At the beginning of this year, I published a book using a preorder window for the first time. In hindsight, I could’ve managed it better. Although I’d planned my publication date around my writing schedule, I hadn’t built in enough of a buffer to account for the holidays and my own creative burnout. I also didn’t allot enough time for promotion, and I didn’t have the audience I needed to truly benefit from the extra work I put in.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m still proud of the book I published, and I’m happy to have had the experience of putting my book up for preorders. I’m also thankful for the lessons I learned in the process. The truth is that all of us have learned aspects of independent publishing through trial and error. It’s safe to say it’s a normal part of indie authorship—and of any self-managed business.
It also highlights the beauty of the indie author community.
Despite the challenges I faced in running my preorder campaign, authors around me helped walk me through Kindle Direct Publishing’s (KDP’s) rules around preorder uploads and delays. We hope Jennifer Mitchell’s article in this month’s issue can do the same for anyone in a similar dilemma. Those authors saved me from much more drastic errors and encouraged me when I felt stressed. I can say the same of the difficulties and triumphs I’ve faced throughout my publishing journey, as I hope you can, too—my circle has always been there to give me guidance when I’ve needed it.
No matter the questions you have or the challenges you face, other authors, organizations such as the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), and publishing services such as Gatekeeper Press—also detailed in this month’s issue—are there to offer advice and support. We hope this issue, and every issue, provides some of that advice and support as well.
Perhaps that’s the other normal part of indie authorship: that you are almost never going it alone. Even if you choose to do something different with your business, you can bet there will be others—including yours truly—standing behind you and cheering you on. Trial and error may be normal, but it isn’t the whole story; it’s trial, error, encouragement, and eventually, triumph.
Nicole Schroeder
Editor in Chief
