What does Indie Mean? -- Indie Life & ROW80

It's hump day, and time for my monthly posting for Indie Life.

What is Indie Life?
How: Sign up on the Linky at the bottom of this page
When: Post on the second Wednesday of the month (starting 1/9/2013)
What: Write anything indie related: something that will inspire or help a fellow indie; something that celebrates a release or a milestone; something that talks about the ups and downs, joys and heartaches of Being Indie.
Grab: The banner to include in your posts!

What is Indie Life?

I wasn't sure what to talk about this month, so I do what I often do when I'm stumped. I go to the dictionary. I'm a nerd like that. Proudly. Then, I went to the thesaurus. Some words nailed it, but quite a few didn't. My thoughts...

Separate/Unconnected/Unaided/Non-aligned

None of these have been true in my experience. Before I published my first book in late 2010, I was very much all of these things... a closet writer. But ever since I came out, I have found an amazing community of indie writers (and small press and traditional writers).

Self-Reliant/Self-Sufficient

Sure. There is no publishing house administrator or agent breathing down my neck for my manuscript. If I don't motivate myself, it's simply not going to get done. But I do have some amazing authors who push me and remind me that I can do it.

Self-Determining/Uncontrolled

At the end of the day, all things land on the indie author's back. They have to find people they can trust to help them with the business of writing: editing, publishing, cover design, marketing, promotions, tax matters, and on and on. But I wouldn't want to send my baby away and then have her come back to me grown and influenced by others. I like the control I have over my novel.

For me, indie = a wonderful community. One that supports me while I navigate an ever-changing publishing world. Indie life is full of believing in myself but never being alone. It's the power to control my own destiny, as much as humanly possible.

What does Indie mean to you?

*****

And a quick A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80) update...

Editing is almost done, and then I can focus on polishing Chasing Shadows (Tala Prophecy, Book 2). Thanks for all your help with the title -- this was my hubby's suggestion, so he's feeling pretty good that it was the clear favorite.

Plus, I hope to get my website up and running by year-end or early January.

And I've been a social media slacker... lots of blog reading to catch up on!