A Diary of a Self-Published Author (Pt 2)

Welcome back to the second installment of my mini-series blog in celebration of Indie April!

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to actually be an indie author? To understand the highs and lows of such a meaningful yet challenging endeavor? Well, here’s a sneak peek into my personal journey as a self-published author!

The Lows 

Even when you invest in something you’re passionate about, there are bound to be difficulties and doubts along the way; that’s just life! However, it’s important to acknowledge these potential struggles and learn from them. Don’t let the lows hinder you from growing and thriving!

I know that’s often easier said than done—trust me, I’ve felt a lot of discouragement while being an author. But when life gets me down, I choose to remember these simple truths:

• I’m not alone. Other indie authors experience these same struggles, too.

• It’s worth it. I have a story to tell, I’ve worked hard to publish it, and it’s worth promoting.

• No matter what, I did it; I became an author! That’s something to be immensely proud of.

  
  

These positives aren’t a miraculous cure for my insecurities and frustrations, but they are true nonetheless. Even so, there are consistent struggles that come with self-publishing.

 These are the top 3 challenges I’ve faced as an indie author:

1.      Finances

Does money stress anyone else out, or is it just me? I didn’t realize how much it costs to not only create a book but promote it, too! In self-publishing, the author has full discretion about their finances; there is no advised budget to follow. However, the more money you invest, the better quality product you'll create and the more profit you’ll attain from sales. I chose to invest in both an editor and a designer for my book, and I’ll never regret it. Their expertise elevated my manuscript into something I never imagined possible. I’ve also invested in paid promotions, which quickly add up the more ads you run and posts you boost. However, they do help regulate consistent sales each month.

Although I've financially invested in creating and promoting my memoir, it's unlikely that I'll make huge profits from it. This is primarily because I’ve only written one book, and most authors need to publish several to make a profit. Even though I never planned for authoring to be a permanent career move—I’m satisfied being a one-and-done author for now—it can be discouraging to invest so much into something meaningful with few tangible incentives.

2.      Support

Self-publishing relies heavily on community, and that can be extremely frustrating. I’ve found that many people will voice interest in my memoir, but not take action to follow my page, like my content, buy my book, or leave a review. This can be really disheartening. Support starts with the people you know, so you need to be prepared to ask for help! This can be uncomfortable, but it’s necessary. I feel silly asking friends or family to share my posts on social media, but the fact of the matter is, it does help reach a wider audience. Every time a friend likes my content or leaves a comment, my heart swells with gratitude. Simple actions mean so much to an indie author!

Growing on social media has also been a challenge. I was under the impression that the more followers you have, the more people will view your content, share it, and even purchase your book—but this couldn’t be further from the truth! Because of the impossible-to-understand workings of the algorithm, follower engagement isn't something you can predict or manage. This makes finding support and connecting with interested readers very difficult.

3.      Engagement

An online presence is crucial for self-published authors. Unfortunately for me, social media just isn’t my thing! I struggle with the creativity of designing and planning posts, the expertise of knowing when or what to post, and the comparison of it all. There’s just so much pressure to work with the algorithm, try the newest content trends, and create interesting posts. It takes so much time, focus, and energy to do something that just doesn’t come naturally to me. But, social media is vital for promoting my book, so it's something I've had to learn how to do.

For indie authors, social media—whether it’s TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or another popular outlet—is the main platform for promotions, book sales, and building a reading community. Due to the necessity of acquiring views, accumulating followers, and securing sales, it’s frustrating when promotional posts receive low engagement compared to more personal or generic content. Self-published authors need followers who want to read their book, will share about it, and are interested in learning more! Unless you enjoy the challenges of social media, this part of self-publishing can feel very daunting and discouraging. And if you get caught up in following the algorithm “rules” or comparing other accounts and their success, it can run you ragged. 

It can feel overwhelming and discouraging to put so much effort into something so meaningful and reap little reward from it. But at the end of the day, I remind myself: my story matters. No matter where self-publishing has brought me, my journey has been extraordinary. Not many people can say they’re a published author, but I can! I can't let comparison, frustration, or disappointment steal the pride and joy that comes with being an author.

