In my last post I mentioned that Freedom has always been
(and continues to be) a huge motivator in the battle between Indie vs. TradPub.
When it comes to having absolute control over both your writing and the final
product (design, marketing, release, etc.), the Indie Path wins. Hands
down. Every time.
But there’s a caveat.
Just because we CAN publish everything we write doesn’t mean
we SHOULD. Yes. That backlist is important. The more titles our readers can
choose from, the greater the potential profit. At the same time, not every book
we write will resonate. Not every book is immediately ready for public
consumption.
So much about having Freedom as an Indie Author has
been about rushing to get the next book out. Rushing the process. Rushing the
product. But I’ve seen A LOT of writer burnout in the Indie community lately.
More authors seem to be admitting to taking a step back (from social media,
publishing, and the world in general). Many have outright stated that they just
“need a break.”
What we learned after the Indie Gold Rush, I think, and what
we’ve learned in trying to keep pace with those sales years since then (which,
let’s be honest, were pretty great) is the importance of slowing down. Despite
all outward appearances, there was never any “race” and “first one out” didn’t
necessarily win.
This still applies. (Marathon, not a sprint.)
So take your time. Write for writing’s sake, not to make a quick
dollar. Make sure your story is ready before hitting publish.
Remember why you
write.
Because when it comes down to it, the words should be enough. They have to be. There are no other guarantees.
Be Brilliant!
~Katie~
