Wednesday Writing & #ThursdayDoors to My Author’s Mind 3 — Being Indie

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Wednesday, July 27, 2022 

Door to Author Mind 2022, Image collage by Teagan
Image collage by Teagan

Welcome to my sanctuary everyone, whether you are a reader, writer, blogger, “Doors” aficionado or something else.  As you see by the title, my post is doing double duty again, but what the heck? I’ve always been a multi-tasker.  I’ve had too many challenges and bad dreams lately, so you’ll see that the inside of my mind is a rundown looking mess (the images).

The topic on my author mind today is Being Indie.  I’ve wanted to write this post since the moment a couple of months ago when my neighbor asked me this question:  

“We know that you write books and take care of your house… But what do you DO all day?”  

I was so stunned by the huge emphasis on “do” that I honestly didn’t have a good reply.  Although, I didn’t really get an opening to try and explain anyway.  Many of you are authors and so, know the answer to this question.  However, if you are not, then this post is a…

Door to Being Indie

Steampunk girl Peeling paint doors by Teagan
Image collage by Teagan, Pixabay sourced

If you look up a definition, “An indie book is any book published by an independent publisher. Any publisher outside the “Big 5” (Hachette, Harper Collins, Penguin Random House, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster), and their many, many imprints, is considered an independent publisher.”  Independent publishers are sometimes independent people.  Authors who choose not to contract with a publisher are indie authors. 

Not very long ago I saw an author post her definition of a “true indie” as someone who did all the aspects of book publishing from, writing through the upload and release, themself.  By her definition, I am a true indie.

Although, what does that really mean?  It means that I have to find my way to a lot of doors, and then open them.  When I was no longer able to continue my editing career with the government, I became a fulltime author — an indie author.  I don’t have a set daily schedule, but it covers a lot more than sitting at my computer, blithely typing for a few minutes a day (as many people seem to think). 

Ruins Door Chair Stairs Peter H Pixabay
Peter H at Pixabay

As an independent, each of my days includes multiple hours spent on each of most of the following tasks.  During the course of a week, all are certainly covered:

Trying to shut out most of the endless stream of ideas.  (Yes, I know that doesn’t apply to everyone, but it’s part of my day.)  Making notes for the ones that are irresistible.  Fact checking. Research.  Social networking and other forms of marketing. Blogging visits and writing comments. Writing blog posts.  Answering blog comments. More research (even for fantasy). Editing.  Actually writing.  More editing.  Finding suitable images.  Creating images for promotions, blog posts, and book covers.  Editing images and formatting them to specific purposes.  Formatting manuscripts.  Proofreading.  More editing.  More proofreading.  More shameless self-promotion.  Finally, more actual writing.  And more… There’s always more.

Nathan Wright from Pixabay
Nathan Wright at Pixabay

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Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favorite door photos from around the world. It’s hosted by Dan Antion.  Feel free to join in on the fun by creating your own Thursday Doors post each week and then sharing your link in the comments below, anytime between 12:01 am Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American eastern time).

2022 Thursday Doors badge by Teagan R. Geneviene

♦ ♦ ♦

Speaking of shameless self-promotion… The final Journey of “Dead of Winter” is now available.  It’s not too late to become part of the Journeys.  Especially if you were waiting for all of them to be published.

Thanks for opening this door.  Hugs on the wing!

♦ ♦ ♦

Universal Purchase Links for Dead of Winter: Journey 14, The Veil

Dead of Winter: Journey 14, The Veil by Teagan Riordain Geneviene
The Final Journey

Journey 14, The Veil

Kindle:  relinks.me/B0B41FF3FX

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0B3RVHG1S

 

