indie – Page 2

Flying Blind: A Pantser’s Thoughts

There’s a moment in every writer’s journey when they have to choose between control and surrender. When faced with this conundrum, do you grip the steering wheel tighter? Or do you slide over to the passenger seat and see where the ride takes you?

For me, that choice came about 1,500 words into what I thought would be a simple, cheesy romance posted for free on Inkitt. Little did I know, my characters had other plans—even the ones that had yet to make their presence known.

I have a confession: I am a pantser. Yep. I go into every story flying blind. I start with a character, a problem, and often absolutely no direction. But I don’t panic. I let the characters decide where to take me.

When I write, I like to think of myself as a scribe—but a scribe with unprecedented access to the characters’ inner thoughts, secrets, desires, and untold history. Nothing is hidden from me.

Now, this “flying blind” approach isn’t without challenges. Sometimes I hit a wall, and not for the reasons you might initially expect.

With Taming Armand, I hit a wall when the story’s direction completely shifted. I initially jumped on Inkitt intending to write a cutesy love story—something a little erotic and, well… cheesy. But around 1,500 words in, the characters hijacked my plans. After chapter one, the secret history of how Armand’s father became alpha and the complex dynamics of one-sided sibling rivalry took over, kicking me out of the driver’s seat. I was no longer controlling what played on the radio.

I found myself writing Taming Armand thinking, “Wow, I didn’t expect it to go this way,” or clutching my pearls at scenarios that unfolded naturally as I continued writing. It was no longer my story—it belonged to Armand, Amelia, Maximillian, and the rest. I, the scribe, had moved to the periphery, becoming merely a spectator who wanted to record everything I’d seen and heard.

Now, I’m not prejudiced against planning. I see the merits in outlining, but as someone who has tried to plan stories, I have to say it’s truly not for me. What was supposed to be a simple outline quickly ballooned into twenty pages of actual story. During that planning exercise, the little bit I did outline was never referenced (honestly, I think I lost it entirely).

Then there was the time I sat down to write a story with a specific ending in mind—something happy. I wanted to step outside my comfort zone and write something, well… uplifting. Instead, the character took me down a dark but humorous path of murder, flaying, and repressed sexual desires. Trust me, I didn’t see any of that coming, at least not for this particular story.

It was with this story that I really evaluated what type of writer I was and am. More importantly, it gave me the courage to embrace who I am as a writer. I don’t write with outlines. An idea comes to me from the ether, I grab hold of it, and let it lead me wherever it wants to go. In simpler, less fluffy terms: I’ve accepted that most writing advice articles aren’t very useful to me because of my approach to storytelling. I’ve learned not to bend myself to fit what a writer is “supposed to do” or how they’re “supposed to approach” story or character development. I’ve learned not to throw the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak.

Do I think my writing life would be easier if I planned? Probably. I’d likely have a higher chance of meeting writing deadlines. But flying blind is where I’m most comfortable, and I feel I do my best work. I’m a better writer when I sit down with no expectations other than getting started. After that first line, the characters take over, and I let them run wild.

Are you a planner or a pantser? Or do you prefer a mixture of both?

The Weirdo wants to know!

Indie Publishing Part 2: Expectations versus Reality – Knowing the Difference Between Writing Alone and Going It Alone

When I first decided to become an author, I thought I understood what I was signing up for and that it would be fun, and in no time I would be rich!

I’d write my book in solitude (which is something that appealed to me. The lonely genius burning the midnight oil with a beloved pet as their only companion has been something that I have inspired to for a long time. (Haven’t decided whether this is an unhealthy aspiration or not but I digress.)

I thought, “I’ll publish the book myself—how hard could it be?” The plan was simple: build my author career on my own terms and, most importantly, maintain control over my own destiny. After all, who doesn’t crave that sense of control, or at least the comforting illusion of it?

I was ready to embrace what I imagined would be the writer’s life: peaceful isolation paired with creative independence. Little did I know what lay ahead.

