The Emotional Rollercoaster of Publishing as an Indie Author; Chapter 1.

When you’re an indie author, the journey to sharing your finished book is like climbing a pretty steep mountain with many obstacles along the way. But what many don’t realise is that reaching the summit—the moment your book goes live—is just the beginning. The real challenge starts afterward, and it’s a whole new mountain to climb.

The Highs and Lows of Hitting “Publish”

The day my children’s book published on Amazon was a whirlwind. After 20 months of writing, editing, designing, and planning, and messing up, using software I had to learn from scratch—I was finally ready to share my work with the world. But instead of celebrating, I rushed. I didn’t even have time to tell my friends I’d hit the ultimate button, because I immediately got thrown into the thick of the post-launch strategy. I remember being late for a meeting that day, not because of the usual reasons, like getting the time wrong, but because I was frantically setting up marketing strategies to ensure the launch didn’t flop and fixing mistakes I’d made.

The Relentless Push for Success

The reality for indie authors is that publishing a book isn’t the end of the journey; it’s actually the start of a marathon. The day your book goes live, a new set of pressures emerges. You anxiously watch the rankings, hoping to see your work among the top new releases. And when it does, a fresh wave of anxiety hits. The pressure to maintain that momentum and push even further, aiming for the bestsellers list.

This relentless pursuit requires constant effort. You can’t just sit back and hope for the best. You have to be your own marketer, constantly promoting your book, engaging with readers on multiple platforms and in multiple groups. Finding new ways to get your work out there. Or else, what was the point in all the hard work?

The Unseen Challenges and Rewards

What many people don’t see are the behind-the-scenes challenges. There are interviews with professionals in your field, podcasts, and even media outlets like the BBC who might want you on their radio shows. While these opportunities are thrilling, they add to the workload, leaving little time to breathe, let alone celebrate your achievements.

Despite the exhaustion, there’s definitely an indescribable joy in seeing your book resonate with readers, in receiving messages from parents who read your story to their kids at bedtime, and in knowing that your hard work is making a difference. But it’s a constant balancing act, trying to savour these moments while also keeping up with the demands of promoting your book.

The Unspoken Reality

Being an indie author is not just about the joy of writing and sharing stories; it’s also about late nights, missed social events, and a persistent fear of failure. But it’s also about resilience, passion, and the incredible community of readers and fellow authors who make the journey worthwhile.

So, to every indie author out there, know you’re not alone on this rollercoaster. Keep climbing, keep pushing, and remember to take a moment, even if just a brief one, to appreciate how far you’ve come. And for those who support us, your encouragement and kind words are the fuel that keeps us going. Thank you for being a part of this journey. I'm now heading to a café where the coffee is strong, in an attempt to take a moment to acknowledge my own relatively small success.

Cheers.