On Our Own - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Indie-publishing: publishing in any way other than going through a traditional publishing company and signing a contract handing over rights to your work.
Publishing outside the realm of going through a traditional publishing company is becoming a more mainstream option. It remains controversial, however, and many large-chain bookstores refuse to cover "self-published" books. Newspapers refuse to review them. There are writers who are condescending about the idea.
Why? Because authors doing it on their own didn't get the okay from some overworked editor who gets many more submissions than s/he can handle and only wants a certain niche at a certain time? Because, yes, a lot of indie-published books should have had a lot more editing before being put out there?
There are many books published by authors who didn't take enough time to learn first and edit well. That does give the rest of us a harder time in marketing, but it is doable, and there are many good reasons to indie publish.
I published on my own because I'm a do-it-yourselfer and wanted to retain control over my work. I studied the markets, the submission process, and the typical profit percentage. Then I decided that if I was going to be expected to do my own marketing and publicity anyway, why not just do it all myself?
This group is for those brave souls who are serious about their writing, and about writing well, but want to keep control of their own work.
It's a place to share successes, struggles, marketing tips, and just to chat and get to know others going through the same process.
A note: Encouraging indie publishing does not at all suggest we do not support traditional publishing or large bookstores, or any traditional business. I believe a truly free-market economy has room for all types of business and each author should pursue the path which makes sense for her/him. Indies simply offer another option.
This space is a branch of the group started and maintained at Writing.com Members there have access to forums and a bi-monthly newsletter. I brought the group to Myspace as a further outreach. It is my hope that we can assist each other and make a loud statement that we are worth being recognized even without a commercial contract, in the same vein as indie musicians.
LK Hunsaker

My Interests

I'd like to meet:

Other serious writers who have decided to take the less-traveled path.

While self-promotion is admirable and even necessary, please realize this is a place to share information. In the future, it may include author spotlights. Suggestions are always welcome.

Note to spammers sending requests and messages: Every profile is checked before being added. Solicitors will not be approved, but may be reported.

My Blog

Ebook distribution

I've been fighting illness for the past month, so apologies for a lack of entries. The publishing series will be continued. For the moment, I want to share an Ebook market you might want to know about...
Posted by on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:13:00 GMT

"Where" Matters: self-pub info

I read a note by a new author who recently put his book out through a company most of us know by now has the worst reputation in the industry. I won't mention company names here, but he signed a 7 yea...
Posted by on Sat, 05 Sep 2009 15:16:00 GMT

Advice to Authors from a Bookseller

A writing aquaintance has interviewed an author/bookstore owner and this is one indie writers need to read:http://amberpolo.blogspot.com/2009/07/authors-behaving- badly-bookseller-tells.htmlRule 1 in p...
Posted by on Sat, 08 Aug 2009 15:58:00 GMT

Ebook Site for Indie Authors

We all know about Lulu, but I recently found the kind of site I've been wanting for some time ... an Indie Ebook site where we can upload our own books/articles/short stories and set our own prices. U...
Posted by on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:19:00 GMT

Indie Anthology -- In the Works!

I'm at the end of intensive novel completing at the moment, but as soon as that is finalized (within a week or so, I hope!), this anthology is moving forward. What do I want? Stories, poems, novel exc...
Posted by on Mon, 05 May 2008 11:32:00 GMT

Amazon and PODs

Reposting this from my site blog [http://lkhunsaker.blogspot.com] The buzz is flying furiously. No, the bees aren’t out again yet, not here, anyway, but POD publishers and authors are being stun...
Posted by on Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:08:00 GMT

Welcome to 2008!

This greeting comes late, as did a few friend request acceptances, as family-related things have prevailed through the extended holidays. As Stephen King says in "On Writing," our writing should not b...
Posted by on Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:45:00 GMT

Featured Author: Heather Mihok

November's featured author is Heather Mihok, poet and author of Secrets, Nevermore, which was published independently. We're honored to have caught up with Heather for an exclusive interview.OOO: Hi, ...
Posted by on Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:56:00 GMT

Publishing Methods Part 2

WHY INDIE-PUBLISH?Often called "vanity publishing," indie publishing is misunderstood by many authors, editors, and book sellers. While there are many books published by their authors that do fit this...
Posted by on Sun, 20 May 2007 00:14:00 GMT

Welcome to On Our Own!

The blog will be used for writing tips, marketing tips, and general discussion. If you have something you would like to contribute, please send a message and we'll talk about it. The only "payment" fo...
Posted by on Mon, 16 Apr 2007 20:00:00 GMT