Journey 13, The Harbor

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09TN3NDX1

Paperback:  relinks.me/B09TN1F58B

Journey 12, Goddesses

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09P5LJY13

Paperback:  relinks.me/B09NTTZ9J8

Journey 11, the Sumelazon Escarpment

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09M7Q19XT

Paperback:  relinks.me/B09M4QWDYK

Journey 10, Pergesca

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09J6TH8TD

Paperback:  relinks.me/B09J7GFWYV

Journey 9, Doors of Attunement

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09F8Y5DML

Paperback:  relinks.me/B09F1BB9RW

Journey 8, The Lost Library

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09C6MPTYT

Paperback:  relinks.me/B09C34XR7P

Journey 7, Revenant Pass

Kindle:  relinks.me/B098MS8P48

Paperback:  relinks.me/B098GV1G5V

Journey 6, The Fluting Fell

Kindle:  relinks.me/B096CPJNSX

Paperback: relinks.me/B096CPJNSX

Journey 5, Llyn Pistyll Falls

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09431TD6G

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0942KC471

Journey 4, The Old Road

Kindle:  relinks.me/B092G5LB7R

Paperback:  relinks.me/B092M51Y88

Journey 3, the Fever Field

Kindle: elinks.me/B08XTNZ9M8 

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08XXY3JXF

Journey 2, Penllyn

Kindle:  relinks.me/B08VMNSF97

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08VLMR2KD

Journey 1, Forlorn Peak

Kindle:  relinks.me/B08RBBVRGX

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08R7RH4F5

♦♦♦

This is a work of fiction.  Characters, names, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2022 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved. 

No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author or provided by free sources, unless stated otherwise.

 

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56 thoughts on “Wednesday Writing & #ThursdayDoors to My Author’s Mind 3 — Being Indie”

  1. “What do you do all day?” Seriously? People have no clue about everything that goes along with writing. It goes farrrr beyond getting the book into the world. I’m fortunate to work a part time job, but I still don’t have the time to get everything done. I’m constantly behind, and I’ve decided that’s probably a constant state instead of temporary. You have more patience than I, my friend.

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  3. I only started blogging and writing about I retired, Teagan. I couldn’t imagine doing both likes several people such as Robbie do. I love your creative doors. Your differentiation of publishers, indie publishers, indie authors, and true indie authors makes sense. I’m almost a true indie author until KDP takes an ePub file for eBook uploading. I just don’t have time to learn the apps to convert the docx. to ePub. I may do it eventually so I’d have more control over the corrections. I reloaded my files to my designer so many times, that he probably got them confused. I finally put dates on the files.

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    1. Hi Miriam, it’s good to see you. Yes, it’s definitely a full-time job. I was doing it along with a high-pressure full-time job until 3 years ago. But sometimes, just doing something different (a change) is as good as a break. That’s how it was for me while doing both.
      Adding dates to file names is a good practice. I did a lot of document management, and establishing a consistent file nomenclature is very important. Even when the files only go between two people, using file names well can save a lot of trouble.
      Have a beautiful weekend. Hugs on the wing.

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      1. My life during writing full-time was complicated with personal issues in child custody for 5 years, and later on cancer. It was an hour each way commuting, and only had time for dinner when I got home. Come to think of it, I wouldn’t have a clarity of mind to write. It wasn’t too late when I started though. Have a wonderful weekend, Teagan.💕😍

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    1. Somehow my thought-time-line got jumbled and that gave me an image of Mercury (god of speed with wings on his heels) with his ankle wings pulling him upside-down and away into the air. I have no real excuse. LOL. Have a restful weekend. Hugs winging back to you.

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  6. I burst out laughing at the opening shot! What a hoot.
    You are so creative, Teagan.
    What do THOSE people think you do all day? Drink Tequila Sunrises with The Eagles?
    Fun Doors post, and keep the writing coming! {{hugs}}

    PS – sent my first email with 3 pics!

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    1. 😀 Thanks for making me smile, Resa.
      I *love* the photos you sent. I really appreciate you taking the time to choose them. I feel like they deserve a special story. Now I have to reign myself in, because my head would like to turn it into a novel… and I have too many unfinished novels. LOL.
      Hugs on the wing!

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  8. The Final Journey photo is outstanding, I love it. I respect the time and effort that you put into your writing–and I am sure you did not even tell the entire story! The time you spend in research, writing and rewriting proves that all the time you dedicate results in a perfect and tempting story that we, as readers, do not want to miss.. Thank you for all the time and effort that goes into your writing. Looking for more to come! ! !

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    1. Dear Ms. Frances, I blush. ^^’ Thank you so very much! Your comment makes my week — and it would make a fine Goodreads.com review (or Amazon). I’m honored and delighted that you enjoyed the conclusion of Dead of Winter. I’m happy that you are part of the Journeys. Thanks for your uplifting words. I always need encouragement. Hugs on the wing!

