Monday Mayhem & More for the Indie Author

Well folks it's Monday again. Had a long weekend of weddings and assorted other things go on during the two day break. I started writing a novella for the Black Orchid Awards a couple months back. It's coming together nicely. The deadline is fast approaching and I hope to get all the tweaking done in time...if not there is always next year.


What's a novella? It's a short book. Longer than a short story but over 15,000 words. I'm finding with self/e-publishing shorter is better. It sells cheaper, it's a fast read, and I can plan, finish, edit, and write them much faster than their novel counterparts. It would be the only writing I do that I would even consider offering for $0.99 to $1.99. It's not that I value my writing higher than anyone else, it's more like I worked hard putting my works together and as such I should be paid for it.

Pricing your work is one of the most difficult things you will have to do as an indie author. But honestly, no matter what you charge for your books, they may not sell. With the rush to e-publish that I've seen in the past couple years...there is just too much free stuff available for readers. Some of it is total trash while others are quite well done. While I may be plugging away between $0.99 - $3.99 for e-versions of my books, I'm not a household name like say Critchton, Gabaldon, Brown, or Clancy. The fact is millions out there have no idea who I am, that I am writing novels and nonfiction, or where to find me. Via all the social marketing sites I may hit 1/1,000,000,000 of readers out there. That's a pretty small market. My odds are better winning the lottery.

So why do I persist? Because I have to. I know that sounds trite, but it's a fact. Without writing something everyday, I feel lost, disorientated and like I'm not doing anything but standing still. So, I move forward and write. While I might never get notoriety, it's enough that I tried. Sometimes you just have to accept "enough." If you don't love what you are doing, if you are doing it for someone else, or if you are doing it just for the money...you are writing for the wrong reasons.

I'm also getting ready for the Southeastern Writer's Workshop next month. I didn't enter any of the manuscript categories for a possible prize, not really sure which classes I want to take...so many to choose from. While I have manuscripts ready for possible publication to show an agent or editor...I'm not pitching one. So why in the heck am I spending a few hundred dollars to attend? It's a chance to touch actual physical bases with other authors. An opportunity to share ideas. I am, after thirty years in this business of writing, still a novice. Okay maybe not a novice, but I can always learn new things.

Keep writing and loving the Lord.