At the Boston Book Festival, I couldn’t not bring home a new book! While exploring the booths, I came across a collective of self-published, independent authors. One of those authors was Meia Geddes, who struck me as kind and soft-spoken as she explained to me what the booth was about. I took a look at the books she had out, and I instantly fell in love with this book cover:
PSA! You’re not “screwing over the man” by shitting on independent authors. You’re just taking their livelihood. And we’re not talking about KU books.
[Image ID: A screenshot of a tweet by username @KBrombergDriven. The text reads:
“½ Every time you return an ebook at Amazon, the author is charged back more than what they were paid for the sale. Yes, that means we could owe Amazon at the end of the month. Since TikToks went viral saying ‘it’s okay to return ebooks’
2/2 most authors returns have skyrocketed. Reading and returning a book is stealing. If you want free books, try the library app, Libby (among others) #AmazonisNotALibrary”
PSA! You’re not “screwing over the man” by shitting on independent authors. You’re just taking their livelihood. And we’re not talking about KU books.
[Image ID: A screenshot of a tweet by username @KBrombergDriven. The text reads:
“½ Every time you return an ebook at Amazon, the author is charged back more than what they were paid for the sale. Yes, that means we could owe Amazon at the end of the month. Since TikToks went viral saying ‘it’s okay to return ebooks’
2/2 most authors returns have skyrocketed. Reading and returning a book is stealing. If you want free books, try the library app, Libby (among others) #AmazonisNotALibrary”
The best thing u can do for an indie artist (besides buying our stuff) is to tell ppl about work you like
We do Not have advertising budgets
My marketing strategy is basically the occasional self-conscious reblog and accidentally inducing hyperfixation when someone unlocks my brain with the right question.
Word of mouth from our readers is everything.
Pretty much the only promotion I do is on Tumblr. Facebook hides and buries outside links unless you pay them (which I wouldn’t do even if I did have the money) and Twitter just kinda sucks.
You nerds are the only thing keeping this operation solvent.
Braver than any US Marine.
If you can’t buy my books, consider telling someone about them! <3
My G-d yes please. Advertising without a massive budget and an ad agency to do it for you is basically setting piles of money on fire.
Please, please tell people about us.
Depending on the costs involved, I highly recommend fan-run giveaways! I can just about guarantee that, any book series by an independent or small press author you can think of that you love, there’s someone out there who desperately wants to read it but can’t justify a few dollars for it. Plus, independently published stuff is harder to get into the library.
Have a favorite author who wrote something you love that’s only five bucks? Have an extra fifteen bucks to throw around one week and want to support them extra? Host a giveaway for three copies! Not only will the author get the money from the sales and three people get a copy of the book when they might not otherwise be able to, a bunch of other people will see your giveaway pitch and be introduced to the author’s work that way. Win-win-win!
