Guest Post by EL Croucher
Today I have EL Croucher, author of Horned, Winged Blessed on the blog. She’s talking about her experience as an indie author and why she chose that as her route rather than waiting for pro publishers.
Take it away Emi Louise!
1. Why did you choose to go indie rather than going for the traditional publishing route?
For me, it’s a matter of being proactive and managing my own project. I’ve always enjoyed that type of management, so working on Horned Winged Blessed and my previous novel as self-published books was part of the fun for me.
The feeling of a random sale, knowing that I created all of this buzz myself… and the time I get back when it’s all done! I enjoy each and every moment of the process, just as much as I do writing and editing.
2. How are you getting your books out there? (Smashwords? Lulu? Createspace? Other sites? Printing & warehousing at home? Etc)
Currently, I’m hosting a large-scale launch party and inviting friends new and old. I will have a “share and pass on” scheme in which I’ll encourage those who bought a book to pass it on after reading it. I also have an Instagram account (@emi13230), on which I have a following that support me as an LGBTQ+ writer.
Finally, I have my website (ELCroucher.com), which is my main hub for information and blog posts.
3. If you went for a print version, why? If you didn’t, why not?
I did, because I am a reader of hard copies myself. Amazon provides the service for minimal effort, so any self-published author going through them would be silly not to!
4. How much of your time do you spend marketing and promoting your book?
Far more than I ever did writing it. I have several PR and Marketing managers, that are all friends as well. They have jumped on board to the project and believe in this book just as much as I do. Together we work on SNS content, blog posts, marketing strategies and press releases.
It’s all part of the fun!
5. Which form of promotion works best for you? Why do you think this is?
For me it’s Instagram, because I naturally gravitate to aesthetics. I promote my life as an author, and transgender woman. That allows my audience to connect and relate with me, eventually leading to a bond that makes them want to invest their time in me and my writing.
I feel that the process is organic and fair. There is no falsehood or “buy buy buy” element to it.
6. Do you spend a great deal of time on Goodreads?
In all honesty… not really. There is something about the website’s UI that I just cannot click with. I’m sure it’s a great site and I’m well aware that many people love it, but it’s just not for me. ?
7. If it’s not too rude to ask, how are you feeling about the progress of your book?
At the end of the day, I’m just a single person. There is only so much I can do. With that in mind, I’m incredibly proud of what Horned Winged Blessed has become. I read the book myself for fun. I still cry at the sad bits and laugh at the jokes. If I have a single fan that says they enjoyed it, then it is all more than worth it.
However, on a more positive note, HWB has now grown into a beast that is no longer just fueled by me. No way. It has eager beta readers, editors, a cover artist, PR managers and actual fans that care about it. That makes my heart melt with joy!
So all-in-all, I’m more than happy with the progress of this book.
8. Would you indie publish again?
Absolutely. Of course, if I was offered a contract I wouldn’t turn it down or anything.
9. If you used a professional editor or cover artist, do you want to use this space to give them a mention, so other writers can find the good ones too?
Definitely!
Thank you to my three beta readers – you know who you are.
<3
Jake Ratcliff, my editor, wrote some of the funniest comments to my original
transcript that I was belly-laughing while I went through them. He deserves a
golden shovel award for the amount of plot holes he filled up!
Dawn M Larder was my cover artist, and I think I must have gone to her with no less than 10 drafts. I’m not kidding. We originally tried a concept that just wasn’t working, so when we gave up with that we moved to the current cover art. However, even that took several attempts to really capture the darkness and the dystopian vibe.
Thank you also to everyone that has helped with the PR side, the marketing, proofreading, samples and general ideas!
We finally got there!
10. What would be a good resource to make your life simpler, as an indie author? What do you wish was out there but just doesn’t seem to be?
In an ideal world, I would love to see the traditional publishing companies wake up to the realisation that the way books are published is changing. Language is changing. Reading habits are changing. I think that a deep modernisation is in order across the board.
That sounds about right. Now, tell us about your book!
About The Book
Follow Joan on her adventure of discovery, as she learns the hard way that her post-apocalyptic utopia isn’t always full of rainbows and Merlot.
Yes, she lives on the nicer side of the settlement, as the daughter of the Mother Founder. But after a life-threatening attack on her home, she soon realises that many out there are against the Silver Party regime.
Horned Winged Blessed is the story of one girl fighting against a tyrannous government, elected to power amidst the unending chaos of World War III. Heavily enriched in their pagan values, the Silver Party are to thank for pulling Broken Britain up from the brink of a depression, but at what cost?
Will Joan decide to take down the Silver Party from the inside…
…or will she go on to fight alongside the rebel faction that allures her so intensely?
Title: Horned Winged Blessed
Author: E L Croucher
Category: LGBTQ+ Dystopian Fiction
Publication Date: 29th November 2019 (Pre-release as of 10th Nov)
Publisher: Amazon
Editor: Jake Ratcliff
Cover Artist: Dawn M Larder
Buy Links
Thanks Emi Louise! Sounds great 🙂
