Before you say it, I know what you’re thinking.

Yes, this angry Indie author can be happy!

I decided since we just rang in a new year that I would write a positive article so we can feel optimistic for the months ahead of us.

 

Great things about being a self-published author:

 

1) We can write anything we want!

We are not held back by agents or publishers. We do not have to tone our writing down or conform to someone’s rules of publishing. We are now in an era where we can explore any genre we want and write it our way!

 

2) We have no deadlines.

We can be a week or a month late on our first or final drafts and no one is going to scream or threaten us… except maybe our loyal, fabulous fans.

 

3) We take home 70% of our royalties, unlike some that are with publishing houses and only get a measly 15-20%.

 

4) We don’t get rejection letters, but boy a few of those 1 or 2 star reviews can sting. In the end I would rather have a real reader tell me what they don’t like than someone who only took the time to read one or two chapters of my work.

 

5) We are constantly reaching out to our fans and readers through social media, and by doing so, we actually connect more because we truly want to hear from them and get to know them.

They are not nameless or faceless. We know who are you and we are thankful every single day for your continued support!

 

6) Freedom.

I always have the final say with my editor. If I feel something needs to be kept in my book, then guess what? I’m leaving it in!

Adverbs be damned.

 

7) Hitting save and publish is like no other feeling in the world. The sense of accomplishment and pride that you feel makes your cheeks ache from smiling so much.

 

8) Calling yourself a self-published author is no longer a whispered phrase that you utter when asked what you do for a living. You can hold your head high and proclaim loudly for all to hear.

“Yeah, I self-publish because I like having full control over my work and I’ve had four books and a cook book  that have all been on Amazon’s best seller lists.”

Booyah!

 

9) You have learned the art of selling yourself and your work, and in doing so, learned that you are stronger and more self-confident than you ever imagined.

 

10) This is your time. This is your year to set new goals and surprise yourself. Write, edit…edit again and publish.

You got this!

 

In conclusion, don’t sell yourself short and grab this year by the balls.

This is not a time for maybe and if’s, but a time for heck yeah, I’m doing it my way!