What I didn’t realize was that there’s a massive difference between “writing alone” and “going it alone”. I believe as an indie authors and/or publishers this is something we all contend with at some point on the journey. Confusing the two nearly derailed my entire writing journey.

Writing Alone: Beautiful Solitude

Writing alone is exactly what it sounds like—the quiet, focused act of putting words on the page. It’s you, your thoughts, and the story unfolding in your mind. This part of indie publishing lived up to every expectation I had. There was pure creative flow. There were no meetings, no compromise, no committee decision about character motivations and no debates on whether is this or that too much.

I had complete control.

I decide when my protagonist and antagonists speak. I shape the world and whether a plot twist stays or goes. Then there’s the flexible schedule. Whether I write at 5am or midnight, in bed or at the local overpriced coffee shop is of no one’s concern but my own.

Mostly importantly there are no deadlines, except the ones that I set. Then there’s the authentic voice; the story emerges exactly as it has been envisioned without outside influence (which can be for the good or the bad; at times a fresh set of eyes are helpful, I am willing to admit).

This solitude isn’t just pleasant—it’s essential. The best writing happens in that quiet space where you can hear your characters’ voices and feel the rhythm of your prose. I protect this time fiercely, and it remains my favorite part of the entire writing journey.

But here’s the thing about illusions, especially the beautiful ones, is that it lures you in and before you know it the hooks are embedded deep.

Going It Alone: The Isolation Trap

Now here’s where expectations and reality collided. I thought the entire indie publishing journey would be this peaceful, solitary experience. I thought the process would be ordered and all I had to do was hit each step along the way and end up at this fabulous destination. I imagined myself as a lone wolf, handling everything from manuscript to marketing with quiet confidence and complete self-reliance.

The reality? Going it completely alone is not just lonely—it’s counterproductive and dare I say, devastating.

The Learning Curve

When you go it alone, every mistake becomes a costly lesson learned the hard way:

– I spent a week playing around on BookBrush, designing a cover that looked cute, artistic but didn’t signal the urban fantasy genre.

-My back cover blurb was lacking.

-I chose keywords based on what I thought sounded impressive, not what readers actually searched for when looking for books.

Each of these mistakes could have been avoided with input from other indie authors and publishers who’d already navigated these waters.

Lesson learned.

I now have a tribe (albeit small) of writers and authors that have undergone a similar journey or that have taken a different path (more traditional route) or write purely to submit to anthologies.

So, I want to know, can you relate?

A Blog…But Not Really ;)

I won’t be posting part 2 of my “Indie Publishing” series. Currently, I’m deep in the writing and editing trenches, preparing a piece for this Saturday’s Birmingham Noir at the Bar (June 7th at 6pm).

As I prepare to take the stage and read my story, I find myself reflecting on how far I’ve come as a writer-turned-author. What started as a little side hobby—an emotional outlet—has become such an important part of my life. Writing has given me something to look forward to, a community, friends, and yes, I’ll sound cheesy here: a sense of purpose.

My mind keeps returning to the first Noir at the Bar I ever attended. Whether it was accident or fate is hard to say, but I had no intention of going to that event six years ago. I called my dad, and we decided, why not? We work hard—we work a lot—so why not take a few hours to let our hair down?

We met at the Wild Roast coffee shop, and for two hours, we had our minds completely blown. I sat there in wonder, thinking about my own writing and asking myself: if they can do it, why can’t I? What’s stopping me… besides me?

The next day I was on a high that I still cannot describe. I broke out old, worn journals and combed through all my writing files stashed away on my HP. I had a fire; I started writing again—and unlike before, I began to take writing seriously. I am taking it seriously.

I feel as if I’m no longer floundering. Now, in my early thirties, my feet are finally on solid ground.

It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, and one that taught me you have to take chances in this life because you never know what’s waiting on the other side. It can be bad, or it can be a whole lot of good.