I am a writer.
I’m a person who scribbles words, words that make sentences, sentences that make paragraphs, paragraphs that make articles, essays, and books.
I’m also a proud independent author.
The pen and the keyboard are my chosen tools of the trade, wielded as weapons if necessary but more usually as a paintbrush, to paint the picture of my life.
You’ve probably heard my story before, because it’s a common one. As a child, I always wanted to be a writer when I grew up, well, that or a ballerina! Anyway, I grew up, and surprise, surprise, I was neither of those. Life happens, huh? But I never gave up the dream and could often be heard saying, “One day I’m going to write a book”. Sounds familiar, right?
And then I blinked. It was 2020, and I was a 50-year-old widow living in a global pandemic. It was my ‘put up or shut up’ moment. I knew that I should do it or give up, saying that I would. So, I did it. My first book was published in 2020, and here I am in 2026, five books later, spending my time as a full-time author and writing coach, helping other people fulfill their writing dreams, too.
But why did I choose to be an independent author rather than go down the traditional publishing route? For me, there are two key reasons. Firstly, there was a sense of urgency in 2020; I did not want to have to wait. I was impatient, and there was a ‘now or never’ feeling driving me on. I simply did not want to have to wait and go through the process of looking for agents and a traditional publisher. Secondly, I’m a bit of a control freak, well, that’s what people tell me anyway! Being an independent author allows me to go at my own pace, make my own decisions (creative and otherwise), and, of course, keep control of my own work.
The Alliance of Independent Authors, 2024 report ‘The Big Author Data Drop’ highlights some interesting points:
• Self-published authors earn more than traditionally published authors;
• Younger authors are making self-publishing their first choice;
• Self-Published books made up more than 50% of Kindle’s top 400 books in 2023.
Sometimes, there can be a narrative that independent authors are just authors who failed at securing an agent and a contract. That’s now a fairly outdated view, and I know many authors, like me, who have chosen this route quite deliberately and have no intention of spending time in an attempt to secure a publishing deal with one of the big publishers.
I really believe that anyone can write a book, and with the right support and work, it can be a brilliant book. So, if this is your 2020 moment, your ‘now or never’, I would say get on with it NOW! If you need a helping hand, there are people like me who can help you along the way.
Whatever your dreams, keep on reading, keep on writing!
I hope to read your book one day!
This was written by our contributing writer, Claire Walsh-Jones.
Image Source: Pexels, George Milton
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