The Indie Path

by Cheri Chesley

More and more of my friends are embarking on the Indie path. For those uncertain, Indie means independently published, or self published. KAREN HOOVER recently launched the second book in her fantasy series. And my friends CHRISTINE and ALI have their books coming later this year. Mind you, this is just a sampling of the amazing books coming from my wealth of author friends. I'm so excited for each of them.

At least in my little circle, there has been a growing trend of Indie publishing. I recently wrote about my own options on my BLOG because it has been weighing heavily on my mind.

Truly, there are lots of ways to publish our works. It's great to have options, but I find myself carefully weighing the pros and cons of each option against the book in hopes of determining that particular book's best path. And while I recognize making money as a writer would be amazing, my goal is to share my stories with others. If I were writing to be rich I'd write stuff I knew would sell. Instead I'm guided by my heart, and the heart is a terrible financier. :)

For instance, I have a book that is part of a series partially published. If I get turned down by my current publisher, not many other publishers would be willing to step into a series in the middle. I'd most likely self publish that one.

However, I've recently had a story idea that I believe is strong and powerful and could have a lot of draw. I'd probably seek traditional publication for that one.

There's something to be said for the cliche "Don't put all your eggs in one basket." I like that I can traditionally publish and self publish, if it means more people have the opportunity to come across my works. I appreciate what I've learned--and continue to learn--about the writing craft. It makes a better quality book no matter which publishing direction I choose.