Indie authors of Mumsnet, come talk to me...

[CakeRage]

Have you self-published? It’s something I’m looking at at the mo and I’d really love to hear more from people who’ve done it. I follow the 20booksto50k FB group which someone on here recommended to me in my agent thread and over the last few months I’ve become captivated by the stories on there.

I’m 5 months into querying agents and honestly I’m hating it. It’s stripping everything I love out of the writing process, and it’s making me doubt myself and my work to the point where I’m about to give up. The more I think about it, and the more I read, the more I want to just f it all off and publish my own books.

I’m not in it for the big time, or to win awards, or to hob nob with the rich and famous. When I really think about it, all that’s important to me is that I’m writing the kind of books I want to read, and that I have creative control over all of it.

Have you done it? Are you happy with your decision. Are there any pitfalls I might not have thought about? And how do you deal with people being snobby about the whole indie game?

Thank you @themental

I will see of Facebook accept a disposable email, so to speak.

X post with Reanimated, thank you

Themental you are an actual angel. I've been out of action the last day or so with a migraine, so I'll still fannying about with pen names and what have you but I would really appreciate formatting help. I was looking about at the free programmes, and I probably will still have a go at one of them, just to see what I can do with it, but I have read a lot about Vellum and would love to take you up on your offer once I'm ready.

Currently also having a crack at a cover. I'm an artist and illustrator on the side, so I figured it'd be a good idea to at least have a go before paying someone else to do it

I set up a Facebook account and tried to join the group.

hopefully I haven't been rejected and they just take a while to say yay or nay....the first time I tried to answer their questions, the answers didn't go through. I think my 8 year old computer might need replacing!

OP interesting that you are also an artist. I have come across a lot of people who have both skills. I am also hoping to do my own cover, but that will be using photography.

I'd caution that design/marketing (which is what a book cover is) is a different beast to art/illustration. Typography, for example, can really make or break a book cover.

I now can't view anything for the 20k group

Does that mean my request has been refused or would Facebook tell me that?

Is there a précis of need to know stuff please?

Thanks.

I would assume FB would tell you if your request had been rejected?

The need to know and info on that group is VERY extensive, so I'm not sure it could be summed up!

zon - I definitely agree with you. My previous career was in marketing, though, so I like to think I've got both angles covered. I'm pretty fussy, so usually good at knowing when my efforts aren't going to cut it!

Finally hit publish on my book today. It’s in review on KDP as we speak. Excited/scared/tired/worried no one will buy it/excited!!

I was fannying around with stuff for ages, then remembered the advice on here to just let it be good enough, so I pulled up my big girl pants, took a deep breath and did it. I can always fix things later. Right?

Everything crossed for you, Cake. I may well follow in your footsteps!

Congratulations Cake!

Let us know how it goes.

Best of luck, Cake! Very exciting!

Thank you guys! I’ve sold three so far and none are me or my mum, haha. I realise this is barely anything, but I’m excited.

Today I’ll be marketing my face off

Interesting thread. Does anyone know if this can work for non-fiction?

I'm really sorry to keep asking

I'm now getting a message from that 20k group that the content isn't available

either I've tried to connect with the wrong group, or they've turned me down.

Can anyone supply a link to the right group so I can check it please?

there seems to be an admin for that group so if I can be sure I've been turned down, I could contact them.

thank you.

I’ve attached a screenshot of the right one. There is admin control so you need to be approved but I’m pretty sure it’s just to keep our bots and troublemakers, so I doubt you’d be rejected for no reason?

Cake, congratulations on the first copies sold!

thank you for the link

that is the one I went to. Oh well, it can't be anything I can't find somewhere else.

I think I might have been rejected as I literally set the Facebook profile up to join them so there's no information on it and they might think I'm a fake account or something.

Meanwhile, my stupid questions continue...are people using the term "self publish" and "indie publish" interchangeably?

I've signed up to a couple of other websites that look useful. I really just wanted a step by step guide. I'm editing my work now but have a bunch of stuff that can go on a release plan, so to speak.

@AutumnRose1 sorry it does sound like you might have been rejected! They are really quite strict on rules (which are part of the questions) so of for some reason your PC didn't send the form with the questions all answered I think you just get an automatic rejection.

Is there something specific you need to know? Is it the mechanics of the actual hitting publish? If it's that then the KDP interface is actually pretty easy to use so fear not.

@CakeRage awesome updates!! And you're selling!! Congratulations on hitting publish and on the start of your journey 👏🏻

@themental

I was hoping for a guide to the process really, and some marketing tips, but that's okay, I'll figure it out.

Now feeling a bit embarrassed that I bothered to set up a Facebook account. Oh well!

It might be the case that they think you are a troll or a bot or a PITA. To be fair, I think you have to have a bit of a presence on a FB or other social media account that you are going to use for marketing your writing. If all you do is post promo for your work then people tend to get irritated or block you. Social media presence is pretty much part of the job (for traditionally published authors as well).

You don't have to share your private life if you don't want to. You can use a picture of a bunch of flowers or a kitten or your feet in your favourite shoes if you don't want your author persona recognisably linked to your real self. But it's advisable to interact at least a little bit with other people (especially other authors) - like someone's post, share a funny joke, comment on the weather or celebrity news or whatever. It gets easier with practice.

Hi Reanimated
Really I was just keen to see the method, not the chat, and certainly had no intention of doing promo to them.

It's all right, I've seen other reviews of their sites and think I've got the gist. I dare say the Facebook account will come in handy later.