The Highs

Although the lows may feel overbearing, the highs that come with self-publishing are indescribable.

These are the top 3 positives I’ve discovered as an indie author:

1.      Feedback

When I began my authoring journey, I prepped myself for possible negative reviews, understanding that not everyone would enjoy my story (no book is perfect for every reader). What I didn’t anticipate were the dozens of raving reviews praising my memoir. Every review on Amazon is five stars, something I never dreamed possible! And it’s not only how well my book has been received, but how it’s making a difference in readers’ lives. There are reviews from people I’ve never met, leaving comments like:

“…I didn’t know how close to home this was to my own story and healing process.”

“I truly saw my own story reflected in this memoir.”

“I cannot begin to describe how timely and perfectly orchestrated this book came across my path.”

“…I have never (in all my life) felt more understood than by the words reflected in this memoir.”

These reviews make it all worth it. This is why I wrote my book and shared my testimony. Knowing that God has used my story to touch readers’ hearts is empowering and humbling. I feel so grateful.

2.      Ownership

In my opinion, the biggest perk of self-publishing is having complete ownership of your work. I take great pride in my memoir. It was a lot of work writing, editing, and now promoting it, but I feel immense gratification from the process. With traditional publishing, manuscripts can be revised for various reasons, but self-publishing gives the author full control throughout the entire process. Telling my story the way I wanted and staying true to its message of hope and restoration were important to me. I believe my story is exactly what it was supposed to become without anyone changing it into something more "marketable." Although I revised much of my book to make it more interesting for readers, I never altered the truth of my testimony.

3.      Connections

I appreciate making genuine connections with others and getting to know their stories. Through social media and indie author events, I’ve made friends with other authors and avid readers. It means so much to connect over DMs or comments, like each other’s content, and share each other’s posts. Not only building a following but finding a community of writers, readers, and like-minded people to partner along your authoring journey is essential. It gives you fresh ideas for content, provides support for your work, and inspires you to keep showing up. Connecting with accounts that you relate to fosters a comradery of encouragement!

Being an author really is incredible. Even though it’s hard, the highs are what keep you on track; they remind you of your why. I may not have reached the unbelievable goals of bestseller lists or thousands of copies sold, but I have reached unimaginable goals of impacting readers’ lives, receiving stellar reviews, and just being an author has been a dream itself. These blessings are what shine a light of validation into my life. No one can tell my story like I can. That's why I became a writer. God had something for me to say, and I published it!

Becoming a Self-Published Author

Do you have a story burning inside your heart? Have you been interested in self-publishing but don't know where to start? Well, here are my top five tips about becoming a self-published author:

1. Commit to it: If you decide to be an author, commit the time and effort it takes to write a quality manuscript. Don't rush through any part of the process.

2. Dedicate the time: Writing takes time. Again, don't rush through it! Make time to write, no matter what it looks like. The more you invest in developing your manuscript, the more you'll grow as a writer, learn from your story, and create a life-changing piece of literature. Also, take time to learn marketing strategies and ways to promote your book before publishing!

3. Establish a Budget: To do self-publishing well requires some financial sacrifice. Create a realistic budget and allocate those funds accordingly. For me, I knew editing and design were important things I wanted to invest in. Promotional ads surprised me, but they're worth the payment! Make sure you consider each aspect of the writing and publishing process in your budget.

4. Utilize Reedsy: This website was influential in my authoring journey. I learned a lot from reading their insightful articles and attending free webinars. I also connected with professionals about editing and designing my manuscript. Reedsy offers so much to indie authors, it's worth looking into their resources!

5. Build a Social Media Following: I've said it countless times, but it's true —your presence online matters. Before even publishing your book, start a professional page on social media (whatever platform you prefer). Start creating content relating to your book, talk about books in your genre, post "get to know the author" facts, and generate interest for your soon-to-be-published story!

   
   

Have other questions about being a self-published author? I'd love to connect with you!

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