Welcome to what is the last Indie Life post. The Indelibles have streamlined their efforts as we are all busy writing and publishing. Thank you for joining us for the last one! Visit the Indelibles for all the links.
I’ve been thinking about risks and mistakes and how it’s almost impossible not to make them.
I don’t mean obvious ones like not hiring an editor. I mean subtle decisions that arise that don’t seem to have a right or wrong answer. Like our sales are down or never took off – does that mean I need to redo the cover? What about paying big bucks for ads or joining a costly Net Galley co-op? What about investing in print books and attending a signing?
Sometimes we take risks. Sometimes they pay off. Sometimes they don’t. Sometimes we have to eat the cost and try not to make that mistake again. Sometimes it wasn’t a mistake. It was just something we had no control over.
We’re going to have ups and down. We’re going to have decisions that pay off big time and vice versa. Just don’t let the ones that don’t pay off get you down.
What are some potential risks you have taken on the Indie journey?
So true, Laura. And it’s true about life in general, not just the Indie life. Though they aren’t always there so frequently.
Life is all about risks. It’s what makes us grow.
Your last sentence is perfect wisdom for this post. And life in general, actually.
I have often wondered what it takes to get a self-pubbed book on Net Galley. Is it pretty expensive then? I select about 8-10 books a year on NetGalley, I haven’t picked an Indie yet from there yet, but I would if the premise appealed to me.
That’s very, very true! And what’s even more conflicting is that one risk you take for one book might work better for another. But at the same time, if you don’t try, then you’ll never know.