Monday, September 5, 2011

Indie Anyone, Indie Anything

I've been extremely lucky. In the balance, I have many more people supporting me than not, but I do know this isn't the case for everyone (or even most) involved in Indie publishing. There is a certain bias against people who publish their own books. I've been faced with it, too, but with the support I have, coupled with my incredible bull-headedness, I tend to brush off the naysayers.

It's a shame this particular bias exists against authors. If you were a musician, would you wait for a record contract to give you permission to make music? If you were an artist, would you wait for a gallery to represent you before you put brush to canvas? If you wanted to make a documentary, would you wait for a movie studio to call you with the go-ahead? If you're an entrepreneur, do you wait until everyone else has smoothed the way for a new venture (consequently reaping the reward). No, of course you don't!

There are dreamers in the world and we are they: writing, making music, making art, painting the living room bright purple because it is our favorite color, exploring recipes, building anything from birdhouses to  motorcycles, starting businesses...and we should be proud of all these things.

So here's the deal I am making with idie-ANYONE who isn't getting the support they need: come see me at any of the places I'll be selling and signing books, whisper the code indie, and let me shake your hand. To me, it will be an honor to shake the hand of someone brave enough to do whatever leads him or her from the beaten path. We'll shake hands in the fresh wilderness that is Indie Anything and I'll look at you in admiration because you are the brave frontrunner in a burgeoning new enterprise.

Visit me here:
http://www.christinedoughertybooks.com/

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