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  9. I love the doors photo! And you are so right, Teagan. Anyone who is an indie published author has to wear a multitude of hats and it’s a constant learning curve, especially when it comes to marketing. None of it is easy. We have to love it for sure. Great post!

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    1. I blush. You are so kind.
      Plus, editing has to be done so many times to make sure everything is right. LOL, you’re right, Priscilla. I spend more time on every other task than on writing. But those things are an important part of it. Try to keep cool. Hugs on the wing.

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  11. I compare what we do to a small business owner. We do everything and tend to work around the clock to get it all going. Well said, Teagan! Its beyond a full time job outside of everything else we have to do not writing related. Hugs xo

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    1. You’re absolutely right in that comparison, Denise. Lucky for me, I love everything… except the marketing. LOL. Although I think that applies to most of us. Wishing you an easy coast down the other side of this midweek hump. Hugs on the wing.

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    1. Thanks, Noelle. I really was gobsmacked by that question.
      LOL, I’ve found that the odd ideas of other people, give me an easy out when I buy rosé in bulk, or flesh-out the liquor cabinet — because writers drink like Hemmingway. It’s a job requirement. 😀 Cheers, and hugs on the wing.

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    1. Me too, Liz. I rarely completely take a day off. No complaints about it though. I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do. It does sadden me that so many people think no real effort is required (even the ones who figure it takes a bit of time). Wishing you an easy coast down the other side of this midweek hump. Hugs on the wing.

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      1. You comments remind me of an adult student I advised who was having multiple research paper meltdowns. After several phone conversations, she came in to see me and expressed her disappointment that even the most accomplished writers go through the same process of draft and revision (and more revision and more revision). She’d thought I’d give her the magic formula.

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  16. I love the doors in that last photo, Teagan. They match so well with the frayed and varied process you describe as your day. I know how that bouncing around goes, how much work in involved. One think I didn’t understand before working on a book was how much research is involved in writing fiction. It’s almost counterintuitive. It’s required to make the fiction believable, and your fiction and your fantasy IS believable!

    Thanks for sharing this with Thursday Doors!

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    1. You are so kind, Dan — thank you. So many people (even writers) have been shocked that I research at all for fantasy, let alone as much as I do. But you are absolutely right — it is required.
      Those photos were a good find. The one that I made into a collage is actually the same place as the one you mention, but taken from a different room, by the same photographer. There was actually a rather shady looking man holding a camera in the original. Thanks for spending part of your day here. Hugs on the wing.

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  18. Pete and Robbie are right. And yes, these days, being a writer involves much more than what people think of writing, the physical activity of it. People think of researchers as scientists (mostly) and don’t realise that many other professions involve research, even if it takes different forms. Being an indie author means you have to become not only the person who comes up with the ideas, checks them, and writes the book, but also your own one-person publishing house, with all that involves. A one-person orchestra who has to advertise, write the music, create promotional materials, find a venue…. comes a bit close to what it is like. Great post, and I hope people will come to appreciate what is involved. Thanks, Teagan!

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  19. HI Teagan, I hear you, the general public is rather odd with their ideas on what is involved in writing and publishing a book. I think your average person thinks that authors just sit down and write a book and then it is published and it is all easy peasy. I loved your ‘different’ Thursday doors post on a Wednesday.

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    1. Robbie, that really is true. The first time I published a book (Atonement, Tennessee was my “debut” even though I wrote Dead of Winter before that.) several of my coworkers — in utter seriousness, asked me if there would be a movie too. The also assumed money would be pouring in… I appreciate that vote of confidence, but that’s an even less realistic fantasy than The Armadillo Files! LOL.
      Wishing you an easy coast down the other side of this midweek hump. Hugs on the wing.

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  20. So you’re telling us you’re a little busy.🤣 My retired brothers and I joke about our lives now. How did we ever find the time to work?

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    2. Ha, ain’t that the truth, Pete. I guess what I’m saying is that I’m busy despite the fact that a lot of people think I spend my days sitting around and eating bon-bons. Wishing you an easy coast down the other side of this midweek hump. Hugs on the wing.

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