Indipenned News

Writer, Beta Reader, Editor, Publisher, Supplier

The Future of Publishing Begins Here

28th May 2017
(Newsletter)

Welcome to Indipenned, a brand new portal for independent authors that aims to transform the world of literature. For too long the books that we read have been decided by the big five publishing companies and the size of their marketing budgets. We aim to make it much less about marketing budgets and a lot more about darn good books. Literature is an art form that should be driven by the boundless imagination of the human mind. There are hidden gems out there and we intend to find and share them.

So how are we going to do this?

The first thing we are going to do is make Indipenned the exclusive domain of independent literature. We’re not saying that there aren’t some excellent books out there in the mass market, indeed some great titles started out as independent publications. What we are saying is that lot of important work is unable to swim against the tide created from the exposure generated by the deep pockets of the major publishing companies. Not that we have anything against the big boys and girls, famous-name authors or indeed deep pockets. We just think there’s a place for something different.

Our plan is simple. We intend to create an online community that connects the creators of great independent literature with those who will love and appreciate it. If we can find enough like-minded people, then the whole will be greater than the sum of the parts and we will be able to create our own buzz around the great titles we find. This is not to say Indipenned is all about book promotion. Far from it. We also want to help make independent literature as good as it can be by providing a platform for independent authors to share their experiences and help each other produce their best possible work. Sounds simple doesn’t it?

Yeah, how are you really going to do this?

The Indipenned website includes a whole host of features designed to support independent authors. First and foremost we have our online independent bookshop, which uses a secret algorithm to determine the order in which books are listed. We don’t want to reveal too much about this, as it would cease to be secret, suffice to say the most popular and, by inference, the best books will appear towards the top. As independent bookshops go, we think it is up there with the best of them. They don’t have a secret algorithm… at least not one we’ve heard about.

In addition to the online bookshop each author, writer or, as we like to call you, creator has their own area of Indipenned. These creator areas include a profile with a photograph, a brief biography and links to your website and/or social networks. There is an area listing your books and the facility to post short stories, news, blogs and knowledge articles which share your experience of the publishing world with your fellow independent authors. In addition to this there is also an events sections allowing you to promote book launches, signings and the like.

OK. I get it. How much is this going to cost me?

Nothing. The internet is awash with book promotion services that claim to be able to turn your book into an international best seller. We make only one promise. We won’t charge you for promoting your book. We don’t believe in book marketing magic tricks. There is some good practice and, like all endeavours, book promotion is an activity which benefits from innovation, imagination and hard work, however the world is chaotic and there are no silver bullets. That’s why we don’t charge when we promote your books, whether it be on the Indipenned website or across our social networking presences. The following words or similar will never leave our lips, unless it’s to mock the snake oil sellers who say such things, “We'll tweet your book to a squillion followers and turn your book into a New York Times bestseller.

Our approach is simple. If you list your books in our independent bookshop, we will promote them. We only take our fee when they sell. Better still, the fee we charge is much less than you will in find in either traditional bookshops or other online retailers. Is it possible to say fairer than that?

What do you want from me?

In the first instance we want you to register and list your independent literature. If you have a great book up your sleeve, then stop wondering why you can’t get your coat on and let us know about it. We want to hear from independent authors working in all genres and are looking for the best novels, graphic novels, short stories and poetry collections the world of independent publishing can deliver. Non-fiction?… good too and if you can’t find a genre to list your book in then let us know and we will look to create one. One thing we don’t want fill our bookshop up with self help books, so if that be your bag it might be better to get in early.

Once you’re up and running it would be great if you could help us to revolutionise the world of independent literature by actively engaging with us. How you do this is up to you. This could be as easy as following us on one or more of the various social networks we are part of or perhaps you would like to contribute to the Indipenned website itself by posting an article in your creator area. You can post a short story to demonstrate your skills as a writer, add a knowledge article to help your fellow Indipenned Creators or post a blog on whatever you darn well like. Whatever you chose to do, it will enhance your profile in the exciting new world of Indipenned and help us to help you with the book marketing shizzle. Whatever your decide, welcome aboard. It’s going to be interesting.

Click here to join us on our adventure into the largely unexplored world of independent literature.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to join us just yet then why not stalk us for a while on your favourite social network? We’re on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We are confident that once you see what we’re up to you will wonder why you ever thought twice.