Some Signs You May Be Suited To Being An Indie Author

There is a lot of discussion out there on whether or not you should pursue self-publishing or traditional publishing. Much of it comes from the perspective of checking in with what your goals are and then going from there.

But what about thinking about it from the perspective of personality? I was thinking recently about what I love about being an indie author and I realized that much of it lined up with personality characteristics that I have.

So, here are some signs you may be suited to being an indie author:

You Love Variety

Oh my goodness is there a never-ending list of things that need to get done as an indie author. And the thing is, you get to do it all! Well, you’re probably hiring things out, but you still get to manage it all!

But this is actually one of things I like best about being self published–the variety of activities I get to perform.

It’s not uncommon to hear writers say that they wish they could just write and give everything else (especially marketing) over to someone else. I’m the opposite. I don’t want to just write. I would get bored just writing. That’s why I also design book covers, format files, keep up a website, do marketing, advertise, create graphics, write product descriptions, keep records for my author business, and on and on and on.

I like doing all this stuff. There is always something new to learn and I get to switch tasks a lot, which keeps me interested. As I write this, I’m realizing this is also probably why I write in multiple genres. 🙂

You Enjoy Exploring and Experimenting

One of the things I find really motivates me is having the perspective of experimenting rather than having set goals. If I take on an activity, seeing it through the lens of “let’s see what happens” rather than “I want these specific things to happen” is often more enjoyable and pushes me along faster.

There is a lot to experiment with as an indie author. Maybe too much. 🙂

With all the freedom and flexibility you have in your writing and publishing, there are many things you can explore and experiment with. New tools, new resources, new ways to sell books. Maybe you want to try something in your writing or in your newsletter or on your website and see if it works. Many things won’t, but it doesn’t mean you can’t check it out.

Because indie authors have the ability to change aspects of their work easily and frequently, it lends itself to experimenting and exploring.

You Love Personal Growth

I’ve been interested in personal growth activities since my early twenties, at least. I’ve done a lot of things that have allowed me to learn about myself and grow. Pursuing self-publishing is one of the biggest (not that I did it for that reason).

There’s so much to face on this path. From difficult learning curves, to screwing things up, to developing the courage to make your own way, being an indie author is full of growth opportunities and not just professional ones.

There are a lot of fears to be faced on this path, and if you’re successful you can come away with not just selling more books but a greater sense of yourself.

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Amanda Linehan is the author of North, about a young woman on the run from her past, the law and an old adversary out to get her. Her newest release is Bored To Death: A Vampire Thriller, about a 300-year-old vampire trying to restore the balance between life and death. She has published five novels. Get a free short story every month when you sign up for her newsletter.