Occasionally, I’m reminded just how dizzying the indie author gig can be.
Case in point:
Last night, after clearing some emails, I fired up the Facebook app and was immediately hit by a wall of text from an author doing a bajillion things and asking for feedback on what else she could possibly add to her plate.
For context, she was already posting TikToks, IG/FB reels…
Contacting authors to cross-promote newsletters…
Writing two series simultaneously…
Managing a Discord group for her fans…
Running Meta ads…
And a slew of other stuff.
My head spun just reading it. 🥴
I remember leaning back on the couch and looking at Lady Laura, hoping she'd offer me a headache tablet. Alas, she remained glued to some investigative show about misleading baby food pouches.
Anyway, there's no doubt the author in question cares about her business.
There's also no doubt it has more tentacles than an octopus.
By nature, most authors hate marketing. They'd much prefer being left alone in a windowless room, pounding out manuscript after manuscript and leaving the business stuff to, well, business people.
However, the indie author gig is a different beast entirely.
Not only does one have to crank out books…
YOU ALSO HAVE TO SELL THEM. 🔊
And that's where most authors overcomplicate things. Even I – the gracious, the wonderful, and the ever humble – fell into this trap early on.
Over the years, however, I've distilled my publishing efforts down to two core areas covering what readers actually value most.
The first is connection.
We readers thirst for adventure, sure, but what we really seek is connection – to the characters and the authors behind them.
That's why I created the Legion.
It's a place for you to get to know more about me, my work, and my whimsical ways (which may or may not ruffle feathers along the way).
The second thing readers value – potentially above all else – is none other than…
ENTERTAINMENT. 🍿
Aka, stories that suck us in like a hungry tornado.
Without compelling stories, there is no publishing business or Legion.
Story is the bedrock. It’s why I’ve devoured every book on structure money can buy, invested in countless workshops, and even hand-copied thousands of words from successful novels—trying to sear good storytelling into my very psyche.
Does that mean I'm a born-again Tolkien?
Of course… NOT!
I'm an average writer at best, and I have zero shame admitting it (frankly, it’s a relief). Because storytelling is the craft I’m obsessed with mastering.
After all, people remember good stories – not just good writing.
And speaking of stories, I've got 141 bite-sized fantasy, sci-fi, and horror tales waiting to whisk you away right here:
https://djjwatsonstore.com/products/Tiny-Epics-Vol-1
DJJW