yourself in photoshop, Canva.com has some decent-ish ebook templates. Just make sure the images and fonts you're using have the right licenses for commercial use.

Editing and formatting are also extremely important, though I know not everyone can afford them. If you can, I highly suggest doing so and shelling out extra to have them format your work across mediums. Ebook formatting is different from paperback formatting, and it can look very strange if you just try to format an ebook into a pdf. It is a skill you can teach yourself (plenty of youtube videos) if you really want to, but I prefer to throw money at my editors, who provide formatting as an additional service. Whatever you can afford to do to streamline the process is money well spent.

Also, do not be shy about using affiliate links to sell your work. Authors lose a solid chunk of money to places like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, etc., in distribution fees. Whatever pennies you can scrape back through affiliate links for directing traffic to those sites is hard-earned--and it is literal pennies sometimes. You can also integrate any affiliate links you do have into draft2digital, so they auto-generate, which is handy.

When it comes to paperbacks, BookShop.org offers the best affiliate earnings, and a percentage of the sale goes toward supporting indie bookstores. They do not take that percentage from your earnings, they pay it themselves. Libro.FM is the audiobook equivalent of BookShop.org, and they also give a percentage of sales to supporting indie book stores.

Anyway, I hope that helps someone. Good luck out there.

Also, if you're the person who sent me the irate email about "giving away trade secrets," feel free to die mad about it. 😘

#long post #indie publishing #indie author #author resources #I've posted all this before #but I figure it never hurts to post it again #also lol at that email #what a sad and bitter view

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writingquestionsanswered · 29 days

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Just a quick reminder that I will not tolerate bad-mouthing of traditional, indie, hybrid, online, fan-fiction, or any other type of writing and publishing on my blog, in asks, in the replies, or in the reblogs.

Furthermore, anyone who feels the need to disparage any type of writing or publication should take some time to educate themselves and do some self-reflection. What insecurities are these feelings masking? Why are they not confident enough in their own writing or path to publishing to be supportive of all types of writing and publishing? Why do they feel the experiences of some are enough to invalidate the experiences of many?

There is room for everyone in the world of writing and publishing. There's no reason not to be inclusive of everyone, all types of writing, all paths of publishing, and advice from every background and level of experience.

~ with love, WQA

#writing #writing advice #publishing #self publishing #indie publishing #indie authors #indie books #writing tips #writing community #writers of tumblr #writeblr #writing help #snobs need not apply

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bdapublishing · 5 months

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you don’t understand— i need to be here. need.

#bookblr #book blog #books and literature #booklover #indie publishing #indie author #books #books and reading #bookworm #reading #books & libraries #bookshelf #pretty books #bookish #booksbooksbooks

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wildstarpress · 18 days

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🐍Coiled to Strike🐍

A Western Anthology about the myths and legends of the Viper with Devil Horns, Emory Graves.

FUNDING NOW on @kickstarter

Back it here!

#wildstar press #comics #anthology #western #snakes #indie publishing #art #artists on tumblr #coiled to strike

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leebrontide · 2 months

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How DOES one hype an indie book they're about to publish these days? Like book Twitter is dead, so what happened to the book review community over there? Did it all just....stop? Are they on here somewhere?

Do I just wait till the book is out and Blaze a post or what???

#indie writers #indie publishing #writeblr #indie authors

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hannahyeaman · 4 days

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Hello,

I'm an adult fiction author—fantasy and contemporary fantasy—and my debut fantasy releases May 28, 2024.

I initially got the idea for SOUL-BOUND in early April 2017, wanting to explore how a winged character would navigate their world without flight. But I didn't truly start writing it until January 2019 and now I'm finally pursuing publishing it!

Here's the gorgeous cover! Illustrated by the wonderful @oxiente, who has drawn Mika and Roshan a lot for me over the past few years. I'm really grateful that she took on this project. She delivered beyond my expectations! There are so many cute details! 🥺

PITCH

When a tsundere princess with healing magic loses her flight during her quest to heal corrupted crystal roots, she must depend on a charming vagabond's aid to help her before their avian world collapses to corruption.

SUMMARY

Avem, a continent inhabited by bird-like humans called Avians, consists of seven territories, each of which contains a crystal root: a treelike sanctuary preserving magic. Avians cannot wield the land’s magic themselves.

