Finding Your Tribe

By Angela Kay Austin

When I began writing, I think I imagine my journey like the journey of so many others imagine it. I’ll write the next great something, an agent will instantly fall in love with it and me, of course, and they’ll sell it to a publisher who will love it! Done and done.

Instead my journey has been much more twisted. Picked up by one small press publisher, then another and another. One publisher after the other went under. And I was confused. I wasn’t sure what my next step would be. However, that’s when I realized the value of a network of authors. My 

tribe.

My tribe taught me how to self-publish. One taught me to format. Another connected me with graphic designers and editors. Others connected me with tools and templates which allowed me to package my books. And still others taught me the meaning behind ISBNs and distribution.

Five quick tips from my tribe to yours:

1.      Don’t edit your own work

2.      FIVERR can be a good friend to you

3.      There are free templates for books out there, use them until you learn how to do it

4.      ISBNs are necessary – if you want to distribute to a larger reader base

5.      Create your own tribe to help with promotion of your work, as well as to help you grow and learn

Bonus tip: Find a local writing group and join!

The consideration of becoming an Indie author is a difficult one. Doing it alone is unnecessarily hard, but when you find your tribe, that changes things. You have people, other authors, who will support and promote you on your journey. That to me is priceless.

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Angela Kay Austin has always loved expressing herself creatively.  An infatuation with music led to years playing several instruments, some better than others.   A love for acting put her in front of a camera or two for her thirty seconds of fame before giving way to a degree and career in communications.  After completing a second degree in marketing, Angela found herself combining her love for all things creative and worked in promotions and events for many years.   Today, Angela lives in her hometown in Tennessee with her really really really old dog, Midnight. To learn more about Angela, visit her website: http://www.angelakayaustin.com/.