David M. Brown's Blog

Film Review #77: Infestation 36 Lives #9

Guest Post: All we are saying – is give indies a chance by D Kai Wilson-Viola

I know, I just wrecked a song title. But the point remains the same.

Hi there. My name is Kai. I'm 32, and I've been writing since I was 4. I've been published all over the place, but in my latest iteration, I'm an indie author. There are several reasons for this – but the biggest one is right now, the publishing community is in flux. And for you, gentle reader, this is great news. Imagine being able to hop online and think 'I feel like a thriller today' and before the feeling even wears off or you change your mind, poof, it's on your reader. Imagine looking at genres as not a guideline, but as a menu. How cool is that?

Indie writers are the new wave – but you're wading a bit

One of the major problems with the indie community is the readers even know there is a 'low barrier of entry'. So for every gem out there, it's true, you're going to end up with a few horrible books. But there are several reasons to keep trying – and some tips to ensure that you can find the best books out there.

Believing reviews – one of the biggest comments I get from readers, whether they are writers or not is whether they should believe reviews. I guess the answer to that is 'research'. If you're seeing a review that happened within a day of buying a book, chances are they haven't read the whole book. Another way to handle it is to click through and look at the reviews this person is giving on a regular basis. Not that you can't trust a reviewer that gives all fives, but you should at least consider removing them if you suspect they are 'puff reviews'. A puff review basically says 'excellent' and little else…..
Poor editing? – Most readers won't notice poorly edited pieces – not the same way that writers will. But you will realise that there's something wrong. If it really bothers you, it might be a good idea to Google it.
Leave your own opinions – the best way to clean up the indie community and know who to take that chance on again and again is by ensuring that as soon as you've read a book, that you leave a review. Make a point of investing in the community, and the writers will thank you for it.

Taking a chance on Indies

Ultimately, the biggest problem with the Indie community is we're featured on all of these big sites but we're all basically feeling our way in the dark. It's difficult to find the books that haven't been edited to the level that professional publishing expects, but at the same time, if you're not able to take a chance on new writers, then you may never find the good stuff. Which is where samples come in. Don't be afraid to download and experience authors through their sample chapters and free stories – you might just find your next favourite author.

Author bio

D Kai Wilson-Viola is one of the beautiful minds behind the Indie Author Community (http://indieauthorcommunity.com) , a huge site designed to help authors find information about the things they really need to know. When she's not moderating and supporting other indie authors, she can usually be found blogging at http://Kaiberie.com or at http://darknesspd.com – Her next nonfiction book is due out in July, and her first novel, in August.