Guest Blogger: Brian Drake—Evolution of an Indie Author
When I first started on the indie route last year I did not like the “indie author” title. I thought that was a PC feel-good term used to make such people feel like they were actually accomplishing something. My original intent with an ebook was to build and audience that I could take to a traditional publisher to show them I had the chops. Well, one year later, I am embracing the “indie” title. Why? I’m having more fun promoting and selling my work on my own than I ever dreamed I would. I’m going to keep doing it. The checks that come in the mail are very nice, indeed.
Since releasing three e-books, I have been stunned. People are buying my books! And they’re leaving nice reviews on Amazon and Smashwords! For manuscripts that I, at one time, could not give away, witnessing this result is very gratifying. I’ve even sold books in the UK! If you are an author not sure as to whether or not you want to try self-publishing for the e-reading market, I encourage you to try. Seriously. Go for it.
My new e-book is a spy thriller and I’d like to tell you a little about it.
The book is called Show No Mercy and I wanted to do a story about a conflict in a family, and thought that taking that subject matter into the established spy thriller genre would be a nice twist. In the story we have a son and daughter who are faced with the possibility that their father, who taught them their values and helped shaped their beliefs, has betrayed those beliefs. All three are CIA officers. The kids—if I can use that term when referring to 30-somethings—have to determine if Dad has truly done what he’s accused of, or if he is being manipulated.
I wanted this spy story to have a stronger emphasis on the characters and their connection to one another than spy novels of the past. I also wanted an adventure that didn’t reference any current political or social event. You can read Show No Mercy and not be hit in the face with the same issues that boiled your brain during the day. This book is pure escapism in the truest sense. I think that’s how any writer should approach a story of this type, and what we need right now. Too much “entertainment” lately revels in current events. Sorry, but I have had enough of the news. I want to read a story that takes me away from all that. Don’t you?
I hope you give Show No Mercy a try. If you like stories with a lot of action and good characters and one that has a twist at every turn, this is for you.
You may find the book here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MDLVPY
6 comments:
Great stuff, I really enjoyed reading this. It's lovely to hear of someone doing so well! Show No Mercy sounds excellent - I'll definitely be checking Brian's books out. Cheers, PDB!
Thanks for this insightful post Brian. It shows that the publishing world is not all about the giant houses and their stranglehold on fiction which often results in great authors not being published, 'No Mercy' sounds great.
Brian, I went the Indie route with two of my books in 1998 and managed to sell about 1,000 copies of each! While I like the Indie concept, I must admit it is financially out of the question once a writer is retired and on a fixed income.
Salvatore Buttaci, author of Flashing My Shorts
Brian- Very good post. Of course, I'm sure everyone would love a traditional publishing deal, but even then, if you don't sell over 5,000 copies, the chances of getting a second novel out there are slim to none. The e-book revolution is a great thing. It really does empower both the readers and the writers. I think a huge turning point for me was when I was following a bunch of agent blogs and each and every one of them was always whining about all the queries they were getting. WTF, it was their job! I'll never, unless I get extremely lucky, make more $ writing than I do at my job, not even close. So writing is a passion and has nothing to do with the $. Every novel or collection that is self-pubbed becomes part of your back list, so there is nothing to lose.
A very interesting article! I raised the subject of ePublishing on my blog - to quite mixed responses! If you're getting nowhere via the 'traditional'' route why shouldn't you try this indie alternative? If your work is rubbish you'll find out soon enough but if you suddenly find an eager audience what do you have to lose? If the 'middle man' (agent/publisher) is hard to convince why not cut said 'middle man' out and go straight to the people?
With all the competition today we've got to exercise whatever options are available. Readers (as they always have) will make the final determination. Best wishes for success.
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