Voice of an Indie author

Traditional publishing is awesome! I would love to have a deal, but I don't. I’m not knocking you if you do. I envy your luck. If you're one of those amazing people that can describe your novel in 20 words or less…my hat is off to you. I wish I could do the same. This is for those who haven't yet.

After DOZENS of rejections because of genre crossover, word count, story line being too "unique," I stopped. This is the era of self-publication. Do I wish I could walk within the borders and land a deal? Yeah! Hello? Don't we all.  I just haven't figured out a way to contain my voice enough to do so.

For some of us, traditional book deals seem to be a "whisper in the wind." We want to write the stories and characters that scream the loudest—regardless of the genre. We're the bold, the unconventional, and the ones that are committed to having our voices heard regardless of the guidelines.

What does it take? If you're like me, and I'm sure you are, you've done the research. You've paid the editors, the cover artists, the book marketers, and you've spent more time on social media outlets that you care to admit.

I think I know the answer to our problem. We love to write, create, and transport our readers to a place they've never been, but we're also SHY. We're afraid to ask bloggers to post our cover reveals, to review us; and we think that published short stories, poetry, aren't worthy enough to mention as publications when we submit to agents. I have yet to tell an agent that I'm a published poet. (I even made the Who's Who in poetry in 2005 and have written several news articles.) To me, as someone who loves to write stories, I never even considered poetry or news articles as who I am. I write stories. I did the others for fun.

I've spent several days writing and deleting emails and requests to bloggers. I have two eBooks coming out within the next few days, yet all I can do is request for them (via FB) to request to do my reveal. I'm scared. I'm not a social butterfly and so I'm afraid. Am I afraid of rejection? Not so much. Afraid that the one thing that I love to do most will be met with a, "You're not in the "in" crowd?" Perhaps I am. In the end it boils down to one thing. They can't hang us on the stake and roast us. Chances are they want to hear from us as much as we want to contact them.

Take the chance. Let your voice be heard. I have it on good authority, that I have a gift for writing and that my stories are unique and entertaining. I'm sure you've heard the same. It's time for Indie authors to believe. It's time for YOU to believe. Take the next step. You deserve to be heard.

Ask, network, and don't be afraid to promote yourself. You own your authorship. It's your business. It's your right. It's time for you to feel as important as you are.