Stop Chasing Every Indie Author Trend (And Do This Instead)

Unsolicited Advice From An Indie Author

Dear author friends, peers, and aspiring writers,

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned in this business is this:

Stop trying to do what everyone else is doing.

Seriously. Just stop.

It’s incredibly easy to get swept up in the constant stream of advice floating around the indie publishing world. Every day there’s another post, another thread, another video telling you that if you want to “make it,” you have to be doing X, Y, and Z.

You should be rapid releasing.
You should be writing to market.
You should be running ads on three platforms.
You should be doing audiobooks.
You should be launching a Kickstarter.
You should be selling direct.
You should be on TikTok.
You should be posting daily.
You should be writing faster.

And before you know it, you’re trying to juggle fifteen different strategies that may or may not even make sense for the kind of career you want.

But here’s the truth I’ve learned after years in this industry:

What works for those geese doesn’t always work for this one.

Not all of us have the same destiny.

Not all of us have the same path.

And we certainly don’t all have the same interests, strengths, or bandwidth.

Some authors thrive investing heavily in audiobooks and building huge audio catalogs.

Some authors do incredibly well writing short, punchy serials that readers binge in a weekend.

Some build beautiful special editions with art and collectibles that their readers adore.
Some authors love newsletters and community building.

Others would rather just write the next book (ME).

All of those paths are valid.

But here’s the part I wish more people said out loud:

You don’t have to do it all.

You don’t have to be on every platform.
You don’t have to follow every trend.
And you definitely don’t have to do something just because someone else says you should.

The real key is figuring out three things:

• What you actually enjoy doing
• What you’re realistically able to sustain
• What kind of author career you want to build

Because this isn’t a hobby for most of us. It’s a career. And careers aren’t built by copying someone else’s blueprint line by line.

They’re built by experimenting, learning, adapting, and figuring out what works for you.

So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the constant noise of “must-do” advice, let me offer this reminder:

March to your own drummer, friends.

Your path might look different.

Your timeline might look different.

Your strategy might look different.

And that’s not a failure.

Sometimes that’s exactly what makes it work.

Save yourself some sanity.

Trust your instincts.

And build the author career that actually fits you. Hang in there.

Good luck!

del mare alla stella,
C.D. Gorri