A writer’s little empire

If you’re a writer practicing independent publishing, you need to take on a whole lot of tasks and develop skills that are tangential to actually typing out your books. In a sense, it feels like a distraction, instead of focusing on your writing. Another, more useful, way to see it is that all of these skills are actually essential to the publishing process, and once you’re competent with it, then you no longer need to rely on a publisher. You don’t need to depend on anyone. There is liberation in that. At the very least, understanding how publishing and distribution works makes you a more valuable partner to a publisher. It also helps you understand what they’re actually doing, including finding a printer, reaching out to retailers, and fulfilling book orders. These experiences, while laborious, have their own way of enriching the writing process. As I publish The Consistency Journal independently, I might not have as much time to type out the next one, but I understand the supply…