Except, Mika, the princess of Passíer. However, her father forbids her to use it out of concern for her safety.

Due to the expanding corruption from Cantio; a fallen territory under Passíer’s jurisdiction because of its damaged root, Zayn the militant king of Nyx, suggests Scorching Cantio. To avoid such a catastrophic outcome, Mika flees from home, determined to heal Cantio’s root herself.

In Cantio, she meets Roshan, a vagabond playing double agent to protect what’s left of his uncorrupted homelands. Upon noticing her pink feathers, unique for her specific species, he cautions her to leave before she’s captured and used as coin. She snubs his warning and is nearly taken captive.

During his efforts to help her, Roshan is wounded. Mika heals him with her magic, unintentionally and unknowingly bonding them together.

When the quest costs Mika’s wing and grounds her, she accepts Roshan’s offer to escort her across Avem to heal the damaged roots before corruption destroys their world.

If you like birb characters, the ship dynamic from Anastasia and Tangled, books like Dance of Thieves and The Girl at Midnight, and prose like Naomi Novik and Margaret Rogerson, then stick around 🩷

eBook pre-order link!

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bailiesartblog · 9 months

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Excited to share the cover for Kari’s and Mine upcoming new short comic, Morana, Until Death

This sapphic psychological thriller follows two women, and just how far they’ll go for the one they love…

It will be available as a pdf in October as part of Shortbox Comic Fair alongside a bunch of new comic works by an amazing lineup of creators!

#shortbox comics fair #sapphic #comic #indie publishing #shortbox comic fair #thriller #cover reveal

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madi-konrad · 4 months

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My wlw/lesbian fantasy romance novel A Demon's Name Upon Your Lips released today, Jan 6!! I'll update this post with all the links you can purchase it at. Right now, the following links are live!

Grab it at $5.99 at the following places:

itch.io (PDF, ePub, and mobi all included!)

Kobo link (ePub version)

Apple Books, Smashwords, and a few others (ePub version)

Amazon (Kindle version)

Barnes and Noble (ePub)

Synopsis below the cut!

Lucia is a succubus, a demon with the power to shape the emotions and passions of mortals. Summoned often into the world of Melodia, she takes pride in upholding her demonic contracts to the best of her abilities. She likes to think she does her job well … though a string of recent failures say otherwise.

Talia, the recently elevated Duke of Fallmire, summons Lucia for a simple reason: to pose as her wife and fulfill marital obligations to the satisfaction of Parliament. All to say, just a few weeks of walking around the estate and playing nice with the neighbors before a conveniently tragic death. Quick and easy.

But immediately, Lucia smells blood in the water. Behind closed doors, the Duke plots vengeance upon those who killed her father—and the demon wants in. Revenge, after all, is much more fun … and more lucrative, to boot.

But can Lucia predict how hard she’d fall for the Duke? (Not a chance). And can the Duke find it in her vengeful heart to love?

Spice Level: lightly described nudity, fade-to-black sex.

64,000 words.

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projecttreehouse · 2 years

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write EVERY DAY. here's how.

where inspiration fails, habit will always have your back. this is why it's important to build writing into your life as a habit, if you ever want to finish a project or improve your skills.

back in 2018, i (nat) was a college student without much going for me. i was feeling creatively stifled and insecure and like i didn't have TIME to write good. and i was right. i didn't have time to write GOOD. but i did have time to write SOMETHING. so that january, i built the habit. i wrote every single day in 2018, and almost every single day since.

because once you establish the habit, it becomes safer to skip a day (or three days) here and there. you will at least THINK about writing every day, even if you go straight from work to social plans to bed, or you're on vacation, or you're too sick to write. and that thinking is part of the habit!

here are the tips i followed to make this happen.

-pick a reasonable goal. starting off, mine was 300 words. now, i don't follow a goal, because the habit is so solid i don't need to. but 300 words is easy and quick. and if you give a pig a pancake, they'll probably have days where they write 500, 1000, even 3k words.

-log your word count. this is interesting to look back on every new year's eve, and it provides accountability. do this however you like; a spreadsheet, a physical notebook, a note in your phone, each day's section in your planner, whatever works for you. i have a channel in my personal discord server where i log mine.

