Okay, so I don’t quite mean swords and shields, and blood and gore. That’s a little too… energetic for my liking, unless there’s a roaring fire, fluffy slippers and a mug of hot chocolate waiting for me.
No, I’m a World Indie Warrior!
“What the heck?” I hear you cry, but bear with me.
World Indie Warriors began its life as a collective group of creatives who got on really well and all had something in common, they were independent, meaning they had no multi million pound establishments backing their work. Everything they did, they did themselves —writing, editing, formatting, cover design, publishing, marketing— or they scrimped and saved their hard earned cash to pay another company to do some of the work for them.
I won’t go into the how’s and why’s, I’m sure many of you have already had experiences of your own, but the industry isn’t kind to indie creatives. As I mentioned in a recent Heart-to-Heart with The Magic Book Corner, there is a lot of information out there about self publishing, and most of it contradictory, but I can’t help feel that it is a tactic on behalf of the big business to dissuade us. In a world that is dominated by five or six big named publishers (Many of the small publishers being owned by these bigger companies also.), they certainly wouldn’t want the masses to eat into their profit margins, it just isn’t good business.
And thus lies the problem.
To these big publishers, an author or a poet (e.g.), are just numbers on a page. And, even if you do manage to make it onto their books, as soon as the numbers don’t make sense it’s “So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye!”, if you’re lucky. They could, depending on the contract you signed, retain all the rights to your hard work, your sweat and tears and late nights downing red wine (Is that just me?).
“But it’s my dream to be published!” I can imagine you shouting at the screen of whatever device you’re reading on and, guess what, it was my dream too. But, having looked into this more and more, and seeing the number of writers with publishing deals backing away and doing it themselves, I can say that traditional publishing is not the rosy pipe dream you may be chasing.
So, to cut a very long story short, World Indie Warriors was born. A safe haven for these intrepid trailblazers to commune, discuss, and share their expertise and wisdom. To stop a creative industry being about numbers and breathe fresh life into it. But, they didn’t want to keep all of this to themselves like Gollum and The One Ring. Something this powerful was destined for bigger things. The doors were flung open and others were welcomed in, not just writers but poets, artists, photographers, voice actors, book bloggers, cover designers and any other industry you can think of where you are an indie creative, or you provide a service or offer support to indie creatives.
If you’re an indie, you belong.
– World Indie Warriors
If you’re thinking about being an indie, you belong.
If you like the indie community, you belong.
If you’re flirting with the idea of maybe checking out indie creatives, you belong.
You belong!
Now, with a growing following, there is a Facebook Page, Instagram Page, a members Facebook Group and a website. We also have a regular brochure, which is about to become an eZine where, as a member, you can advertise your books and services. In the coming months, exclusively for our members, we will be holding a host of workshops. These will be on everything from grammar to psychology and marketing to planning.
Want to get involved? Just take a look at the links I’ve dropped above and, before you ask, there is no catch. There is NO membership fee and there is NO charge to be on the eZine. We don’t have expectations to give back, but we do have lots of opportunities ranging from writing a blog to being a mentor, to being on a team. The group wasn’t created with money in mind, we are all volunteers doing it for the love of ours, and others, craft.
This group to help expand the stage for diverse voices. Your voice. My voice. Our voices. Voices that have been muffled or silenced. We are here to support those voices and expand the stage for ALL of our voices.
World Indie Warriors
This is what World Indie Warriors is all about, and this why you should get involved. I can’t wait to see you in our members group.
Jodie xxx
💜💜💜 I had the same dreams most writers have of being published and getting a contract, but came to the same conclusions you did after doing some research. I am all for anyone who wants to go the published route, but this piece speaks to everything I feel about my writing and where I want it to go. I am so glad I found WIW.