I cannot say how much out-of-pocket expenses traditionally published authors have to utilize to help move their books along-I would like to say none, but I have heard/read that often the authors still have to manage their own marketing, and I’m not sure if that is simply being present and interactive through social media accounts, etc., or by applying their own funds. As a self-published author, it’s a small fortune if you want to get everything managed professionally. I have paid from my own pockets the Editing, Formatting, Proof Reading, and Cover Design Fees just to prepare the books, and beyond that I have paid plenty more fees for Marketing & Advertising.

Here in this moment, I write this because I’m trying to figure out the best pace at which to provide giveaways through Goodreads.com. It’s not cheap, they have now set two standard package options, and while both are great opportunities, and I can understand Why they are charging for something that was previously free for one package, I grow weary of bleeding the money. The question arises…how frequently should this be done? Pacing advertisement takes time, consideration, and generally always funding. Aside from stripping naked and having people Pay me to put my clothes back on And buying my book(s), it costs money in the opposite direction I prefer to see it going to M&A.

This post isn’t just to complain, but to find some feedback from other Indie Authors, or even those published with an agent/publishing house. Here is my struggle, finding the right answer, or getting good feedback for a little guidance. I do my research, and it’s varying, which I assume I will get from other authors…but I ask for it nonetheless!

Good gracious. I need more sleep…been staying up late reading when I should be resting. *sigh* I throw myself at the mercy of those who have experience to share.

These last few months have proved to be a real trial in my life, pushing everything else to the back burner. From reading books I should have finished months ago, to really getting to writing my last book, Hail, it’s been frustrating. However, I’ve reached a good point where things are turning around. I will be finishing reading Loyalty by Carol Deeley THIS WEEK! I’m so excited for that, and can’t wait to share my review and rating.
**Side note…I need to start a thread specifically for book reviews. Not that I will necessary start a reviewing process to accept requests, but just as I go along I strongly believe it will be beneficial all around! …Though…I’m always open to learn of new works xD!

After I complete that I will read my book, Blizzard, before moving on to write Hail. I found reading the books I’ve written helps me to stay aligned with what has occurred. Funny thing, you can forget many details that you as a writer have incorporated into a story. The same thing occurred with Snow, and that was a short book in itself! Even before I published Snow I had considered working on expanding it – not a full rewrite,  but a basic plumping up and incorporating details and plot points I was afraid to do the first go around. I’m still on the fence, as on one end the way the book currently sits to the second reflects just how much growth has occurred, and that’s something I don’t want to lose. Yet, what good is there to leave something I feel is incomplete in nature?\

On another, I think it would be beneficial overall to be able to let loose the way I should have when I first wrote Snow. How many authors feel that way about their own written works? I know even the big-name authors have done with their own novels. The things that held me back were years of feedback that I allowed to hinder my creative process, fears and concerns that stunted my ability to create the story that I have born.

It’s food for thought. I may yet do it after I finish Hail, and incorporate a revised Map in Snow, and revised maps in Blizzard. All to come, all thoughts, ways to improve. I will, of course, have the originals in hand so one day I can review where I was and where I ended up. Now, that’s only for Snow. I feel no need to revise any part of Blizzard, honestly. Blizzard has been my most joyous work to date, that’s knowing I have written other full-length novels that have not been published, but wait for me to return and revise.

The lovelies at Indie Books Gone Wild are most generously hosting a giveaway of Blizzard! Follow the link below to enter, and see the other titles available from other Authors💗!

Indie Books Gone Wild

Marketing & promotion is terribly painful, but I am finding pathways that are opening some doors! One of those is Netgalley – which Snow and Blizzard are both available for reviewers through!

• Snow is available up until August 2nd
• Blizzard is available up until November 2nd

If you, or anyone you know, uses Netgalley here is a golden opportunity to get the books for free to read and review! Please remember to post your honest reviews to both Goodreads and Amazon! It makes all the difference.

It’s hard. It’s just simply hard to write lately. There has been so much to happen in the last Few months, especially the last month and a half, that I wonder if I even have it in me to write anymore. *Dramatic Exhale*

Still, I sat down and began writing today. It’s just not flowing how I would like, but I can go back and modify that. The point is: I’m doing it. I’m writing, because it needs to be done. I suppose sometimes it’s forging ahead, even when hurt and fear are screaming for you to stop. It’s not letting discouragement or the negativity-either within one’s own life or external-bury me at Least 6 feet under…even though it could definitely be the depth of the Earth’s core, in truth.

Being a writer, in any facet, takes a certain resilience, and while dealing with all this unfortunate life-stuff…I will meet my goal to release Hail by the end of this year/early next year. I want to release it by early December, if possible. Which means, based on my Very large outline, I need to get crackin’!

**Motivational memes below**

I have created the draft outline for Hail! It’s still an initial draft and I have a few tweaks to make, a few pieces to implement, but I have it <3! It may seem silly, but this is a major feat for how much I have struggled with what to do, whether to just begin writing or finish fleshing out the outline. The outline won, I tried just writing. This time around, I have had to create my outline. Next step: work out the details for how 4 characters to came to be in the overall story. Final step: determine which ending I will choose for the book…this may came at the end after I have written the majority. That’s how it worked with Blizzard. The story itself took over the air in my lungs, became my breath and vision. My deepest wish is that this will be the case with Hail, to experience that again. Because, I feel that is how the process should go, how writing should turn out.

Writing, when it flows, is just as breathing. I cannot live without it. It is the element my life has been missing for too terribly long, and to know now what it means to actually breathe, to live, how can anyone go back from this experience? Everything must come out of my mind that has been building, and there is so much to share! I of course hope and pray for wild success, if it’s deemed to be part of my life, but if others can enjoy what I produce, all the better.

While creating the outline is essential, I feel that ache to breathe again. It’s something my body craves, desires, requires! Bittersweet release that can be painful and beautiful, and I wonder what that very something is for other people.

Coming soon…Hail.