-do NOT edit as you go. just write write write. if you feel like something you wrote needs work, yeah, it probably does-- everything needs to be edited, but that's a problem for later. highlight sentences you can't get right or make note of them to edit LATER. but do not edit as you go!

-write self-indulgent crap. fanfiction, shitty poetry, manifestos, rants, self insert fantasy romance, whatever floats your boat. having a shitty self-indulgent backup story to work on when i didn't feel like writing for the projects i cared about really helped get me in the habit. write for an audience of one!

-journal if you can't write. this may not necessarily build your skill as much as writing regular prose would, but it does help you maintain the habit and it can be useful in lots of other ways.

-think outside the box. write trivia questions. write a list of your favorite childhood toys. write a review of the book you're reading. i'm writing this post, that's going toward my word count for the day. again, this is still writing, and it helps maintain the habit.

-get comfortable writing on your phone. this took me a long time, but making it over this hurdle has saved my habit so many times.

you'll be surprised at the cool shit you end up writing on those days when you swore you weren't inspired enough. and you'll be delighted with how much progress you will make honing your craft!

happy writing! if you have any questions about how to implement any of these tips, our ask box is always open.

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hiveworks · 5 months

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❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅

You can read all of Kochab for free right now! Or check out the ongoing Kickstarter.

Read Kochab // Hiveworks // Sarah Webb's art // KICKSTARTER

❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅❅

#hiveworks #webcomics #webcomic #graphic novel #lgbt comic #indie publishing #kochab

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totaltrauma · 15 days

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It is with the utmost pride and excitement that I announce that my sister Jude's debut novella, "John-Paul Was Hit By A Church Bus This Sunday" is now officially available in both paperback and ebook on Amazon!

With cover artwork done by the incomparable Axel Kennedy, this book is a dark comedy / whodunit mystery that tells the story of four men who get more than they bargained for when reuniting at a mutual friend's funeral.

CHECK IT OUT HERE ===> https://a.co/d/evVLBQb

If you're a fan of the macabre, murder mysteries, dark comedies, or any of Jude's other work, I implore you to please give this novella a chance. You won't regret it.

#new release #indie publishing #indie author #self publishing

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angelltheninth · 8 days

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You know how people say "We have insert company brand here at home." and then it's a shittier version of it? The thing is it doesn't have to be shitty, the thing sell is already shit, it's just shit that we accepted as normal.

I think we should also shame them by showing them we CAN in fact have it better at home. And often cheaper.

Like come on, animation, comics, music, books, movies, video games, tabletop games, you all know we can make better then big companies give us. The local artists, indie authors, small movie studios, musicians, actors, they can make it so much better these days. There are so many resources online, ways to connect, ways to fund indie projects, studios and business.

Why can't indie stuff be the new normal? Maybe not now, but I really hope it can be in the future. We all know that it takes longer, it's a bigger risk but I would rather take that risk then consume the copy-pasted content that companies are forcing their workers to make. Entertainment companies used to take risks with new ideas, now it's so hard to find and even when they do so they either meddle in it so much that it becomes a watered down version of itself or they cancel it one-two seasons in, or before it's even released because it doesn't meet some made up sky-high standard that exists only in their heads.

Indie animation alone has come such a long way. There are so many talented artists, animators, writers, directors, VA's that work on those and there should be more. I've been in the indie author scene for just a few months and it's been some of the most welcoming jobs I've ever had. Those YouTube singers that make awesome covers? They all deserve more praise, big or small channels. All these artists on here, on twitter, on instagram that have shops? That's some good, quality merch. Indie VTubers? If you've been in the VTubing scene in the last few months I don't have to tell you why indie is better.

It's higher risk these days sure, but you have to admit that it's so much better, full of life, full of passion and care for what's being made. That's what we need more of.

#indie animation #indie studio #indie author #indie publishing #indie music #indie games #indie vtuber #indie movies #kind of a rant

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asablehart · 8 months

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My story "Dread of the White Dog" is available in this month's issue of Fantasy Magazine! You can buy the issue now or wait until the 12th to read it for free online.

This is the second-to-last issue of Fantasy Magazine, which is closing as the result of recent Kindle policy changes that will remove all subscription based media from the Kindle store. SFF magazines operate on very tight budgets and most of them are taking huge hits to their subscriber base right now, so please try to support magazines that you love.

#writeblr #short fiction #fantasy #indie publishing #my writing

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