The modern indie author
As an author, you think of stories you want to tell. You plan out how you want to tell them. You write. And write. It's a lot of work, more than one would think going in. But you enjoy the process and it brings you meaning and ultimately brings meaning to your future readers. It's why you do it.
The work after the writing
So what happens when you finish a story and want to share it with others? You can find a publisher, but if you're at all familiar with the process then you've know that you have to submit to a lot of them. And be prepared to be turned down most of the time because most of them already receive too many submissions than they can keep up with. Or, you can choose to publish on your own. Tools are now available to make this easier if you want to print your story or provide it as an ebook.
The dawn of the ebook
Now that so many people are reading on their Kindle or iPad, it's never been a better time for the independent, self-published author to provide their work to readers, in the form of an ebook. But the process for doing it can be a little tricky. You first have to figure out how to convert your writing to the right ebook format, and not just a single format, but multiple formats to cover the different reading devices. Once that's done, you have to figure out how to make your ebook available to others.
For Kindle readers, you can sign up directly with Amazon.com. You can also go to the Apple iBooks Store for the iPad and iPhone, or Barnes and Noble for the Nook. Just be careful of the fine print. Make sure you retain the rights to your work and that it's a non-exclusive arrangement. Once that's worked out, you'll start getting some initial sales. But keep in mind that there are many authors going through the same process and using the same tools you are. And publishing companies are posting their own work in these online stores too. So you may get a few sales to start out with, but pretty soon you'll get lost among the digital sea of ebooks.
The self-promotion piece of the puzzle
So there's more work to do now to continue selling. You've got to create a fanbase and build that fanbase so your readers talk about your ebook to other readers. Become a part of the social networking revolution, start tweeting, let your Facebook friends know what you're doing, start a blog. You're on your way to getting the word out. You soon start getting your work reviewed on blogs and bit by bit you get some exposure to new audiences. And as you gain exposure, your readers will be sent to your Amazon.com page to buy your ebook. Even though you put in all the work to get people to that page, you're sharing the rewards with Amazon and potentially giving them new customers.
The alternative is setting up your own website and hiring someone to setup a digital shop on the site. This can be expensive, but you'll come out with a store tied into your PayPal account for payment. Of course you have to keep the site maintained and updated regularly. Make sure the website is optimized to make the buying process easy for your customers. And once you gain a customer, you should find a way to connect with them so they are updated with your latest work regularly. More work to do.
The modern indie author's ultimate tool
If you've read this far, you're surely feeling overwhelmed with how much there is to do after the part where you're just writing your story. The truth is, it's not easy and it's an ongoing process that takes work. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a way to do it on your own in a more manageable way?
That's where Indie Aisle comes in. It's a tool for making the process after writing easier. You can convert your story to proper ebook formats and sell it online in just a few minutes. You'll have a page dedicated to your story for your readers to easily buy without distractions. Our terms are simple and give you full control of your work. And there are unique tools to help you promote your story.
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